Compact Injector With Retractable Needle And Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional epinephrine auto-injectors, such as EPIPEN®, are bulky and unwieldy, leading to low user compliance due to their size and discomfort during administration, posing a risk for individuals with life-threatening allergic reactions who may not carry them or use them correctly.
Innovation Solution
A compact injector system designed to be easily carried and used, featuring a compact configuration that resembles a lip balm stick, with a retractable plunger and needle, and an extendable needle shield to reduce visibility and risk of accidental needle sticks, allowing for easy administration of therapeutic agents like epinephrine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional epinephrine auto-injectors are designed to deliver sufficient force through the needle, then the spring must be strong enough to penetrate thick clothing, but this results in the device being bulky and unwieldy
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is nested within the needle shield in a telescoping arrangement, allowing the needle to extend only when needed while maintaining a compact overall device size. The plunger is nested within the barrel assembly, enabling it to extend proximally for injection while retracting to a compact position for carrying.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a static compact configuration to a dynamic activated configuration where the plunger extends proximally and the needle extends distally. This dynamic transformation allows the device to provide sufficient injection force when needed while maintaining a compact form factor for portability.
2Ease of operation
If the needle is made visible and accessible for easy administration, then injection is simplified, but this increases the risk of inadvertent needle sticks
Solution Approach 1:
The needle shield serves as an intermediary protective barrier between the needle and the environment. It can be extended to cover the needle during carrying and storage, and retracted or removed during injection to facilitate administration. This intermediary structure eliminates the need to constantly expose the needle while still allowing easy access when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle shield transitions between extended and retracted positions dynamically. When extended, it protects the needle from inadvertent contact. When retracted or removed, it allows the needle to be visible and accessible for injection. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between protection and ease of use.
3Ease of operation
If the plunger is extended proximally for injection readiness, then the device is ready for immediate use, but this increases the risk of accidental activation and needle exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The device is prepared for injection through a controlled activation sequence where the needle shield is extended first, then the plunger is allowed to extend proximally. This preliminary action of extending the shield before plunger movement ensures that the needle is protected during the transition to the ready state, reducing the risk of accidental activation while still achieving injection readiness.
4Volume of moving object
If the device is made compact for easy carrying, then user compliance increases, but the internal components must be densely packed which complicates the mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple components are nested within each other to achieve compact dimensions. The needle is nested in the needle shield, the plunger is nested in the barrel assembly, and the entire injection mechanism is contained within a compact housing. This nesting arrangement allows complex functionality to be packed into a small form factor without proportionally increasing external dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into distinct functional modules: the needle assembly, the plunger assembly, the needle shield, and the housing. Each module can be independently designed and optimized, then assembled together in a compact configuration. This segmentation allows complex functionality to be distributed across modular components rather than requiring a monolithic complex structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for a compact injector are provided with a compact configuration for ease of carrying or storage, and an activated configuration ready for injection. In the compact configuration, a plunger and a needle are both retracted into the injector housing, and upon actuation to the activated configuration, the plunger extends proximally and the needle extends distally, ready for injection. An extendable needle shield is also provided to block visibility of the needle during injection, and to reduce the risk of inadvertent needle stick at other times, including disposal.