Shielded Medicament Delivery Module for Safe Cartridge Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cartridge-based medicament delivery devices face challenges in safely storing and easily attaching the medicament delivery member, such as a needle, to the medicament container, which increases complexity and risk of needle stick injuries.

Innovation Solution

A medicament delivery member module comprising a proximal shield, a distal shield, and a medicament delivery member hub, where the proximal shield is moveable relative to the distal shield, allowing the medicament delivery member to first puncture a cartridge and then an injection site through sequential friction-controlled movements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the medicament delivery member is provided separated from the medicament container, then sterility and safety are maintained, but the device complexity and number of attachment steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesterility and safetyVSAvoidattachment steps
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the medicament delivery member (needle) and medicament container into a single integrated cartridge assembly. The needle hub is permanently attached to the cartridge body, eliminating the need for separate attachment steps while maintaining sterility through the shielded design. The proximal and distal shields work together to protect the needle until deployment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The shield system is segmented into proximal and distal shields that can move independently. The proximal shield remains stationary while the distal shield moves to deploy the needle, allowing controlled exposure while maintaining protection during storage and transport.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the proximal shield and distal shield both contact the medicament delivery member hub during movement, then stable attachment is achieved, but unintended movement restrictions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment stabilityVSAvoidmovement control
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates different friction conditions at different locations along the shield-hub interface. The distal shield is designed with higher friction characteristics to securely attach the needle hub during initial movement, while the proximal shield maintains lower friction to allow free movement and prevent unintended restrictions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The friction characteristics between the shields and needle hub are designed to be dynamic rather than static. The distal shield transitions from high friction (attached state) to low friction (deployed state), while the proximal shield maintains low friction throughout, allowing the system to adapt to different operational phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 simplifies the attachment and usage of the medicament delivery member by reducing the number of steps and minimizing the risk of needle stick injuries, while maintaining sterility and ease of use.

Implementation Method 1

the friction between the first surface and the third surface is greater than the friction between the second surface and the fourth surface, so that during the first part of the movement of the proximal shield from the proximal position to the distal position, the medicament delivery member hub moves with the proximal shield

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP4346960B1Medicament delivery member modules
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 SHL MEDICAL AG
  • EP4346960B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP4346960B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7
  • EP4346960B1 patent drawingFigure 8~11

AI summary

A medicament delivery member module (to) for a medicament delivery device is disclosed, the medicament delivery member module (to) comprising a proximal shield (30), a distal shield (50) and a medicament delivery member hub (70), and the medicament delivery member module (10) extending along a longitudinal axis (12) in an axial direction (13) from a proximal end (14) to a distal end (15). The proximal shield (30) comprises a first surface (31) facing towards the longitudinal axis (12) and a second surface (32) facing away from the longitudinal axis (12). The medicament delivery member hub (70) comprises a third surface (73) facing away from the longitudinal axis (12) and the distal shield (50) comprises a fourth surface (54) facing towards the longitudinal axis. The proximal shield (30) is moveable in the axial direction (13) relative to the distal shield (50) from a proximal position to a distal position.