Adjustable Plunger Rod Assembly for Precise Home Dose Setting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Administering medicaments in a home setting is challenging due to the lack of proper process controls, potential for errors, and the need for patient-specific dosing, which often requires multiple vials and special storage conditions, making it difficult for patients to accurately self-administer doses.
Innovation Solution
A medicament delivery device with a plunger rod assembly that allows for intuitive dose setting by moving the plunger rod relative to the plunger barrel, utilizing threads and rotational mechanisms to transform large rotations into accurate translational movements, ensuring precise dose adjustment and simplifying the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a full syringe of medicament is drawn up for administration, then the medicament is ready for delivery, but the device length becomes excessively long making it difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The plunger rod is partially received within the plunger barrel, creating a nested configuration where the rod can be retracted into the barrel to reduce the overall length of the delivery device while maintaining the full dose capacity in the syringe body
2Measurement precision
If the plunger rod is moved distally to set a specific dose, then the dose can be accurately adjusted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded engagement between the plunger rod and plunger barrel creates a self-contained dosing mechanism where the user's rotational input is automatically converted to precise linear movement of the plunger, eliminating the need for separate measurement and adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded connection acts as an intermediary mechanism that transforms the user's rotational motion into precise linear displacement of the plunger, providing accurate dose control through a simple rotational action rather than direct linear adjustment
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple vials are used to accommodate different dosing requirements, then patient-specific dosing can be achieved, but the storage space and special conditions requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is designed to accommodate different dosing requirements through the adjustable plunger rod mechanism, allowing a single device to function for multiple dosing scenarios without requiring separate storage containers for each dose level
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
Enables patients to easily and accurately set and administer medicament doses in a home setting, reducing the risk of errors and simplifying the process, while accommodating patient-specific dosing needs.
Implementation Method 1
the plunger rod may comprise a first thread and the plunger barrel may comprise a second thread, the first thread and second thread being configured to cooperate such that when the plunger rod is rotated relative to the plunger barrel, the plunger rod translates distally relative to the plunger barrel
Data Source
AI summary
A medicament delivery device comprises a syringe body configured to receive a medicament. The syringe body comprises a distal end and a proximal end, a plunger located in and moveable relative to the syringe body, and a plunger rod assembly extending from the proximal end of the syringe body and configured to move the plunger longitudinally within the syringe body. The plunger rod assembly comprises a plunger barrel and a plunger rod. The plunger barrel contacts the plunger and is configured to cooperate with the plunger rod, which is moveable relative to the plunger barrel from a first position, in which the plunger rod is maximally extended from the plunger barrel, to a second position, in which the plunger rod is distally away from the first position, to set a specific dose of the medicament to be delivered less than an amount of the medicament in the syringe body.