Biodegradable Plastic Drug Delivery Device Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drug delivery devices, particularly those used by patients with diabetes, pose environmental burdens due to non-biodegradable materials and are costly to manufacture and dispose of, while requiring mechanical stability and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery device utilizing biodegradable plastic materials for its components, including a housing, cartridge holder, and drive mechanism, which degrades faster than conventional plastics, allowing for environmentally friendly disposal and reduced production costs without compromising mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional non-biodegradable plastic materials are used for drug delivery device components, then mechanical stability and durability are ensured, but environmental burden increases and disposal costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from conventional non-biodegradable plastic materials to biodegradable plastic materials for manufacturing housing components, cartridge holder, and drive mechanism parts. This material substitution maintains the required mechanical stability and durability during device operation while enabling environmental degradation after disposal, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and environmental harm.
2Reliability
If conventional plastic materials are used for device components, then manufacturing robustness is achieved, but waste disposal issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter from conventional plastics to biodegradable plastics, ensuring that device components maintain their structural integrity and reliability during use, then naturally degrade after disposal. This resolves the contradiction between achieving robust device performance and reducing waste disposal burden through environmental breakdown.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If biodegradable plastic materials are used for device components, then environmental compatibility improves, but mechanical stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent successfully applies parameter changes by selecting and optimizing biodegradable plastic material formulations that achieve the necessary mechanical stability for device operation while maintaining biodegradability. The material parameters are tuned to ensure sufficient strength during use, then environmental compatibility is achieved through controlled degradation after disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention may employ composite material structures combining biodegradable plastics with reinforcing elements or additives that enhance mechanical properties while preserving biodegradability. This allows simultaneous achievement of environmental compatibility and mechanical stability required for safe device operation.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastic components are manufactured, then production costs are controlled, but disposal costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning to biodegradable plastic materials that can be manufactured using conventional injection molding processes, maintaining production cost efficiency. The key parameter change is in the material composition rather than the manufacturing process, allowing disposal cost reduction through natural degradation while preserving ease of manufacture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of biodegradable plastics in drug delivery devices enhances environmental compatibility by facilitating rapid degradation, reduces waste disposal issues, and maintains mechanical stability, ensuring the device's functionality and safety while being cost-effective to produce and dispose of.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the components of the drug delivery device at least partially comprises a biodegradable plastic material, adapted for a rather rapid degradation compared to conventional petro-chemical plastic materials and components
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to drug delivery device for dispensing of a predefined amount of a medicinal product, comprising:at least one housing component (2),a cartridge holder component (4) to receive a product-containing cartridge (3), the cartridge having a piston slidably arranged therein,a drive mechanism component operably engageable with the piston of the cartridge (3) for dispensing of a dose of the medicinal product,wherein at least one of said components (2, 4, 6) at least partially comprises a biodegradable plastic material comprising at least one additive adapted to modify a degradation process of the plastic material.