Side-Mounted Plunger Rod Syringe for Compact Prefilled Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prefilled syringes waste space, resources, and increase costs due to the plunger rod being fully or almost fully extended within the barrel, impacting the supply chain and environmental footprint.
Innovation Solution
A compact syringe design where the plunger rod is stored outside the barrel, clipped to the side, allowing it to be detached and assembled with the stopper for use, reducing packaging footprint and logistical costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the plunger rod is fully or almost fully extended within the barrel, then the syringe is ready for immediate use, but the packaging space increases by up to 40%
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe is divided into separate components: the barrel containing the medication, the plunger rod, and the stopper. These segments are packaged separately or in a compact configuration, allowing the plunger rod to be stored outside the barrel rather than extending within it, thereby reducing packaging volume by up to 40% while maintaining ease of assembly and use.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger rod is designed to nest within the barrel when not in use, rather than extending fully. The stopper and plunger rod can be inserted into the barrel in a nested configuration, significantly reducing the overall packaging volume while allowing the components to be easily assembled and disassembled for use.
2Volume of stationary object
If the plunger rod is stored outside the barrel, then the packaging footprint is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe components are pre-assembled in a compact configuration during manufacturing, with the plunger rod and stopper positioned within the barrel. This preliminary assembly simplifies the final user assembly process, requiring only simple attachment steps while maintaining the space-saving external storage configuration of the plunger rod.
Solution Approach 2:
A connector or attachment mechanism serves as an intermediary between the plunger rod and the barrel, enabling easy assembly and disassembly. This intermediary component simplifies the interface between parts, reducing the complexity of assembling the separate components while maintaining the compact packaging configuration.
3Device complexity
If the plunger rod is fully extended in the barrel, then the syringe structure is simple, but the sterilization and distribution costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the syringe into separate sterilizable components (barrel, plunger rod, stopper), each component can be sterilized independently using more efficient methods. This segmentation allows for reduced sterilization energy consumption and simpler distribution logistics compared to sterilizing a fully assembled syringe with an extended plunger rod.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger rod is designed to be dynamically configurable - stored externally during distribution and sterilization, then inserted into the barrel for use. This dynamic reconfiguration simplifies the sterilization process and reduces distribution costs by allowing compact packaging and more efficient sterilization cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A syringe, a kit, methods of making and methods of using the same are provided. The syringe includes a syringe body defining an interior volume. The syringe body defines a first opening at a distal end for dispensing and a second opening at a proximal end. The syringe further includes a stopper disposed inside the barrel, optionally a stopper insert coupled with the stopper, and a plunger rod disposed outside the syringe body. The plunger rod has a first end, a second end, and a middle section. The middle section is disposed along the barrel wall. The first end of the plunger rod is configured to be coupled with the stopper or the stopper insert, and the second end is reversibly attached to the distal end or the proximal end of the syringe body. The plunger rod can be detached and assembled with the stopper or the stopper insert so as to drive the stopper for injection.