Metal Dose Button With Tactile Surface Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drug delivery devices, particularly pen-type injectors, face challenges in distinguishing between different types of insulin or drugs, especially for users with impaired vision, leading to potential mix-ups and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A metal dose button with a three-dimensional surface structure is manufactured using a cutting-off process, providing haptic differences to distinguish between devices, and is firmly connected to the drug delivery device, ensuring correct drug administration by tactile feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic dose buttons are manufactured using injection molding, then production cost is reduced, but the manufacturing process becomes very complex and requires expensive casting molds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex injection molding process with a mechanical cutting-off process. Instead of using expensive casting molds and complex molding operations, the dose button is formed by cutting a blank material to the required dimensions, significantly simplifying the manufacturing process and eliminating the need for complex mold systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a disposable dose button design where each dose button is individually manufactured and discarded after single use. This approach eliminates the need for expensive, reusable casting molds while maintaining cost-effectiveness through simple, low-cost cutting processes that can be easily implemented
2Adaptability or versatility
If plastic dose buttons are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the ability to produce different surface styles is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to metal, which fundamentally alters the manufacturing capabilities. Metal blanks can be cut and shaped into various surface styles using standard cutting tools, providing greater versatility in creating different tactile patterns while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the surface of the dose button into distinct tactile patterns through cutting operations. Different surface styles can be created by varying the cut patterns, allowing for multiple distinguishable surface configurations from a single manufacturing process
3Reliability
If visual features are used to distinguish different insulin pens, then differentiation is achieved, but users with impaired vision cannot distinguish the pens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different local qualities to the dose button surface through varied tactile patterns. Each drug type is associated with a specific surface pattern (e.g., smooth, grooved, textured), allowing users to identify the correct pen by touch. This localized variation in surface quality provides reliable drug identification that is accessible to users with impaired vision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional visual identification to three-dimensional tactile identification. By creating raised patterns, grooves, and textured surfaces on the dose button, the invention adds a tactile dimension to drug identification, enabling blind or visually impaired users to distinguish between different insulin pens through touch
4Strength
If metal dose buttons are used, then robustness and ease of cleaning are improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable dose button where the metal component is used for a single dose administration and then discarded. This approach justifies the use of more expensive metal material by eliminating the need for cleaning, sterilization, and repeated use, thereby offsetting the higher material cost through reduced maintenance and cleaning requirements
Data Source
Figure 1a~1f
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a drug delivery device (6) comprising a dose button (1). Furthermore it relates to a method for manufacturing a dose button (1) by using a cutting-off process. The aim of the present invention is to minimize the risk of using a drug delivery device (6) containing a wrong drug. By means of tactile features, a drug delivery device (6) is distinguishable from another drug delivery device (6) containing another type of drug. This tactile feature is manufactured by using a dose button (1) out of metal which is milled or lathed.