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Publication Number
US-12280244-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
An active injection guide concurrently monitors surface contact and an instantaneous contact force along an injection axis of an injector in order to ensure that the injector is properly positioned on a patient before an injection can be initiated.
Core Innovation
An active injection guide is disclosed that includes an injector having an injection axis and a contact surface configured to be placed on a target surface for an injection of an injectate into the target surface from the injector. The injection guide is configured to detect both injector orientation relative to the target surface and contact force along the injection axis while the injector is in contact with the target surface. The injector is described as a needle-free injector.
A sensor arrangement includes sensors from a set of three or more sensors that are coupled to the contact surface and spaced around the injection axis. Each sensor from the set of three or more sensors is configured to measure a contact force against the target surface along the injection axis, and each sensor has a plurality of load thresholds. The sensors are used concurrently to generate an orientation of the injector relative to the target surface and to determine whether the contact force on each sensor is within a predetermined range suitable for the injection.
A controller receives concurrent measurements from the sensors and uses the concurrent measurements to generate the orientation and the contact force along the injection axis. The controller determines, for each of the three or more sensors, whether the contact force is within a predetermined range that is between the plurality of load thresholds of that sensor. The controller prevents activation of the injector until the generated orientation and the generated force against the target surface are each within predetermined ranges suitable for the injection, and can provide feedback to the user.
The described injection guide supports scenarios of proper seating and improper seating, where the contact and force conditions differ. The disclosed arrangement includes localized deformation and injection performed substantially normal to a localized deformed area in the contact surface to improve delivery depth and reduce unintended ejection, including ejection into air and into eyes.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim defines an active injection guide for a needle-free injector using a set of three or more force-measuring sensors spaced around the injection axis, where each sensor provides multiple load thresholds and concurrent sensor measurements are used to generate injector orientation and evaluate whether the contact force is within an injection-suitable predetermined range. Activation is prevented until both orientation and force are within predetermined suitable ranges.
Multi-sensor contact force sensing around the injection axis
A sensor arrangement including sensors from a set of three or more sensors, coupled to the contact surface and spaced around the injection axis, wherein each sensor is configured to measure a contact force against the target surface along the injection axis, each sensor having a plurality of load thresholds.
Concurrent measurement to generate injector orientation and axial contact force
A controller configured to receive concurrent measurements from the sensors from the set of three or more sensors, and to use the concurrent measurements to generate an orientation of the injector relative to the target surface and the contact force against the target surface along the injection axis.
Predetermined per-sensor force range between load thresholds
The controller determines, for each of the three or more sensors, whether the contact force on that sensor is within a predetermined range suitable for the injection, the predetermined range being between the plurality of load thresholds of each sensor.
Prevent activation until both orientation and contact force are within suitable ranges
The controller prevents activation of the injector until the generated orientation and the generated force against the target surface are each within predetermined ranges suitable for the injection, wherein the injector is a needle-free injector.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on using a spatially distributed set of three or more sensors with multiple load thresholds to concurrently assess injector orientation and axial contact force, then prevent needle-free injector activation unless both the generated orientation and each sensor’s measured contact force fall within predetermined injection-suitable ranges.
Stated Advantages
Improve delivery depth.
Reduce unintended ejection, including ejection into air and into eyes.
Prevent activation of the injector until generated orientation and generated force are each within predetermined ranges suitable for the injection.
Documented Applications
Injection into a target surface using a needle-free injector, including handling proper seating versus improper seating to reduce unintended ejection and to improve delivery depth.
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