Patient-Controlled Drug Injection Counter for Dosage Interval Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient-controlled analgesia devices lack a mechanism to count the number of administrations and ensure a minimum administration interval, leading to potential drug overuse, abuse, and reliance on patient memory for dosage and timing.
Innovation Solution
A patient-controlled drug injection apparatus with a counter that includes a pressing part and a counter mechanism to count the number of administrations, incorporating a timer to enforce a minimum interval between injections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If patient self-administers drugs without a counter mechanism, then patient autonomy and reduced medical staff burden are improved, but drug overuse and abuse cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a counter mechanism that automatically records each drug administration event. When the patient presses the pressing part to receive medication, the counter increments and displays the total number of administrations. This feedback system allows the patient to monitor their own usage, preventing overuse while maintaining self-administration autonomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus enables patients to independently control their own medication administration by pressing a button that triggers both the drug delivery and the counter increment. The system serves itself by automatically tracking and recording usage without requiring external monitoring, thus preventing abuse while maintaining patient autonomy.
2Loss of time
If patient can press the button whenever needed, then immediate pain relief is improved, but minimum administration interval cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a timing mechanism that controls the frequency of drug administrations. The pressing part can only be activated after a predetermined time interval has elapsed since the previous administration. This periodic action ensures that medications are administered at appropriate intervals to maintain therapeutic effectiveness while preventing overdose.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-sets the minimum administration interval before the patient needs to press the button. The timing mechanism is prepared in advance to automatically prevent pressing until the appropriate time has passed, ensuring that the minimum interval is maintained without requiring active monitoring during the waiting period.
3Device complexity
If no administration record is kept, then device simplicity is improved, but reliance on patient memory increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual record-keeping methods with an automated electronic counter mechanism. The counter automatically increments with each pressing event and displays the total number of administrations through a display unit. This substitution eliminates the need for patients to manually track their usage, providing accurate records without significantly increasing device 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
Enables self-administration of drugs by patients, reducing the burden on medical staff, preventing drug overuse and abuse, and ensuring proper dosage intervals.
Implementation Method 1
a piston button which is elastically supported in a direction protruding from the cylinder body so as to receive a user's pressing action, is drawn into the chamber of the cylinder body by the user's pressing action
Implementation Method 2
The chemical liquid inlet and the chemical liquid outlet may be provided with a one-way valve for allowing the chemical liquid to flow only in one direction and preventing the chemical liquid from flowing in the reverse direction
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for patient-controlled drug injection having a counter capable of counting the number of administrations. According to one aspect of the present invention, disclosed is an apparatus for patient-controlled drug injection having a counter, comprising: a case; a pressing part, provided in the case, for applying pressure to pump a chemical liquid; and a counter, provided in the case and having a counting button that is pressed by pressure when a user presses the pressing part, for counting the number of times that the pressing part is pressed.