Medicament Container Holder Flange Support Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medicament delivery devices often risk breaking medicament containers due to high forces applied during dose delivery, particularly when the break-loose force on the stopper is high.

Innovation Solution

A medicament container holder with mechanical holding elements and fixation elements that securely attach the medicament container, preventing distal movement and minimizing noise, while also allowing for a defined distance between the medicament delivery member and the septum.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If the medicament container is supported at the flange, then the container can be held in place, but the flange may break when high force is applied to the stopper

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforce applied to stopperVSAvoidflange strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The holding function is segmented between multiple structural features: the distal end opening provides primary containment, the annular groove engages with the flange to prevent proximal movement, and the positioning element secures the container in the distal direction. This distributes the stopping force across multiple points rather than concentrating it on the flange alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support function is extracted from the flange alone and distributed to multiple structural elements of the holder. The flange is no longer the sole support point but works in conjunction with the distal end opening and positioning elements, reducing the load on the flange.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the medicament container is held securely to prevent movement, then rattling noise is reduced, but the container may be damaged by excessive holding force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverattling noiseVSAvoidcontainer integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the holder provide different types of engagement: the distal end opening provides gentle containment, the annular groove provides localized engagement with the flange, and the positioning element provides directional positioning. This localized engagement prevents rattling without applying excessive force that could damage the container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a single tight-fitting structure that might damage the container, the design uses a multi-element system where each element provides a specific function with appropriate clearance or flexibility, inverting the approach from single-point rigid support to distributed flexible support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12239821B2Device for a medicament container

Publication Date: 2025.03.04 SHL MEDICAL AG

AI summary

A medicament container holder for securing a medicament container having a generally tubular body arranged with a proximally directed neck portion and a flange portion arranged with a pierceable septum. The medicament container holder has mechanical holding elements that interact with the flange portion for preventing movement of the medicament container in a distal direction and having mechanical fixation elements configured to interact with the flange portion for urging the flange portion in the distal direction against the holding elements, where the medicament container holder has attachment elements for a medicament delivery member. The mechanical fixation elements are configured to engage with the medicament delivery member when attached to the attachment elements, such as to exert a force in the distal direction on said flange portion.