Single-Use Injector with Helical Guide Groove for Needle Concealment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injection devices are often expensive and require medical training for proper use, making them inaccessible to untrained individuals, especially in developing areas, and can be intimidating due to visible needles.
Innovation Solution
A low-cost, single-use injection device with a safety shield and housing that hides the needle before and after use, featuring a guide groove for guiding the housing movement and a medicament container with a biasing member for easy medicament expulsion, allowing intuitive self-injection or injection of others without visible needles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing injection devices are used, then reliable medicament delivery is achieved, but the devices are expensive and require medical training for proper use
Solution Approach 1:
The injection device is divided into separate functional components: a safety shield assembly, a housing, a medicament container, and an injector member. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall operation for untrained users while maintaining reliable medicament delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates automatic safety features where the safety shield automatically engages to cover the needle after injection, and the biasing member automatically returns the housing to its initial position. These self-service mechanisms eliminate the need for complex manual operations, making the device easy to use for untrained individuals
2Object-affected harmful factors
If existing injection devices are used, then medicament can be delivered, but the needle is visible and intimidating to patients
Solution Approach 1:
The safety shield is pre-positioned to cover the needle before injection, and the device is designed so that the needle only becomes exposed during the actual injection moment. This preliminary shielding action reduces patient intimidation and anxiety while maintaining the functional integrity of the device
Solution Approach 2:
The needle is extracted from the visible housing structure and positioned within the safety shield assembly, separating the sharp, intimidating element from the user interface. This extraction allows the housing to be designed with user-friendly features while the needle remains concealed until needed
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a safety shield is added to hide the needle, then patient intimidation is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety shield assembly is merged with the housing structure through the guide groove mechanism, where the shield tab engages with the groove to provide both shielding function and movement guidance. This merging eliminates the need for separate complex guiding mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining needle concealment
Solution Approach 2:
The guide groove serves multiple functions: it guides the movement of the safety shield, engages with the shield tab to prevent rotation, and provides a structural connection between the housing and safety shield assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the device while achieving needle concealment
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 is user-friendly, allowing untrained individuals to administer injections safely and efficiently, reducing manufacturing and transportation costs while minimizing needle intimidation, and ensuring the needle is shielded before and after use.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member biasing the medicament container away from the safety shield
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An injection device (100, 200), including a safety shield (104, 204) and a housing (108, 208). The safety shield (104, 204) has a first end and a surface disposed at a second end thereof for contacting a patient's skin, and a shield tab (164, 240) extending therefrom. The housing (108, 208) is slidably disposed with respect to the safety shield (104, 204) and includes a guide groove (172, 252) for engaging the shield tab (164, 240) to guide movement of the housing (108, 208) relative to the safety shield (104, 204). The guide groove (172, 252) has first (184, 256) and second (188, 260) axial portions and a substantially helical portion (192, 264) connecting the first and second axial portions (184, 188, 256, 260). The device (100, 200) also includes a medicament container (120, 220) connected with the housing (108, 208) and having a needle (124, 224) affixed thereto in communication with a medicament disposed within the medicament container (120, 220). The medicament container (120, 220) is displaceable relative to the safety shield (104, 204) from an initial position to an injection position, to a withdrawn position. The device (100, 200) additionally includes a biasing member (128, 228) biasing the medicament container (120, 220) away from the safety shield (104, 204) and an injector member (112, 212) slidably disposed relative to the medicament container (120, 220), for expelling the medicament from the medicament container (120, 220).