Needle Cassette Injection Apparatus with Automated Lifter Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pharmaceutical delivery devices for patients, such as those with diabetes, lack advanced mechanisms for precise and safe administration of medications like insulin, particularly in terms of needle management and dosage accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising an outer casing with a needle cassette, a drug cartridge, a direct drive assembly, and a lifter assembly, powered by motors and controlled by computer means, allowing for precise needle insertion and withdrawal, and automated dosage delivery with user control through a control panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual needle insertion and withdrawal is used, then device complexity is reduced, but injection accuracy and safety are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs needle insertion and withdrawal automatically without requiring manual intervention. The lifter assembly engages with the needle cassette to drive needles out of the casing and into the patient, then withdraws them after the measured dose is administered, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating manual operation errors
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical needle handling is replaced with an automated lifter assembly that uses motor means to drive the injection process. The computer means controls the timing and positioning of needle insertion and withdrawal, substituting human manual control with an automated mechanical system that improves precision
2Reliability
If automated injection process is implemented, then injection accuracy and safety are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: needle cassette for needle storage, drug cartridge for medication containment, direct drive assembly for dosage control, and lifter assembly for needle handling. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, improving reliability while keeping the overall system manageable through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The computer means monitors and controls the injection process, tracking the administration of the measured dose and coordinating the timing of needle insertion and withdrawal. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate dosage delivery and safe operation by continuously monitoring the injection parameters
3Productivity
If multiple needles are stored in cassette, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle cassette serves multiple functions: storing multiple needles, positioning them for sequential use, and working cooperatively with the lifter assembly to enable automated injection. This multi-functionality increases productivity by allowing multiple injections without repeated manual preparation, while the integrated design keeps the added complexity manageable
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for delivering a pharmaceutical liquid to a patient includes an outer casing; a needle cassette housed in the casing and containing a plurality of mutually parallel drug injection needles; a drug cartridge housed in the casing, containing a liquid and including a sealable aperture for accessing the liquid; a direct drive assembly housed in the casing and engageable with the drug cartridge to expel a measured dose of the liquid through the aperture; a lifter assembly housed in the casing and engageable with the needle cassette to drive one of the plurality of needles partially out of the casing and into a patient while also accessing the liquid in the drug cartridge through the scalable aperture, and thereafter to withdraw the needle from the patient while halting access of the liquid through the sealable aperture after the measured dose of the liquid has been administered through the needle; motor means in the casing for driving the direct drive assembly and the lifter assembly; computer means for activating the direct drive assembly and the lifter assembly; and a control panel for enabling a user to activate the apparatus.