Injection Device Finger Guard Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current injection devices, both manual and auto-injectors, pose risks of needle-stick injuries and incomplete dosing due to the design of protective needle shields, which can lead to user discomfort and inefficiencies in administering medications, especially for users with dexterity issues or elderly patients.
Innovation Solution
A finger guard with inwardly biased spring arms and locking mechanisms is integrated into the injection device to prevent the spring arms from being pushed outward after the protective needle shield is removed, ensuring user safety and complete dosing by locking the spring arms in place, thereby preventing accidental needle exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the protective needle shield is removed to allow needle access, then the user can administer the injection, but the risk of needle-stick injuries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The finger guard acts as an intermediary protective element between the user's finger and the needle. It is a guard component that covers the needle tip and provides a physical barrier, allowing the user to access the needle for injection while preventing direct contact with the sharp needle tip, thus reducing needle-stick injuries
Solution Approach 2:
The finger guard is divided into multiple functional segments: a protective cover for the needle tip, spring arms that provide biasing force, and locking arms that secure the guard in position. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function while collectively addressing the safety issue
2Adaptability or versatility
If the spring arms are made movable to accommodate needle shield removal, then the device adapts to different states, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The finger guard combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: the spring arms provide both the biasing force to maintain contact with the needle shield and the structural framework for the locking arms. This merging reduces the number of separate parts needed while achieving the desired adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The spring arms are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adapt to the presence or absence of the needle shield. The spring mechanism provides automatic adjustment of the guard's position, enabling the device to transition between different operational states without user intervention
3Reliability
If the locking arms are added to prevent spring arm movement, then needle safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are integrated with the spring arms as part of the same finger guard assembly rather than being separate components. This merging allows the locking function to be achieved within the existing structural framework, minimizing additional complexity while improving safety
Solution Approach 2:
The locking arms are designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the presence or absence of the needle shield, without requiring user intervention or external control mechanisms. The spring arms themselves drive the locking action through their movement, making the system self-regulating and reducing the need for additional complex control mechanisms
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 finger guard effectively reduces the risk of needle-stick injuries and ensures complete medication delivery by securely locking the spring arms, making the device safer and more user-friendly, particularly for auto-injectors, by reducing the hiding distance of the needle and allowing for a more portable design.
Implementation Method 1
two inwardly biased spring arms arranged for bearing against a protective needle shield
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a finger guard for an injection device for administering a dose of a liquid medicament, the finger guard comprising two inwardly biased spring arms arranged for bearing against a protective needle shield arrangeable at a hollow needle, the finger guard further having a respective locking arm assigned to each spring arm biased in a distal direction thus bearing against the respective spring arm when the protective needle shield is in place, wherein the spring arms are arranged to move inwards when the protective needle shield is removed thus allowing the locking arms to move distally into a position where they prevent the spring arms from being pushed outward again.