Needle Actuator Assembly for Controlled Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic injection devices face challenges in efficiently delivering larger volumes of fluid, as they require longer injection times, making it difficult for patients to maintain contact with the device, and traditional methods like IVs are typically performed in clinical settings, limiting home-based self-administration options.
Innovation Solution
A needle actuator assembly for a drug delivery system that includes a housing, a needle with retracted and extended positions, and a button actuator mechanism with a lockout arm, allowing for controlled movement from pre-use to use and post-use positions, ensuring proper needle engagement and disengagement, and a drive assembly that facilitates the delivery of a predetermined dose over an extended period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the volume of fluid to be administered is increased above 1 mL, then the injection time becomes longer, but it becomes difficult for the patient to maintain contact between the device and the target area
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed to be wearable and self-contained, allowing the patient to administer the medication independently without requiring continuous medical personnel assistance. The automated pump system and integrated needle mechanism enable the patient to maintain the device on their own body throughout the extended injection period.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection process is divided into controlled phases using a pump mechanism that can regulate fluid delivery rates. The device segments the large volume injection into manageable intervals, allowing the patient to tolerate the procedure by reducing the sensation of continuous large-volume injection.
2Productivity
If the injection time is extended to accommodate larger fluid volumes, then the fluid can be delivered at a slower rate, but the patient must maintain contact with the device for a longer duration
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mechanism provides dynamic control over the injection rate, allowing adjustment of fluid delivery speed during the injection process. This enables the device to optimize the balance between delivery rate and total injection time, adapting to patient tolerance and medical requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The device maintains continuous controlled delivery of fluid throughout the extended injection period, ensuring steady progression of the therapy without interruption. The automated system continues to pump fluid at the prescribed rate until the full volume is administered, eliminating gaps in treatment.
3Ease of operation
If traditional IV methods are used to deliver large volumes of fluid slowly, then the injection can be performed at a controlled rate, but the procedure must be performed in a hospital or outpatient setting
Solution Approach 1:
The device empowers patients to self-administer large-volume injections at home without requiring hospital infrastructure or medical personnel presence. The self-contained pump system, needle mechanism, and control features enable independent operation that replicates clinical-level control in a home setting.
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines multiple functions into a single portable unit: fluid storage reservoir, pump mechanism for rate control, needle assembly for delivery, and timing/control electronics. This multi-functional integration replaces the need for IV poles, separate infusion pumps, and clinical monitoring equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A needle actuator assembly for a drug delivery system includes a housing, a needle having retracted and extended positions, a needle actuator body received within the housing and configured to move from a pre-use position where the needle is in the retracted position to a use position where the needle is in the extended position and to a post-use position where the needle is in the retracted position, with the needle actuator having a button contact surface, and an actuator button received by the housing.