Logging Module Mounting Safety Feature for Drug Delivery Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drug delivery devices lack a reliable and user-friendly method for capturing and organizing dose data, leading to incomplete or erroneous records that can mislead medical decision-making, as most devices are purely mechanical and do not have built-in electronic data acquisition functionality.
Innovation Solution
A modular system comprising a drug delivery device and a logging module with electronic circuitry, sensors, and a snap lock mechanism that ensures secure and correct mounting, allowing for automatic logging of dose data and error detection, using a switch and snap lock arrangement to guarantee proper operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a snap lock mechanism is added to ensure secure mounting, then mounting reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate functional components: a snap lock mechanism for secure attachment and a switch mechanism for operational control. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably without requiring the entire system to be overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The switch is designed to activate automatically at a specific position during the mounting process, before the snap lock fully engages. This preliminary action ensures that the electronic system is ready to receive data before physical securement is complete, improving overall mounting reliability without adding complex control systems.
2Reliability
If electronic data acquisition functionality is integrated into the device, then data logging reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into a mechanical drug delivery device and a separate electronic logging module. This segmentation allows the mechanical device to be manufactured using conventional low-cost methods while the electronic data acquisition functionality is added through a modular attachment, reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining data logging reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The logging module is designed as a universal attachment that can be mounted on various drug delivery devices. This multi-functionality allows a single electronic component to serve multiple devices, reducing per-unit manufacturing costs while providing reliable data acquisition across different device types.
3Productivity
If the switch activates before complete mounting, then data acquisition readiness is improved, but positioning precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated switch mechanism acts as an intermediary between the mounting process and the electronic data acquisition system. The switch is positioned and designed to activate at a specific intermediate stage during mounting, providing a clear binary signal that prepares the electronic system without requiring precise positioning of multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The switch activation point is designed with local quality considerations, creating a specific geometric feature or clearance that ensures activation at the desired mounting stage. This localized design feature provides reliable switch activation without requiring high precision across the entire mounting interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A medial assembly comprises a logging first unit adapted to be mounted on a drug delivery device second unit from a fully un-mounted to a fully mounted position along a path. The first unit comprises a switch operatable between an off- and an on-state when the first unit is mounted on the second unit, the switch being in the on-state when the first unit is mounted within a first distance from the fully mounted position, and in the off-state when the first unit is mounted outside the first distance from the fully mounted position, and a snap lock operatable from an initial state through an expanded state to a snap-in state when the first unit is mounted on the second unit, the snap lock being in the snap-in state when the first unit is mounted within a second distance from the fully mounted position, the second distance being shorter than the first distance. By this arrangement it is ensured that the switch will be in the on-state before the snap lock is in the snap-in state.