Medicament Delivery Device with Temperature-Dependent Movement Interlock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medicament delivery devices may fail to dispense a dose correctly or unexpectedly dispense medicament due to sub-optimal temperatures, causing user confusion and discomfort, especially when stored at cold temperatures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a temperature-dependent interconnect with a temperature-dependent material that changes characteristics at different temperatures, allowing or resisting movement of device components based on temperature, ensuring proper dispensing only when the device reaches a suitable temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If the device is stored at sub-ambient temperatures to extend medicament storage period, then the medicament can be stored for an extended period without losing efficacity, but the viscosity of the medicament increases causing incorrect or incomplete dose dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The interconnect material's mechanical properties are made dynamic and temperature-dependent. At sub-ambient temperatures, the material remains rigid to maintain the blocking function, while at ambient temperatures it becomes flexible to allow component movement and proper dispensing. This dynamic property change resolves the contradiction between extended storage capability and reliable dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the interconnect material based on temperature. The material's rigidity/flexibility parameter changes with temperature, allowing the same component to serve different functions at different temperatures. This parameter change enables the device to maintain storage stability at cold temperatures while ensuring proper operation at ambient temperatures.
2Ease of operation
If the device is triggered at sub-optimal temperatures, then the user expects a dose to be delivered, but the viscous medicament cannot pass through the needle causing no dose or incomplete dose
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature-dependent interconnect prevents the device from being triggered when the medicament is too cold. By using the interconnect to block component movement at sub-ambient temperatures, the system proactively prevents the harmful action of triggering under unsuitable conditions, thereby ensuring reliable dose delivery only when the medicament is at appropriate temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates temperature-sensitive feedback through the interconnect material's physical response. The material's change in mechanical properties with temperature provides automatic feedback that enables or disables the triggering mechanism, ensuring the device only operates when temperature conditions are suitable for reliable medicament delivery.
3Temperature
If the device is passively heated by the external environment after triggering, then the viscosity of the medicament decreases, but this causes unexpected dispensing of the dose
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature-dependent interconnect prevents component movement and thus prevents triggering when the device is cold. By blocking the mechanical pathway in advance, the system prevents the harmful sequence of events that would lead to unexpected dispensing after passive heating, ensuring the device remains inactive until appropriate temperature conditions are met.
4Reliability
If a temperature-dependent interconnect is used to control component movement, then accurate dispensing is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interconnect material provides temperature-dependent functionality automatically through its inherent physical properties. The material self-regulates the mechanical connection based on temperature without requiring external control systems, sensors, or complex actuation mechanisms. This self-service approach achieves reliable temperature-controlled dispensing while minimizing added device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic or mechanical temperature control systems with a simple temperature-dependent material that provides the control function through its physical properties. This substitution eliminates the need for sensors, processors, or complex actuators, achieving reliable temperature-responsive behavior with minimal complexity.
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
Ensures accurate and controlled medicament dispensing by preventing unintended dose delivery at cold temperatures and reducing user effort at ambient temperatures, enhancing user experience and device reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the temperature-dependent material having a temperature-dependent material characteristic such that the temperature-dependent material has: a first material characteristic at a first temperature of the temperature-dependent material so as to resist movement of the first component with respect to the second component, and; a second material characteristic at a second temperature of the temperature-dependent material so as to facilitate movement of the first component with respect to the second component
Data Source
AI summary
A medicament delivery device includes a first component, a second component configured to be movable with respect to the first component, and a temperature-dependent interconnect configured to resist movement of the first component relative to the second component. The temperature-dependent interconnect includes an engagement member and a temperature-dependent material configured to engage each other. The temperature-dependent material has a temperature-dependent material characteristic such that the temperature-dependent material has (i) a first material characteristic at a first temperature of the temperature-dependent material to resist movement of the first component with respect to the second component, and (ii) a second material characteristic at a second temperature of the temperature-dependent material to allow movement of the first component with respect to the second component.