Reusable Sensor Unit for Multiple Cavity Carrier Item Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multiple cavity carriers for storing and dispensing medical instruments, such as pen needles, rely on costly and complex disposable RFID tags for detecting item removal and return, which adds unnecessary complexity and expense.
Innovation Solution
A reusable data collection unit with sensors, memory, and a processor is integrated into the dispenser to detect the presence and absence of items in cavities, track timestamps of removal and return, and provide user indications for next item usage through LED indicators, reducing reliance on RFID technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable RFID labels or tags are used on items for detecting removal and return, then item tracking capability is achieved, but cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the tracking functionality from the item itself (by removing RFID tags from items) and relocates it to the carrier system (through sensors in the base housing). This eliminates the need for RFID tags on each item while maintaining tracking capability through sensor-based detection of item presence/absence in cavities.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces sensors as an intermediary between the item and the detection system. Instead of using RFID tags that require active communication, passive sensors detect item presence through physical cues (such as light reflection or blocking), providing reliable tracking without complex electronic tags on each item.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If RFID reader is integrated into the multiple cavity carrier, then item detection is enabled, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces electronic RFID detection systems with simpler optical or physical sensors. Instead of using electromagnetic fields and RFID communication protocols, the system uses light-based sensors (such as LEDs and photodetectors) to detect item presence, significantly reducing electronic complexity while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses inexpensive, simple sensors instead of costly RFID readers and tags. The sensor-based approach employs basic optical components that are far cheaper than RFID electronics, making the system cost-effective while achieving the same tracking function.
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
This solution provides a cost-effective and simplified method for tracking item usage and promoting injection site rotation, enhancing user guidance and reducing operational complexity while maintaining accurate data logging.
Implementation Method 1
The second surface is a sensor transmissible surface that cooperates with a plurality of sensors in a data collection unit detachably connected to the dispenser to facilitate detecting the presence of an item in each of the cavities
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems and methods are provided to detect when items are removed from a multiple cavity carrier (MCC) that stores items (e.g., pen needle assemblies) in respective cavities. A separate, reusable data collection unit (DCU) can be mounted to the MCC and has sensors for detecting cavity status (e.g., empty or filled with an item). The DCU stores data related to time stamps, optional dates, and cavity locations of item removal from and optional used item return to respective ones of the MCC cavities to help users track item usage (e.g., pen needle assemblies) to improve medication delivery management such as insulin injections with an injection pen and pen needle assemblies. Indicators can be generated to indicate from which cavity the next item should be extracted to encourage injection site rotation.