Injection Device Piston Position Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Delivering a precise and complete dose of injectate, such as bacteriophages, into the xylem of plants for disease control is challenging due to the difficulty in ensuring the entire set dose is administered effectively, especially when injecting into the vascular tissue of plants like grapevines.
Innovation Solution
An injection device with a pneumatic piston chamber, a dose chamber, and an injection completion indicator that allows users to visually confirm the completion of the injection by aligning an indicator portion on the piston with a transparent window, ensuring the piston has reached its most distal position within the chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional injection devices are used to deliver bacteriophages into plant xylem, then the injection process is simple, but it is impossible to confirm whether the entire set dose has been administered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a colored indicator ring on the piston that changes position relative to a transparent window on the chamber wall. When the piston reaches its distal position (indicating complete injection), the colored ring aligns with the transparent window, providing a visual color change signal that confirms injection completion. This resolves the contradiction by adding a simple visual indicator mechanism that maintains reliability while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a transparent window as an intermediary element between the piston chamber and the user. This window allows visual observation of the piston's position without requiring direct access to the piston itself, enabling injection completion confirmation while maintaining a simple device structure. The window acts as a mediator that translates internal piston movement into externally observable information.
2Measurement precision
If the injection device includes visual indicator mechanisms, then injection completeness can be confirmed, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The colored indicator ring provides a clear visual signal for injection completion by aligning with the transparent window only when the piston reaches its distal position. This color-based visual indicator system achieves precise measurement of injection completeness while adding minimal structural complexity, as it merely requires painting or attaching a colored ring to the existing piston.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the visualization function from the injection mechanism by using a separate transparent window and colored indicator ring that are independent of the piston chamber and piston structure. This segmentation allows the measurement function to be added without complicating the core injection mechanism, as the indicator components can be independently manufactured and assembled.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a transparent window is added to the piston chamber for visualization, then injection completion can be detected, but the chamber structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent window serves as an intermediary that enables piston position detection without requiring direct modification of the piston or chamber internal structure. By placing the window on the chamber wall, the system translates internal piston movement into externally observable information through the window, simplifying the detection mechanism while adding minimal structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of the transparent window and colored indicator ring creates a simple visual detection system. The window allows light transmission for visibility, while the colored ring provides contrast for easy detection of piston position. This approach detects piston position with minimal structural addition, as it merely requires cutting or forming a window opening in the chamber wall.
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 users to accurately ascertain whether the entire set dose has been administered, enhancing the reliability and completeness of plant injections, particularly for applications like controlling Pierce's Disease in grapevines.
Implementation Method 1
a pneumatic piston chamber (14) and a pneumatic piston (16) slidably positioned within the pneumatic piston chamber (14)
Implementation Method 2
an injection completion indicator comprising a window (12) into the piston chamber (14) or dose chamber (20), wherein the injection completion indicator is aligned with a portion of the pneumatic piston chamber (14) or the dose chamber (20)
Data Source
AI summary
In an aspect, the present invention is directed to an injection device. The injection device includes a pneumatic piston chamber and a pneumatic piston slidably positioned within the pneumatic piston chamber; a dose chamber and an injectate piston slidably positioned within the dose chamber; and an injection completion indicator comprising a window into the piston chamber or dose chamber, wherein the injection completion indicator is aligned with a portion of the pneumatic piston chamber or the dose chamber. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of administering an injection to a subject using the injection device of the invention.