Veterinary Injection Device With Position-Current Dose Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing veterinary medicine delivery systems struggle in inhospitable environments, where ranch hands with limited veterinary expertise may administer incomplete or improper doses due to factors like air incorporation, incorrect injection location, or needle removal during the process, without real-time feedback or correction mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A semi-automated veterinary medicine delivery device that senses air incorporation, incomplete doses, and improper injection techniques, using position and current sensors to alert users and administer a second dose to correct deficiencies, with adapters for various delivery methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual injection methods are used by ranch hands, then ease of operation is improved, but dosing accuracy and reliability deteriorate due to lack of veterinary expertise and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The injection device performs self-monitoring and self-correction by automatically detecting injection parameters (depth, speed, completeness) and administering makeup doses without requiring veterinary expertise from the operator. The system serves itself by detecting and correcting dosing errors autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms through sensors that monitor injection depth, plunger position, and injection completeness. This feedback is used to detect incomplete injections and trigger automatic correction by administering additional doses, ensuring reliable dosing despite operator inexperience.
2Measurement precision
If automated sensing mechanisms are added to detect injection completeness, then dosing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor serving the syringe plunger performs multiple functions: it both drives the injection and serves as a sensor through current monitoring. The position sensor on the syringe barrel serves dual purposes of tracking plunger position and detecting injection completeness. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the existing motor and position sensor as intermediaries to detect injection parameters. Rather than adding dedicated complex sensing systems, the invention leverages the motor's current characteristics and the position sensor's data to infer injection depth, speed, and completeness, simplifying the sensing architecture.
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring and automatic correction are implemented, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The motor serves dual purposes as both actuator and sensor. By monitoring the motor's current consumption during plunger movement, the system detects injection parameters without requiring separate high-power sensing systems, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable detection.
4Measurement precision
If position sensors and current sensors are used to detect injection abnormalities, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The position sensor on the syringe barrel is used for multiple purposes: tracking plunger position during injection and detecting injection completeness by comparing expected versus actual position. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated sensors, reducing device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor's current characteristics serve as an intermediary indicator of injection parameters. By analyzing current consumption patterns during plunger movement, the system detects injection depth, speed, and abnormalities without requiring direct mechanical sensors in the injection path, simplifying the overall device architecture.
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
Ensures accurate and complete administration of veterinary medicines by detecting errors and automatically administering makeup doses, improving dosing accuracy and reliability in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a current sensor on a motor attached to the syringe
Implementation Method 2
a position sensor on a syringe in combination with a current sensor on a motor
Data Source
AI summary
A semi-automated veterinary medicine delivery device may sense whether and how much air may have been incorporated into a dose delivered to an animal. The device may also sense an incomplete injection in some cases and may cause a second dose to be administered to make up for the incomplete dose. The device may compare a position sensor on a syringe in combination with a current sensor on a motor attached to the syringe to detect any abnormalities. In the case of an improper dose, the device may alert the user and administer a second dose.