Electromechanical Cap Remover with Sensor-Gripping Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cap removers for medicament delivery devices are often incompatible with multiple medical injector types and pose difficulties for patients with impaired finger skills to remove protective caps.
Innovation Solution
An electromechanical cap remover with a motor system, gripping device, sensor unit, and control unit that detects and grips protective caps of various shapes and sizes, and communicates with external devices for safety and compatibility verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a manual cap remover with fixed structure is used, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to different cap shapes and sizes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping device employs movable gripping elements that can dynamically adjust their position and orientation to accommodate different cap geometries. The motor system enables these elements to move along predefined paths, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that adapts to various cap shapes and sizes while maintaining manageable system complexity through controlled degrees of freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The electromechanical cap remover is designed with a universal gripping mechanism that can handle multiple types of protective caps across different medicament delivery device models. The sensor unit and control system work together to identify cap characteristics and adjust gripping parameters accordingly, enabling a single device to perform multiple functions rather than requiring model-specific removers
2Ease of operation
If a manual cap removal process is used, then the device complexity is low, but the ease of operation for patients with impaired finger skills deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cap remover operates autonomously by detecting the presence of the cap and housing through the sensor unit, automatically activating the motor system to grip and remove the cap without requiring manual manipulation by the patient. The control system manages the entire sequence from detection to removal, enabling patients with impaired finger skills to benefit from self-executing functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical action of cap removal with an electromechanical system. The motor system drives the gripping device to perform the removal action that would otherwise require patient hand movement, substituting electromagnetic actuation for manual mechanical operation to assist patients with limited dexterity
3Reliability
If no detection system is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of cap removal operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit provides real-time feedback to the control system about the presence and position of the cap and housing. This feedback loop enables the control system to verify proper placement, adjust gripping force accordingly, and confirm successful removal, significantly improving operational reliability while the modular sensor and control architecture keeps complexity manageable
Data Source
AI summary
An electromechanical cap remover for removing a protective cap from a medicament delivery device is presented having a cap remover housing having an opening configured to receive the protective cap removably attached to the medicament delivery device, a motor system, a gripping device configured to be actuated by the motor system and to grip the protective cap when received in the opening a sensor unit configured to detect that the protective cap and a portion of a housing of the medicament delivery device is placed in the opening, a control unit configured to receive detection information from the sensor unit that the protective cap and the portion of the housing have been detected, wherein the control unit is configured to control the motor system to actuate the gripping device to grip the protective cap based on the detection information.