Medicament Injection Device Automated Needle Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medicament injection devices often require manual attachment of needles, which can be difficult for users with poor coordination or dexterity, and there is a need for a mechanism to keep the needle separate from the medicament until injection, reducing handling and ensuring safety.
Innovation Solution
A medicament injection device with a needle sleeve and holder that moves axially to pierce a medicament cartridge septum, featuring a displacement element with ramped surfaces and pins for disengagement, allowing automated needle insertion and reducing user handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual needle attachment is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates for users with poor coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs needle attachment automatically without requiring user manipulation. The needle holder and needle are self-propelled by the displacement element when the activator is pressed, eliminating the need for manual dexterity to attach the needle to the cartridge.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle and needle holder are pre-positioned in a retracted state within the device. Before injection, the displacement element is prepared to automatically advance the needle holder to pierce the cartridge septum, so the user only needs to press the activator without worrying about timing or precision of needle attachment.
2Reliability
If needle is pre-attached to medicament cartridge, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential premature exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the needle holder containing the needle from the medicament cartridge. The needle holder is held in a retracted position by the displacement element until activation, ensuring the needle remains protected and cannot accidentally contact the cartridge or user. Upon activation, the needle holder is automatically advanced to pierce the septum, ensuring controlled exposure only when needed.
3Ease of operation
If automated needle insertion mechanism is added, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The displacement element serves multiple functions: it holds the needle holder in a retracted position, provides the driving force for automatic needle advancement, and enables the piercing action through its ramped surface geometry. The activator also serves dual purposes by both triggering needle advancement and potentially initiating medicament delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The displacement element acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user's simple pressing action on the activator and the complex motion required to advance the needle holder and pierce the septum. It translates a simple linear press into the coordinated movement needed for reliable needle insertion.
4Productivity
If needle holder is displaced to pierce septum, then productivity is improved by reducing handling steps, but device complexity increases due to frictional fit mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the needle holder and medicament cartridge transitions from a static, pre-attached state to a dynamic, automatically engaged state. The frictional fit and lip mechanism are designed to engage automatically when the needle holder is displaced by the displacement element, providing secure attachment without requiring separate locking actions from the user.
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 device enables safe and easy automated needle insertion into a medicament cartridge, reducing user interaction with the needle and enhancing usability for users with coordination issues, while maintaining the cartridge seal until injection.
Implementation Method 1
The displacement element may comprise at least one ramped surface
Implementation Method 2
The male part and female part are configured to form a frictional fit subsequent to displacement of the needle holder by the predefined distance
Data Source
AI summary
A medicament injection device comprising: a main body configured to receive a medicament cartridge, a needle sleeve axially movable with respect to the main body, a needle holder holding a needle, and a displacement element coupled to the needle holder and disengageably coupled to the needle sleeve; wherein, upon axial displacement of the needle sleeve by a predefined distance in a proximal direction, the needle carrier and needle are displaced axially in a proximal direction.