Medicament Injection Device Cap Assembly Needle Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicament injection devices, particularly those using cartridges, require additional steps for needle attachment, which can be challenging for patients with limited dexterity or coordination, and do not maintain sterility until the needle is inserted, posing issues for users who need to keep the needle separate until injection.
Innovation Solution
A medicament injection device with a cap assembly that includes an inner and outer needle part, where the inner needle part is movable to displace the needle carrier axially, allowing the needle to pierce a penetrable barrier in the medicament cartridge only when the user activates the device, providing a secure and sterile mechanism for needle insertion without prior handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cartridge is used instead of a syringe, then handling and storage advantages are provided, but additional steps for needle attachment are required
Solution Approach 1:
The cap assembly is merged with the needle carrier to form an integrated unit. The cap assembly includes both the protective cap and the needle carrier as single components, eliminating the need for separate needle attachment steps. The needle carrier is pre-assembled within the cap assembly, so when the cap is removed from the cartridge, the needle is already positioned and ready for injection.
2Reliability
If the needle is kept separate from the medicament until injection, then sterility is maintained, but additional handling steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The needle carrier is nested within the cap assembly, and the cap assembly is nested within the cartridge holder during storage. This nested arrangement keeps the needle sealed and protected within the cartridge system until injection. The needle carrier can be axially displaced from the cartridge through the cap assembly, allowing needle deployment while maintaining sterility throughout the storage and handling process.
3Extent of automation
If the inner needle part is movable with respect to the outer needle part, then automated needle insertion is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap assembly transitions from a static protective cover to a dynamic injection mechanism. The inner needle part is designed to be movable relative to the outer needle part, allowing the cap assembly to dynamically change configuration during injection. When the cap is pulled away from the cartridge, the inner needle part is drawn out through the outer needle part, automatically positioning the needle for injection without requiring separate manual manipulation steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A medicament injection device includes a main body configured to receive a medicament cartridge sealed by a penetrable barrier, a cap assembly having an inner needle part and an outer needle part, wherein the inner needle part is movable in a proximal direction with respect to the outer needle part, a needle carrier carrying a needle, the needle carrier being releasably coupled to the inner needle part, wherein, when the inner needle part is displaced in the proximal direction, the inner needle part causes the needle carrier to be displaced axially in the proximal direction, and wherein, subsequent to the axial displacement of the inner needle part, the cap assembly is separable from the main body by movement of the cap assembly in a distal direction.