Drug Dispenser Energy Store Threshold Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug dispensers often fail to ensure effective dispensing of medication due to inadequate actuation force or energy, leading to inefficient or incomplete drug delivery.
Innovation Solution
A drug dispenser with an 'energy store' feature that accumulates actuation energy and a 'commitment' feature, which releases the energy only when a predetermined threshold force is exceeded, ensuring consistent and effective drug delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the actuating lever is moved in a slow or insufficient manner, then the device is easier to operate, but the drug is not effectively dispensed
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is pre-compressed during the actuation stroke, storing energy in advance. This preliminary energy storage ensures that when the threshold is reached, sufficient force is available to reliably dispense the drug, even if the user applies force slowly or inconsistently throughout the stroke.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the actuation parameter from direct force application to energy accumulation. By integrating a spring mechanism that compresses over the actuation stroke, the system converts gradual user input into concentrated mechanical energy, changing the relationship between user effort and dispensing force.
2Reliability
If a pre-determined threshold force mechanism is added, then reliable drug dispensing is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism automatically thresholds the actuation force through its mechanical properties. The spring's natural resistance and compression characteristics create the threshold effect without requiring external control systems, sensors, or complex switching mechanisms, allowing the device to self-regulate the dispensing threshold.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user's actuation force and the drug dispensing mechanism. It mediates the force transmission by compressing and storing energy, then releasing it to reliably actuate the dispensing mechanism, simplifying the overall system architecture while ensuring reliable operation.
3Ease of operation
If the actuating force is applied inconsistently, then the operation remains simple, but the dosing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism maintains continuous energy storage throughout the actuation stroke, ensuring that the dispensing action is consistently driven by accumulated elastic energy rather than momentary force peaks. This continuous energy accumulation process smooths out variations in user application timing and force distribution, maintaining dosing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to varying user input characteristics by allowing the spring compression distance and rate to vary while maintaining the same energy threshold requirement for dispensing. This dynamic response to inconsistent actuation patterns ensures consistent dosing outcomes despite variations in user technique.
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 solution ensures reliable and efficient dispensing of medication by guaranteeing that the drug is released only when sufficient force is applied, preventing ineffective dispensing and ensuring consistent dosing.
Implementation Method 1
The discharge mechanism is provided with a spring mechanism that provides a degree of bias that must be overcome in order to allow discharge of drug from the discharge mechanism
Data Source
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Figure 3a
AI summary
There is provided a drug dispenser device (1) comprising a housing (10a, 10b, 12), extending from the housing, an outlet (16) for insertion into a body-cavity of a patient; provided to the housing and moveable with respect thereto, a drug discharge device having a longitudinal axis and comprising a container for storing a drug formulation to be dispensed, a discharge mechanism and a discharge channel from the container for discharge of the drug formulation to the outlet; connecting to the drug discharge device, a container collar; connecting to the container collar and moveable with respect thereto along the longitudinal axis of the drug discharge device, a transfer element, the transfer element including an actuating portion; provided to the housing, at least one finger (20a, 20b) operable member moveable to apply a force to the actuating portion of the transfer element to move the transfer element along the longitudinal axis in a first direction, linking the container collar with the transfer element, a biasing mechanism to store biasing energy on moving the transfer element along the longitudinal axis in the first direction; and provided to the container collar, a pre-load mechanism to prevent transfer of the biasing energy to the container collar to move the drug discharge device along the longitudinal axis in the first direction to actuate the discharge mechanism until a pre-determined threshold force is overcome.