Injection Pen Coupling With Tactile Dose Correction Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injection units require skilled manual operation and lack feedback during dose adjustment and correction, necessitating two hands to separate and maintain a unidirectional coupling against a spring force, and bidirectional couplings fail to provide audible or tactile feedback.
Innovation Solution
A pen-shaped injection unit with a dosing device and delivery apparatus featuring a coupling mechanism that allows dose adjustment and correction independently of the delivery apparatus, providing acoustic and tactile feedback through a coupling mechanism with asymmetric toothings and a reverse lock to prevent inadvertent discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a unidirectional coupling mechanism with spring force is used to connect the dosing device and delivery apparatus, then the coupling provides secure engagement and prevents relative rotation during delivery, but manual separation against spring force requires significant user strength and dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is divided into two independent parts: a first coupling element on the dosing device and a second coupling element on the delivery apparatus. This segmentation allows each element to be independently actuated, enabling the dosing device to be separated from the delivery apparatus without requiring manual separation against spring force, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining reliable engagement during delivery.
2Reliability
If the coupling elements are designed with asymmetric toothings and spring force for secure engagement, then the coupling prevents relative rotation during product delivery, but the mechanism lacks user feedback during dose adjustment and correction
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling elements incorporate toothed perimeters that engage with each other during rotation, providing tactile and acoustic feedback to the user. This feedback mechanism allows the user to感知 the engagement state and dosing progress without requiring visual inspection or additional indicators, thus eliminating information loss during dose adjustment while maintaining secure coupling engagement.
3Ease of operation
If the dosing device is designed to be separable from the delivery apparatus for independent dose adjustment, then the user can correct doses without manual separation, but the coupling mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second coupling elements are merged into a single integrated coupling mechanism that combines the separation function with the engagement function. The toothed perimeters of both elements are designed to engage automatically during assembly and disengage automatically during separation, eliminating the need for manual separation while maintaining secure engagement, thus improving ease of operation without significantly increasing complexity.
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
Enables simple, user-friendly dose adjustment and correction with perceptible feedback, ensuring accurate dosing without requiring two hands and preventing accidental discharge during correction.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-actuated click mechanism
Implementation Method 2
provides user feedback through an acoustic signal
Implementation Method 3
rotatable dosing sleeve with a non-self-locking threaded connection
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an injection unit, preferably a pen-shaped injection unit, for administering or delivering a fluid product. The injection unit comprises a housing, an axially movable piston rod mounted in the housing in a non-rotatable manner, a delivery apparatus having a threaded nut that is able to move the piston rod in order to deliver product, a dosing device having a dosing sleeve, a rotary knob, a discharge button arranged coaxially on the dosing sleeve, and a receptacle for the product. The dosing device is connected to the delivery apparatus via a coupling mechanism, wherein the coupling mechanism includes of at least two coupling surfaces that each carry a toothing comprising teeth, wherein the coupling surfaces are used to generate an acoustic and/or tactile signal corresponding to the set or corrected dose of the product to be administered during the dosing operation or during correction of the dose.