Medicament Delivery Administration Mechanism Single-Step Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medicament delivery devices, such as auto-injectors, often require a two-stage user interaction to initiate medicament administration, which can be cumbersome and prone to premature activation.
Innovation Solution
An administration mechanism that includes a linearly displaceable medicament delivery member cover, an actuator sleeve, a rotator with a guide structure, and a plunger holder, allowing for auto-penetration and medicament expulsion with a single user interaction by shifting the medicament delivery member cover backwards, releasing the plunger holder and actuator to rotate and release the plunger rod.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-stage user interaction procedure is used to initiate medicament administration, then the device can prevent premature activation, but the operation becomes cumbersome and requires multiple user actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate user actions (pushing the triggering ring and then pushing the plunger) into a single continuous action by integrating the activation mechanism. The spring-tensed arrangement with the movable wall allows one continuous pushing motion to accomplish both needle penetration and medicament expulsion, eliminating the need for separate triggering and plunger actions while maintaining safety through the spring-loaded engagement mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism is pre-tensed before use, storing energy that automatically drives the needle forward upon activation. This preliminary preparation allows the device to perform the penetration action automatically once triggered, reducing the user's role from performing multiple manual steps to simply initiating a single action, thereby simplifying operation while maintaining reliable control.
2Ease of operation
If the needle protecting tube is shifted backwards to free the travel path, then the needle can move forward, but this backward shifting does not initiate medicament expulsion and requires additional user action
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the needle protection release function with the medicament expulsion function into a single integrated mechanism. The movable wall with the opening serves dual purposes: it allows the needle to move forward when opened, and simultaneously initiates the spring-driven plunger motion that expels the medicament. This eliminates the separate activation step required in conventional devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable wall mechanism performs multiple functions: it protects the needle during storage, allows needle penetration when opened, and triggers the medicament expulsion sequence. This multi-functional design reduces the overall device complexity by eliminating separate components for each function while maintaining all necessary capabilities.
3Extent of automation
If a spring-tensed auto-penetration mechanism is used, then the device can automatically penetrate the skin, but the medicament delivery member must be prevented from being undesirably pulled forwards
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a blocking mechanism that prevents the spring-tensed needle assembly from moving forward unintentionally. The movable wall with its opening acts as a gatekeeper that must be deliberately opened to allow penetration, providing preliminary opposition to unwanted activation. This ensures that the automatic penetration mechanism only activates when the user intentionally opens the wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable wall serves as an intermediary component between the user's action and the auto-penetration mechanism. It mediates the activation process by requiring deliberate opening to release the spring-tensed needle, thus providing controlled activation. The wall translates the user's simple opening action into the complex sequence of needle penetration and medicament expulsion.
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
Enables efficient and safe single-step medicament administration by allowing the medicament delivery member to be activated with a single backward movement, ensuring proper needle penetration and medicament expulsion without premature activation.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member configured to bias the medicament delivery member, the needle and the plunger holder in the proximal direction
Data Source
AI summary
An administration mechanism for a medicament delivery device is disclosed having a linearly displaceable medicament delivery member cover, an actuator sleeve, an actuator, wherein the medicament delivery member cover is configured to axially displace the actuator sleeve from an initial position to a distally displaced position thereby displacing the actuator sleeve relative to the actuator, a rotator having a guide structure, a plunger holder, and a plunger rod that is proximally biased. The actuator can engage with the plunger holder in the initial position of the actuator sleeve to prevent the plunger holder from proximal displacement relative to the actuator. The actuator can be released from engagement with the plunger holder by displacement of the actuator sleeve towards the distally displaced position to enable proximal displacement of the plunger holder, the plunger rod and the rotator relative to the actuator. The actuator can rotate the rotator relative to the plunger holder, releasing the plunger rod from the plunger holder.