Medicament Delivery Device With Gas-Compressed Deformable Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicament delivery devices, particularly large volume devices (LVDs), face inefficiencies due to friction from bungs and plungers and dead volume issues, which can lead to residual drug and difficulty in determining injection completion. Additionally, storage of these devices can result in battery corrosion and leakage in devices with on-board equipment.
Innovation Solution
A medicament delivery device featuring a rigid casing with a deformable medicament container and a pressurized gas cartridge, where the gas cartridge is connected via a gas valve to increase gas pressure and compress the medicament container, displacing the liquid medicament. The device includes an overflow reservoir with a safety valve and a flow detection mechanism using a rotation member and indicator system to ensure complete injection and prevent excessive pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bungs and plungers are used to advance liquid medicament, then the injection process can be controlled, but friction is introduced which reduces injection efficiency and creates dead volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bung and plunger components from the system entirely, replacing them with a deformable container that can be compressed directly. This extraction eliminates the friction and dead volume problems associated with traditional plunger mechanisms while maintaining injection control through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gas-filled deformable container that uses pneumatic pressure to displace the liquid medicament. By compressing the gas volume, the system generates the necessary force to push the liquid through the injection needle without mechanical contact, thereby eliminating friction and dead volume issues.
2Ease of operation
If bungs and plungers are used in medicament containers, then injection can be performed, but dead volume remains due to manufacturing tolerances leading to residual drug
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the bung and plunger components that create dead volume, replacing them with a deformable container system. This allows the container to be fully compressed, reducing the dead volume to near zero and ensuring complete delivery of the medicament with minimal residual drug.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the medicament container from a rigid structure with fixed tolerances to a deformable container that can change its volume dynamically. This parameter change allows the container to be compressed to a minimal volume, effectively eliminating dead volume and residual drug.
3Loss of information
If on-board equipment including light sources and indicator systems is provided, then injection completion can be indicated, but battery corrosion and leakage occur during long storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flow detection mechanism that automatically detects and indicates injection completion without requiring powered electronic components. The system uses the actual flow of liquid medicament to trigger the indication, making it self-powered and eliminating battery-related reliability issues during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces battery-powered electronic indication systems with a passive mechanical or optical flow detection mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for batteries and electronic power sources, thereby preventing corrosion and leakage issues during long-term storage while still providing reliable injection completion indication.
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 reduces friction and dead volume, ensuring efficient and complete medicament delivery. The use of a pressurized gas system eliminates the need for bungs and plungers, minimizing residual drug and improving user confidence in injection completion. Additionally, the design mitigates battery-related issues during storage.
Implementation Method 1
the gas valve is releasable to allow gas flow into the rigid casing to cause an increase in gas pressure in the rigid casing so as to compress the deformable medicament container to displace the liquid medicament
Implementation Method 2
compress the deformable medicament container to displace the liquid medicament
Implementation Method 3
the safety valve is configured to allow gas flow into the overflow reservoir when gas pressure in the rigid casing exceed a predetermined threshold
Data Source
AI summary
A medicament delivery device for delivering a liquid medicament, the medicament delivery device comprising: a rigid casing containing a deformable medicament container, the deformable medicament container arranged to contain the liquid medicament; a pressurized gas cartridge connected to the rigid casing via a gas valve; wherein the gas valve is releasable to allow gas flow into the rigid casing to cause an increase in gas pressure in the rigid casing so as to compress the deformable medicament container to displace the liquid medicament.