Drug Delivery Assembly with Nested Activation Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery devices face challenges in ergonomic design, particularly in the distance and movement required for dose setting and dispensing, which can lead to cumbersome operation and reduced user convenience.
Innovation Solution
The assembly for a drug delivery device includes a dose setting member and an activation member that converts rotational movement into proportional axial movement, allowing for a reduced protruding distance and improved ergonomic handling, enabling single-handed operation with a design that keeps the activation member's protrusion minimal, facilitating easy dose setting and dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the activation member is allowed to protrude significantly beyond the housing during dose setting, then the dose setting range is increased, but the ergonomic handling and ease of operation deteriorates due to increased stretching distance required
Solution Approach 1:
The activation member is designed to be nested within the housing during dose setting operations. The housing contains a receiving space that accommodates the activation member's movement, allowing the activation member to extend and retract within the housing boundaries. This nesting arrangement enables sufficient dose setting range while maintaining compact external dimensions for ergonomic handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes rotational movement of the dose setting member to drive axial movement of the activation member through a helical or screw mechanism. By converting rotation in one dimension to linear displacement in another dimension, the system achieves extended dose setting range without increasing the linear protrusion distance, thereby maintaining ergonomic proportions.
2Ease of operation
If the activation member protrudes far beyond the housing, then the activation face is more accessible, but the device overall length increases making it less convenient for single-handed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The activation member is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to extend beyond the housing only when needed for activation and retract into the housing during dose setting and storage. This dynamic arrangement provides activation face accessibility when required while maintaining a compact overall length for single-handed operation during other phases of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The dose setting member is pre-configured with a helical thread or cam mechanism that converts rotational input into precise axial displacement of the activation member. This preliminary mechanical arrangement ensures that the activation member reaches the optimal activation position through controlled rotation, eliminating the need for excessive protrusion and maintaining compact device dimensions.
3Measurement precision
If the activation member is coupled to move axially during dose setting, then the dose setting precision is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The activation member serves multiple functions: it acts as the actuating element for dose dispensing, the moving component for dose setting through axial displacement, and the indicator for dose selection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing structural complexity while maintaining precise dose setting capability through its controlled axial movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the activation member with the dose indication mechanism, where the axial position of the activation member directly corresponds to the selected dose value. By merging the actuation function with the indication function in a single component, the system achieves precise dose setting without requiring complex separate mechanisms for each function.
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
This configuration enhances ergonomic handling by reducing the distance the user must stretch to activate the device, allowing for efficient and comfortable single-handed operation, improving user convenience and ease of use during dose setting and dispensing.
Implementation Method 1
The activation member is coupled to the dose setting member to convert a rotation of the dose setting member with respect to the housing into a proximal movement of the activation member with respect to the dose setting member
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
Assembly for a drug delivery device (100) is provided. The assembly comprises a dose setting member (70) provided to be moved by a user from an initial position to a dose set position to set a dose and a main housing part (12), wherein the dose setting member (70) and the main housing part (12) are connected to form a housing (11) of the assembly. The assembly further comprises an activation member (1) which is coupled to the dose setting member (70) to convert a rotation of the dose setting member (70) with respect to the housing (11) into a proximal movement of the activation member (1) with respect to the dose setting member (70) when the dose setting member (70) is moved from the initial position to the dose set position. The activation member (1) has a proximal end section (9) extending from an activation face (3) of the activation member (1). In the initial position of the dose setting member (70), the proximal end section (9) is fully received in the housing (11) or slightly protrudes by a protruding distance Dp beyond the proximal end (17) of the housing (11).