Fluid Delivery Device Segmentation and Magnetic Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current insulin infusion devices are bulky, uncomfortable, and costly due to their design, which includes a large syringe-type reservoir and a rigid cannula, leading to insulin wastage, limited customization, and high manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A portable therapeutic fluid dispensing device with a two-part design, featuring a reusable part with a driving mechanism and electronics, and a disposable part including a reservoir and power source, allowing for customizable cannula length and angle, manual or automatic insertion, and a sensor to monitor fluid volume and occlusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional syringe-type reservoir and rigid cannula are used, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the device size becomes large and comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a reusable pump unit and a disposable infusion set, allowing the reservoir to be compact while the pump contains the driving mechanism. This segmentation enables smaller overall device volume while maintaining manufacturing simplicity for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The cannula is nested within a protective sheath that can be automatically deployed during insertion. This nested structure allows the rigid cannula to maintain its structural integrity while reducing the overall device profile and improving comfort.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a long fluid delivery tube is used to enable remote cannula insertion, then insertion flexibility is improved, but the device becomes bulky and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid delivery tube incorporates a dynamic section with varying flexibility - more rigid near the pump for structural support, and progressively more flexible toward the cannula insertion point. This dynamic design enables remote insertion capability while minimizing device bulkiness.
3Reliability
If a disposable reservoir is replaced every 2-3 days, then hygiene and reliability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is merged with the infusion set and cannula into a single disposable unit that is pre-filled and pre-assembled. This merging reduces manufacturing complexity by eliminating separate assembly steps while maintaining hygiene reliability through single-use design.
4Manufacturing precision
If a threaded-rod driving mechanism is used, then fluid delivery precision is improved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional threaded-rod mechanical driving mechanism is replaced with a magnetic driving system where a magnet in the reusable pump unit actuates a magnetically-coupled plunger in the disposable unit. This substitution significantly reduces device weight while maintaining fluid delivery precision through magnetic field control.
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 2c~3a
Figure 3b~3c
AI summary
A fluid level sensor (160) measures fluid level in a container (220) containing fluid displaced by movement of a driving mechanism (120). The fluid level sensor comprises: at least one energy source (55); at least one energy detector (555) to detect energy emitted by the at least one energy source (55), the at least one energy detector (555) further configured to generate a signal to be processed by a processor; and a regulator to regulate the level of energy received by the at least one energy detector (555) based, at least in part, on the fluid level in the container (220).