Needle Guard Lock Assembly With Flexible Arm Pivot Lockout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicament delivery devices, such as autoinjectors, often have needle guard locks that are flimsy and can be broken if the needle guard is pushed hard, posing a risk of needle stick injuries.
Innovation Solution
A robust medicament delivery member guard lock assembly comprising a housing, a medicament delivery member guard, a lock activation sleeve, and a medicament delivery member guard lock with a flexible arm pivotally attached to a base, allowing for a robust needle guard lock mechanism that avoids the need for a compromise between activation force and lockout strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a flimsy needle guard lock is used, then the activation force can be reduced, but the lock strength decreases and may break under significant force
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guard lock is designed with a flexible arm that can dynamically change its state between locked and unlocked positions. The flexible arm pivots between a first position where it engages with the needle guard to lock it, and a second position where it releases the needle guard. This dynamic mechanism allows the lock to be both strong when engaged and easy to activate when transitioning states.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guard lock incorporates a flexible arm made of a material that can bend and flex. This flexible component can be elastically deformed during activation and then returns to its original shape to maintain the locked state. The flexibility allows the lock to absorb activation forces without breaking, while still providing strong locking when engaged.
2Strength
If a robust needle guard lock is used, then the lock strength increases, but the activation force required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pivoting mechanism of the flexible arm allows it to rotate between locked and unlocked positions with relatively low force. The flexible arm is positioned and dimensioned so that it can be easily pivoted by the lock activation sleeve, yet maintains strong locking engagement when in the locked position. This dynamic design decouples the activation force from the lock strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible arm acts as an intermediary between the lock activation sleeve and the needle guard. The lock activation sleeve applies force to the flexible arm, which then translates this force into the locking or unlocking action on the needle guard. This intermediary mechanism allows for force multiplication and directional transformation, enabling strong locking with moderate activation force.
3Reliability
If the needle guard lock is made stronger to prevent breaking, then reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the needle guard, the flexible arm with pivot point, and the lock activation sleeve. Each component has a specific function and can be independently optimized. The flexible arm is attached to the housing at a pivot point, creating a simple hinge mechanism that is both reliable and easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible arm utilizes elastic deformation and gravitational force to maintain the locked state without requiring additional springs or complex mechanisms. The arm naturally returns to its locked position after activation, providing self-service functionality. The proximal part of the flexible arm can engage with a recess or slit in the housing to provide additional locking engagement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The assembly provides a robust needle guard lock that prevents needle stick injuries, particularly effective for high viscosity liquids, and reduces the risk of the lock being broken, enhancing user safety and device reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a medicament delivery member guard lock (100) arranged in the housing (40) adjacent to the lock activation sleeve (80). The medicament delivery member guard lock (100) comprises a base (102) and a flexible arm (104) pivotally attached to the base (102)
Data Source
AI summary
The application describes a medicament delivery member guard lock assembly for a medicament delivery device, the medicament delivery member guard lock assembly includes a housing having a recess or a slit; a medicament delivery member guard slidably arranged in the housing, the medicament delivery member guard extending from a proximal end to a distal end; a lock activation sleeve slidably arranged in the housing at the distal end of the medicament delivery member guard; and a medicament delivery member guard lock arranged in the housing adjacent to the lock activation sleeve, wherein the medicament delivery member guard lock has a flexible arm pivotally attached to a base, wherein the flexible arm has a proximal part, a distal part and is attached to the base between the proximal part and the distal part, and wherein the proximal part of the flexible arm is arranged adjacent to the recess or slit in the housing.