Medicinal Fluid Dispenser With Variable Force Spring Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispensing devices for ambulatory patients are limited in their ability to provide uninterrupted medication delivery across various healthcare settings and environments, including hospitals, surgery centers, and austere environments, and often require medical professional assistance for initiation and are prone to medication errors.
Innovation Solution
A compact, self-contained fluid dispenser with a novel rate control chip and collapsible container, utilizing variable force springs for continuous and uniform fluid delivery, which can be hermetically sealed and sterilized, allowing for point-of-care initiation of infusion therapy without extensive training, and is designed for use in diverse settings including home care and military environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional gravity flow and hypodermic syringe methods are used, then fluid delivery is simple, but uninterrupted medication delivery across various healthcare settings cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a collapsible container for fluid storage, a spring mechanism for pressure generation, a rate control assembly for flow regulation, and a penetrating assembly for access. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably while maintaining overall system reliability for uninterrupted delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism automatically generates pressure to collapse the container and drive fluid flow without requiring external power sources or complex control systems. The rate control assembly self-regulates flow rate based on the applied pressure, enabling reliable medication delivery in diverse settings including austere environments where medical professionals may not be immediately available.
2Ease of operation
If medical professional assistance is required for initiation, then proper administration is ensured, but ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables patients or caregivers to initiate infusion therapy at the point of care without requiring extensive medical training. The spring mechanism and rate control assembly work together to automatically regulate fluid delivery, reducing the skill level needed for proper administration while maintaining reliable and accurate medication delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The rate control assembly modifies the flow rate parameter based on the pressure applied by the spring mechanism, allowing the device to adapt to different medication requirements and patient needs. This parameter control enables non-professionals to administer medications accurately by simply adjusting the compression force on the spring.
3Reliability
If hermetic sealing and sterilization are implemented, then medication safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible container, rate control assembly, and spring mechanism are integrated into a single hermetically sealed unit that can be sterilized as one component. This merging eliminates the need for complex multi-step sterilization procedures while ensuring medication safety through complete sealing of the fluid delivery path from storage to administration.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed as a disposable unit that can be hermetically sealed and sterilized in a single manufacturing process, then used once and discarded. This approach ensures medication safety through proper sterilization without requiring complex reusable components that would need repeated sterilization cycles and maintenance.
4Productivity
If variable force springs are used for continuous fluid delivery, then uniform flow rate is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is designed to maintain continuous pressure on the collapsible container throughout the fluid delivery process, ensuring uninterrupted and uniform flow rate. As the container collapses, the spring gradually compresses while maintaining sufficient force to drive fluid through the rate control assembly, providing continuous useful action without flow interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The variable force spring changes its pressure output parameter as it compresses, automatically compensating for the decreasing volume of the collapsible container. This parameter change ensures that the flow rate remains uniform throughout the entire medication delivery process, from full container to complete emptying, without requiring complex electronic control systems.
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
The device ensures uninterrupted medication delivery, reduces the risk of medication errors, and can be easily used by non-medical professionals, providing a reliable and efficient means of administering a variety of medicinal fluids, including Bupivacaine, across different healthcare settings.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of variable force springs that function to thrust the collapsible container into penetrating engagement with the penetrating member of the penetrating assembly and then to collapse the collapsible container to deliver the medicinal fluid to the patient
Implementation Method 2
a rate control chip of novel construction that is connected to the penetrating sub-assembly and functions to control the rate of flow of medicinal fluid to the patient
Implementation Method 3
The device ensures uninterrupted medication delivery, reduces the risk of medication errors, and can be easily used by non-medical professionals
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing device and the method of making same for dispensing medicaments to a patient that includes a housing, a first assembly connected to the first end of the housing that includes a body portion, and a penetrating sub-assembly. The first assembly also includes a rate control chip of novel construction that is connected to the penetrating sub-assembly and functions to control the rate of flow of medicinal fluid to the patient. Disposed within the housing is a second assembly that includes a shuttle, a collapsible container carried by the shuttle and a plurality of variable force springs that function to thrust the collapsible container into penetrating engagement with the penetrating member of the penetrating assembly and then to collapse the collapsible container to deliver the medicinal fluid to the patient. Connected to the second end of the housing is a novel third assembly that includes an operating member that functions to controllably move the shuttle forwardly of the housing.