Drug Delivery Temperature Indicator for Medicament Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients face discomfort and uncertainty when administering medicaments that require warming, leading to reduced adherence due to temperature-dependent viscosities and the need for extended waiting times after removing from refrigeration.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery device equipped with a temperature indicator, such as a reversible thermochromic sensor, that provides a visual indication when the medicament has reached a suitable administration temperature, ensuring comfortable and predictable injections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If medicament is stored in refrigeration to maintain stability, then medicament stability is improved, but medicament temperature becomes too low for comfortable administration
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary warming of the medicament container before administration by utilizing the patient's body heat through thermal contact during the insertion and preparation phase. This preliminary action ensures the medicament reaches an appropriate temperature before injection, eliminating the need for separate warming steps while maintaining storage stability.
2Temperature
If patient waits for extended period after removing from refrigeration, then medicament temperature increases for comfortable injection, but injection time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables self-service warming by utilizing the patient's own body heat to warm the medicament container during the natural preparation and insertion process. The thermal contact between the container and patient's body during device attachment automatically performs the warming function, eliminating the need for external warming devices or extended waiting periods.
3Stability of the object's composition
If medicament has high temperature-dependent viscosity, then medicament stability is maintained, but injection comfort varies with temperature differences
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a temperature indicator that provides visual feedback to the patient about the current temperature of the medicament container. This feedback mechanism allows the patient to monitor the warming process and understand when the medicament has reached an optimal temperature for comfortable injection, reducing uncertainty and improving ease of operation.
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 temperature indicator ensures accurate visual feedback, reducing patient hesitation and discomfort by confirming the medicament has reached a suitable temperature for administration, thereby enhancing adherence to therapy.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature indicator is in the form of a reversible thermochromic sensor having a first operational temperature range
Data Source
AI summary
A drug delivery device includes a housing, a container disposed in the housing, an activation mechanism, a needle assembly, and a temperature indicator. The housing defines an inner volume and includes at least one opening. The container contains a medicament which is urged out of the container by the activation mechanism. The needle assembly has a needle and/or a cannula to deliver the medicament from the container. The temperature indicator is operably coupled with the outer surface of the container and is responsive to a change in temperature of the container.