Perpendicular Actuation Member for Medicament Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld medicament delivery devices, especially those requiring manual operation, pose challenges for users with reduced gripping strength due to their design, which can be difficult to grip and activate, and manufacturers face challenges in producing cost-efficient devices while maintaining quality.
Innovation Solution
A medicament delivery device featuring a housing with a gear assembly and actuation member arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, allowing for easy dose setting and activation, with a tubular dose actuation member and drive member connected by threads, and a one-way locking mechanism for secure medicament delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pivot lever is used for manual activation, then the device can deliver a pre-determined dose, but the device becomes difficult to grip and activate, especially for users with reduced gripping strength
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation member is divided into a dose setting portion and a dose delivery portion, allowing independent control of dose selection and activation. The dose setting portion can be rotated to select the desired dose, while the dose delivery portion is pushed to activate delivery, separating these functions for easier operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation member is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device, allowing users to apply force in a direction that is more ergonomic and easier to grip. This perpendicular arrangement changes the dimension of force application from axial to radial, improving accessibility for users with reduced gripping strength.
2Ease of operation
If the actuation member is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, then gripping and activation becomes easier, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation member combines multiple functions within a single component: dose setting through rotation, dose display through integration with the dose window, and dose delivery through linear movement. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation member serves multiple purposes: it acts as a dose selector, a dose indicator, and a delivery trigger. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while improving ease of operation, as users interact with a single component for all these functions.
3Measurement precision
If a pivot lever with 30-degree angle is used, then dose delivery can be controlled, but the activation requires force from the little finger which is inconvenient for users with dexterity problems
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the user to push a lever at a specific angle, the invention inverts the mechanism by using a rotational dial that naturally guides the user through dose selection. The rotational motion is more intuitive and requires less precise force application, making it accessible to users with dexterity problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear assembly acts as an intermediary between the rotational motion of the dose setting portion and the linear motion required for dose delivery. This mechanical transmission converts easy rotational input into the precise linear output needed for activation, shielding the user from the complexity of the motion conversion.
4Ease of manufacture
If disposable devices are used, then production cost can be reduced, but manufacturing precision and quality standards become more challenging to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed as a disposable unit with an integrated medicament container, allowing the entire assembly to be manufactured at low cost through streamlined production processes. The disposable nature eliminates the need for complex cleaning and sterilization processes, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining quality standards through consistent material specifications.
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 device provides a secure, ergonomic grip and easy activation for users with weakened hand strength, reducing production costs and ensuring reliable, efficient medicament delivery with a safe system for each dosage.
Implementation Method 1
an actuation member interactively connected to said housing and as well as to said dose actuation assembly by a gear assembly
Implementation Method 2
said tubular dose actuation member and said drive member are interactively connected to each other by threads arranged on the outer surface of the drive member and on the inner surface of the tubular dose actuation member
Data Source
AI summary
A medicament delivery device includes a housing for a medicament container assembly; a drive member interactively connected to the assembly for expelling a dose of medicament; a dose actuation assembly operably connected to the drive member; and an actuation member interactively connected to the housing and the dose actuation assembly by a gear assembly. The actuation member is movable generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the device from an initial position, in which the actuation member is positioned within the housing, to a dose-set position, in which a portion of the actuation member protrudes a distance proportional to the set dose from the longitudinal surface of the housing when the dose actuation assembly. The actuation member is manually operated in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device from the dose-set position to the initial position for driving the dose actuation assembly and drive member.