Medicament Delivery Device Radially Flexible Blocking Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicament delivery devices face challenges in accommodating standard syringes from various manufacturers, leading to limitations in flexibility and compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A sub-assembly for a medicament delivery device featuring a housing, a propellant source, and a button with radially flexible blocking members that allow axial movement, enabling rearward movement of the propellant source and a retraction biasing mechanism to ensure safe needle retraction and secure medicament delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard specification syringes are used in the delivery device, then compatibility and flexibility are improved, but control over needle exposure and retraction becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is divided into a reusable sub-assembly containing the housing, propellant source, and blocking members, and a disposable syringe component. This segmentation allows standard syringes to be used while the sub-assembly provides consistent needle control mechanisms through its radially flexible blocking members that radially restrain the syringe needle during storage and transport, and control its exposure during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The radially flexible blocking members are pre-configured in the housing to automatically engage with and radially restrain the syringe needle when the syringe is inserted. This preliminary action ensures needle control is established before use, and the blocking members can be subsequently moved to permit needle exposure when needed, providing both compatibility and reliable control.
2Manufacturing precision
If the blocking members are radially restrained to limit propellant source movement, then dosing precision is improved, but the device cannot accommodate needle retraction movements
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking members are designed with radial flexibility, allowing them to dynamically change their restraining characteristics. They can be radially restrained to limit propellant source movement and ensure dosing precision, or moved to a position where they flex radially outward to permit needle exposure and retraction movements. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between precision and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The radial position of the blocking members is changed as a control parameter. When radially restrained, they provide precise positioning for dosing; when moved radially outward, they allow the necessary movements for needle exposure and retraction. This parameter change enables the system to adapt between precision and flexibility requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the propellant source is allowed to move rearwardly, then needle exposure is enabled, but accidental movement and dosing errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The radially flexible blocking members act as intermediaries between the button actuation mechanism and the propellant source. When the button is pressed, it moves the blocking members radially outward, which then permits controlled rearward movement of the propellant source and needle exposure. This intermediary mechanism ensures that propellant source movement only occurs when intentionally triggered, preventing accidental movement while enabling ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking members are pre-positioned to radially restrain the propellant source before use. To enable needle exposure, the user must first actuate the button to move the blocking members to a permissive position. This preliminary action ensures that propellant source movement is intentionally initiated, maintaining dosing accuracy while enabling ease of operation when needed.
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 sub-assembly allows for the use of standard syringes, enhances compatibility, and ensures safe and efficient medicament delivery by controlling the needle's exposure and retraction, while preventing accidental needle exposure.
Implementation Method 1
the button includes one or more radially flexible blocking members, and the button is moveable between a first axial position in which the one or more radially flexible blocking members are radially restrained by the housing in a radially inward position that limits rearward axial movement of the propellant source, and a second axial position in which the one or more radially flexible blocking members are able to flex to a radially outward position and permit rearward axial movement of the propellant source relative to the button and the housing
Implementation Method 2
axially rearward movement of the propellant source relative to the housing causes a retraction biasing member to delatch, wherein the delatched retraction biasing member urges the rear housing axially rearwardly relative to the front housing
Data Source
AI summary
A sub-assembly for a medicament delivery device including a housing, a propellant source contained in and axially moveable relative to said housing, and a button axially moveable relative to said housing. At least part of said button is disposed axially rearwardly of part of said propellant source. The button includes one or more radially flexible blocking members, and the button is moveable between a first axial position in which the one or more radially flexible blocking members are radially restrained by the housing in a radially inward position that limits rearward axial movement of the propellant source, and a second axial position in which the one or more radially flexible blocking members are able to flex to a radially outward position and permit rearward axial movement of the propellant source relative to the button and the housing.