Pre-Filled Syringe Packaging With Automatic Needle Shield Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pre-filled syringes are bulky and difficult to ship and store, occupying significant space in cold chains, and pose risks of needle-stick injuries and medication errors due to unclear identification and manual handling.
Innovation Solution
A drug storage and dispensing system with a packaging unit that automatically removes needle shields and includes an injection device for secure, efficient drug administration, featuring a packaging unit with deformable fins for needle shield removal and an injection device with automatic plunger actuation, barcode scanning, and real-time data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-filled syringes are packaged with cap and retracted plunger rod, then the syringes are protected and ready for use, but the package becomes bulky and difficult to ship and store
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe is nested within a compact packaging structure where the plunger rod is retracted into the barrel and the cap covers the needle end, creating a compact nested configuration that reduces overall package volume while maintaining protection and readiness for use
2Reliability
If pre-filled syringes are stored in controlled storage and locked cabinets, then theft is reduced, but the space occupied in the cold chain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested packaging configuration allows multiple syringes to be compactly stored within the same volume space, reducing the overall space required in controlled storage environments and cold chain facilities while maintaining security and temperature control
3Ease of operation
If needle shields are manually removed, then the injection process can proceed, but the risk of needle-stick injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle shield is pre-positioned in the packaging structure and automatically removed or deployed at the appropriate time before injection, eliminating the need for manual handling of the sharp needle and reducing the risk of needle-stick injuries to healthcare workers
4Speed
If drug container contents are visually identified, then quick identification is possible, but errors occur since several medications are identical or nearly identical in appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging incorporates distinctive color coding, labeling, and visual identifiers that differentiate between various medications even when the liquid contents appear identical, enabling both quick and accurate identification to prevent medication errors
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A drug storage and dispensing system that includes a packaging unit and an injection device for pre-filled containers having a needle shield and containing a medication is disclosed. The drug storage and dispensing system of the present disclosure provides for drug administration while minimizing the space occupied by such containers in the cold chain. The packaging unit minimizes the risk of a needle-stick injury, as a healthcare worker does not have to manually remove the needle shield. The injection device provides a novel way of auto-disabling a container, such as a syringe, as a plunger rod is not engaged with the container until the container is actually used. The drug storage and dispensing system provides for a reduction in the number of steps required to perform an injection, and thus a productivity and efficiency gain in mass immunization campaigns.