Drug Delivery Injector Lock Mechanism for Low-Complexity Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery devices face challenges in incorporating automated features without increasing mechanical complexity, size, and manufacturing costs, making them cumbersome for users.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery device with a fixed relationship between the housing and drug storage container, featuring a lock component that resists relative movement until released by user force, allowing for the utilization of inertial forces to drive the device towards the injection site, thereby reducing mechanical complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple automated features are incorporated into the drug delivery device, then the ease of operation and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple automated features (needle insertion, guard retraction, plunger actuation) into a single integrated mechanism that is triggered by one user action. The lock component couples the guard's movement with the plunger's movement, so that moving the guard from the first position to the second position simultaneously drives needle insertion and drug delivery, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard component serves multiple functions: it protects the needle during storage and transport, guides the insertion motion, and acts as the trigger mechanism for automated delivery. The lock component similarly serves both to prevent premature activation and to couple the guard's movement with plunger actuation, enabling a single component to perform multiple critical roles.
2Ease of operation
If multiple automated features are incorporated into the drug delivery device, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple automated features (needle insertion, guard retraction, plunger actuation) into a single integrated mechanism that is triggered by one user action. The lock component couples the guard's movement with the plunger's movement, so that moving the guard from the first position to the second position simultaneously drives needle insertion and drug delivery, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms for each function.
3Reliability
If a separate mechanism is used for each automated feature, then the reliability of each function is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple automated features (needle insertion, guard retraction, plunger actuation) into a single integrated mechanism that is triggered by one user action. The lock component couples the guard's movement with the plunger's movement, so that moving the guard from the first position to the second position simultaneously drives needle insertion and drug delivery, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A drug delivery device and a method of using the drug delivery device may include a housing having an opening and a drug storage container including a delivery member. The drug storage container may be coupled with the housing such as to substantially prevent relative movement between the drug storage container and the housing. A guard may be positioned adjacent to the opening and operably coupled with a plunger biasing member such that a relative movement between the guard and the housing permits release of the plunger biasing member to urge a plunger in to expel a drug from the drug storage container. A lock component may be configured to resist the relative movement between the guard and the housing until the lock component is released by a user force, whereafter the user force drives the housing and the drug storage container toward an injection site.