Reversible Dose Dial Mechanism for Pen-Type Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pen type drug delivery devices often force left-handed users to use their less dominant hand, which can lead to inaccurate dose setting and injection due to design biases towards right-handed users, posing a risk for patients with diabetes who require precise insulin administration.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery device with a rotatable dose dial sleeve that allows users to set doses by rotating the dose dial grip towards or away from themselves, providing a non-inverted scale viewable in a window for easy dose adjustment, accommodating both right- and left-handed users by reversing the rotation direction for left-handed operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the dose dial is designed for right-handed users with clockwise rotation, then the device structure is simplified, but left-handed users experience difficulty and potential dosing errors
Solution Approach 1:
The dose dial mechanism incorporates a reversible rotation capability that allows the user to dynamically change the direction of rotation between clockwise and counter-clockwise based on their handedness preference. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by enabling the same device structure to serve both right-handed and left-handed users effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameter of rotation direction from fixed (clockwise only) to variable (clockwise or counter-clockwise). This parameter change allows the device to adapt to different user preferences while maintaining the same mechanical structure, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
2Measurement precision
If the dose dial requires rotation away from the user to increase dose, then the scale reading remains upright for right-handed users, but left-handed users find it difficult to read and set the dose accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The dose dial allows dynamic adjustment of rotation direction, enabling left-handed users to rotate counter-clockwise to increase dose while keeping the scale reading upright. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by providing both accurate measurement and ease of operation for left-handed users.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional dose setting direction for left-handed users, allowing them to rotate the dial counter-clockwise instead of clockwise. This inversion, combined with the ability to maintain upright scale reading, resolves the contradiction between measurement precision and ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If the device uses conventional right-handed design, then manufacturing and design complexity is reduced, but user accuracy and safety for left-handed patients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dose dial incorporates dynamic reversibility without significantly increasing overall device complexity. The mechanism allows switching between clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation while maintaining the same basic structural components, thus resolving the contradiction between design complexity and dosing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the dose dial universal by enabling it to function for both right-handed and left-handed users through reversible rotation. This multi-functionality approach resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for separate designs while maintaining high dosing accuracy for all users.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for proving a drug delivery device. The device comprises a drug delivery device housing and a medicament contained in the drug delivery device housing. A dose dial sleeve is positioned in the housing and is rotatable to set a non-inverted dose of the medicament contained in the medical delivery device. The non-inverted dose may be increased by turning the dose dial sleeve in a direction towards a user of the drug delivery device. The dose medicament may be decreased by rotating the dose dial sleeve in a direction away from the user.