Drug Delivery Piston Rod Dose Markings via Window Aperture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery devices lack an efficient and cost-effective way to provide dosage information to users, leading to potential confusion and misuse, especially regarding the remaining drug quantity.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery device with a piston rod featuring a plurality of symbols that represent dosage information, visible through a window aperture in the housing, and an at least partially transparent side wall with a structured surface that unevenly reflects light to render the symbols unreadable through the side wall, preventing confusion and enhancing operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dosage information is made visible through the side wall of the cartridge holder, then users can easily track drug delivery status, but users may become confused about the remaining drug quantity
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge holder is designed with different optical properties in different regions: the side wall contains a structured surface that scatters light to render symbols unreadable, while the window aperture provides a clear viewing path. This local differentiation allows the device to simultaneously prevent confusion through the side wall while enabling clear dosage tracking through the aperture.
Solution Approach 2:
The window aperture acts as an intermediary element that selectively transmits light. It allows users to view the piston rod and dosage symbols clearly when looking through the aperture, while blocking the scattered light from the structured side wall surface, thus preventing confusion.
2Ease of operation
If a transparent side wall is used to display dosage information, then users can view the piston rod, but the symbols become readable through the side wall causing confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is given a specific local quality through the structured surface that scatters light, making it opaque for viewing purposes. This localized modification allows the rest of the device to remain transparent and functional while preventing the harmful effect of readable symbols through the side wall.
3Loss of information
If additional components are added to display dosage information, then dosage information can be provided, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The piston rod, which is already a necessary component for driving the piston and delivering the drug, is given an additional function by attaching dosage symbols to it. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dosage display components, reducing device complexity and cost while still providing complete dosage information to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The dosage information display function is merged with the existing piston rod structure. By attaching symbols directly to the piston rod, the patent combines two functions (driving mechanism and information display) into a single component, avoiding the need for additional separate display mechanisms.
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 solution allows users to easily track the drug delivery status by viewing symbols through the window aperture, reducing confusion and enhancing the device's operability while maintaining a cost-efficient design.
Implementation Method 1
The at least partially transparent side wall of the cartridge holder comprises a structured surface capable of unevenly reflecting light so as to at least partially render the symbols of the piston rod unreadable
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a drug delivery (5) comprising a housing (10) with a proximal end (30) and a distal end (22), a cartridge holder (14) adapted to retain a cartridge (16), the cartridge holder (14) comprising an at least partially transparent side wall (36), a piston rod (26), the piston rod (26) being adapted to drive a piston so as to engage the piston (28) into the cartridge (16), and a plurality of symbols (32) on the piston rod (26), the symbols (32) representing dosage information during operation of the drug delivery device (5) and being visible through a window aperture (40) in the housing (10) or in the cartridge holder (14).