Reservoir Assembly with Nested Sensor for Injection Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical liquid injection devices lack precise measurement and control of the medical liquid amount, comfort, convenience, and safety for users, particularly in pediatric diabetic patients, due to their design and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A reservoir assembly with a plunger, connector, guide member, and sensor unit that accurately measures the medical liquid amount by detecting the movement of the connector, allowing for precise delivery and reducing the device's volume through flexible design and curved path guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional medical liquid injection device is used, then the device structure is simple, but the measurement precision of medical liquid amount is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is inserted into the guide member, forming a nested structure where the connector moves within the guide member's internal space. This nesting allows the sensing mechanism to be integrated within the existing device structure without significantly increasing external dimensions, thereby improving measurement precision while limiting device complexity increase
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit acts as an intermediary between the connector's mechanical movement and the measurement system. It detects the connector's position changes as it moves along the guide member, converting mechanical displacement into measurable signals for determining medical liquid amount, thus improving measurement precision without requiring direct complex measurement mechanisms
2Volume of moving object
If the device size is reduced for pediatric patients, then the convenience for pediatric patients is improved, but the functionality and measurement accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member includes a curved section that guides the connector along a curved path. This curved design allows the connector to move efficiently within a compact volume while the sensor unit detects position changes along the curve. The curved geometry enables space optimization without sacrificing the connector's movement range or the sensor's ability to measure medical liquid amount accurately
Solution Approach 2:
The nested arrangement of the connector within the guide member allows the sensing components to be housed within the device's internal volume rather than extending outward. This nesting strategy reduces the device's external dimensions while maintaining the functional integrity of the measurement system, making the device more suitable for pediatric patients
3Volume of moving object
If the connector is made flexible to reduce device volume, then the device volume is reduced, but the reliability of connector movement guidance may be worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The curved section of the guide member provides a defined curved path that constrains and guides the flexible connector's movement. The curvature geometry ensures that the connector follows a predictable trajectory, maintaining reliable guidance despite the connector's flexibility. This allows the device to achieve compact volume while preserving movement reliability through geometric constraint
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a reservoir assembly and a medical liquid injection device. The reservoir assembly includes a reservoir including a storage space for medical liquid, a plunger inserted into the reservoir and moving along the reservoir, a connector connected to the plunger and including at least a portion extending to an opposite side of the storage space, a guide member into which the connector is inserted and which guides movement of the connector, and a sensor unit installed on the guide member and sensing movement of the connector.