Automatic Injection Device Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic injection devices do not adequately prevent incorrect handling during the injection process, leading to potential incomplete needle penetration, pain, or product loss due to user stress and fear.

Innovation Solution

The device incorporates locking mechanisms that engage at intermediate positions of the activation means, ensuring the activation means are only unlocked when the protective member is in the correct position, preventing accidental device withdrawal and ensuring proper needle insertion and injection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If locking means are added to prevent incorrect handling, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the first locking means and second locking means into a unified locking system where both locking means work together to secure the activation means. The first locking means prevents movement from the first position, while the second locking means prevents movement from the second position, creating a comprehensive safety mechanism without requiring entirely separate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking means are designed to dynamically engage and disengage based on the position of the protective member. When the protective member moves from the first position to the second position, the locking means automatically transition between locked and unlocked states, providing adaptive safety control throughout the injection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the activation means are fully unlocked for easy operation, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental withdrawal increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidrisk of accidental withdrawal
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The first locking means is designed to be released before the second locking means during the activation sequence. This preliminary action allows the activation means to be gradually unlocked in a controlled manner, ensuring that safety constraints are maintained until the proper activation sequence is completed, thereby preventing accidental withdrawal while enabling legitimate operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2197522B1Device for the automatic injection of a product in an injection site
Publication Date: 2015.06.10 BECTON DICKINSON FRANCE SAS
  • EP2197522B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

According to the invention, first and second locking means (16, 12) are conformed to engage with each other and to permit the locking of an activation means (4) in at least one intermediate position between first and second positions of the activation means (4). The first and second locking means (12, 16) are conformed to be disengaged from each other when the protection member (3) is in a first position, in which a movement of a vessel contained in the device (1) is possible from an initial position to a position for inserting a needle contained in the vessel, and to be engaged with each other when the protection member (3) leaves said first position.