Medicament Delivery Blocking Mechanism for Multi-Dose Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicament delivery devices require complex user operations and significant hand force for multiple dose delivery, often necessitating manual loading of force devices or multiple steps, making them cumbersome for end users.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism for a medicament delivery device featuring an actuating element with a blocking structure that transitions between two positions, allowing a plunger to deliver multiple doses without manual loading, using a spring or gas canister to force the plunger proximally, and a cam profile to rotate the blocking structure, enabling successive dose delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual hand force is used to push the piston forward for multiple dose delivery, then the device can deliver multiple doses, but the user requires significant hand force and more operation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The force device is pre-loaded with elastic energy through a cam profile mechanism during device assembly or initial setup. The cam profile stores energy by rotating the force device to a cocked position, so that when the user activates the device, the pre-stored energy automatically propels the plunger forward without requiring the user to manually load or twist components during each dose delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses an automatically resetting blocking structure that rotates back to its initial position after each dose delivery. The blocking structure engages with the cam profile to automatically recharge the force device after plunger movement, eliminating the need for user intervention between doses and enabling continuous multiple dose delivery without manual reloading.
2Ease of operation
If a force device is arranged to push the piston forward automatically, then user hand force is reduced, but the user must manually load the force device before each use
Solution Approach 1:
The force device is pre-loaded with elastic energy through a cam profile mechanism during device assembly or initial setup. The cam profile stores energy by rotating the force device to a cocked position, so that when the user activates the device, the pre-stored energy automatically propels the plunger forward without requiring the user to manually load or twist components during each dose delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses an automatically resetting blocking structure that rotates back to its initial position after each dose delivery. The blocking structure engages with the cam profile to automatically recharge the force device after plunger movement, eliminating the need for user intervention between doses and enabling continuous multiple dose delivery without manual reloading.
3Productivity
If the blocking structure is designed to rotate between two positions with offset blocking features, then multiple doses can be delivered without manual loading, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a transmission element that converts linear plunger motion to rotational motion, a storage mechanism that positions blocking features to control dose delivery timing, and an automatic resetting mechanism that recharges the force device. The cam profile integrates the force application and blocking structure rotation control into a single component, reducing overall mechanism complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking structure dynamically transitions between two rotational positions, with blocking features that are axially and circumferentially offset to control the timing of force application. The dynamic interaction between the moving plunger, rotating blocking structure, and cam profile enables automatic multi-dose delivery without requiring complex electronic controls or multiple separate mechanisms.
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
Facilitates easy and efficient multiple dose delivery without the need for manual loading, reducing user complexity and effort, while maintaining precise control over medicament expulsion.
Implementation Method 1
a plunger force device arranged to force the plunger in a proximal direction along the longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 2
a blocking structure rotatable about the longitudinal axis from a first blocking structure position, in which one of the at least one first blocking feature is allowed to pass by the blocking structure and one of the at least one second blocking feature is prevented from passing by the blocking structure
Implementation Method 3
a transmission configured to transmit a transition of the actuating element between the ready state and the dosing state to a rotation of the blocking structure from the first blocking structure position to the second blocking structure position
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism is disclosed having an actuating element, a longitudinal axis, a plunger having at least one first blocking feature and at least one second blocking feature, a plunger force device, a blocking structure rotatable about the longitudinal axis from a first blocking structure position, in which one of the at least one first blocking feature is allowed to pass by the blocking structure and one of the at least one second blocking feature is prevented from passing by the blocking structure, and a second blocking structure position, in which one of the at least one second blocking feature is allowed to pass by the blocking structure, and a transmission configured to transmit a transition of the actuating element between a ready state and a dosing state to a rotation of the blocking structure from the first blocking structure position to the second blocking structure position.