Needleless Pen Injector Port with Non-Collinear Angles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current therapeutic agent injection devices face issues with damage to injection ports, leading to drug leakage and inefficiency, especially when using shorter needles, which limits flexibility and may not prevent bruising or adverse effects for patients.

Innovation Solution

The design of an injection device with an introducer port and an injection port at non-collinear angles, allowing for a delivery tube that is either flexible or rigid, and a needle hub assembly to prevent damage, along with a self-sealing septum mechanism to ensure controlled drug delivery and a pop-up indicator for blockage detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a shorter injection needle is used to avoid damaging the injection port, then the risk of port damage is reduced, but needle flexibility and effectiveness are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection port durabilityVSAvoidneedle length flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a protective hub assembly as an intermediary component between the needle and injection port. This hub includes a needle retention feature that mechanically secures the needle at a controlled depth, preventing the needle tip from contacting and damaging the injection port cannula while still allowing effective drug delivery through the port

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If repeated needle injections are performed to maintain drug regimen, then drug delivery control is maintained, but adverse effects such as bruising increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrug delivery controlVSAvoidbruising at injection site
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the injection system into distinct functional components: a reusable injection port with cannula that remains in the body, and disposable needle-hub assemblies that are inserted and removed. This allows the needle to be replaced frequently without repeatedly penetrating the same tissue site through the port, reducing bruising while maintaining drug delivery control through the stable port-cannula system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If injection port is designed to receive needle, then drug injection is enabled, but needle may strike and damage the cannula

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection capabilityVSAvoidcannula integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by incorporating a needle retention feature in the hub assembly before needle insertion. This feature pre-establishes a mechanical stop that limits needle penetration depth, ensuring the needle tip cannot advance far enough to strike and damage the cannula within the injection port, while still allowing sufficient insertion depth for effective drug delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3878492B1Therapeutic agent injection device for a needleless pen injector
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 MEDTRONIC MINIMED INC
  • EP3878492B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3878492B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3878492B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An injection device (300) for delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient, the injection device comprises a body (310) having a patient face (314) and a port face (312) opposite the patient face (314), the port face (312) having an introducer port (330) including an introducer channel (332) and an injection port (349) including an injection channel (342), the injection channel (342) defining an injection axis (344). A delivery tube (350) for subcutaneous delivery of the therapeutic agent to the patient projects from and is generally perpendicular to the patient face (314), the delivery tube (350) defining an introducer axis (334) and being in fluid communication with the introducer port (330). A patch (320) attached to the patient face (314) adhesively attaches to the patient. The injection port (349) is defined to accommodate a sensor (351); and the injection device further comprising an injection adapter assembly (400) connectable to the introducer port (330), the injection adapter assembly (400) being operable to receive a needleless pen injector (500).