Pharmaceutical Injection Device Remaining Medication Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pharmaceutical injection devices face challenges in properly managing syringes that contain remaining medication after a single dose, as users may forget to remove and store them properly.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a remaining pharmaceutical sensor connected to a controller that displays a warning to users when medication is still present in the syringe, prompting its removal and storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a pharmaceutical syringe containing multiple doses is used, then the productivity is improved by reducing the frequency of replacement, but the reliability deteriorates because users may forget to remove and properly store the syringe after a single injection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinjection frequencyVSAvoidsyringe management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a sensor to detect the presence of the syringe and a display unit to provide feedback to the user. After injection, the display shows a reminder message prompting the user to remove the syringe, creating a closed-loop feedback system that prevents forgetting without requiring manual tracking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically monitors syringe presence and manages the reminder function without requiring user intervention. The sensor continuously detects whether the syringe is mounted, and the controller automatically determines when to display removal reminders, making the management process self-service

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If a sensor and display system are added to monitor syringe presence, then the reliability of syringe management is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesyringe managementVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor serves multiple functions: it detects syringe presence for both injection control and post-injection reminder purposes. The display unit also serves dual purposes by showing injection status and management reminders, reducing the need for separate dedicated components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary that processes sensor signals and generates appropriate display messages. This centralized control logic simplifies the system architecture by consolidating the intelligence required for syringe management in a single component rather than distributing complexity across multiple elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10159799B2Pharmaceutical injection device

Publication Date: 2018.12.25 PHC CORP

AI summary

The pharmaceutical injection device includes a pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion (3) provided within a main body case (2) and to which a pharmaceutical syringe (4) is removably mounted, a piston (5) provided movably with respect to the pharmaceutical syringe (4) mounted to the pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion (3), a drive mechanism (6) for driving the piston (5), a controller (7) that is electrically connected to the drive mechanism (6), a display section (35) that is connected to the controller (7), and an encoder (26) that is connected to the controller (7) and detects the amount of the pharmaceutical remaining inside the pharmaceutical syringe (4). The controller (7) displays a warning on the display section (35) recommending removal of the pharmaceutical syringe (4) from the pharmaceutical syringe mounting portion (3) when the presence of a pharmaceutical is detected by the encoder (26).