KR20240127100A - Drug injection device - Google Patents

Abstract

A drug injection device is disclosed. The drug injection device may include a needle assembly including a needle and a cannula into which the needle is inserted, a reservoir connected to the needle assembly and storing the drug, and a control module that determines a discharge amount of the drug based on an empty space of the cannula when the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object, and controls the discharge amount of the reservoir so that the drug is discharged in the amount of the discharge amount of the drug, so that a portion of the discharge amount of the drug discharged from the reservoir and delivered through the cannula is injected into the object.

Description

{DRUG INJECTION DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a drug injection device that controls the amount of drug discharged.

Typically, drug infusion devices, such as insulin infusion devices, are used to inject drug solutions into a patient's body. These drug infusion devices are sometimes used by medical professionals such as doctors or nurses, but in most cases, they are used by laypeople such as the patients themselves or their guardians.

Diabetic patients, especially pediatric diabetics, need to inject medications such as insulin into their bodies at set intervals. Patch-type medication injection devices that are attached to the body for a set period of time are being developed, and these medication injection devices can be used by attaching them to the patient's body, such as the abdomen or waist, for a set period of time in the form of a patch.

In order to increase the effect through drug injection, the drug injection device needs to be controlled to precisely inject the drug into the patient's body. It is important to precisely inject small amounts of drug using a small drug injection device. In particular, when the drug is first injected after the drug injection device is attached to the human body, it is difficult to accurately inject the desired amount of drug into the human body due to the empty space of the cannula inserted into the human body to deliver the drug to the human body.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a drug injection device that accurately injects a desired amount of drug into a human body by controlling the amount of drug to be discharged based on the empty space of a cannula inserted into a human body when the drug is first injected after being attached to a subject.

One embodiment of the present invention is to enable a drug injection device to be attached to a subject, and when a needle is inserted into the subject together with a cannula, determine whether the operation of the needle is normal, and output a failure notification message if abnormal, thereby enabling recognition of whether the needle inserted into the subject together with the cannula has been properly withdrawn.

In addition, one embodiment of the present invention aims to enable rapid response to abnormalities in the cannula by checking whether a cannula is inserted into a subject while a drug injection device is attached to the subject, and outputting a failure notification message if the cannula is withdrawn from the subject.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a drug injection device may include a needle assembly including a needle and a cannula into which the needle is inserted, a reservoir connected to the needle assembly and storing the drug, and a control module configured to determine a discharge amount of the drug based on an empty space of the cannula when the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object, and to control the discharge amount of the reservoir so that the drug is discharged in the amount of the discharge amount of the drug, so that a portion of the discharge amount of the drug discharged from the reservoir and delivered through the cannula is injected into the object.

The control module determines the amount of drug to be dispensed by adding the amount of drug to be injected into the target body and the amount of drug to be inserted to fill the empty space of the cannula, and controls the amount of drug to be dispensed from the reservoir based on the amount of drug to be dispensed, so that the amount of drug to be injected is injected into the target body.

The distal end of the needle may be positioned at the inlet of the cannula as the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object, and the empty space of the cannula may be an empty portion between the inlet of the cannula and the outlet of the cannula.

The needle assembly further includes a holder unit that supports a needle, a first sensor that is disposed on one side of the holder unit and senses whether the needle is positioned at an insertion position, which is a position where the needle is inserted into a target object, and a second sensor that is disposed on the other side of the holder unit and senses whether the needle is positioned at a reference position before the needle is inserted into the target object, and the control module determines whether the operation of the needle is normal based on the sensing results of the first sensor and the second sensor, and if the operation of the needle is determined to be abnormal, can control to output a failure notification message for the needle.

The holder unit includes a first holder that supports a needle and has a second sensor disposed therein, and a second holder that supports a cannula and has a first sensor disposed therein, and the control module can recognize that the needle is withdrawn from the target object while the cannula is inserted into the target object when both the first sensor and the second sensor are sensed.

The needle assembly includes a holder unit that supports a needle, and a first sensor that is disposed on one side of the holder unit and senses whether the needle is positioned at an insertion position, which is a position where the needle is inserted into a target object, and the drug injection device further includes a drive unit that is connected to a plunger disposed inside a reservoir and has a rod that moves along the reservoir, a drive wheel that transmits driving force to the rod, and an encoder that checks rotation of the drive wheel, and the control module can recognize that the needle is withdrawn from the target object while the cannula is inserted into the target object when the first sensor is sensed and the encoder confirms that the drive wheel has rotated.

The control module can sense the first sensor at set intervals after the needle is withdrawn from the target while the cannula is inserted into the target, and if the first sensor is not sensed more than the set number of times, the control module can recognize that the cannula inserted into the target is withdrawn from the target, and output a failure notification message for the cannula.

The liquid injection device further includes a drive unit having a rod connected to a plunger arranged inside the reservoir and moving along the reservoir, and a drive wheel transmitting a driving force to the rod, and the control module can control the discharge amount of the reservoir by adjusting the drive wheel based on the discharge amount of the liquid.

The drive unit further includes an encoder for checking the rotation of the drive wheel, and the control module can control the drive unit to output a failure notification message if the rotation of the drive wheel does not satisfy a set condition as a result of the encoder's confirmation.

Other aspects, features and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims and detailed description of the invention.

According to embodiments of the present invention, when the drug is first injected after being attached to a subject, a drug injection device can be provided that accurately injects the amount of drug to be injected into the human body by controlling the amount of drug discharged based on the empty space of a cannula inserted into the human body to deliver the drug to the human body.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a drug injection device is attached to a subject, and when a needle is inserted into the subject together with a cannula, it determines whether the operation of the needle is normal, and if abnormal, a failure notification message is output, thereby making it possible to recognize whether the needle inserted into the subject together with the cannula has been properly withdrawn.

In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to quickly respond to abnormalities in the cannula by checking whether the cannula is inserted into the object while the drug injection device is attached to the object, and outputting a failure notification message if the cannula is withdrawn from the object.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a drug injection system according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the internal arrangement of a drug injection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the liquid injection device of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an enlarged drawing of area A of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the needle assembly of Figure 2.
Figures 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating the driving operation of the needle assembly of Figure 2.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a part of the configuration of Fig. 3.
Figure 10 is a perspective view showing that the trigger member of Figure 9 rotates to drive the clutch unit.
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the coupling relationship between the reservoir and clutch unit of Fig. 9.
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the coupling relationship between the reservoir and clutch unit of Fig. 10.
Fig. 13 is a drawing showing the arrangement relationship of the driving wheel and clutch unit of Fig. 9.
Fig. 14 is a drawing showing the arrangement relationship of the driving wheel and clutch unit of Fig. 10.
Figure 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method for driving a liquid injection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating some steps of Figure 15.

The present invention can be modified in various ways and has various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. The effects and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear with reference to the embodiments described in detail below together with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and can be implemented in various forms.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, identical or corresponding components are given the same drawing reference numerals and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

In the examples below, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the examples below, terms such as “include” or “have” mean that a feature or component described in the specification is present, and do not exclude in advance the possibility that one or more other features or components may be added.

In some embodiments, where the embodiments are otherwise feasible, a particular process sequence may be performed in a different order than the order described. For example, two processes described in succession may be performed substantially simultaneously, or in a reverse order from the order described.

In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of explanation. For example, the sizes and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, and therefore the following embodiments are not necessarily limited to what is shown.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a drug injection system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the drug injection system (1) may be equipped with a drug injection device (10), a user terminal (20), a controller (30), and a bio-information sensor (40). The drug injection system (1) may enable a user to drive and control the system using the user terminal (20), and may periodically inject a drug from the drug injection device (10) based on blood sugar information monitored by the bio-information sensor (40).

The drug injection device (10) is attached to a subject to be injected with the drug (e.g., a user's body, an animal) and can inject the drug stored inside into the subject in a set amount.

The drug injection device (10) also performs the function of injecting drugs to be injected into the user, such as insulin, glucagon, anesthetics, painkillers, dopamine, growth hormones, smoking cessation aids, etc., based on data sensed by the biometric information sensor (40).

In addition, the drug injection device (10) can transmit device status messages including information on the remaining battery capacity of the drug injection device (10), whether booting was successful, whether injection was successful, the amount of drug to be injected, the number of times the drug was injected, the amount of drug stored in the reservoir, etc., to the controller (30). The messages transmitted to the controller are transmitted to the user terminal (20) via the controller (30), so that the user can monitor the status of the drug injection device (10). Alternatively, the controller (30) can transmit improved data processed from the received messages to the user terminal (20).

In one embodiment, the drug injection device (10) is provided separately from the biometric information sensor (40) and may be installed on the subject at a distance from the biometric information sensor (40). In another embodiment, the drug injection device (10) and the biometric information sensor (40) may be provided in one device.

The user terminal (20) can receive an input signal from a user to drive and control the drug injection system (1). The user terminal (20) can generate a signal to drive the controller (30) and control the controller (30) to drive the drug injection device (10). In addition, the user terminal (20) can display biometric information measured from the biometric information sensor (40) and display status information of the drug injection device (10).

The user terminal (20) refers to a communication terminal that can be used in a wired or wireless communication environment. For example, the user terminal (20) may be a smart phone, a tablet PC, a PC, a smart TV, a mobile phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a laptop, a media player, a micro server, a GPS (global positioning system) device, an e-book terminal, a digital broadcasting terminal, a navigation device, a kiosk, an MP3 player, a digital camera, a home appliance, a device equipped with a camera, and other mobile or non-mobile computing devices. In addition, the user terminal (2) may be a wearable device such as a watch, glasses, a hair band, and a ring equipped with a communication function and a data processing function. However, as described above, a terminal equipped with an application capable of Internet communication may be borrowed without limitation.

The user terminal (20) can be connected one-to-one with a pre-registered controller (30). The user terminal (20) can be connected to the controller (30) in an encrypted manner to prevent the controller (30) from being driven and controlled by an external device.

In one embodiment, the user terminal (20) and the controller (30) may be provided as separate devices, each separately. For example, the controller (30) may be provided to the drug injection device (10) or to the subject equipped with the drug injection device (10), and the user terminal (20) may be provided to the subject or a third party. The user terminal (20) may be driven by a guardian, thereby increasing the safety of the drug injection system (1).

In another embodiment, the user terminal (20) and the controller (30) may be provided as a single device. The user terminal (20) and the controller (30) provided as a single device may communicate with the drug injection device (10) to control the injection of the drug.

The controller (30) performs a function of transmitting and receiving data with the drug injection device (10), and can transmit a control signal related to the injection of a drug such as insulin to the drug injection device (10), and receive a control signal related to the measurement of a biological value such as blood sugar from a biological information sensor (40).

The controller (30) can, for example, transmit a command request to measure the user's current condition to the liquid injection device (10) and receive measurement data from the liquid injection device (10) in response to the command request.

The biometric sensor (40) can perform a function of measuring the user's biometric values such as blood sugar level, blood pressure, and heart rate depending on the purpose. The data measured by the biometric sensor (40) can be transmitted to the controller (30), and the drug cycle and/or injection amount can be set based on the measured data. The data measured by the biometric sensor (40) can be transmitted to the user terminal (20) and displayed.

For example, the biometric information sensor (40) may be a sensor that measures the blood sugar level of the subject. It may be a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor. The continuous glucose monitoring sensor may be attached to the subject and continuously monitor the blood sugar level.

The user terminal (20), the controller (30), and the drug injection device (10) may perform communication using a network. For example, the network includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a value added network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof, and is a comprehensive data communication network that allows each network component to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include wired Internet, wireless Internet, and a mobile radio communication network. In addition, the wireless communication may include, but is not limited to, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), UWB (ultra wideband), infrared communication (IrDA, infrared Data Association), NFC (Near Field Communication), 5G, etc.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the internal arrangement of a drug injection device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the drug injection device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating area A of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the drug injection device (10) can be used for various purposes depending on the type of drug to be injected. For example, the drug may include an insulin-type drug for diabetic patients, and may include other types of drugs such as drugs for the pancreas, drugs for the heart, and other types of drugs.

One embodiment of the drug injection device (10) may include a housing (11) covering the outside and an attachment portion (12) positioned adjacent to the user's skin. The drug injection device (10) includes a plurality of components arranged in an internal space between the housing (11) and the attachment portion (12). A separate bonding means may be further interposed between the attachment portion (12) and the user's skin, and the drug injection device (10) may be fixed to the skin by the bonding means.

The drug injection device (10) may include a base body, a needle assembly (100), a reservoir (200), a driving module (300), a driving unit (400), a clutch unit (500), a trigger member (600), a starter (650), a battery (700), an alarm unit (800), and a control module.

The drug injection device (10) may include a base body in which at least one body forms a frame supporting internal components. The base body may have a first body (13) and a second body (14) depending on the arrangement.

The first body (13) is arranged below the housing (11) and can support a needle assembly (100), a reservoir (200), a driving module (300), a battery (700), etc. in each opening or groove. The first body (13) can have a first body (13a) that covers the upper side of the internal components and a second body (13b) that covers the lower side of the internal components. The first body (13a) and the second body (13b) can be assembled to fix the internal components of the liquid injection device (10) to a preset position.

The first body (13) can provide a space in which the trigger member (600) can rotate. The first body (13) supports the trigger member (600), and the trigger member (600) can rotate around a rotation axis (51) protruding from the first body (13).

The first body (13) may be provided with a stopper that limits the rotational distance of the trigger member (600). The stopper may be provided in multiple numbers, and may limit the movement distance of the trigger member (600) so that the trigger member (600) rotates to a preset point. According to one embodiment, the stopper may include a first stopper (52) and a second stopper (53).

The first stopper (52) protrudes upward from the first body (13) and is positioned adjacent to the needle assembly (100). The first stopper (52) is positioned to contact the first end (610) of the trigger member (600), and can limit the rotational direction and rotational distance so that the first end (610) of the trigger member (600) does not rotate in the opposite direction after rotating in one direction.

In detail, the first stopper (52) may include an upper surface (52a) formed so that the surface that comes into contact with the trigger member (600) protrudes obliquely (see FIG. 9). When the first end (610) of the trigger member (600) rotates in one direction, the first end (610) moves along the upper surface (52a) of the first stopper (52). Since the upper surface (52a) of the first stopper (52) guides the movement of the trigger member (600), the needle assembly (100) can smoothly rotate the trigger member (600) by rotation.

The first stopper (52) may have a side wall (52b) that limits the rotational direction of the trigger member (600). The side wall (52b) may extend from the upper surface (52a) and be formed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first body (13). The side wall (52b) may prevent the needle assembly (100) and the trigger member (600) from rotating in the opposite direction after the trigger member (600) rotates a preset rotational distance in one direction, thereby ensuring the stability of the drug injection device (10).

The second stopper (53) is arranged adjacent to the reservoir (200), the driving unit (400), and the clutch unit (500). The second stopper (53) is arranged so as to protrude upwardly from the first body (13), thereby limiting the movement distance of the second end (620) of the trigger member (600). In one embodiment, the second stopper (53) may have a longitudinal extension line passing through the center of the rotation axis (51).

The second body (14) is placed below the first body (13) and can be connected to the attachment part (12). The second body (14) can cover the lower part of the liquid injection device (10). The drawing shows the first body (13) and the second body (14), but they are not limited thereto and may be provided as one body or in multiple pieces.

The needle assembly (100) may include a needle (N) that discharges a drug solution provided from a reservoir (200) and a cannula (C) that allows the drug solution discharged from the needle (N) to be injected into a subject. For convenience of explanation, the needle assembly (100) will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8 below.

The reservoir (200) is mounted on the first body (13) and connected to the needle assembly (100). The reservoir (200) may have a space in which a liquid is stored by a barrel (210) and a cap cover (220) (see FIG. 11). Inside the reservoir (200), a plunger (230) may move linearly to discharge the liquid through a needle (N). Here, the plunger (230) is provided with a sealing portion (240) at a portion that comes into contact with the inner wall of the barrel (210), thereby preventing the liquid from leaking when the plunger (230) moves.

The driving module (300) can generate driving force and transmit the driving force to the driving unit (400). The driving force transmitted by the driving unit (400) can linearly move the plunger (230) inside the reservoir (200) to discharge the liquid (see FIG. 12).

When the drive units (400) are engaged with each other by the clutch unit (500), the drive module (300) rotates the drive wheel (420) of the drive unit (400), and the rotation of the drive wheel (420) causes the load (410) to move linearly, thereby moving the plunger (230).

The drive module (300) may be any type of device having a liquid suction force and a liquid discharge force by electricity. For example, any type of pump such as a mechanical displacement type micropump and an electromagnetic motion type micropump may be used. A mechanical displacement type micropump is a pump that uses the movement of a solid or fluid such as a gear or diagram to generate a pressure difference to induce a fluid flow, and includes a diaphragm displacement pump, a fluid displacement pump, a rotary pump, etc. An electromagnetic motion type micropump is a pump that uses electric or magnetic energy to directly move a fluid, and includes an electrohydrodynamic pump (EHD), an electroosmotic pump, a magnetohydrodynamic pump, an electrowetting pump, etc.

The driving unit (400) may be provided with a rod (410) that is connected to a plunger disposed inside the reservoir (200) and moves along the reservoir (200), and a driving wheel (420) that transmits driving force to the rod (410). The driving unit (400) is installed between the driving module (300) and the reservoir (200), and may move the plunger disposed inside the reservoir (200) with the driving force generated by the driving module (300).

Additionally, the drive unit (400) may further include an encoder (430) that confirms the rotation of the drive wheel (420).

The clutch unit (500) can operatively connect the drive module (300) and the drive unit (400).

The trigger member (600) can generate a mechanical signal for injecting the drug of the drug injection device (10). The trigger member (600) is rotatably arranged on one side of the first body (13), and the trigger member (600) can rotate to initiate driving of the drive module (300), and at the same time, the clutch unit (500) can drive and connect the drive unit (400).

The trigger member (600) can rotate in one direction about the rotation axis (51). At this time, the trigger member (600) can couple the load and the driving wheel (420) by applying force to the clutch unit (500). In addition, the trigger member (600) can release contact with the starter (650), so that the starter (650) can apply force to the driving shaft to move the position of the contact member located inside the driving module (300). The trigger member (600) can be divided into a plurality of bent parts.

The trigger member (600) may have a first end (610) extending to the needle assembly (100). The first end (610) is positioned to contact the first stopper (52), and when the user rotates the needle assembly (100), the knob (101) may apply force to the first flange (611) to initiate rotation of the trigger member (600). After the first end (610) rotates, the cutting groove (612) may be supported on the side wall (52b) of the first stopper (52) to limit rotation of the trigger member (600) in the opposite direction.

The trigger member (600) may have a second end (620) extending to the clutch unit (500). The second end (620) may extend in a different direction from the first end (610) and may have a second flange (621) inserted between one end (511) of the coupler (510) and the drive wheel (420) of the drive unit (400). When the trigger member (600) rotates, the second flange (621) applies force to one end (511) of the coupler (510), so that the coupler (510) is engaged with the inserter (520), thereby activating the clutch unit (500).

The trigger member (600) may have a third end (630) extending to the drive module (300). The third end (630) extends toward the drive module (300) and may initiate driving of the drive module (300).

The starter (650) keeps the drive shaft of the drive module (300) fixed by the third end (630) of the trigger member (600), but when the trigger member (600) rotates, the third end (630) of the trigger member (600) is released from contact with the starter (650), and the starter (650) applies force to the drive shaft of the drive module (300), thereby starting the driving of the drive module (300).

The starter (650) can move the drive module (300) by the rotation of the trigger member (600). When the starter (650) is released from contact with the trigger member (600), it can apply force to the moving end of the drive module (300) to move the drive shaft.

As an example, the starter (650) may be formed in a spring shape having a preset elasticity, but is not limited thereto and may be formed in a stick shape having a predetermined elasticity.

The starter (650) is mounted at one end to the base body (50) and the other end is positioned to support the end of the trigger member (600). One end of the starter (650) is positioned between the end of the drive shaft and the third end (630) of the trigger member (600).

The battery (700) supplies electricity to the liquid injection device (10) to activate each component.

The battery (700) is placed adjacent to the driving module (300) and can supply electricity to the driving module (300). The battery (700) can be rechargeable or used for disposable purposes.

The alarm unit (800) is placed inside or outside the drug injection device (10) and can notify the user of normal operation or malfunction of the drug injection device (10). Malfunction may include, for example, a failure (abnormality) of the drive unit (400), needle (N), cannula, etc.

For example, an alarm unit (800) is placed underneath the housing (11) and connected to a circuit board. The alarm unit (800) can generate a warning sound or generate light to transmit an alarm to an external user.

The control module may be placed inside the drug injection device (10). For example, the control module may be a circuit board and may be placed under the second body (14) to control the overall operation of the drug injection device (10). The control module may be in electrical contact with the needle assembly (100), the reservoir (200), the drive module (300), the drive unit (400), the clutch unit (500), the trigger member (600), the starter (650), the battery (700), the alarm unit (800), and a plurality of sensor units to control the operation of these.

In an embodiment, the control module may measure data regarding the rotational speed or rotational speed of the drive unit (400), the amount of medication stored in the reservoir (200), the amount of medication injected to the user, etc.

The control module can control the injection of the medicine into the target according to the preset injection amount of the medicine or the injection amount specified from the injection request in conjunction with the user's injection request. At this time, the needle assembly (100) can rotate in conjunction with the user's injection request, and accordingly, after the needle (N) and the cannula (C) in the needle assembly (100) are inserted into the target, the needle (N) can be withdrawn from the target while the cannula (C) is inserted into the target.

Here, the control module can control the amount of medicine (discharge amount of reservoir) discharged from the reservoir (200) by controlling the drive module (300), drive unit (400), clutch unit (500), etc. when the medicine is first injected to the user.

First, the control module can determine the amount of liquid to be discharged based on the empty space of the cannula (C) when the needle (N) is withdrawn from the object while the cannula (C) is inserted into the object as the assembly (100) rotates.

At this time, the end (151) of the needle (N) in the needle assembly (100) may be positioned to overlap the inlet (161) of the cannula (C) by a set distance or less as the needle (N) is withdrawn from the object while the cannula (C) is inserted into the object after the cannula (C) is inserted into the object together with the needle (N). The empty space of the cannula (C) may be an empty space between the inlet (the part where the medicine comes in) (161) of the cannula (C) (or, the part where the end (151) of the needle (N) is located) and the outlet (the part where the medicine goes out to the object) (162) of the cannula (C) (see FIG. 8).

The control module controls the discharge amount of the reservoir (200) so that the amount of the drug is discharged based on the determined discharge amount of the drug based on the empty space of the cannula (C), so that a portion of the discharge amount of the drug discharged from the reservoir (200) and delivered through the cannula (C) is injected into the subject. At this time, the control module determines the discharge amount of the drug by adding the injection amount of the drug preset to be injected into the subject (or the injection amount of the drug specified by the user) and the preset insertion amount to fill the empty space of the cannula (C), and controls the discharge amount of the reservoir (200) based on the discharge amount of the drug, so that the injection amount of the drug preset to be injected into the subject is injected into the subject. For example, if the injection amount of the medicine set to be injected into the subject is '0.5 unit' and the insertion amount set to fill the empty space of the cannula (C) is '0.2 unit', the control module can determine the discharge amount of the medicine as '0.7 unit' by adding the injection amount and the insertion amount of the medicine. The control module controls the reservoir (200) to discharge '0.7 unit' from the reservoir (200), thereby accurately injecting '0.5 unit' intended to be injected into the subject while filling the empty space of the cannula (C) with '0.2 unit'.

Here, the amount of insertion preset to fill the empty space of the cannula (C) can be set to an amount corresponding to the volume of the empty space of the cannula (C), or can be set through an experiment. The volume of the empty space of the cannula (C) can be calculated by the length of the cannula (C) (the length between the inlet and outlet of the cannula) and the thickness (the area of the cross-sectional area) of the cannula (C).

When controlling the discharge amount of the reservoir (200), the control module can control the discharge amount of the reservoir (200) by adjusting the drive wheel (420) of the drive unit (400) based on the discharge amount of the liquid (e.g., adjusting the rotational speed, rotational distance, rotational strength, etc. of the drive wheel).

The control module causes the amount of medicine to be discharged from the reservoir (200) based on the empty space of the cannula when the medicine is first injected into the user, so that the medicine fills the empty space of the cannula (C) and the desired amount of medicine to be injected into the subject is accurately injected into the subject. As such, the medicine injection device (10) resolves the problem of existing medicine injection devices in which the amount of medicine to be injected into the user is reduced due to the empty space of the cannula or there is a delay in the injection of medicine into the user, so that even a user who can react sensitively to even a very small change in the injection of medicine can easily use it.

Thereafter, when the drug is injected (if not for the first time) after the set period of time (or upon the user's injection request), since the drug fills the empty space of the cannula (C), the control module can determine the injection amount of the drug to be injected into the target (the preset injection amount of the drug or the injection amount specified by the user) as the discharge amount of the drug.

In addition, if the control module determines that the rotation of the driving wheel (420) does not satisfy the set condition as a result of the confirmation of the encoder (430) provided in the driving unit (400), the control module may output a failure notification message for the driving unit (400) through the alarm unit (800) (or the user terminal) to notify that the driving operation is abnormal. For example, if the rotation speed, rotation number, etc. of the driving wheel (420) are below the set value as a result of the confirmation of the encoder (430), the control module may output a failure notification message for the driving unit (400). In addition, if the detection signal of the encoder (430) does not change by more than the set signal strength, the control module may determine that the driving wheel (420) does not rotate and output a failure notification message for the driving unit (400).

In addition, the control module can recognize (determine) the operation of the needle (N) and the cannula (C) based on the sensing results of the first sensor (disposed in the second holder) and the second sensor (disposed in the first holder) provided in the holder of the needle assembly (100). At this time, if the first sensor is not sensed and the second sensor is sensed, the control module can recognize that the needle (N) and the cannula (C) are not inserted into the target object as an initial state. If the first sensor is sensed and the second sensor is not sensed, the control module can recognize that both the needle (N) and the cannula (C) are inserted into the target object. In addition, if both the first sensor and the second sensor are sensed, the control module can recognize that the needle (N) is withdrawn from the target object while the cannula (C) is inserted into the target object.

Accordingly, the control module can determine whether the operation of the needle (N) is normal based on the sensing results of the first and second sensors in the needle assembly (100), and if the operation of the needle (N) is determined to be abnormal, the control module controls the alarm unit (800) to output a failure notification message for the needle (N), thereby enabling the confirmation of whether the needle (N) inserted into the object together with the cannula (C) has been properly withdrawn when the drug injection device (10) is attached to the object and used. At this time, the control module can determine the operation of the needle (N) to be normal when the first sensing result in which only the second sensor is sensed, the second sensing result in which the first sensor is sensed, and the third sensing result in which both the first sensor and the second sensor are sensed are sequentially acquired for a set time (e.g., 5 seconds), thereby increasing the accuracy of the determination. For example, the control module may determine that the operation of the needle (N) is abnormal if the second sensing result is not obtained and only the first sensing result and the third sensing result are obtained.

In an embodiment, the needle assembly (100) may include a first sensor disposed in the second holder and a second sensor disposed in the first holder, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, but is not limited thereto, and for example, may include only the first sensor. At this time, the control module may recognize (determine) the operation of the needle (N) and the cannula (C) based on the sensing result of the first sensor. When the first sensor is sensed, the control module may recognize that the needle (N) and the cannula (C) are inserted into the target object.

At this time, the control module can determine whether the needle (N) is withdrawn from the target object based on the rotation (secondary rotation) of the sleeve (110) in the needle assembly (100). This is because when the sleeve (110) of the needle assembly (100) rotates (secondary rotation), the needle (N) supported by the first holder is withdrawn from the target object as the first holder rises. In addition, when the sleeve (110) of the needle assembly (100) rotates (secondary rotation), the trigger member (600) rotates, and as the clutch unit (500) is activated by the rotation of the trigger member (600), the driving force of the driving module (300) is transmitted to the driving unit (400), so that the driving wheel (420) of the driving unit (400) can be rotated.

Accordingly, the control module can determine whether the sleeve (110) in the needle assembly (100) rotates (secondary rotation) based on the confirmation result of the encoder (430) that checks the rotation of the driving wheel (420). At this time, if the control module determines that the driving wheel (420) has rotated more than a set value (e.g., a set rotation distance, rotation number) based on the confirmation result of the encoder (430), the control module can determine that the sleeve (110) in the needle assembly (100) has rotated (secondary rotation). On the other hand, if the control module determines that the sleeve (110) in the needle assembly (100) has not rotated more than the set value based on the confirmation result of the encoder (430).

If the control module determines that the first sensor is sensed and the sleeve (110) is rotated (secondary rotation), the control module can recognize that the needle (N) is withdrawn from the object while the cannula (C) is inserted into the object. On the other hand, if the control module determines that the first sensor is sensed and the sleeve (110) is not rotated (secondary rotation), the control module can recognize that the needle (N) is not withdrawn from the object and remains inserted together with the cannula (C). At this time, the control module can determine that the operation of the needle (N) is abnormal.

In an embodiment, the control module senses the first sensor at set intervals after the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object (or, after the operation of the needle (N) is determined to be normal), and if the first sensor is not sensed more than the set number of times, it recognizes that the cannula inserted into the object has been withdrawn from the object, and controls the alarm unit (800) (or, the user terminal) to output a failure notification message for the cannula. This allows the user to continuously check whether the cannula (C) is normally inserted into the object (the user's body) regardless of the user's activity while the drug injection device is attached to the object, and to immediately check and respond quickly if the cannula is withdrawn from the object. For example, when sensing the first sensor every second, the control module recognizes that the cannula inserted into the object has been withdrawn from the object if the first sensor is not sensed three or more times over 10 seconds, thereby controlling the control module to output a failure notification message for the cannula, thereby allowing the user to check whether the cannula (C), which must be maintained in an inserted state in the object while using the liquid injection device (10), has come off.

The drug injection device (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be operated simply and safely by a user. When the user rotates the sleeve (110) of the needle assembly (100), the cannula is inserted into the target object in the needle assembly (100), the clutch unit (500) connects the driving unit (400), and the drug can be injected by driving the driving module (300). At the same time, the driving of the driving module (300) is initiated, so that the drug injection device (10) can be used simply and safely.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a drug injection device (10) has a structure for discharging a drug by a clutch unit (500) that is driven and connected after the cannula (C) of the needle assembly (100) is inserted into a subject, so that a safe and accurate amount of drug can be injected into the subject.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drug injection device (10) is intuitively started to operate by the rotation of the needle assembly (100), and the rotation direction of the needle assembly (100) and the trigger member (600) is limited to one direction, and the rotation distance is limited to a preset distance, so that user safety can be secured.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the needle assembly of Figure 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the drug injection device (10) allows the user to simply rotate the needle assembly (100) to insert the cannula into the target object and initiate drug injection.

The needle assembly (100) can be mounted on the first body (13). The needle assembly (100) can move the needle (N) and/or the cannula in the axial direction by the rotation of the sleeve (110). The needle assembly (100) can be equipped with a sleeve (110), an elastic member (120), a first holder (130) and a second holder (140) which are holder units (HU), a needle (N), a cannula (C), and a patch (P).

The sleeve (110) forms the outer appearance of the needle assembly (100) and can rotate about a central axis in the longitudinal direction. The sleeve (110) may be provided with a knob (111), a rotating body (112), and a supporter ring (113).

The knob (111) is positioned on the outside of the sleeve (110), and when the needle assembly (100) rotates, the first end (610) (see FIG. 3) of the trigger member (600) can be applied to rotate the trigger member (600).

In an embodiment, the knob (111) is mounted on the top of the rotating body (112) and may have a groove on the upper surface. The user can rotate the sleeve (110) by manipulating the groove of the knob (111) exposed to the outside. An elastic member (120) is arranged on the lower surface of the knob (111), so that the sleeve (110) can receive an expansion force when the elastic member (120) expands in the axial direction.

The rotating body (112) has a roughly cylindrical shape, and the opening at the top can be covered by a knob (111). A supporter ring (113) can be mounted on the outer upper part of the rotating body (112).

An elastic member (120) and a first holder (130) and a second holder (140), which are holder units (HU), may be arranged in the inner space of the rotating body (112). A moving projection (115) may be arranged on the inner surface of the rotating body (112). The moving projection (115) may move along a guide groove (134) arranged on an outer surface of the first holder (130). When the rotating body (112) rotates, the moving projection (115) moves along the side walls of the guide groove (134), so that the first holder (130) may be raised or lowered.

Referring to Fig. 6, the moving projection (115) may have an inclined wall (115a) and a vertical wall (115b). The inclined wall (115a) induces stable contact when descending along the guide groove (134), and the vertical wall (115b) may limit the movement path of the moving projection (115) by contacting one side of the first holder (130).

The elastic member (120) may be placed between the sleeve (110) and the first holder (130). When the elastic member (120) expands, the first holder (130) may be moved downward. When the first holder (130) moves upward, the elastic member (120) may be compressed.

The elastic member (120) is not limited to a specific member, and may be manufactured from various members that transmit elastic force in the longitudinal direction. However, for convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on the case where the elastic member (120) is in the form of a spring.

The holder unit (HU) can support a needle (N). In one embodiment, the holder unit (HU) can be provided with a first holder (130) and a second holder (140), each of which can be equipped with a needle (N) and a cannula (C). In another embodiment, the holder unit (HU) can be provided as one and only a needle (N) can be equipped.

The first holder (130) can support a needle (N). Since a needle (N) is inserted and fixed on one side of the first holder (130), when the first holder (130) moves in the axial direction, the needle (N) also moves together. The first holder (130) is arranged in the internal space of the sleeve (110), and an elastic member (120) is arranged on the upper portion.

The first holder (130) may be provided with a first main body (131), a connecting block (132), a first space (133), and a guide groove (134). The first main body (131) is inserted into the rotating body (112) of the sleeve (110), and a first space (133) in which an elastic member (120) is arranged is formed inside.

The connecting block (132) extends from one side of the first main body (131) and can support the needle (N). The connecting block (132) can have a reinforcing end (132a), an extension end (132b), a slit (132c), and a fixing groove (132d).

The reinforcing member (132a) is connected to the first main body (131) and may have a predetermined thickness. A needle (N) is inserted into the reinforcing member (132a), and the position of the needle (N) may be fixed. A second end (143) of a second holder (140) may be supported below the reinforcing member (132a). When the elastic member (120) expands, the reinforcing member (132a) moves downward, applying force to the second end (143) so that the second holder (140) may be fixed to the second ledge (13b).

The extension end (132b) is connected to the reinforcing end (132a), and a mounting groove (132d) is arranged at the end. The second sensor (CS2) can be inserted into the mounting groove (132d). The second sensor (CS2) is arranged at the upper end of the extension end (132b), and is arranged so as to be in contact with the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S).

The slit (132c) can be installed in at least one of the reinforcing end (132a) and the extension end (132b). The slit (132c) can increase the flexibility of the connection block (132). In particular, the slit (132c) can increase the flexibility of the extension end (132b) so that the second sensor (CS2) can maintain constant contact with the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S).

Referring to FIG. 6, the first holder (130) may have a guide groove (134) on the outer surface. The guide groove (134) may guide the movement of the moving projection (115). When the sleeve (110) rotates, the moving projection (115) moves along a preset path formed by the guide groove (134), so that the first holder (130) may be raised or lowered.

The guide home (134) may have a first stop home (PT1), a first wall (PT2), a second wall (PT3), and a second stop home (PT4).

The first stop groove (PT1) is a groove where the moving projection (115) is initially positioned, and here the elastic member (120) maintains a contracted state.

The first wall (PT2) extends in the longitudinal direction of the first holder (130). When the elastic member (120) expands, the first holder (130) descends, and the moving projection (115) can maintain contact with the first wall (PT2). When the first holder (130) moves downward, the first wall (PT2) can guide the movement of the first holder (130).

The second wall (PT3) is extended to have a preset slope. When the moving projection (115) moves along the second wall (PT3), the elastic member (120) contracts again and the first holder (130) rises again.

The second stop groove (PT4) has a moving projection (115) inserted so that the first holder (130) can return to the reference position. At this time, the elastic member (120) maintains the contracted state again.

The second holder (140) is positioned to face one side of the first holder (130) and can support a cannula (C). The second holder (140) can have a second main body (141), a first end (142), and a second end (143).

The second holder (140) is positioned facing one side of the first holder (130) and can support the cannula (C).

In one embodiment, the second holder (140) may be formed of a material having a predetermined rigidity. The second holder (140) may be deformed by the first cutting portion (142d) and the second cutting portion (143d). When the second holder (140) is inserted into the first ledge (13a) and the second ledge (13b), the shape of the second holder (140) may change instantaneously. In particular, the shapes of the first locking protrusion (142b) and the second locking protrusion (143b) of the second holder (140) may change, so that the first locking protrusion (142b) may be inserted into the first ledge (13a), and the second locking protrusion (143b) may be inserted into the second ledge (13b).

In another embodiment, the second holder (140) is formed of a flexible material, so that its shape can be instantly changed when an external force is applied. The flexibility of the second holder (140) can be increased by the first cutting portion (142d) and the second cutting portion (143d).

The second holder (140) maintains contact with the first holder (130) at the positions of FIGS. 6 and 7, but as shown in FIG. 8, when the elastic member (120) contracts again, it is separated from the first holder (130) and fixed to the first body (13).

A cannula (C) is inserted into the center of the second main body (141), and a needle (N) can be optionally combined. The second main body (141) can come into contact with the lower end of the first holder (130).

The first section (142) protrudes outwardly from the second main body (141) and can be formed flexibly. The first section (142) can have at least a portion cut along the center to increase flexibility.

The second section (143) protrudes outward from the second main body (141) and can be formed flexibly. The second section (143) is arranged on the opposite side of the first section (142) and a first sensor (CS1) can be attached.

The first section (142) and the second section (143) can be fixed to the third body (13) according to the movement of the second holder (140). When the elastic member (120) expands, the first section (142) can be fixed to the first ledge (13a), and the second section (143) can be fixed to the second ledge (13b).

The first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) can sense the position of the holder unit (HU). Hereinafter, the reference position is defined as the position before the needle (N) is inserted into the target object or the position at which the needle (N) is withdrawn from the cannula (C) and returns to its original position. The insertion position is defined as the position at which the needle (N) is inserted into the target object or the cannula (C) is inserted into the target object.

The first sensor (CS1) is arranged on one side of the holder unit (HU) and can sense whether the needle (N) is positioned at an insertion position, which is a position where the needle (N) is inserted into the target body. The first sensor (CS1) can sense whether the needle (N) is inserted into the target body and whether the cannula (C) is inserted into the target body.

The first sensor (CS1) can be installed in the holder unit (HU). The first sensor (CS1) is placed in the second holder (140) and can move together with the cannula (C). The first sensor (CS1) can be placed on the lower surface of the second end (143) of the second holder (140).

The first sensor (CS1) can come into contact with the connection portion of the main control module (16). When the first holder (130) moves downward and the needle (N) is inserted into the target object, or when the second holder (140) moves downward, the first sensor (CS1) can be electrically connected to the connection portion of the main control module (16). When the main control module (16) confirms contact between the connection portion and the first sensor (CS1), it can recognize that the first holder (130) has been lowered normally and the cannula (C) has been inserted into the target object.

The second sensor (CS2) is arranged on the other side of the holder unit (HU) and can sense whether the needle (N) is positioned at a reference position before the needle (N) is inserted into the target body. The second sensor (CS2) can sense whether the needle (N) is withdrawn from the insertion position and positioned at the reference position again.

The second sensor (CS2) can be installed in the holder unit (HU). The second sensor (CS2) is placed in the first holder (130) and can move together with the needle (N). The second sensor (CS2) can be placed on the upper surface of the connection block (132) of the first holder (130).

The second sensor (CS2) can contact the connection part of the sub-control module (16S) at the reference position. The sub-control module (16S) is separated from the main control module (16), but can receive an electrical signal. The sub-control module (16S) can be mounted on the inner surface of the housing (11).

The second sensor (CS2) comes into contact with the connection part of the sub-control module (16S) before the needle assembly (100) is driven or when the first holder (130) is withdrawn from the insertion position and returns to the reference position.

In one embodiment, the sub-control module (16S) can recognize that the first holder (130) is positioned at the reference position when contact between the connection part and the second sensor (CS2) is confirmed, and can confirm that the needle (N) is withdrawn from the cannula (C).

The first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) may be provided as sensors that generate signals by contact, as sensors that measure position, or as sensors that measure force applied within a predetermined range.

In one embodiment, the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) may include conductive materials, and the connection portion of the main control module (16) and the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S) may also include conductive materials. Accordingly, the first sensor (CS1) may contact the connection portion of the main control module (16) to generate a signal, and the second sensor (CS2) may contact the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S) to generate a signal.

In another embodiment, the connection portion of the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2), or the connection portion of the main control module (16) and the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S) may generate a signal when a predetermined force is applied. The signal may be generated when a force exceeding a preset threshold is applied to at least one of the connection portions of the first sensor (CS1) and the main control module (16). Additionally, the signal may be generated when a force exceeding a preset threshold is applied to at least one of the connection portions of the second sensor (CS2) and the sub-control module (16S).

In another embodiment, the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) may be sensors that measure distance. For example, the first sensor (CS1) may measure the distance between the first sensor (CS1) and the connection portion of the main control module (16) facing each other, and generate a signal based on the change in the distance. The second sensor (CS2) may measure the distance between the second sensor (CS2) and the connection portion of the sub control module (16S) facing each other, and generate a signal based on the change in the distance. For example, the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) may be an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor.

One end of the needle (N) is connected to the reservoir (200) so that the drug can be delivered, and the other end is inserted into the cannula and can move along the cannula. Since the needle (N) is fixed to the first holder (130), it can be inserted into or removed from the cannula (C) by the axial movement of the first holder (130).

Since the cannula (C) is fixed to the second holder (140), it can be inserted into the user's skin by the axial movement of the second holder (140). Since the cannula (C) has a conduit shape that can accommodate the needle (N), the medicinal liquid discharged from the needle (N) can be injected into the user. The cannula (C) remains inserted into the user's skin, but the needle (N) rises and is separated from the subject. However, the cannula (C) and the needle (N) form a path through which the fluid moves, so the medicinal liquid injected from the reservoir (200) can be injected into the user through the needle (N) and the cannula (C).

The patch (P) is supported on the second body (14) and can fix the position of the cannula (C). Since the end of the cannula (C) is supported on the patch (P), the cannula (C) can be prevented from being separated during storage or movement.

Figures 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating the driving operation of the needle assembly of Figure 2.

Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, the operation of the needle assembly (100) is performed as follows. When the sleeve (110) rotates (first rotation), the elastic member (120) expands to move the first holder (130) and the second holder (140) to the insertion position, and when the sleeve (110) further rotates in the same direction (second rotation), the elastic member (120) contracts to return only the first holder (130) to the reference position. Thus, the needle (N) and the cannula (C) are inserted into the user's skin together, and then the needle (N) is withdrawn from the cannula (C).

The needle assembly (100) is positioned in the original position, i.e., the position before the user uses the needle assembly (100). The moving projection (115) of the sleeve (110) is supported in the first stop groove (PT1), and the elastic member (120) is maintained in a compressed state between the knob (111) and the first holder (130). The first holder (130) and the second holder (140) are positioned on the upper portion of the needle assembly (100), so that the needle (N) and the cannula (C) are maintained inside the drug injection device (10).

At this time, the first sensor (CS1) is placed at a position separated from the connection part of the main control module (16), but the second sensor (CS2) maintains contact with the connection part of the sub control module (16S). However, since this is before the operation of the liquid injection device (10), even if the second sensor (CS2) comes into contact with the connection part of the sub control module (16S), an electrical signal may not be generated.

When the user rotates the knob (111) in one direction so that the sleeve (110) rotates in one direction (first rotation) relative to the first holder (130), the moving projection (115) moves beyond the first stop groove (PT1) (see FIG. 6). Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the first holder (130) and the second holder (140) move downward due to the axial expansion of the elastic member (120). At this time, the moving projection (115) does not actually move in the axial direction, but can move relatively upward along the first wall (PT2) due to the lowering of the first holder (130) and the second holder (140).

When the first holder (130) and the second holder (140) move downward, the needle (N) and the cannula (C) are inserted into the user's skin. Since the first holder (130) applies force to the second holder (140), the second holder (140) can pass through the first ledge (13a) and the second ledge (13b). Since the second holder (140) is formed of a flexible material, when the first holder (130) applies force to the second holder (140), the first end (142) passes through the first ledge (13a) and the second end (143) passes through the second ledge (13b).

At this time, the first sensor (CS1) comes into contact with the connection part of the main control module (16). The first ledge (13a) and the second ledge (13b) fix the position of the second holder (140), so that the first sensor (CS1) can maintain stable contact with the main control module (16).

In one embodiment, when the connection portion of the first sensor (CS1) and the main control module (16) comes into contact, an electrical signal can be generated, and the main control module (16) can sense that the needle (N) has advanced and the cannula (C) has been normally inserted into the target object through the electrical signal.

In another embodiment, even if the needle (N) advances and the cannula (C) is inserted into the target object, the electrical drive of the drug injection device (10) does not proceed, so that an electrical signal may not be generated from the main control module (16). Since the drug injection device (10) is electrically driven only when the needle (N) is withdrawn from the cannula (C) and the second sensor (CS2) comes into contact with the sub-control module (16S), the electrical signals generated from the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) can be processed.

When the user further rotates the knob (111) in one direction so that the sleeve (110) rotates in one direction (second rotation) with respect to the first holder (130), the moving projection (115) moves along the guide groove (134). When the inclined wall (115a) of the moving projection (115) moves along the inclined surface of the second wall (PT3), the first holder (130) rises again, and the elastic member (120) is compressed again (see FIG. 8). At this time, the cannula (C) remains inserted into the user's skin, but the needle (N) rises and is separated from the target object. However, the cannula (C) and the needle (N) are fluidically connected, so that the drug injected from the reservoir (200) can be injected into the user through the needle (N) and the cannula (C).

The second holder (140) is restricted from rising by the first ledge (13a) and the second ledge (13b). The first ledge (13a) supports the first stage (142), and the second ledge (13b) supports the second stage (143), so that even if the first holder (130) rises, the second holder (140) does not rise. As the first holder (130) rises, the needle (N) is withdrawn from the cannula (C).

At this time, the second sensor (CS2) comes into contact with the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S). The first holder (130) returns to the reference position again, and the second sensor (CS2) comes into contact with the connection portion of the sub-control module (16S), thereby generating an electrical signal. Since the sub-control module (16S) is electrically connected to the main control module (16), it can recognize that the needle (N) has been pulled out through the generated electrical signal.

In one embodiment, if the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2) generate electrical signals simultaneously, the control module can recognize that the cannula (C) is inserted into the object and the needle (N) is withdrawn from the cannula (C). If the main control module (16) simultaneously measures the electrical signal generated by the first sensor (CS1) and the electrical signal generated by the second sensor (CS2) and transmitted from the sub control module (16S), the main control module (16) can recognize that the needle (N) has retracted to the reference position after being inserted into the object.

In one embodiment, when an electrical signal is generated from the first sensor (CS1) and the second sensor (CS2), the control module drives the drive module (300) so that injection of the drug solution can begin.

The drug injection device (10) according to the embodiment can be operated by a user simply rotating the needle assembly (100) to insert the cannula (C) into the subject and initiate drug injection. The drug injection device (10) can be operated by a user rotating the sleeve (110) for the first time to insert the cannula (C) into the subject and the knob (111) applying pressure to the trigger member (600). More preferably, as shown in FIG. 8, when the needle (N) is withdrawn from the subject and only the cannula (C) is inserted into the subject, the knob (111) applies pressure to the trigger member (600) to operate the drive module (300) to deliver the drug, and the drug can be quantitatively discharged from the reservoir (200). Therefore, the user can conveniently and stably use the drug injection device (10).

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a part of the configuration of Fig. 3, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating that the trigger member of Fig. 9 rotates to drive the clutch unit. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship between the reservoir and the clutch unit of Fig. 9, and Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupling relationship between the reservoir and the clutch unit of Fig. 10.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 12, the driving unit (400) is installed between the driving module (300) and the reservoir (200), and can move the plunger (230) placed in the reservoir (200) with the driving force generated by the driving module (300). However, the driving unit (400) can move the plunger (230) only when the load (410) and the driving wheel (420) are coupled or connected by the clutch unit (500).

The rod (410) is connected to the plunger (230) and extends in one direction. The rod (410) is inserted into the opening (225) of the cap cover (220), and the rod (410) can move in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir (200) to move the plunger (230).

The driving wheel (420) is drivably connected to the driving module (300) and can rotate by driving the driving module (300). The driving wheel (420) has a first connecting end (421) and a second connecting end (422), and can have a space therein in which a load (410) can move. At least one of the first connecting end (421) and the second connecting end (422) is always drivably connected to the driving module (300), so that the driving wheel (420) can rotate by driving the driving module (300).

In one embodiment, the first connecting end (421) and the second connecting end (422) may have a gear tooth shape. A connector (not shown) connected to the driving module (300) may apply force to the gear tooth to rotate the driving wheel (420).

The driving wheel (420) may have a hub (423) protruding from the first connecting end (421). Referring to FIG. 4, the hub (423) may protrude to a preset height (t). The hub (423) may form a space into which the second flange (621) of the trigger member (600) may be inserted.

The driving wheel (420) is provided with a first supporter (424) that protrudes from one side and supports one end (511) of the coupler (510). As shown in FIG. 9, the first supporter (424) is arranged on one side of the driving wheel (420) and can support one end (511) of the coupler (510) so that the diameter of the coupler (510) is maintained in an expanded state.

As an optional embodiment, the first supporter (424) may have a protruding projection (424a) at the end to prevent one end (511) of the coupler (510) from being detached.

When the coupler (510) is separated from the first supporter (424), the coupler (510) grips the inserter (520) while its diameter is reduced. Since the coupler (510) contracts to a set radius, it can provide a preset grip force to the inserter (520).

The clutch unit (500) can operatively connect the drive module (300) and the drive unit (400). The clutch unit (500) is arranged between the load (410) and the drive wheel (420) and may include an inserter (520) and a coupler (510).

The inserter (520) can be positioned so that at least a portion of it is inserted into the load (410). The inserter (520) is positioned so as to cover the outer side of the load (410). The inserter (520) can connect the drive module (300) and the load (410) depending on the operation of the coupler (510).

In one embodiment, the rod (410) and the inserter (520) may have a screw and screw thread shape, respectively. Screw threads are formed on the outer surface of the rod (410) and screw threads are formed on the inner surface of the inserter (520) so that they can be connected in a screw-joint form. As shown in FIG. 10, when the coupler (510) applies force to the outer surface of the inserter (520), the rod (410) and the inserter (520) are coupled to the driving wheel (420) by the coupler (510). At this time, the driving wheel (420) and the inserter (520) rotate together so that the rod (410) can move linearly in one direction.

The coupler (510) is placed on the outside of the inserter (520) and, when activated, can connect the load (410) and the driving wheel (420). The coupler (510) is a component that can apply force to the outside of the inserter (520) with elastic force and is not limited to a specific form. However, for the convenience of explanation, the following explanation will focus on the case of a spring form.

One end (511) of the coupler (510) can be detachably mounted on the driving wheel (420). The one end (511) is supported on the first supporter (424), but can be detached by going over the protrusion (424a) of the first supporter (424) by the force of the second flange (621). The other end (512) of the coupler (510) is fixed to the driving wheel (420).

Accordingly, when one end (511) of the coupler (510) is mounted on the driving wheel (420), the coupler (510) is mounted only on the driving wheel (420), so the load (410) and the driving wheel (420) are drivably separated, but when one end (511) of the coupler (510) grips the inserter (520), the coupler (510) drivably connects the load (410) and the driving wheel (420).

Fig. 13 is a drawing showing the arrangement relationship of the driving wheel and clutch unit of Fig. 9, and Fig. 14 is a drawing showing the arrangement relationship of the driving wheel and clutch unit of Fig. 10.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 13, when the clutch unit (500) is not activated, when the drug is injected into the reservoir (200) for drug storage, the rod (410) and the inserter (520) can move in the internal space of the driving wheel (420). Since a gap of g is formed between the inserter (520) and the coupler (510), if the coupler (510) does not grip the inserter (520), the rod (410) and the inserter (520) can move.

Referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 14, when the clutch unit (500) is activated, the drive wheel (420) rotates and the inserter (520) also rotates. At this time, since the load (410) is coupled with the inserter (520), the load (410) can move linearly forward by the rotation of the inserter (520).

The inserter (520) may have a predetermined flexibility so as to be engaged with the driving unit (400) by the elastic force applied by the coupler (510).

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a driving method of a drug injection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating some steps of FIG. 15. The driving method of the drug injection device can be implemented by the drug injection device. The drug injection device can include a base body, a needle assembly (100), a reservoir (200), a driving module (300), a driving unit (400), a clutch unit (500), a trigger member (600), a starter (650), a battery (700), an alarm unit (800), and a control module.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, in step S10, the drug injection device (10) can be mounted on the object. The attachment part (6) of the drug injection device (10) can be attached to the object. In addition, it can be connected to a user terminal (or, controller, biometric information sensor) in a wired or wireless communication environment.

In step S20, the needle assembly (100) can be rotated. The needle assembly (100) can be driven by the user. As described above, when the sleeve (110) of the needle assembly (100) is rotated for the first time by the user, the cannula (C) and the needle (N) are inserted into the skin together (see FIG. 7), and when the sleeve (110) is rotated for the second time, only the needle (N) can be withdrawn from the skin (see FIG. 8). The first rotation of the sleeve (110) is to secure the cannula (C) to the skin using the needle (N), and the second rotation is to withdraw the needle (N) and inject the medication.

In step S30, the needle assembly (100) applies force to the trigger member so that the trigger member can rotate.

The step (S30) in which the needle assembly applies force to the trigger member to rotate the trigger member may occur simultaneously with the rotation of the needle assembly (100). When the needle assembly (100) rotates, the knob (101) may apply force to the first flange (611) of the trigger member (600) to initiate rotation of the trigger member (600).

At this time, the step (S31) of driving the clutch unit to couple the load and the rotating wheel, the step (S32) of determining the discharge amount of the drug based on the empty space of the cannula when the needle of the needle assembly (100) is withdrawn from the object while the cannula of the needle assembly (100) is inserted into the object, and the step (S33) of controlling the discharge amount of the reservoir (200) by transmitting the driving force of the driving module (300) to the driving unit (400) and adjusting the rotation of the driving wheel (420) provided in the driving unit (400) based on the discharge amount of the drug can occur simultaneously.

The step (S31) of driving the clutch unit to couple the load and the rotating wheel is performed by applying pressure to one end (511) of the coupler (510) by the second flange (621) of the trigger member (600), thereby activating the clutch unit (500). The coupler (510) can connect the load (410) and the driving wheel (420).

In the step (S32) of determining the amount of the drug to be discharged based on the empty space of the cannula, the control module can determine the amount of the drug to be discharged by adding the amount of the drug to be injected into the target body (or the amount of the drug to be injected specified by the user) and the amount of the insertion set to fill the empty space of the cannula (C).

In addition, the step (S33) of controlling the discharge amount of the reservoir (200) by adjusting the rotation of the drive wheel (420) provided in the drive unit (400) based on the discharge amount of the liquid may include a step in which the starter applies force to an end of the drive shaft in the drive module (300) so that the end of the drive shaft provided in the drive module (300) moves linearly. At this time, when the contact between the starter (650) and the third end (630) of the trigger member (600) is released, the starter (650) may start driving the drive module (300). The drive shaft moves linearly along the axis as the starter (650) applies force to and passes through the end. Thereafter, the drive module (300) may repeatedly move the drive shaft linearly so that the driving force may be transmitted to the drive unit (400).

At step S40, the liquid can be delivered from the reservoir to the needle assembly.

At this time, as the load (410) moves linearly by the rotation of the driving wheel (420) provided in the driving unit (400), the plunger (230) placed inside the reservoir (200) moves so that the liquid in the reservoir (200) can be delivered to the target.

The idea of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and not only the scope of the patent claims described below, but also all scopes equivalent to or equivalently modified from the scope of the patent claims are considered to belong to the scope of the idea of the present invention.

1: Liquid injection system
10: Liquid injection device
100: Needle Assembly
200: Reservoir
300: Drive module
400: Drive Unit
500: Clutch Unit
600: Trigger Absence
650: Starter
700: Battery
800: Alarm Unit

Claims (9)

A needle assembly comprising a needle and a cannula into which the needle is inserted;
A reservoir connected to the above needle assembly and storing the drug; and
A control module including a control module that determines the amount of drug to be discharged based on the empty space of the cannula when the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object, and controls the amount of drug to be discharged from the reservoir in the amount of the drug to be discharged, so that a portion of the amount of drug to be discharged from the reservoir and delivered through the cannula is injected into the object.
Liquid injection device.
In the first paragraph,
The above control module,
The amount of the drug to be injected into the target body is determined by adding the amount of the drug to be injected and the amount of the drug to be inserted to fill the empty space of the cannula.
The discharge amount of the reservoir is controlled based on the discharge amount of the above-mentioned medicinal liquid, so that the injection amount of the above-mentioned medicinal liquid is injected into the target object among the discharge amount of the above-mentioned medicinal liquid.
Liquid injection device.
In the first paragraph,
The end of the above needle is,
After the cannula is inserted into the object together with the needle, the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted, and is placed at the entrance of the cannula,
The empty space of the above cannula is,
The empty space between the inlet of the cannula and the outlet of the cannula,
Liquid injection device.
In the first paragraph,
The above needle assembly,
A holder unit supporting the above needle;
A first sensor positioned on one side of the holder unit and sensing whether the needle is positioned at an insertion position, which is a position where the needle is inserted into the target object; and
A second sensor is further included, which is arranged on the other side of the holder unit and senses whether the needle is positioned at a reference position before the needle is inserted into the target object.
The above control module,
Based on the sensing results of the first sensor and the second sensor, it is determined whether the operation of the needle is normal, and if the operation of the needle is determined to be abnormal, a failure notification message for the needle is output.
Liquid injection device.
In paragraph 4,
The above holder unit,
A first holder supporting the above needle and in which the second sensor is placed; and
Supporting the above cannula, and having a second holder in which the first sensor is placed,
The above control module,
When both the first sensor and the second sensor are sensed, it is recognized that the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object.
Liquid injection device.
In the first paragraph,
The above needle assembly,
A holder unit supporting the above needle; and
It further includes a first sensor disposed on one side of the holder unit and sensing whether the needle is positioned at an insertion position, which is a position where the needle is inserted into the target object.
The above liquid injection device is,
It further includes a driving unit having a rod that is connected to a plunger arranged inside the reservoir and moves along the reservoir, a driving wheel that transmits driving force to the rod, and an encoder that checks the rotation of the driving wheel.
The above control module,
When the first sensor is sensed and the encoder confirms that the driving wheel has rotated, it is recognized that the needle is withdrawn from the object while the cannula is inserted into the object.
Liquid injection device.
In clause 5 or 6,
The above control module,
In a state where the cannula is inserted into the object, after the needle is withdrawn from the object, the first sensor is sensed at set intervals, and if the first sensor is not sensed more than the set number of times, the cannula inserted into the object is recognized as being withdrawn from the object, and a failure notification message for the cannula is output.
Liquid injection device.
In the first paragraph,
The above liquid injection device is,
It further includes a driving unit having a rod that is connected to a plunger arranged inside the reservoir and moves along the reservoir, and a driving wheel that transmits driving force to the rod.
The above control module,
Controlling the discharge amount of the reservoir by adjusting the driving wheel based on the discharge amount of the above-mentioned liquid.
Liquid injection device.
In Article 8,
The above driving unit,
It further comprises an encoder for checking the rotation of the above driving wheel,
The above control module,
If the rotation of the driving wheel does not satisfy the set condition as a result of the verification of the above encoder, a failure notification message for the driving unit is controlled to be output.
Liquid injection device.

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