Magnetic Dose Wheel Sensing for Accurate Injector Dose Setting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injectable-drug delivery devices face challenges with dosage control, as mechanical solutions often complicate the device structure, leading to user errors, lost doses, and non-compliance, and require substantial modifications or axial displacement calculations to function accurately.
Innovation Solution
A dose control system using a removably attachable disk-shaped diametral single-dipole magnet with magnetic field measurement means in a displaced axial relationship, an integrated control unit to process magnetic field data, and correction algorithms to calculate accurate dose settings without axial displacement determination, enabling compatibility with various drug delivery devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical means are used to prevent excessive dose injections, then dosage control is improved, but device structure becomes over-complexified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical means with electronic components including a sensor adapted to generate pulses during injection, a microprocessor to count pulses and determine dose amount, and a display to show dose information. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical structures while maintaining dosage control functionality through electronic sensing and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a microprocessor as an intermediary between the sensor and the display mechanism. The microprocessor counts pulses from the sensor, determines the dose amount, and controls the display output. This intermediary simplifies the overall system by centralizing control logic and eliminating the need for complex mechanical dose-limiting mechanisms.
2Reliability
If mechanical means are used to limit excessive dose injections, then dosage control is improved, but user operation becomes strict or complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by displaying dose information to the user through a display device. The sensor detects injection progress, the microprocessor calculates the dose amount, and the display provides real-time feedback to the user. This feedback mechanism guides users through the injection process without requiring them to understand complex mechanical operations, thereby improving ease of use while maintaining dosage control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces strict mechanical operational constraints with electronic sensing and display guidance. Instead of requiring users to follow complex mechanical procedures to ensure proper dosing, the system uses sensors to detect injection parameters and provides guidance through display output, making the device easier to operate while maintaining reliability.
3Device complexity
If contactless sensors and information processing systems are used, then device structure is simplified, but each solution becomes geared to specific manufacturer's device range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing a sensor and microprocessor system that can be adapted to different injection mechanisms. The sensor is adapted to generate pulses during injection across various device types, and the microprocessor is configured to count pulses and determine dose amounts for different manufacturers' devices. This universal approach allows the same basic architecture to serve multiple device ranges while maintaining simplified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic adaptability where the sensor and microprocessor system can be configured for different device types. The sensor's pulse generation characteristics and the microprocessor's dose calculation algorithms can be adjusted to match specific manufacturer's device ranges, allowing the system to maintain simplicity while being versatile across different injection devices.
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 provides accurate dose calculation and user-friendly operation without modifying the drug delivery device, allowing for easy exchange and supporting different drug delivery devices, reducing errors and complexity, and maintaining the device's original modus operandi.
Implementation Method 1
a diametral single-dipole magnet producing a magnetic field varying corresponding to a rotational movement of the dose setting wheel about a longitudinal axis of the drug delivery device
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a dose control system configured for an injectable drug delivery device. The device comprises a substantially disk-shaped diametral single-dipole magnet removably attachable, or permanently fixed, to a rotatable dose wheel at a proximal extremity of a drug delivery device body, a housing removably attachable to the proximal extremity of the drug delivery body and comprising at least a first and a second magnetic field measurement means configured to measure the magnetic field produced by the magnet. An integrated control unit is connected to the magnetic field measurement means and is configured to process information received therefrom. The magnetic field measurement means are located in the housing in a displaced axial relationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the drug delivery body and the magnet. The magnet is configured to co-rotate with the dose setting wheel around the longitudinal axis of the drug delivery body and the integrated control unit is further configured to provide a normalized vector with regard to the displaced axial relationship of the magnetic field measurement means, said normalized vector being derived from the measured magnetic field generated by the rotation of the magnet and measured by the magnetic field measurement means. A dose setting is calculated from said normalized vector.