Compliant Coupling Assembly for Drug Delivery Cartridge Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery systems face issues with stress and leakage due to misalignment and movement of drug cartridges, leading to potential leaks and fluid loss during use.
Innovation Solution
A compliant coupling system with a pivoting connection and flexible mount that allows transaxial movement of the cannula tip, reducing stress on the septum and preventing leakage by compensating for misalignment and movement, while maintaining the integrity of the fluid path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid coupling system is used to maintain alignment between the cannula and cartridge, then structural stability is improved, but stress concentration and leakage risk increase due to misalignment and movement
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system employs a dynamic mount that allows controlled movement of the cannula relative to the cartridge. The mount can pivot and flex to accommodate misalignment and movement between components, transforming the rigid static connection into a dynamic adaptive connection that maintains fluid path integrity while absorbing positional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of the connection from rigid to compliant by using a flexible mount with specific mechanical properties. The mount's flexibility parameters are designed to allow movement within certain thresholds while maintaining sufficient structural integrity, enabling the system to adapt to varying alignment conditions without causing leakage.
2Reliability
If a flexible mount is used to accommodate movement and misalignment, then leakage prevention is improved, but structural stability and alignment precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mount provides dynamic compliance that allows controlled movement to prevent leakage while maintaining functional alignment. The flexibility is designed to absorb misalignment without compromising the fluid path connection, achieving a balance between movement accommodation and alignment maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount's mechanical parameters are optimized to provide sufficient flexibility for movement accommodation while maintaining adequate structural stability. The material and geometric parameters are selected to ensure the mount remains stable enough to maintain functional alignment while being flexible enough to prevent stress concentration and leakage.
3Measurement precision
If the cannula is constrained to prevent movement, then alignment precision is improved, but stress concentration on the septum increases leading to potential leakage
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rigid constraint, the system uses dynamic compliance to accommodate cannula movement. The flexible mount allows the cannula to move within acceptable thresholds without creating stress concentration on the septum, replacing rigid precision maintenance with adaptive movement tolerance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the constraint parameter from rigid fixation to compliant mounting. This parameter change reduces the stress transmitted to the septum while maintaining sufficient alignment precision through the mount's controlled flexibility, preventing both excessive movement and stress concentration.
4Reliability
If a compliant coupling system is implemented to reduce stress and allow movement, then leakage prevention and adaptability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant coupling system uses a flexible mount structure that provides the necessary compliance through its material and geometric design. This flexible element absorbs misalignment and movement while maintaining fluid path integrity, achieving leakage prevention through a relatively simple flexible component rather than a complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves compliance through parameter optimization of the mount's material and geometric properties rather than through complex mechanical mechanisms. By carefully selecting flexibility parameters, the system obtains the desired stress reduction and movement accommodation with minimal additional complexity.
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 compliant coupling system effectively reduces stress on the septum and prevents leakage by allowing directional movement of the cannula, ensuring reliable drug delivery and maintaining the flow path alignment, even under varying conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A compliant coupling system with a pivoting connection and flexible mount that allows transaxial movement of the cannula tip, reducing stress on the septum and preventing leakage by compensating for misalignment and movement
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An assembly for coupling a drug delivery device to a cartridge is disclosed. Optionally the assembly includes a coupling, for example a cannula, having one end extending toward the cartridge. The cartridge is optionally aligned by a guide. Optionally the cartridge has a limited freedom of movement. The coupling is optionally supported by a mount. In some embodiments, the mount is compliant enough that the end of the coupling that extends toward may move to said limited freedom of movement under a force less than a leak threshold of the connection between the coupler and the cartridge.