Two-Step Auto-Injection Device with Sequential Needle Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current auto-injection devices for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis are bulky, difficult to use, and prone to incorrect administration due to their design, leading to potential misuse and non-compliance, which can result in adverse outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A two-step auto-injection device with a needle that pierces the skin in a first step and delivers the fluid medicament in a subsequent second step, ensuring accurate delivery to muscle tissue rather than subcutaneous tissue, featuring a movable sleeve mechanism and a biasing element for efficient medicament delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single-step automatic injection device is used to simultaneously pierce skin and deliver medicament, then the injection process is simplified, but the risk of incorrect administration and medicament dispersion before reaching muscle tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injection process is divided into two distinct steps: first the needle pierces the skin, then the medicament is delivered. This segmentation ensures that the needle is properly positioned in the muscle tissue before injection begins, eliminating the risk of premature medicament dispersion while maintaining operational simplicity through automatic activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs the skin-piercing action before medicament delivery, ensuring that the needle reaches the target muscle tissue first. This preliminary positioning action guarantees accurate delivery location while the automatic mechanism maintains ease of operation.
2Volume of moving object
If the device is designed to be compact and portable, then patient compliance and carrying convenience improve, but the mechanism complexity may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines multiple functions (needle containment, skin piercing, medicament delivery, and safety mechanisms) into a single integrated auto-injection unit. This merging achieves a compact portable design while the automated coordination of these functions masks the underlying mechanical complexity from the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle is nested within the device housing in a retracted position, with the medicament cartridge nested within the ampoule. This nesting arrangement minimizes the device's external dimensions for portability while containing the complex two-step injection mechanism within the compact structure.
3Ease of operation
If the needle is concealed and spring-activated for automatic injection, then ease of use is improved, but the risk of accidental misfiring into the palm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a dynamic two-step activation mechanism where the needle piercing and medicament delivery are triggered by sequential user actions. This dynamic control requires deliberate user input for each step, eliminating accidental misfiring while maintaining ease of use through automatic needle deployment upon proper activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device introduces an intermediate safety mechanism between the user's trigger action and the needle deployment. This intermediary ensures that the concealed spring-activated needle only pierces when properly activated by the user, preventing accidental misfiring while preserving the convenience of automatic injection.
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 device enables precise and effective delivery of medicaments like epinephrine directly to muscle tissue, reducing the risk of incorrect administration and improving user compliance by simplifying the injection process.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing element for efficient medicament delivery
Data Source
AI summary
An auto-injection device for delivery of a fluid medicament is provided. The device includes an ampoule having a fluid medicament contained between first and second stoppers; a first sleeve movable along the longitudinal direction relative to the ampoule; a second sleeve at least partially surrounding the ampoule and movable along the longitudinal direction relative to the ampoule; and a needle. The first sleeve is movable along the longitudinal direction relative to the second sleeve and the ampoule between a first position and a second position. The needle is unexposed in the first position but exposed along the longitudinal direction in the second position. The second sleeve is also movable along the longitudinal direction relative to the ampoule between a first position and a second position. The needle is fluidly isolated from the medicament in the first position and is in fluid communication with the medicament in the second position.