Microdose Syringe Spacer for Precise Microliter Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current injection systems face challenges in accurately delivering microliter range doses with precision, often leading to inefficiencies, safety issues, and increased medical waste due to single-use requirements, while also struggling with de-bubbling processes.
Innovation Solution
A microdose injection system utilizing a rotatable swing spacer and fixed plunger member travel distance to control fluid delivery, incorporating off-the-shelf syringe components and allowing for precise microdose injections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional syringes are used for injection, then general fluid delivery is achieved, but microliter range dose precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe system is divided into modular components including a reusable syringe body and disposable cartridges, allowing precise control mechanisms to be separated and optimized independently for microliter dose precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the scale of measurement from milliliters to microliters through specialized cartridge designs with corresponding plunger travel distances calibrated for microliter range doses, achieving precision in the 1-1000 microliter range
2Reliability
If single-use syringes are used to maintain sterility, then contamination risk is reduced, but medical waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the syringe into a reusable syringe body that maintains sterility and disposable cartridges that are replaced, allowing the sterile barrier to be maintained while reducing waste from the permanent syringe body
Solution Approach 2:
Only the cartridge portion is discarded after use while the syringe body is recovered and reused, significantly reducing medical waste compared to complete syringe disposal while maintaining sterility requirements
3Adaptability or versatility
If Luer fittings are used for coupling, then device compatibility is achieved, but medicine spilling and parts breakage risk exists
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates pre-designed coupling mechanisms with built-in protection features that cushion against the harmful effects of improper coupling, such as breakage and spilling, before they can occur during operation
4Productivity
If needle injection configurations are used, then fluid delivery is achieved, but needle safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is extracted from the main syringe body and placed in a separate, replaceable cartridge assembly, allowing the needle to be safely contained and disposed of with the cartridge while the main syringe body remains safe for handling and reuse
Data Source
AI summary
A system for injecting includes a syringe body, a syringe interior, a syringe flange, and a stopper member and an injectable fluid disposed in the syringe interior. The system also includes a plunger member coupled to the stopper member. The system further includes a finger flange removably coupled to the syringe flange, the finger flange defining a pair of side openings and a pair of bumps adjacent respective side openings. Moreover, the system also includes a swing spacer rotatably coupled to the finger flange, the swing spacer defining a pair of arms, a pair of pivot pins, two pairs of slots, and a pair of indentations. The swing spacer is configured to define a distance of movement of the plunger member relative to the syringe body along a longitudinal axis of the syringe body, thereby defining a dose of the injectable fluid.