Livestock Syringe Adapter with Electronic Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The livestock industry faces challenges with medication compliance, including inaccurate dosages, over-medication, incorrect medication administration, and cross-contamination due to the use of simple drench or injection guns by semi-skilled operators, which can lead to animal illness or waste of expensive medication.
Innovation Solution
A handheld apparatus with a removable delivery section and a drive section that includes an electronic device for communication with a control system, allowing for configuration and identification of the delivery section, ensuring accurate medication administration and preventing cross-contamination by locking the delivery section to a specific medication type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If simple drench or injection guns are used by semi-skilled operators, then the device complexity is low and ease of operation is high, but medication compliance deteriorates with inaccurate dosages and cross-contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-identification through the electronic device in the delivery section that automatically communicates with the control system. The control system autonomously identifies the delivery section, retrieves stored substance information, and determines compatibility without requiring operator input or decision-making, thereby ensuring reliable medication compliance while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system receives feedback from the electronic device regarding the delivery section's identity and stored substance information. Based on this feedback, the control system determines compatibility and either permits or prevents operation, creating a closed-loop system that ensures medication compliance while requiring minimal operator intervention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the same gun is re-used with different medications, then the device complexity remains low, but cross-contamination occurs which may poison or harm the animal
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device in the delivery section acts as an intermediary that carries substance identification information. When the delivery section is coupled to the drive section, this intermediary automatically communicates the substance type to the control system, which then determines compatibility. This intermediary mechanism enables safe re-use of the same gun with different medications by preventing incompatible combinations, thus allowing adaptability while eliminating cross-contamination risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual verification mechanisms with an electronic identification and communication system. The electronic device in the delivery section automatically transmits substance information to the control system, which electronically determines compatibility. This substitution of mechanical/operator-based verification with an electronic system enables safe re-use of delivery sections with different medications while preventing cross-contamination.
3Device complexity
If manual operation of drench or injection guns is used, then the device complexity is low, but operator error leads to over-medication or incorrect medication
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device in the delivery section performs self-identification and automatically communicates substance information to the control system. The control system then autonomously determines compatibility and controls operation permissions. This self-service mechanism eliminates operator error in dosage determination while maintaining relatively simple device architecture, thereby improving measurement precision without significantly increasing device complexity.
4Measurement precision
If semi-automatic delivery devices with pre-determined doses are used, then dosage accuracy is improved, but cross-contamination of medication still occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device in the delivery section serves as an intermediary that automatically communicates substance identification information to the control system. This intermediary mechanism enables the control system to determine compatibility between the delivery section's stored substance and newly selected medications, preventing cross-contamination while maintaining the dosage accuracy benefits of semi-automatic delivery devices with pre-determined doses.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand held device that injects animals with medicine and other substances contains a removable adapter. The removable adapter has mechanical connections to a frame. The frame has a mechanism for moving or advancing a syringe, which is part of the removable adapter. The removable adapter has an electronic device that begins in an non-configured state, but as specific medicines or substances are used with the removable adapter, the electronic device is put into a configured state. When the removable adapter is attempted to be used with other substances which are not compatible with the original substance, the electronic device prevents use of the device.