Medicament Delivery Cap with Radially Flexible Remover Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicament delivery devices face issues with the removal of protective needle sheaths, which can cause contact with the needle, leading to potential bending or debris accumulation, requiring precise timing and manipulation to avoid damage.
Innovation Solution
A cap assembly with a tubular remover having radially flexible legs and guide fingers that expand radially to receive and guide the needle sheath during assembly, allowing for safe insertion and removal without physical contact, ensuring the sheath is removed concurrently with the cap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cap is manipulated by means of the assembly tool to splay the sheath removal beams apart when the medicament container is being inserted into the case, then the needle sheath can be received by the cap, but the forces exerted onto the needle sheath may cause movement of the needle sheath relative to the needle which it encloses, potentially causing coring or needle bending
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is pre-assembled with the remover attached in a distal-most position before the medicament container assembly is inserted. The remover is initially in a radially contracted state that allows easy insertion of the needle sheath without requiring manipulation during the insertion process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The remover is designed with radially flexible legs that can dynamically change state. During insertion, the legs are in a contracted state allowing the needle sheath to pass freely. After insertion, the legs radially expand to engage and hold the needle sheath in place, providing adaptive functionality based on the operational phase.
2Ease of operation
If the sheath removal beams are splayed apart to receive the needle sheath, then the needle sheath can be inserted safely, but precise timing and manipulation are required to avoid contact between the needle sheath and the beams during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The cap and remover assembly is prepared in advance with the remover in its distal-most, radially contracted position. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for real-time manipulation during insertion, allowing the needle sheath to be simply inserted without complex timing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The remover acts as an intermediary component between the cap and the needle sheath. It provides a receiving structure that guides the needle sheath during insertion and then secures it after insertion, mediating the interaction between the cap assembly and the needle sheath to simplify the overall procedure.
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
This solution prevents needle damage and debris accumulation by allowing for safe and efficient insertion and removal of the medicament container assembly, ensuring proper assembly and use of the medicament delivery device without risking needle bending or coring.
Implementation Method 1
the remover having a plurality of radially flexible legs extending axially from a proximal end of the remover to a distal end
Implementation Method 2
each leg having a guide finger configured to extend distally beyond the grippers for cooperating with an internal structure of a medicament delivery device to guide radial expansion of the legs
Implementation Method 3
each leg having a gripper configured to engage with a delivery member shield of a medicament delivery device
Data Source
AI summary
A sub-assembly for a medicament delivery device is presented having a cap provided with a distal opening and configured to be mounted to a proximal end of the medicament delivery device. A tubular remover is received in the distal opening of the cap, the remover having a proximal end portion fixedly attached to the cap, a housing with an internal structure and provided with a proximal inclined surface. The remover has a plurality of radially flexible legs extending longitudinally from a proximal end of the remover to a distal end thereof, each leg having a gripper that engages with a delivery member shield of the medicament delivery device and having a guide finger configured to extend distally beyond the grippers or cooperating with an internal structure of the medicament delivery device to guide radial expansion of the legs when the remover is mounted in the medicament delivery device.