Medication Delivery Device with Guiding Element and Volume Limiter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medication delivery devices face challenges in administering accurate dosages under adverse conditions, requiring fine motor skills and good eyesight, and often involve unshielded needles that can be damaged or cause contamination, with complex and expensive auto-injectors and cartridge-based systems being limited in flexibility and usability.
Innovation Solution
A medication delivery device comprising a syringe with a built-in needle, a guiding element for secure vial access, and a volume limiter to ensure correct dosage without relying on syringe graduations, featuring a safety sleeve to protect the needle and simplify the administration process, allowing use by individuals with limited training and in adverse conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user uses current approaches to administer medication, then the user can access and inject medication, but the needle may be damaged or cause contamination, requiring needle changes that waste resources and time
Solution Approach 1:
A shield element is introduced as an intermediary component between the needle and the external environment. The shield protects the needle from damage and contamination while allowing the needle to remain in place throughout the medication administration process, eliminating the need for frequent needle changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The medication delivery device is segmented into distinct functional components: a shield element for protection, a needle for injection, and a vial access mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, with the shield protecting the needle while the vial access mechanism handles vial interaction.
2Measurement precision
If a user uses current approaches to administer medication, then the user can inject medication, but fine motor skills and good eyesight are required to ensure accurate dosage, which is difficult under adverse working conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a vial access mechanism that automatically performs the complex task of vial insertion, needle positioning, and dosage measurement. The mechanism self-adjusts to different vial sizes and positions, eliminating the need for the user to perform fine motor skills or read graduations accurately.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations (user inserting vial, positioning needle, reading graduations) are replaced with an automated mechanical vial access mechanism that uses springs, levers, and guide elements to perform these tasks automatically, making the system independent of user skill level.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a user uses current approaches to administer medication, then the user can access medication from the vial, but unshielded needles run the risk of being broken or bent, causing damage to others
Solution Approach 1:
The shield element serves as a protective intermediary that surrounds the needle during vial access and medication administration. This shield prevents direct exposure of the needle to damaging forces from the vial and environment, reducing the risk of breakage or bending that could harm users or cause contamination.
4Ease of operation
If auto-injectors and cartridge-based systems are used, then medication can be administered with less manual skill, but the systems are expensive and limited in flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed with universal components that can work with various vial types and sizes. The vial access mechanism can accommodate different vial configurations, and the shield-needle assembly can be used with multiple medication types, providing flexibility without requiring expensive specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses simple, inexpensive disposable components including the shield element, needle, and vial access mechanism. These single-use components eliminate the need for expensive reusable auto-injector mechanisms while maintaining ease of use and flexibility across different medication scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and devices for administering medication are disclosed. One or more embodiments of a medication delivery device may include a syringe, a needle, a guiding element, and a volume limiter for limiting the amount of medication that can be drawn from a vial. At least one method for administering medication using a medication delivery device, may include: inserting a vial into a guiding element, drawing back on a plunger, removing the guiding element and the vial from a needle to expose the needle, inserting the needle into a patient, depressing the plunger to inject the medication into the patient, and withdrawing the medication delivery device from the patient.