Linear Shuttle Pump for Compact Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable drug delivery devices with plunger-based drive mechanisms are bulky due to the need for a reservoir length equal to the drive mechanism, making them uncomfortable for users.
Innovation Solution
A linear volume shuttle fluid pump system that includes a first and second plunger component, coupled with grip components, to create a vacuum in a fluid line, allowing for the extraction and delivery of a liquid drug without the need for a plunger, thereby reducing the device size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a plunger-based drive mechanism is used to expel liquid drug from the reservoir, then the liquid drug can be delivered to the user, but the device length becomes significantly larger (about twice the length of the cartridge)
Solution Approach 1:
The drive mechanism is divided into two separate plunger components (first plunger component and second plunger component) that operate independently within the pump chamber. This segmentation allows the plungers to move in opposite directions, creating a compact arrangement where the drive mechanism length is reduced to approximately the same as the cartridge length, eliminating the need for a significantly longer device housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump chamber is positioned between the first and second grip components in a spatial arrangement that optimizes the use of available space. The inlet pathway and outlet pathway are coupled to the fluid line in a configuration that allows compact integration, reducing the overall device length while maintaining full drug delivery functionality.
2Length of moving object
If the device size is reduced to accommodate standardized pre-filled cartridges, then the device becomes more compact and user-friendly, but the drive mechanism must be redesigned to eliminate the plunger
Solution Approach 1:
The first plunger component and second plunger component are integrated within a single pump chamber component, sharing common structural elements and fluid pathways. This merging of components reduces the overall device complexity compared to having separate drive mechanisms, while still achieving the compact size needed for standardized pre-filled cartridges.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump chamber component serves multiple functions: it houses both plunger components, provides fluid sealing through inlet and outlet pathways, and enables the vacuum creation mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall drive mechanism while maintaining compact dimensions.
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 system enables compact and user-friendly drug delivery devices by eliminating the need for a plunger, allowing for efficient extraction and delivery of liquid drugs from standardized pre-filled cartridges.
Implementation Method 1
The first plunger component and the second plunger component are operable to move in opposite directions to create a vacuum in a fluid line coupled to the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of fluid delivery drive system and/or pump system that creates a vacuum in a fluid line for drawing and expelling fluid are provided. The vacuum may be created by separating two components that are positioned within the sealed fluid line. Once the two components are separated and the fluid is contained within the volume created between the separated components, the two components may be shuttled within the sealed volume. The movement of the two components can seal off an inlet to the fluid line and then open a pathway to an outlet from the fluid line while ensuring the created volume between the two components is maintained constant. The two components can then be moved back together to expel the fluid from the created volume through the outlet for delivery, for example, to a patient. Other examples are disclosed and described.