Multi-Component Medical Syringe Stopper for Sealing and RFID Tracking

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical syringes face challenges in providing high tightness and reliable sealing, especially when handling high-value or potentially harmful substances, while also requiring improved handling and tracking capabilities for high-quality medicinal products.

Innovation Solution

A multi-component plug comprising a central carrier body made of hard plastic, a softer sealing jacket, and an integrated RFID transponder, designed to enhance sealing, sliding, and adhesion properties, with the RFID transponder enabling traceable and tamper-proof tracking of the syringe contents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a two-component syringe plunger with a sealing jacket made of softer material is used to achieve high tightness, then sealing effect is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper is divided into two distinct components: a central stopper body made of hard plastic and an outer sealing jacket made of softer plastic. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the hard body provides structural integrity while the soft jacket ensures sealing contact with the syringe barrel wall, thereby achieving high tightness without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite construction by combining two different plastic materials with distinct properties - a harder plastic for the stopper body and a softer plastic for the sealing jacket. This composite approach optimizes both sealing performance and mechanical strength while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Loss of information

If an RFID transponder is integrated into the stopper for tracking purposes, then information storage capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation storage capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The RFID transponder is integrated directly into the stopper assembly, merging the tracking function with the existing stopper structure. This allows the stopper to simultaneously perform its sealing function and serve as a carrier for information storage, eliminating the need for separate tracking devices and minimizing additional complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The stopper is designed to serve multiple functions: mechanical sealing of the syringe barrel, transmission of actuation force, and carrier for the RFID transponder. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while significantly improving information storage capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If a harder plastic is used for the central stopper body to improve structural stability, then strength is improved, but sliding properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidsliding properties
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the stopper assembly are assigned different material properties: the central stopper body uses harder plastic for structural stability and force transmission, while the outer sealing jacket uses softer plastic for improved sliding contact with the syringe barrel. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between strength and sliding properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If a softer sealing jacket is used to improve sealing effect, then reliability is improved, but friction increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidfriction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing jacket is designed with specific local characteristics including circumferential grooves and varying wall thicknesses. These local features allow the softer material to conform to the barrel wall for improved sealing while the grooves and thickness variations reduce overall friction by providing lubrication channels and reducing contact area

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4616887A1Stopper for a medical syringe barrel and medical syringe barrel
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 INDUCTIO AG
  • EP4616887A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4616887A1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP4616887A1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

A plug (20) for a medical syringe body (2), in particular for use in a prefilled syringe (1), is intended to particularly enable the intended use of the syringe body (2) as a primary packaging material. For this purpose, the plug (20) is designed according to the invention as a multi-component plug (20) and comprises the following components: - a central plug body (30) made of a first, comparatively hard plastic, - a sealing jacket (32) made of a second plastic that is softer than the first plastic, at least partially enclosing the central plug body (30), and - an RFID transponder (22).