Connecting casing sections of an administering apparatus for administering, in doses, a product which can be delivered

• US 20040186441A1
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Kirchhofer, Fritz, Graf, Roney
• Application Number:
  US10/767,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186441A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• 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 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31501 Means for blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston A61M5/5013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31535 Means improving security or handling thereof, e.g. blocking means, means preventing insufficient dosing, means allowing correction of overset dose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3156 using volume steps only adjustable in discrete intervals, i.e. individually distinct intervals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31563 interacting with a displaceable stop member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31568 Means keeping track of the total dose administered, e.g. since the cartridge was inserted
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button

Abstract

An administering apparatus including a front casing section, a rear casing section connectable to the front casing section, a driven member carried by at least one of said casing sections for performing a delivery movement, a dose setting member for performing a dosing movement relative to the driven member to select said product dosage, and a dosing and drive device moveable rotationally about a rotational axis and translationally relative to the front casing section, wherein, when connecting the casing sections, the dosing and drive device is coupled to the driven member and the dose setting member such that a rotational movement of the dosing and drive device causes the dosing movement of the dose setting member and a translation movement of the dosing and drive device causes the delivery movement of the driven member, wherein at least one axial guide is formed on one of the casing sections and at least one engagement element is formed on the other of the casing sections such that when connecting the casing sections, the casing sections are slid onto each other as far as a connecting end position and cannot rotate relative to each other.

Claims

1. An administering apparatus for administering, in doses, a product which can be administered, said apparatus comprising:

a) a front casing section, comprising a reservoir for said product;

b) a rear casing section;

c) a driven member, mounted by at least one of said casing sections, for performing a delivery movement which delivers a selected product dosage;

d) a dosage setting member which performs a dosing movement relative to said driven member in order to select said product dosage; and

e) a dosing and drive device which can be moved rotationally about a rotational axis and translationally, relative to the front casing section, and when establishing a connection between the casing sections, is coupled to the driven member and said dosage setting member, such that a rotational movement of said dosing and drive device causes the dosing movement of the dosage setting member and a translation movement of the dosing and drive device causes the delivery movement of the driven member;

wherein

f) at least one axial guide is formed on one of the casing sections and at least one engagement element is formed on the other of the casing sections, which form a linear guide when establishing a connection between the casing sections, such that the casing sections are slid onto each other as far as a connecting end position, such that they cannot rotate relative to each other about said rotational axis.

2. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one axial guide is formed on a surface area of one of the casing sections.

3. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein a number of axial guides are formed on said surface area of one of the casing sections, spaced from each other in the circumferential direction.

4. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one engagement element is formed on a surface area of the other of the casing sections.

5. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one axial guide is tapered in the axial direction, at an end facing the other of the casing sections, in order to make aligning the casing sections easier.

6. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the at least one axial guide is also tapered in the radial direction.

7. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one engagement element is tapered in the axial direction, at an end facing one of the casing sections, in order to make aligning the casing sections easier.

8. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the at least one engagement element is also tapered in the radial direction.

9. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the casing sections can be slid onto each other in a single rotational angular position or in a number of discretely pre-set single rotational angular positions.

11. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the at least one axial guide prevents the casing sections from being able to be slid onto each other in a rotational angular position other than the single rotational angular position or the number of pre-set rotational angular positions.

12. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dosage setting member is axially and linearly guided by one of the casing.

13. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dosage setting member detachably engages with one of the casing sections in pre-set rotational angular positions.

14. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the dosage setting member, when engaged, is axially and linearly guided.

15. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the engagement is a locking engagement.

16. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said detachable engagement is a locking engagement, wherein at least one locking projection and at least one locking recess, one of which is formed on the dosage setting member and the other on one of the casing sections, are in locking engagement with each other and can be moved out of locking engagement against a restoring elasticity force.

17. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dosage setting member comprises at least one stopper which in a dosing end position of the dosage setting member is in blocking engagement with one of the casing sections, said blocking engagement preventing a movement of the dosage setting member which could cause an axial response movement by the driven member.

18. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front casing section comprises a first latching element and the rear casing section comprises a second latching element and the latching elements axially fix the casing sections onto each other in a latching engagement.

19. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dosing movement of the dosage setting member is or comprises a translational movement pointing in the direction of the rotational axis of the dosing and drive device.

20. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a rotational movement which the driven member and the dosage setting member perform relative to each other or jointly relative to at least one of the casing sections causes the dosing movement of the dosage setting member.

21. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driven member and the dosage setting member are in threaded engagement with each other about a threaded longitudinal axis pointing in the direction of the rotational axis of the dosing and drive device.

22. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of a cannula of at most 30 gauge or a cannula exhibiting a combination of outer and inner diameter not specified in ISO 9626, having an outer diameter of 320 μ

m at most and as thin a wall thickness as possible, forms an injection or infusion cannula of the administering apparatus.

23. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said cannula is one of a 31 or 32 gauge cannula.

36. An administering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and at least one reservoir module comprising:

a) a front casing section of said administering apparatus, which comprises a reservoir for a product which can be delivered;

b) a piston which is accommodated in said reservoir such that it can be moved in an advancing direction towards an outlet of the reservoir, in order to deliver product;

c) a dosage setting member which is accommodated by said front casing section such that it can be moved, in order to perform a dosing movement and a delivery movement;

d) and a piston rod which is connected to said dosage setting member and held by the front casing section such that said piston rod is prevented from moving counter to said advancing direction and said dosing movement does not cause the piston rod to move in the advancing direction;

e) wherein at least one axial guide or at least one engagement element is formed on a surface area of the front casing section, to form a linear guide, in order—

when establishing a connection between the casing sections—

to slide the front casing section and a rear casing section of the administering apparatus, secured against rotating, onto each other as far as a connecting end position, wherein said reservoir module is provided as an exchange module for a reservoir module forming a part of said administering apparatus.

10. The administering apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the at least one axial guide guides the casing sections axially and linearly with respect to each other in each of the number of pre-set rotational angular positions.

24. A reservoir module for an administering apparatus, said reservoir module comprising:

a) a front casing section of said administering apparatus, which comprises a reservoir for a product which can be delivered;

b) a piston which is accommodated in said reservoir such that it can be moved in an advancing direction towards an outlet of the reservoir, in order to deliver product;

c) a dosage setting member which is accommodated by said front casing section such that it can be moved, in order to perform a dosing movement and a delivery movement;

d) and a piston rod which is connected to said dosage setting member and held by the front casing section such that said piston rod is prevented from moving counter to said advancing direction and said dosing movement does not cause the piston rod to move in the advancing direction;

e) wherein at least one axial guide or at least one engagement element is formed on a surface area of the front casing section, to form a linear guide, in order—

when establishing a connection between the casing sections—

to slide the front casing section and a rear casing section of the administering apparatus, secured against rotating, onto each other as far as a connecting end position.

25. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 24, wherein said administering apparatus comprises:

a) a front casing section, comprising a reservoir for said product;

b) a rear casing section;

c) a driven member, mounted by at least one of said casing sections, for performing a delivery movement which delivers a selected product dosage;

d) a dosage setting member which performs a dosing movement relative to said driven member in order to select said product dosage; and

e) a dosing and drive device which can be moved rotationally about a rotational axis and translationally, relative to the front casing section, and when establishing a connection between the casing sections, is coupled to the driven member and said dosage setting member, such that a rotational movement of said dosing and drive device causes the dosing movement of the dosage setting member and a translation movement of the dosing and drive device causes the delivery movement of the driven member;

wherein

f) at least one axial guide is formed on one of the casing sections and at least one engagement element is formed on the other of the casing sections, which form a linear guide when establishing a connection between the casing sections, such that the casing sections are slid onto each other as far as a connecting end position, such that they cannot rotate relative to each other about said rotational axis.

26. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 24, wherein the dosage setting member detachably engages with the front casing section in pre-set rotational angular positions.

27. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 26, wherein the dosage setting member, when engaged, is axially and linearly guided.

28. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 27, wherein the engagement is a locking engagement.

29. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 26, wherein said detachable engagement is a locking engagement, wherein at least one locking projection and at least one locking recess, one of which is formed on the front casing section and the other on the dosage setting member, are in locking engagement with each other and can be moved out of locking engagement against a restoring elasticity force.

30. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 24, wherein the front casing section and the dosage setting member each comprise at least one stopper and, in a front dosing end position of the dosage setting member, these stoppers engage, in order to preventing a movement of the dosage setting member which could cause a response movement by the piston rod counter to the advancing direction.

31. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 24, wherein the front casing section comprises a sleeve-shaped reservoir part comprising the reservoir and a sleeve-shaped mechanism holder, which are produced separately, and wherein said mechanism holder holds the piston rod.

32. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 31, wherein said sleeve-shaped reservoir part and said sleeve-shaped mechanism holder are connected to each other such that a user cannot release the connection without destroying it

33. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 31, wherein the mechanism holder forms a delivery stopper for the dosage setting member, in order to limit the delivery movement, and wherein the dosing movement moves the dosage setting member counter to the advancing direction, away from said delivery stopper.

34. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 31, wherein the mechanism holder comprises a blocking means, and said blocking means and the piston rod are in a securing engagement, said securing engagement preventing the piston rod from being returned to a position which it assumed before performing a movement in the advancing direction, and wherein the securing engagement is not releasable.

35. The reservoir module as set forth in claim 24, wherein the reservoir module is a disposable module which is provided to be exchanged in its entirety once the reservoir has been emptied.

37. A dispensing apparatus comprising:

a front casing section;

a rear casing section connectable to said front casing section;

wherein

at least one guide is formed on one of the casing sections and at least one engagement element is formed on the other of the casing sections, said at least one guide and at least one engagement element cooperating when establishing a connection between the casing sections such that the casing sections are slid relative to each other as far as a connecting end position and such that they cannot rotate relative to each other.

38. An administering apparatus comprising a front casing section, a rear casing section connectable to the front casing section, a driven member carried by at least one of said casing sections for performing a delivery movement, a dose setting member for performing a dosing movement relative to the driven member to select said product dosage, and a dosing and drive device moveable rotationally about a rotational axis and translationally relative to the front casing section, wherein, when connecting the casing sections, the dosing and drive device is coupled to the driven member and the dose setting member such that a rotational movement of the dosing and drive device causes the dosing movement of the dose setting member and a translation movement of the dosing and drive device causes the delivery movement of the driven member, wherein at least one axial guide is formed on one of the casing sections and at least one engagement element is formed on the other of the casing sections such that when connecting the casing sections, the casing sections are slid onto each other as far as a connecting end position and cannot rotate relative to each other.