Piston-Style Pen Cap Detection for Reliable Insulin Dose Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
People with diabetes face challenges in determining appropriate insulin doses, leading to potential hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia due to insufficient or excessive insulin administration, and there is a need for reliable data collection tools to improve therapy decisions.
Innovation Solution
A pen cap for medication delivery pens equipped with NFC antennas and a piston-style detector mechanism to collect data on cap removal and replacement, communicating with an analyte sensor to provide therapy settings and recommendations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single NFC antenna is used in the pen cap, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of signal reception from the analyte sensor deteriorates due to potential signal blockage or weak signal strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple NFC antennas (first and second NFC antennas) within the pen cap to simultaneously receive signals from the analyte sensor. This merging of multiple reception paths ensures that at least one antenna can reliably detect the sensor signal even if others are blocked or have weak coupling, thereby improving signal reception reliability without requiring complex external receiving equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The pen cap is designed with multi-functional capability by incorporating both NFC antennas for bidirectional communication (receiving sensor data and transmitting dosing information) while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The multiple antennas provide redundant functionality, ensuring that the pen cap can reliably perform its data collection and therapy recommendation functions under various usage conditions.
2Reliability
If multiple NFC antennas are positioned on different sides of the inner shell, then the signal reception coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and positioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the first NFC antenna on a first side of the inner shell and the second NFC antenna on a second side of the inner shell, creating local signal reception zones. This local quality approach ensures that each antenna is optimally positioned to detect signals from analyte sensors placed on different body locations (e.g., different arms or body sites), improving overall signal detection capability without requiring complex centralized processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pen cap's antenna system is segmented into multiple independent NFC antennas positioned at different locations within the cap structure. This segmentation allows each antenna to independently receive signals from sensors in different positions, and the system can select or combine signals from multiple antennas to ensure reliable data collection, thereby improving detection capability with manageable complexity.
3Measurement precision
If the pen cap collects and processes real-time glucose data with therapy recommendations, then the therapy decision accuracy is improved, but the loss of time for data processing and transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pen cap system performs preliminary data collection and processing by capturing glucose sensor data in real-time and pre-processing it to generate therapy recommendations. The piston-style detector pre-records cap removal events and timing information, so that when therapy decisions are needed, the data is already prepared and available for immediate use, reducing the time loss associated with data collection and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pen cap autonomously collects glucose data from the sensor, processes the information, and generates therapy recommendations without requiring external intervention or complex data transmission to remote systems. This self-service capability enables real-time therapy decision support with minimal time delay, as the processing occurs locally within the pen cap device itself.
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 pen cap system assists users in determining appropriate insulin doses based on real-time glucose data, reducing the risk of hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic events by providing timely and accurate therapy recommendations.
Implementation Method 1
a first NFC antenna configured to receive at least one signal generated by an analyte sensor
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A pen cap for a medication delivery pen includes a piston-style detector mechanism. The piston-style detector mechanism includes at least an inner shell having first open end through which the medication delivery pen can be inserted, a second end opposite the first end, a sidewall defined by an outer surface and an opposing inner surface, and a passageway extending from the outer surface to the inner surface. The sidewall extends between the first end and the second end thereby defining a pen-receiving cavity there between. The piston-style detector mechanism further includes at least one switch and a translatable shaft at least partially disposed in the passage. The translatable shaft includes a body that extends at least from a pen-interfacing portion in the pen-receiving cavity to a switch-interfacing portion thereof. The translatable shaft is oriented to travel from a first location to at least a second location during capping of a medical delivery pen into the inner shell to toggle the at least one switch.