Injector adapter and combination thereof

• US 20030229308A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elan Pharma International Limited (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Original Assignee: Elan Pharma International Limited (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Inventors: Lavi, Gilad, Tsals, Israil
• Application Number:
  US10/453,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229308A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/208 Release is possible only when device is pushed against the skin, e.g. using a trigger which is blocked or inactive when the device is not pushed against the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3287 Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence

Abstract

An injector adapter that permits an automatic injector to be releasably coupled to the skin of a living being without the need for a user to hold the injector against the skin during injection, especially in cases where the drug being delivered requires a slow rate of injection. In addition, another variation of the invention is described whereby the working end of the automatic injector includes an integrated injector adapter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with an automatic injector for injecting a solution into a living being, said apparatus comprising:

an injector-receiving member for receiving a portion of a housing of the automatic injector; and

a living being-engaging member forming one end of said injector-receiving member and including releasable coupling means for releasably coupling said apparatus to the living being, said living being-engaging member comprising an aperture for permitting passage of the solution from said automatic injector, when activated, into the skin of the living being.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said automatic injector delivers the solution, when activated, without the need for a person to hold said apparatus during solution delivery.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said injector-receiving member and said living being-engaging member form a unitized structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said injector-receiving member comprises a longitudinal axis and wherein said living being-engaging member is oriented perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the automatic injector includes a needle and wherein said aperture permits the passage of said needle therethrough and into the skin to deliver the solution to the living being.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said releasable coupling means comprises an adhesive means coupled to said living being-engaging member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said adhesive means comprises:

a first layer comprising a first size and having a first pair of opposing surfaces and wherein one of said first pair of opposing surfaces is coupled to said living being engaging member; and

a second layer comprising a second size larger than said first size and including a second pair of opposing surfaces, wherein one of said second pair of opposing surfaces is coupled to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces and wherein the other one of said second pair of opposing sides comprises a biocompatible adhesive.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said one said first pair of opposing surfaces comprises an adhesive such that said first layer is adhesively secured to said living being-engaging member.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces also comprises an adhesive such that said one of said second pair of opposing surfaces is also adhesively coupled to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a release liner that is releasably coupled to the other one of said second pair of opposing sides which compromises said biocompatible adhesive.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said injector receiving member comprises a collar into which said portion of the automatic injector housing that includes said needle is fitted.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said housing of said automatic injector comprises an operating trigger, said collar comprising a cutout to permit the unobstructed operation of said trigger.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said collar comprises a releasable-engaging means that cooperates with a corresponding releasable engaging means located on said portion of the automatic injector housing that includes said needle.

14. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said releasable coupling means comprises a fabric having a first side that is fixedly secured to said living being-engaging member and a second side that comprises an adhesive for contact with the skin of the living being.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said adhesive comprises a biocompatible adhesion layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said needle passes through said aperture and into the skin of the living being for a predetermined period of time and wherein said predetermined period of time comprises at least 10 minutes.

17. A method for delivering a solution to a living being using an automatic injector having an output for dispensing the solution, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling a rigid structure to the skin of the living being, said rigid structure having an aperture in a portion thereof that couples to the skin of the living being;

coupling said automatic injector to said rigid structure; and

activating said automatic injector to cause the solution to pass from the output, through said aperture and into said skin.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of activating said automatic injector does not require a person to hold said rigid structure during solution delivery.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of coupling a rigid structure to the skin of the living being comprises:

applying an adhesive to said portion of said rigid structure that eventually is in contact with the skin of the living being;

covering said adhesive with a release liner;

wiping the skin of the living being where said rigid structure is to be coupled;

removing said release liner from said portion of said rigid structure when ready for use; and

applying firmly said portion of said rigid structure to the skin of the living being.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of applying an adhesive to said portion of a rigid structure comprises:

coupling one surface of a first pair of opposing surfaces of a first layer, having a first size, to said portion of said rigid structure;

coupling one surface of a second pair of opposing surfaces of a second layer having a second size, larger than said first size, to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces; and

covering the other one of said second pair of opposing surfaces with a biocompatible adhesive.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of coupling one surface of a first pair of opposing surfaces of a first layer to said portion of said rigid structure comprises applying an adhesive to said one surface of said first pair of opposing surfaces.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of coupling one surface of a second pair of opposing surfaces of a second layer having a second size, to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces comprises applying an adhesive to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of coupling said automatic injector to said rigid structure comprises aligning said output of said automatic injector to be normal to the skin of the living being

24. The method of claim 18 wherein said output comprises a needle and wherein said step of coupling said automatic injector to said rigid structure comprises aligning said needle of said automatic injector to be normal to the skin of the living being

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said needle passes through said aperture and into the skin of the living being for a predetermined period of time and wherein said predetermined period of time comprises at least 10 minutes.

26. An apparatus for automatically delivering a solution to a living being, said apparatus comprising:

an automatic injector having a housing with a proximal and distal end, said proximal end comprising a skin-engaging surface and a hole for permitting the solution to pass therethrough;

said skin-engaging surface comprising releasable coupling means for releasably coupling said apparatus to the living being; and

wherein said apparatus delivers the solution, when activated, through the skin of the living being without the need for a person to hold said apparatus during solution delivery.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said apparatus comprises a longitudinal axis and wherein said living being-engaging surface is oriented perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said releasable coupling means comprises an adhesive means coupled to said living being engaging surface.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said adhesive means comprises:

a first layer comprising a first size and having a first pair of opposing surfaces and wherein one of said first pair of opposing surfaces is coupled to said living being engaging member; and

a second layer comprising a second size larger than said first size and including a second pair of opposing surfaces, wherein one of said second pair of opposing surfaces is coupled to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces and wherein the other one of said second pair of opposing sides comprises a biocompatible adhesive.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said one said first pair of opposing surfaces comprises an adhesive such that said first layer is adhesively secured to said living being-engaging member.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces also comprises an adhesive such that said one of said second pair of opposing surfaces is also adhesively coupled to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces.

32. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said predetermined period of time comprises at least 10 minutes.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

a release liner that covers said adhesive until said apparatus is ready for use; and

a cover that is releasable from said proximal end of said apparatus, said release sheet having a portion thereof engaged with said cover and whenever said cover is removed from said proximal end before use, said release liner is simultaneously removed.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising:

a needle that passes through said hole and into the skin when activated to deliver the solution; and

a removable needle protector engaged with said needle before use and wherein said cover comprises latch members that engage said needle protector, said needle protector being simultaneously removed from said needle when said cover is removed.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said needle passes through said hole and into the skin of the living being for a predetermined period of time and wherein said predetermined period of time comprises at least 10 minutes.

36. A method for automatically injecting a solution into a living being, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling a proximal end of an automatic injector to the skin of the living being, said automatic injector having an aperture in said proximal end that is coupled to the skin of the living being; and

activating said automatic injector to cause the solution to pass through said aperture and into the skin and without the need for a person to hold said automatic injector during solution delivery.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said step of coupling said proximal end of said automatic injector to the skin of the living being comprises:

applying an adhesive to said proximal end of said automatic injector that eventually is in contact with the skin of the living being;

covering said adhesive with a release liner;

wiping the skin of the living being where said automatic injector is to be coupled;

removing said release liner from said portion of said proximal end when ready for use; and

applying firmly said portion of said proximal end to the skin of the living being.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said step of applying an adhesive to said portion of a rigid structure comprises:

coupling one surface of a first pair of opposing surfaces of a first layer, having a first size, to said portion of said rigid structure;

coupling one surface of a second pair of opposing surfaces of a second layer having a second size, larger than said first size, to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces; and

covering the other one of said second pair of opposing surfaces with a biocompatible adhesive.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said step of coupling one surface of a first pair of opposing surfaces of a first layer to said portion of said rigid structure comprises applying an adhesive to said one surface of said first pair of opposing surfaces.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said step of coupling one surface of a second pair of opposing surfaces of a second layer having a second size, to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces comprises applying an adhesive to the other one of said first pair of opposing surfaces.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein said activating said automatic injector to cause the solution to pass through said aperture and into the skin comprises passing said solution into the skin in a direction normal to the skin.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein said automatic injector comprises a needle that passes through said aperture and wherein said step of coupling said proximal end of said automatic injector to the skin of the living being comprises aligning said needle of said automatic injector to be normal to the skin of the living being

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said needle passes through said hole into the skin of the living being for a predetermined period of time and wherein said predetermined period of time comprises at least 10 minutes.