Insulin Applicator Double-Action Clutch Dosing Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic applicators for liquid pharmaceuticals, such as insulin, lack precise control over set doses, require manual adjustment of pressure force, have complex dose indication, and are prone to mechanical failures due to excessive rotation and high friction forces, leading to user discomfort and unreliable dosing.
Innovation Solution
An automatic applicator with a double-action clutch system, a twisted tensioning spring, and a plunger block guide with a ball-bearing nut, featuring external guidance for the spring and a visible dose indication scale, ensures precise and stress-free dosing by minimizing friction and preventing clutch damage through reliable nut blocking and rotation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a manual syringe with rotary cap is used for dose setting, then the device structure is simple, but the dosing precision and control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical dose-setting operations with an automated motor-driven system. The motor unit automatically rotates the setting ring to the predetermined dose position based on electronic control signals, eliminating manual manipulation and improving dosing precision while reducing user burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The applicator incorporates an automatic dose-setting mechanism where the motor unit autonomously positions the setting ring without user intervention. The system self-regulates the plunger displacement to deliver the exact predetermined dose, ensuring consistent and precise medication delivery.
2Reliability
If a tensioned spring with trigger device is used for automatic injection, then the injection is automatic, but the construction is failure-prone and lacks reliable nut blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex trigger device and its associated latch mechanisms from the design. Instead, it uses a straightforward motor-controlled system that directly drives the plunger, removing the failure-prone mechanical trigger components while maintaining automatic injection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a motor unit as an intermediary between the user input and the plunger actuation. This motor-mediated approach replaces the direct mechanical trigger-spring-latch system, providing more reliable and controllable plunger movement without the complexity and failure modes of the traditional trigger device.
3Reliability
If excessive rotation of dose-setting element is allowed, then the operation is flexible, but the clutch or driving arrangement may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control in the motor-driven dose-setting system. The motor unit receives control signals that precisely limit the rotation of the setting ring to the required dose range, preventing excessive rotation that could damage the clutch or driving arrangement while maintaining ease of operation through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-determines the exact rotation angle needed for dose setting and programs the motor unit to stop automatically at this position. This preliminary programming of the rotation limit prevents excessive rotation before it can occur, protecting the mechanical components while allowing full operational flexibility within the safe range.
4Measurement precision
If high friction forces are present in the driving arrangement, then the mechanical connection is strong, but the dosing precision and user comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces high-friction mechanical transmission elements with a motor-driven system that uses electromagnetic force transmission. This substitution eliminates the need for high friction mechanical connections, reducing resistive forces while maintaining precise control over plunger movement and dosing accuracy.
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 solution enables precise, automatic, and stress-free application of set doses with reduced friction and enhanced mechanical reliability, protecting against excessive rotation and ensuring clear dose indication, thus improving user experience and dosing accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a twisted tensioning spring
Implementation Method 2
a plunger block guide with a ball-bearing nut
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic applicator for liquid pharmaceutical preparations, particularly for multiple injection application of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container is provided. The automatic applicator includes a body housing connected to a housing of an exchangeable container with a medicine having a plunger, the said plunger being displaced only linearly by an integrated driving unit, suitable for immobilizing, driving, leading linearly and blocking rotation of the plunger, driven via a double action clutch, by a tensioning spring situated in the body housing, the spring tensioned by a rotary hand-dose-setting ring via the double action clutch, wherein the driving unit is activated by a trigger unit and a dose is indicated by an indicating arrangement. The automatic applicator further includes at least one block key placed in an upper part of a ratchet barrel, collaborating with at least one key placed in an internal part of the body housing.