Patch Fluid Delivery Architecture With Redundant Safe Dosing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable fluid delivery devices for therapeutic compounds are bulky, costly, and prone to malfunctions, with challenges in reducing size, weight, and cost while ensuring safe and precise delivery of fluids to patients.

Innovation Solution

A patch-sized fluid delivery system with a reusable and disposable portion, featuring a flexible membrane, shape-memory actuators, and redundant components for fail-safe operation, including a fluid impedance mechanism to prevent unsafe flow rates and precise volume measurement, integrated with sensors and alarms for monitoring and user interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If portable fluid delivery devices are made compact and wearable, then ease of operation and patient comfort are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovewearabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into two distinct portions: a reusable portion containing electronic components, power sources, and control systems, and a disposable portion containing fluid management components that contact the therapeutic fluid. This segmentation allows the complex reusable portion to be manufactured and tested separately, while the simpler disposable portion can be mass-produced and discarded after use, reducing overall device complexity management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

All components that come into contact with the therapeutic fluid are extracted and placed in the disposable portion, including reservoirs, fluid channels, and administration needles. This extraction isolates the sterile fluid path from the electronic control systems, allowing independent optimization of each subsystem and simplifying the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Volume of moving object

If the device size is reduced to patch-scale, then portability and patient comfort are improved, but reliability and safety margins deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device incorporates multiple redundant safety features including backup power sources, alternative fluid delivery pathways, and redundant control mechanisms that are built into the compact design from the outset. These cushioning elements ensure that if one component fails, backup systems can maintain safe operation, compensating for the reduced size margins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

Components are nested within each other to maximize space utilization in the compact patch design. For example, fluid channels are integrated into the walls of reservoirs, sensors are embedded within structural components, and the disposable portion is designed to nest within or attach to the reusable portion, achieving miniaturization without compromising functional reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of manufacture

If disposable portions are used for fluid management, then manufacturing cost and sterilization complexity are reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fluid management components are designed as disposable single-use units that are inexpensive to manufacture and discard. By using cheap, short-lived components for the fluid path, the system eliminates the need for complex sterilization protocols and extensive quality control for the disposable portions, while the expensive reusable electronic portion can be carefully maintained and reused.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 system achieves a compact, cost-effective, and reliable fluid delivery with precise control and safety features, ensuring consistent and safe administration of therapeutic fluids to patients.

Implementation Method 1

shape-memory actuators

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShape memory: Shape Memory Alloy

Data Source

PatentUS11786651B2Patch-sized fluid delivery system

Publication Date: 2023.10.17 DEKA PRODUCTS LP

AI summary

A patch-sized fluid delivery device may include a reusable portion and a disposable portion. The disposable portion may include components that come into contact with the fluid, while the reusable portion may include only components that do not come into contact with the fluid. Redundant systems, such as redundant controllers, power sources, motor actuators, and alarms, may be provided. Alternatively or additionally, certain components can be multi-functional, such a microphones and loudspeakers that may be used for both acoustic volume sensing and for other functions and a coil that may be used as both an inductive coupler for a battery recharger and an antenna for a wireless transceiver. Various types of network interfaces may be provided in order to allow for remote control and monitoring of the device.