Cam-Sleeve Injector Mechanism for Simplified Needle Shielding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injectors for medicaments are complex, costly, and prone to failure due to numerous parts and high complexity, which can lead to increased production costs and potential mechanical issues.
Innovation Solution
A simplified injector design featuring a cam mechanism within an outer sleeve and inner sleeve that translates and rotates to shield the needle before and after use, providing audible and tactile feedback, and ensuring secure needle retraction, while using a minimal number of parts for ease of assembly and manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If present injectors use powerful springs and multiple parts including electronics and speakers to drive the plunger rod and shield the needle, then the needle shielding function is improved, but the device complexity increases and the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the needle shielding function with the plunger rod itself. The plunger rod includes a cylindrical body that acts as both the driving mechanism and the visual shield, eliminating the need for separate shielding components. This merging of functions reduces the total part count and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining the needle shielding benefit.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger rod is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it drives the injection mechanism through its biased retraction, provides visual needle shielding through its cylindrical body, and includes a flange for user engagement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
2Ease of manufacture
If present injectors contain more than twenty-six parts including electronics and speakers, then the needle shielding function is improved, but the assembly complexity increases and the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into fewer components. The plunger rod combines the driving plunger function with the visual shield function, and the biased member combines the injection driving force with the needle retraction mechanism. This consolidation reduces the part count from over twenty-six to a minimal number of components, simplifying assembly and reducing production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary components from the injection system. By removing electronics, speakers, and separate shielding components, the design retains only the essential elements needed for injection and needle shielding, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying the overall device structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If present injectors use complex mechanisms with more than twenty-six parts, then the needle shielding function is improved, but the reliability decreases due to increased chance of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines critical functions into integrated components to reduce the number of potential failure points. The plunger rod integrates the driving mechanism and shielding function, while the biased member integrates the injection force and retraction mechanism. This reduction in component count directly reduces the probability of mechanical failure and improves overall device reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies specific design features to critical components to enhance their reliability. The plunger rod includes a flange that provides a reliable engagement point for user manipulation, and the biased member is positioned to reliably drive both injection and retraction. These localized quality enhancements ensure reliable performance with minimal components.
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 injector offers a cost-effective, reliable, and user-friendly solution for medicament delivery with reduced parts, ensuring safe needle handling and controlled injection depth, suitable for both medical professionals and self-administration.
Implementation Method 1
a cam disposed within the outer sleeve... The inner sleeve is further configured to extend from the outer sleeve a to a third configuration in which the inner sleeve extends from the outer sleeve a third distance that is greater than the second distance and the cam rotates from a first position to a second position thereby restricting the inner sleeve from axially translating with respect to the outer sleeve
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~5B
AI summary
The disclosure relates to injectors that are configured to inject and deliver medicaments and other fluids from a syringe into a target site.