Reusable Injection Device with Integrated Needle Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of insulin pens need to carry a separate supply of single-use needles and perform multiple steps for injection, making the devices bulky and inconvenient for daily use.

Innovation Solution

An integrated portable handheld device that combines a medicine vial, dispense mechanism, needle mount/dismount mechanism, and needle storage mechanism, allowing for reusable needles and reducing the device's size and thickness, enabling easy carrying and use without separate needle supplies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users carry separate single-use needles for insulin pens, then the injection process is simple, but the device becomes bulky and inconvenient to carry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinjection process simplicityVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the needle, needle mount/dismount mechanism, and needle storage mechanism into an integrated assembly that attaches to the medicine vial. This merging eliminates the need to carry separate needle supplies and reduces the overall device volume while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle assembly serves multiple functions: it provides the injection needle, includes the mounting and dismounting mechanism, and incorporates a storage mechanism for needle replenishment. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, making the device more compact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Volume of moving object

If users perform multiple steps for injection with separate needles, then the device can be compact, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidnumber of injection steps

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is pre-mounted on the medicine vial and the needle storage mechanism is pre-integrated into the needle assembly. This preliminary preparation allows users to simply attach the entire assembly and perform injection, eliminating the need for separate needle mounting steps during the injection process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By merging the needle, mounting mechanism, and storage mechanism into a single integrated assembly, the patent reduces the number of discrete steps required. Users attach one unified component rather than performing multiple separate operations with separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the device integrates all components into a single unit, then carrying convenience is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrying convenienceVSAvoidintegration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the integrated device into two main parts: the medicine vial and the attached needle assembly (which includes the mount/dismount mechanism and storage mechanism). This segmentation allows for manageable complexity while achieving integration benefits for portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The needle storage mechanism is nested within the needle assembly structure, which itself attaches to the medicine vial. This nesting arrangement integrates multiple functions into a compact form factor, improving carrying convenience while managing complexity through hierarchical organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Ease of manufacture

If separate needle supplies are carried, then needle replacement is simple, but the overall device thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle replacement simplicityVSAvoiddevice thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The needle storage mechanism is merged with the needle assembly and attached to the medicine vial. This integration eliminates the need for separate needle containers, reducing device thickness while maintaining simple needle replacement through the integrated storage mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11207471B2Apparatus and method for an integrated reuseable injection device with a medicine vial for home users

Publication Date: 2021.12.28 SINGHAL TARA CHAND

AI summary

A portable handheld fluid-medicine-injection device for individual users, has a medicine vial has a substantially rectangular cross section that reduces a thickness profile of the device and a dispense mechanism coupled with the vial, the dispense mechanism has an inject push rod inside a threaded cylinder that reduces a length profile of the device. The device has a needle with a needle mount/dismount mechanism coupled with the medicine vial and a needle storage mechanism that stores the needle when not in use and replenishes the needle for reuse.