Wearable Medication Device Using Nested Syringe and Rupturable Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic medication administration devices are cumbersome, not easily accessible, and prone to misuse, leading to non-compliance and potentially fatal outcomes in emergency situations like anaphylaxis, as they are often not carried by the user and have design flaws that hinder quick and correct use.
Innovation Solution
A portable, wearable device with a flexible tube containing a syringe and activation assembly that allows for rapid administration of medication via a retractable needle, activated by a button that generates pressure to break a seal and deliver medication through a flexible tube, which can be worn as a bracelet or attached to clothing, with customizable options for medication and dosage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automatic medication administration devices are designed with robust mechanisms for reliable medication delivery, then medication administration reliability is improved, but device size and portability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe is nested within the flexible tube, and the plunger is nested within the syringe. This nesting arrangement allows the medication administration device to be compact and portable while maintaining all necessary components for reliable medication delivery, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs a dynamic activation mechanism where the plunger moves from a retracted position to an extended position upon activation. This dynamic design allows the device to remain compact during storage and transport while providing full functionality when needed, addressing both portability and reliability requirements.
2Ease of operation
If automatic medication administration devices are made compact and wearable, then accessibility and portability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: the flexible tube containing the syringe, the plunger mechanism, the rupturable seal, and the activation assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design manageable and understandable, reducing perceived complexity despite compact functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed for self-activation where the user simply needs to activate the plunger mechanism, which automatically breaks the rupturable seal and delivers the medication. This self-service design minimizes the complexity of operation while maintaining accessibility, as the device performs the complex medication delivery sequence automatically once activated.
3Speed
If the device uses a rupturable seal mechanism for rapid medication delivery, then speed of medication administration is improved, but risk of accidental activation or misuse increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rupturable seal is pre-positioned at the distal end of the syringe, and the activation mechanism is pre-configured to break this seal upon plunger activation. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the device is properly activated, medication delivery occurs rapidly and reliably, while the pre-positioned seal prevents accidental activation during normal handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes a change in the physical state of the seal from intact to ruptured as the key activation parameter. This parameter change provides a clear, binary state that is easy to control intentionally but difficult to trigger accidentally, thereby maintaining both speed and misuse resistance.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the flexible tube is made long enough to accommodate the syringe and plunger, then functionality is improved, but device bulk and wearability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe is nested within the flexible tube, and the plunger is nested within the syringe. This nested configuration minimizes the external dimensions of the device while accommodating all necessary functional components, allowing the flexible tube to be long enough for functionality without increasing overall device bulk, thus maintaining wearability.
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
Enables rapid, safe, and accessible administration of medication directly to the user, reducing the risk of adverse outcomes by being portable and easy to use, ensuring timely delivery of life-saving treatments like epinephrine during emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
The activation assembly is configured to activate the plunger and break the rupturable seal, such that a fluid communication is established between the second end of the syringe and the medication administration assembly to allow transportation of the medication from the syringe to the medication administration assembly through the medication administration end
Data Source
AI summary
A medication administration device is provided. The device has a flexible tube having an administration end, an activation end and a lumen between the ends. An administration assembly is attached to the administration end. An activation assembly is attached to the activation end. A syringe is disposed within the lumen. The syringe contains the medication and has a first end and an opposite second end. A plunger is disposed within the lumen and operatively connected to the first end of the syringe. A rupturable seal is provided to the second end of the syringe, which end is approximate to the administration end. The activation assembly activates the plunger to break the rupturable seal to establish a fluid communication between the second end of the syringe and the administration assembly. Accordingly, transportation of the medication from the syringe to the medication administration assembly through the medication administration end is allowed.