Injection Cap Radiation Signaling for Reusable Autoinjectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autoinjectors, particularly those with electronic components, pose disposal challenges due to battery and electronic waste, and require complex user interfaces for status indication, increasing therapy costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An injection device assembly with a radiation emitter in the housing and a translucent or transparent cap that emits electromagnetic radiation, providing visible or UV signals for device status without additional displays, allowing for semi-reusable designs and simplified user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If electronic components and batteries are integrated into disposable autoinjectors for status indication, then device functionality and information display are improved, but disposal complexity and environmental burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the radiation emitter from the disposable injection device, placing it instead in the reusable housing. This separates the electronic component that generates radiation from the disposable portion, allowing the device to maintain status indication functionality while eliminating electronic waste from disposable units. The emitter is integrated into the reusable housing where it can be reused across multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a translucent or transparent cap as an intermediary element that transmits radiation from the emitter to the user. This cap serves as the interface for status indication, allowing the reusable emitter to communicate device state through the disposable cap without requiring electronic components in the disposable portion. The cap acts as a mediator that carries the information signal from the reusable to the disposable section.
2Loss of information
If complex user interfaces with multiple displays are implemented in injection devices, then information communication to users is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation (different colors) to indicate different device states. The emitter can emit radiation at various wavelengths corresponding to different operational statuses, and the translucent cap transmits these color-coded signals to the user. This provides rich information communication using a single simple component rather than multiple displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The reusable radiation emitter serves multiple functions: it provides status indication for different device states, works with multiple disposable caps, and can be reused across numerous injection devices. The single emitter component replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate indication mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive status communication.
3Ease of operation
If translucent or transparent caps are used to transmit radiation signals, then user communication is simplified, but cap material selection and design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different optical properties to different parts of the cap design. The cap is made translucent or transparent in the regions where radiation transmission is needed, while other portions can be opaque for structural or aesthetic purposes. This localized application of translucency allows the cap to fulfill multiple functions while maintaining simple overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in the optical parameters of the cap material (translucency, transparency, wavelength transmission characteristics) to enable radiation transmission. By selecting materials with appropriate optical parameters, the cap can transmit specific wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation while maintaining structural integrity and simplicity. The material parameters are optimized for the specific radiation wavelengths used by the emitter.
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
Reduces waste and costs by enabling semi-reusable devices and simplifies user communication through radiation-emitting caps, eliminating the need for costly displays and complex interfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The cap comprises a translucent or transparent part adapted to a wavelength of emitted radiation. The cap includes a radiation capturing surface adapted to capture electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter element. Besides the capturing surface the cap further includes a radiation emitting surface adapted to emit, based on the radiation captured, an indication to a user.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an injection device assembly for dispensing a liquid drug from a reservoir (6) through an injection needle (5). The injection device assembly comprises a device housing (20), a radiation emitter (21) arranged in a distal end portion of the device housing (20) and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation (22) and a cap (10) releasably attachable to a distal end of the injection device assembly. The cap (10) is attached in a storage state or shipping state and can be removed by the user prior injection. The cap (10) comprises a translucent or transparent part with a radiation capturing surface (13) adapted to capture electromagnetic radiation (22) emitted by the emitter element (21) and with a radiation emitting surface (15) adapted to emit, based on the radiation captured, an indication to a user.