Automatic injection device

• US 20010049496A1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hostettler, Peter, Kirchhofer, Fritz, Jost, Stephan, Steck, Jurg
• Granted Patent: US 6,620,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/154
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2086 having piston damping means, e.g. axially or rotationally acting retarders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2033 Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2066 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3155 by rotational movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31595 Pre-defined multi-dose administration by repeated overcoming of means blocking the free advancing movement of piston rod, e.g. by tearing or de-blocking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

The present invention provides an auto-injection device including a housing, a container from which a product is dispensed by advancing a piston, the container shiftably accommodated by the housing and carrying a needle, and a drive unit including a driven member, wherein the driven member is shiftably accommodated by the housing and, during an auto-injection, is adapted for inserting the needle and advancing the container to a predetermined frontal position in relation to the housing and advancing the piston within the container for dispensing of the product, wherein the driven member remains uncoupled with the piston until the container reaches its frontal position, and upon the container reaching its frontal position, the driven member detaches from the container and couples with the piston for advancing the piston within the container.

Claims

1. An auto-injection device for administering a product, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a container shiftably accommodated by said housing from which the product is dispensed through a needle at an outlet of said container by advancing a piston; and

c) a driven member of a drive unit, the driven member being shiftably accommodated by said housing and, during an auto-injection, being adapted for inserting said needle, advancing said container to a predetermined frontal position in relation to said housing and advancing said piston within said container for dispensing of the product, wherein said driven member remains uncoupled with said piston until reaching said frontal position of said container, and upon reaching the frontal position said driven member becomes decoupled from said container and becomes coupled with said piston for advancement of said piston within said container.

2. The device of

claim 1

, further comprising:

a transfer member which is driven by said driven member, said transfer member being adapted to push said container in a forward direction when advancing; and

a coupling which affects the driving motion between said driven member and said transfer member when said container reaches its frontal position, and when advancing further, said driven member advances the piston while pushing against it within said container.

3. The device of

claim 2

, wherein said coupling comprises a first coupling means connected to said driven member and a second coupling means connected to said transfer member, said second coupling means being in engagement with said first coupling means, thus causing the driving motion of said transfer member, the engagement being released by a relative rotation caused by the joint advance movement between said driven member and said transfer member around a rotational axis pointing in a forward direction.

4. The device of

claim 3

, wherein the advance movement is converted into said relative rotation by a coulisse guiding formed between said driven member and the housing, and wherein said transfer member and said guide means arranged at the housing secure against rotation and displacement.

5. The device of

claim 3

, wherein the advance movement is converted into said relative rotation by a coulisse guiding formed between said transfer member and the housing, and wherein said driven member and said guide means arranged at the housing secure against rotation and displacement.

6. The device of

claim 1

, wherein said coupling comprises a positive locking connection.

7. The device of

claim 1

, wherein said coupling comprises a non-positive locking connection of said driven member and said transfer member.

8. The device of

claim 7

, wherein said coupling comprises a first coupling means connected to said driven member and a second coupling means connected to said transfer member, said second coupling means being in engagement by means of a third coupling means with said transfer member, thus causing said transfer member to be driven along, wherein at least one of said coupling means is flexible and yields under the influence of a force exerted at the end of said advance movement of the container, thus causing disengagement.

9. The device of

claim 8

, wherein said third coupling means is a flexible ring, transmitting a forward pressure of said first coupling means to said second coupling means and being shifted beyond said first coupling means or said second coupling means when a predetermined maximum force acting in the forward direction is exceeded.

10. The device of

claim 1

, further comprising a damper between said transfer member and said driven member for compensation of a decrease of a drive force effecting the advancement.

11. The device of

claim 1

, wherein said container is formed by a multi-chamber ampoule and a mixing member containing a mixing tube, for advancing a rear piston towards a frontal piston, which form a transfer member.

12. The device of

claim 11

, wherein said transfer member comprises a dosing means, which by interacting with the drive unit allows for the selection of a product dose which is to be administered.

13. The device of

claim 1

, further comprising a needle safety sleeve shiftably arranged on said housing and being blocked in a frontal position surrounding said needle against rearward shifting relative to said housing when said needle is in an advanced position.

14. The device of

claim 13

, further comprising a container holder being shiftably accommodated by said housing and being advanced together with said container, effecting a blocking of said needle safety sleeve when said container is in its frontal position.

15. An injection device comprising a housing, a container shiftably accommodated by said housing, said container carrying a needle and accommodating a moveable piston, and a drive unit comprising a driven member shiftably accommodated by said housing wherein, during an injection, the driven member is adapted for inserting said needle and advancing said container to a predetermined position in relation to said housing, at which said predetermined position said driven member is decoupled from said container and coupled with said piston for moving said piston within said container.

16. An auto-injection device for administering a product, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a container shiftably accommodated by said housing, from which product is dispensed through a needle at an outlet of said container by advancing a piston; and

c) a driven member of a drive unit, the driven member being shiftably accommodated by said housing and, during an auto-injection, for inserting said needle advancing said container to a predetermined frontal position in relation to said housing and advancing said piston within said container for dispensing of product, characterized in that

d) said driven member is not coupled with said piston until reaching said frontal position of said container, and upon reaching this position said driven member is decoupled from said container and coupled with said piston for advancing said piston within said container.