Wearable Drug Delivery Force Transfer Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drug delivery systems, both handheld and wearable, are inadequate for delivering drugs over extended periods and often require cumbersome handling and bulky designs, making them uncomfortable and inconvenient for patients.
Innovation Solution
A wearable drug delivery device featuring a drug container with a drive mechanism that includes force transfer elements, such as spherical or non-spherical links and rollers, which enable efficient and controlled delivery of liquid drugs through a needle conduit, allowing for precise and comfortable administration over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wearable drug delivery systems use prefilled cartridges, then the need for drug transfer is eliminated, but the device becomes bulky and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the force transfer mechanism from the traditional cartridge assembly, separating the drug container from the drive mechanism. This allows the device to eliminate the bulky cartridge while maintaining the ability to deliver drugs over extended periods through the wearable pump system with force transfer elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into separate functional components: a wearable pump unit with force transfer elements and a drug container. This segmentation allows the drug delivery function to be decoupled from the drive mechanism, enabling a smaller overall device footprint while maintaining extended delivery capability.
2Duration of action of moving object
If conventional wearable drug delivery systems are designed to deliver drugs slowly over time, then extended period delivery is achieved, but the device requires complex handling and transfer mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The force transfer elements automatically transfer force from the drive mechanism to the plunger without requiring manual intervention or complex handling. The spherical or non-spherical force transfer elements self-adjust to transfer force efficiently, eliminating the need for complex transfer mechanisms while maintaining extended delivery duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The force transfer elements act as intermediaries between the drive mechanism and the plunger, simplifying the force transmission path. These elements mediate the force transfer in a straightforward mechanical manner, reducing system complexity while enabling controlled drug delivery over extended periods.
3Reliability
If force transfer elements are used in the drive mechanism, then controlled drug delivery is achieved, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The force transfer elements utilize changes in physical parameters (spherical or non-spherical geometry, material properties) to achieve reliable force transfer and controlled drug delivery. By optimizing these parameters, the mechanism maintains simplicity while improving delivery control and reliability.
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 provides a user-friendly and comfortable means of delivering drugs over extended periods, enhancing patient convenience and comfort by utilizing force transfer elements to regulate the flow of medications, maintaining a small form factor and ensuring efficient drug delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The drive mechanism may include a drive spring and a plurality of linked force transfer elements
Implementation Method 2
The spherical body may link each comprise partial spherical sections that may be coupled to adjacent body links via a ball and recess connection
Implementation Method 3
The linked force transfer elements may include partial spherical sections that may each having at least one roller coupled thereto
Implementation Method 4
Each of the plurality of non-spherical force transfer elements may comprise first and second shells biased apart by an elastic element
Implementation Method 5
A bushed connecting rod may be coupled between adjacent one of said non-spherical force transfer elements. The bushed connecting rod may be rotatably coupled to the reduced diameter section of the non-spherical force transfer elements
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable drug delivery device that can deliver a liquid drug stored in a container to a patient is provided. The container can be a prefilled cartridge that can be loaded into the drug delivery device by the patient or that can be preloaded within the drug delivery device when provided to the patient. A sealed end of the container is pierced to couple the stored liquid drug to a needle conduit that is coupled to a needle insertion component that provides access to the patient. A drive system of the drug delivery device can expel the liquid drug from the cartridge to the patient through the needle conduit. The drive system can include a spring coupled to a plurality of force transfer elements. The force transfer elements can have a variety of shapes and configurations.