Medicament Delivery Device with Rotational Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medicament delivery devices, such as hypodermic syringes, lack clear indication mechanisms, making it difficult for users to accurately and precisely administer repeated doses of medicament without visual feedback, leading to confusion about the device's readiness for use.
Innovation Solution
A medicament delivery device with a support mechanism featuring a plunger rod and housing with guiding means that allow axial and rotational displacement, coupled with an indicator member providing visual, audible, or tactile feedback through a window on the housing, indicating whether the device is ready-to-use or not, preventing unintentional actuation and ensuring precise dose delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional hypodermic syringe with visual scale is used, then user can see volume markings, but user must stop depressing plunger based on visual feedback making it difficult to perform repeated dose injection with high accuracy and precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an indicator member that provides automatic visual feedback to the user about the plunger rod position and dose delivery status. The indicator member rotates along with the plunger rod and displays different positions (e.g., green for ready-to-use, red for non-ready-to-use) without requiring the user to read volumetric scales or control stopping actions manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables itself to indicate its own status through the indicator member that automatically rotates and positions itself according to the plunger rod's position. The system self-regulates by providing clear visual cues about when the device is ready for use and when a dose has been delivered, eliminating the need for user interpretation of complex scale readings.
2Ease of operation
If no indicator means is provided, then device structure is simpler, but user is confused to know whether or not the medicament delivery device is ready to use
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator member incorporates color-coded indicators (such as green for ready-to-use and red for non-ready-to-use positions) that provide immediate visual feedback to the user. This color-coding system makes the device's operational status instantly recognizable without adding complex mechanical indication mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator member provides continuous visual feedback about the device's operational status by rotating to different positions that correspond to the plunger rod's position. This feedback mechanism clearly communicates whether the device is ready for use or has just delivered a dose, eliminating user confusion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If plunger rod can rotate about the axis, then device can guide plunger rod from ready-to-use position to non-ready-to use position and back, but device needs indicator means to show status
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rotational movement function with the indication function by making the indicator member rotatable along with the plunger rod. The same rotational mechanism that positions the plunger rod also positions the indicator member, so one motion performs two functions: guiding the plunger rod through position transitions and simultaneously indicating the current status.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator member serves multiple functions: it indicates readiness status, shows dose delivery completion, and provides visual feedback during position transitions. The rotational mechanism itself serves both to guide the plunger rod through its cycle and to drive the indicator member to display the appropriate status.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a medicament delivery device comprising an axially elongated housing, a coaxially extending plunger rod mounted with in the housing for expelling successive doses of medicament and rotateable about the axis. The plunger rod can be axially displaced from a ready-to-use position for expelling a dose of medicament to a non-ready-to-use position axially spaced from said ready-to-use position along the axis, and from said non-ready-to use position to a subsequent ready-to-use position angularly spaced from said non-ready-to use position about the axis The device further comprises an indicator member displaceably mounted onto the housing between a first angular position indicative of the ready-to-use positions and a second angular position indicative of the non-ready-to use positions.