Electronic Injection Pen Dosing Control via Self-Regulating Circuit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Patients using injection pens for delivering medical substances face challenges with accurate dosing and timely administration, leading to potential overdoses and misuse due to manual operation, which can result in health issues and compliance problems.
Innovation Solution
An injection pen with a medicinal chamber, piston, and electronic circuit that regulates the delivery of a predefined dose according to a scheduled program, featuring a display panel, Bluetooth connectivity, and a locking mechanism to ensure proper use, allowing only authorized doses at designated times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If patients manually operate injection pens, then ease of operation is improved, but dosing accuracy and compliance deteriorate due to potential overdoses and untimely delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The injection pen system performs self-monitoring and self-regulation of dosage delivery. The electronic circuit automatically tracks administration timing and dosage amounts, and the locking mechanism autonomously prevents improper use, allowing the device to manage its own operation safely without requiring patient judgment or memory
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic circuit provides real-time feedback to the user through the display panel, showing dosage information, timing status, and operational state. The system also provides feedback by actively preventing operation when conditions are not met (locking mechanism), creating a closed-loop control system that ensures proper usage
2Device complexity
If manual injection operation is allowed, then device complexity is reduced, but harmful factors increase due to accidental wrong substance injection and misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism proactively prevents harmful actions before they can occur. By requiring specific conditions to be met (electronic circuit authorization, proper timing) before allowing injection, the system blocks potential misuse scenarios in advance rather than reacting to errors after they occur
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic circuit acts as an intermediary between the user and the injection mechanism. It mediates the operation by verifying conditions, authorizing dosage delivery, and controlling the locking mechanism, thereby preventing direct manual access that could lead to harmful misuse
3Measurement precision
If electronic regulation is implemented, then dosing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional electronic components and programming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an electronic control system. The electronic circuit substitutes for human judgment and manual timing mechanisms, providing precise dosage control through electronic counting and timing rather than mechanical dials or manual tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic circuit performs multiple functions within a single integrated component: it tracks dosage administration, monitors timing intervals, controls the locking mechanism, and displays status information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function
Data Source
AI summary
An injection pen to deliver a predefined dose of substance according to a prescribed schedule is disclosed. The injection pen includes a first portion having a medicinal chamber and a removable cover. The medicinal chamber is coupled to a piston on one end and attachable to an injection needle on an opposite end. The removable cover includes a solution dispenser. The injection pen includes a second portion couplable to the first portion. The second portion includes an actuator coupled to the piston for actuating the piston in an injection. The actuator may be controlled by an electronic circuit board embedded within the injection pen to regulate the delivery of a substance in the medicinal chamber based on a prescribed dose and injection schedule.