Syringe Assembly Seal Compression for Uniform Pressure Limits

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Solution Overview

Problem

The compression of the seal member in syringe assemblies is non-uniform in the circumferential direction, leading to variations in the internal pressure limit, resulting in potential liquid leakage and reduced sealing performance.

Innovation Solution

A syringe assembly design featuring a cap with a pressing surface that uniformly presses a seal member against a distal nozzle portion, utilizing a ring-shaped protrusion on the sealing surface to maintain consistent compressive load, and a gasket that is slidable within the syringe, along with a drive mechanism to administer liquid medicine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the cap is assembled by fitting it toward the distal nozzle portion using a mounting device, then the assembly process is simplified, but the axis of the cap becomes inclined with respect to the axis of the syringe, causing non-uniform compression of the seal member and variation in pressure limit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly processVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cap is pre-formed with a pressing surface that has a specific geometric shape designed to compensate for assembly misalignment. This preliminary design feature ensures that even when the cap is assembled with some inclination, the pressing surface distributes the compressive load uniformly across the seal member, thereby maintaining consistent pressure limits without requiring high-precision alignment during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the seal member is compressed between the cap and distal nozzle portion, then the distal opening is sealed, but the compression becomes non-uniform in the circumferential direction, causing variation in pressure limit and potential liquid leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidcompression uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing surface of the cap is designed with non-uniform geometric features that create localized variations in pressing force. These local quality variations are specifically engineered to compensate for the non-uniform compression of the seal member, ensuring that the overall compressive load distribution becomes uniform across the circumferential direction. This results in consistent pressure limits and reliable sealing performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the cap is designed with a pressing surface that presses the seal member uniformly, then the pressure limit variation is suppressed, but the cap structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure limit consistencyVSAvoidcap structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing surface of the cap incorporates geometric parameters such as curvature radius, surface inclination angle, and local protrusion dimensions that are optimized to distribute compressive force uniformly. By carefully selecting and adjusting these geometric parameters, the cap achieves uniform seal member compression and consistent pressure limits while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that does not significantly increase device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The design ensures uniform compressive load on the seal member, suppressing variations in pressure limits and minimizing liquid leakage, thereby enhancing sealing performance and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

a seal member arranged between the cap and the distal nozzle portion and made of an elastic body that seals the distal nozzle portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4115925B1Syringe assembly and drug solution administration device
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 TERUMO KK
  • EP4115925B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4115925B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4115925B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a syringe assembly (12A) and a liquid-medicine administration device (10) capable of suppressing a variation in a pressure limit of a seal member (46). In the syringe assembly (12A), the seal member (46) is pressed and held between a pressing surface (48) of a cap (44) and a sealing surface (60) of a distal nozzle portion (56) of a syringe (24). The seal member (46) is pressed and held in the axial direction in a pressing space (64) over the whole region of an opposing portion between the pressing surface (48) and the sealing surface (60), and a gap between the pressing surface (48) and the sealing surface (60) in the pressing space (64) is narrowest on the inner peripheral side.