Syringe Exostructure With Ratchet Dosing for Accurate Multi-Site Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing syringes lack precision in delivering discrete, reproducible doses of medicaments like botulinum toxin, deoxycholic acid, and hyaluronic acid to multiple injection sites during a single procedure, leading to inaccuracies and risks of incorrect dosing due to thumb force variation and measurement errors.
Innovation Solution
A syringe exostructure that includes a drive plunger, plunger bar, drive pawl, and locking pawl to incrementally advance the plunger bar and deliver pre-selected doses, providing tactile and audible feedback, ensuring consistent volume delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If free-hand injection method is used with standard syringe, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary dosing mechanism between the syringe plunger and the injection site. This mechanism includes a dosing chamber that receives a portion of the medicament from the syringe plunger and then delivers it through a separate delivery needle. This intermediary system isolates the precision dosing function from the manual plunger operation, enabling accurate dose delivery while maintaining ease of operation.
2Productivity
If thumb force is applied to plunger to deliver multiple doses, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dosing process into distinct phases: (1) loading the syringe with total medicament volume, (2) manually actuating the plunger to transfer a controlled portion to the dosing chamber, and (3) automatic delivery of the segmented dose through the delivery needle. This segmentation allows the user to efficiently load once and then systematically deliver multiple precise doses without the variability of continuous manual force application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms including visual indicators on the dosing chamber to show when a dose is ready for delivery, and mechanical feedback through the plunger actuation mechanism that provides tactile confirmation of dose transfer. This feedback system ensures precise dose control while maintaining high productivity by preventing dosing errors and reducing the need for repeated adjustments.
3Manufacturing precision
If syringe is designed for single measured dose, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional device that combines a standard syringe with an integrated dosing and delivery system. The device can handle syringes containing multiple doses and systematically deliver them through controlled portions to the dosing chamber. This universal design maintains the manufacturing precision of standard syringes while adding the adaptability to deliver multiple precise doses from a single syringe filling, accommodating various clinical protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices for delivery of individual units of a medicament and methods for their use are provided. Such a delivery device comprises an exostructure permanently attached to a syringe comprising a barrel and a plunger with one or more ratchet surfaces, a cam mechanism to advance the plunger a plurality of set distances in a first direction to deliver a single individual unit of the medicament per each set distance, and a locking pawl to prevent the plunger from being retracted in a second direction opposite the first by interfacing with the ratchet surfaces. The locking pawl also produces tactile feedback, audible feedback, or both when the plunger is depressed to advance the plunger the set distance. Each of the individual units comprise a measured volume of the medicament, and the plunger can repeatedly be depressed and repeatedly engage with the locking pawl to deliver repeated measured volumes of the medicament.