Electronic Pen Needle Exchange System Preventing Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medication pens face inefficiencies and inconveniences due to needle reuse, which can lead to patient discomfort, health risks, and sanitary concerns, as reused needles dull and lose strength, and patients may reuse them due to financial constraints or lack of access to supplies.
Innovation Solution
An electronic exchange system is developed that connects to medication pens, featuring a hub with a spike to pierce the reservoir septum, a flow sensor to measure medicament flow, and circuit boards to process and transmit data, ensuring each needle is used only once by routing the flow around electrical components and providing multiple needles for convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If patients reuse needles to reduce cost, then financial burden is reduced, but needle strength and sterility deteriorate leading to health risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the needle supply into multiple individual needles stored in a magazine, with each needle intended for single use. The automated exchange mechanism divides the needle delivery process into discrete steps, presenting one needle at a time to the patient, thereby preventing reuse while maintaining affordability through bulk packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The pen assembly acts as an intermediary between the needle magazine and the patient, automatically exchanging needles without requiring patient handling. This intermediary mechanism ensures that used needles are automatically replaced with fresh ones from the magazine, eliminating the temptation and opportunity for reuse while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
2Reliability
If patients carry multiple needles for single use, then needle sterility and strength are maintained, but device complexity and portability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the needle storage magazine, automated exchange mechanism, and medication delivery pen into a single integrated device. This combination eliminates the need for patients to separately manage multiple needles and the pen, as the integrated system automatically handles needle exchange, thereby maintaining sterility without increasing portability burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The pen assembly performs self-service by automatically exchanging needles from the magazine without requiring patient intervention. The system autonomously manages the complex supply logistics, selecting and presenting the appropriate needle for each injection, thereby maintaining reliability while simplifying patient operation.
3Ease of operation
If a magazine of needles is integrated into the pen assembly, then needle availability and convenience improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle magazine is nested within the pen assembly structure, with the magazine fitting inside the pen housing. This nested configuration allows multiple needles to be stored compactly within the existing pen form factor, improving availability and convenience without significantly increasing external device dimensions or complexity.
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 prevents needle reuse by ensuring each needle is used only once, maintaining needle strength and sterility, reducing health risks, and providing convenience through a readily available supply of unused needles, enhancing patient safety and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
a flow sensor that is in fluid communication with the hub to measure flow data of the medicament
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic system (200) connectable to a medication delivery pen (4) and a needle assembly (2, 100), the electronic system (200) exchanging data regarding a medicament traveling from the medication delivery pen (4) to the needle assembly (2,100), the electronic system (200) comprising a hub (214) having a spike (216) that is configured to engage the medication delivery pen (4) and pierce a reservoir septum (6) of the medication delivery pen (4), a flow sensor (220) that is in fluid communication with the hub (214) to measure flow data of the medicament, one or more circuit boards (250, 260) electrically contacting the flow sensor (220) to process and transmit the flow data, the one or more circuit hoards (250, 260) include one or more fluid path holes (256, 264) to route a flow of medicament, and a septum (270, 284) that is configured to provide fluid communication between the flow sensor (220) and one of a plurality of needles (40, 124) of the needle assembly (2, 100) to administer the medicament to a patient.