Flexible Antenna Layout for Compact Drug Delivery Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery devices with integrated antennas face challenges in achieving a compact design while maintaining good usability and simple manufacturing, as well as ensuring effective wireless communication.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement includes a flexible antenna operatively connected to an electronic circuit, which is adapted to follow the contour of a body, allowing for a compact drug delivery device with enhanced usability and manufacturability. The antenna is designed to be resiliently flexible, enabling it to be easily arranged along the body for improved radiation characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a rigid antenna is used in traditional drug delivery devices, then the antenna structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the device size increases and usability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible antenna made from thin conductive traces on a flexible substrate that can conform to the curved surfaces and contours of the drug delivery device body. This flexible construction allows the antenna to be integrated into compact device geometries without requiring additional space, while the thin-film nature enables simple manufacturing through standard PCB fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the antenna from a traditional planar two-dimensional layout to a three-dimensional conformal structure that wraps around and follows the contours of the device body. This dimensional transformation allows the antenna to utilize the surface area of the curved device housing, achieving compact integration while maintaining effective radiating area and communication performance.
2Volume of moving object
If the antenna is made flexible to follow body contours, then device compactness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible antenna is constructed using thin conductive traces deposited on a flexible dielectric substrate, creating a structure that is both mechanically flexible and electrically functional. This thin-film construction maintains structural simplicity while enabling the antenna to conform to device contours, avoiding the need for complex rigid three-dimensional antenna geometries.
3Reliability
If the antenna follows the body contour, then wireless communication effectiveness is improved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the antenna structure directly with the device housing or internal chassis, eliminating the need for separate antenna components. The conductive traces are formed as part of the circuit board assembly that is already required for electronic component mounting, merging the antenna function with existing structural and electrical components of the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible antenna structure serves multiple functions: it provides wireless communication capability while simultaneously conforming to the device geometry for compact integration, and can be manufactured using the same PCB processes as other circuit elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized components and simplifies the overall device architecture.
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 solution enables the creation of a compact, user-friendly, and cost-effective drug delivery device with enhanced wireless communication capabilities, ensuring effective data transmission and diagnostic monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
The antenna may be a radio frequency antenna, for instance for transmission of data with a frequency within the range of 0.1 MHZ (megahertz) to 60 GHz
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for a drug delivery device is described. The arrangement includes: at least one electronic circuit, an antenna for wireless communication, and a body. The antenna is operatively connected to the electronic circuit, the antenna is flexible, and the antenna is adapted to follow a contour defined by the body.