Medical Sensor Applicator Assembly for Single-Step Skin Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for continuous glucose monitoring require multiple user operations for attachment, including mounting a sensor unit to the skin and manually activating the device, which can be cumbersome and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
An applicator assembly that integrates a sensor unit and a base unit with an applicator body, featuring a locking mechanism and a design that allows the base unit to protrude from the applicator body, simplifying attachment by minimizing user interaction and ensuring stable adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the sensor unit and base unit are attached separately requiring multiple user operations, then the device can be assembled flexibly, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome attachment procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sensor unit and base unit into a single pre-assembled medical device that attaches to the skin as one integrated unit. The sensor unit is permanently mounted on the base unit before sterilization and packaging, eliminating the need for users to perform separate mounting operations. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining flexible assembly during manufacturing while dramatically simplifying the attachment procedure for end users.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit is pre-assembled and pre-sterilized on the base unit before final packaging. This preliminary action of assembling and sterilizing the complete device eliminates the need for users to perform complex assembly procedures at the point of use. The base unit protruding from the applicator body during attachment further facilitates this preliminary action principle by guiding proper positioning.
2Manufacturing precision
If the sensor unit is inserted into the applicator body, then the positioning can be precise, but the device complexity increases due to additional mounting operations
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the sensor unit and base unit into a single pre-assembled device, the patent eliminates multiple mounting operations that would increase device complexity. The sensor unit is permanently fixed to the base unit during manufacturing, so users only need to perform the single operation of attaching the complete assembly to the skin, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy.
3Productivity
If the needle is inserted together with the sensor unit, then the insertion can be simultaneous and efficient, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the need to manually pull out the needle after attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is extracted as a separate, disposable component that is attached to the sensor unit only during the insertion process. After the sensor unit is implanted through the needle, the needle is manually removed and discarded, while the sensor unit remains attached to the base unit on the skin. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by maintaining efficient simultaneous insertion while simplifying the post-attachment procedure, as the needle removal becomes a simple, intuitive action rather than a complex operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An applicator assembly according to the present disclosure includes a medical device including a sensor unit having a sensor of which at least a portion is to be inserted into skin of a user and a base unit attached to the skin of the user to be coupled to the sensor unit, an applicator body including an applicator body bottom portion disposed to face the skin of the user and an applicator body recess formed to the applicator body bottom portion wherein the base unit is disposed, and an insertion unit disposed to the applicator body for moving the sensor unit from a first position spaced apart from the base unit to a second position for being coupled to the base unit, and the base unit is disposed to the applicator body recess to protrude from the applicator body bottom portion.