Particle cassette, method and kit therefor

• US 20040255447A1
• Filed: 05/05/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powder Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Powderject Research Limited (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Edward R, Kendall, Mark Anthony Fernance, Watson, John, Ford, Graham
• Granted Patent: US 8,061,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/428
• 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 5/2459 upon internal pressure increase, e.g. pierced or burst A61M5/2429 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3015 for injecting a dose of particles in form of powdered drug, e.g. mounted on a rupturable membrane and accelerated by a gaseous shock wave or supersonic gas flow cell injection devices C12M3/006
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49893 Peripheral joining of opposed mirror image parts to form a hollow body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A particle cassette for a needleless syringe is provided, the manufacture of which avoids the potentially detrimental use of heat when affixing a final membrane to the cassette or otherwise sealing the cassette after a filling procedure has been carried out. The particle cassette is assembled using first and second cassette parts that are attachable together so as to create a chamber for the confinement of particles between two membranes. A third cassette part may be used to provide for a locking attachment of the first and second parts. A kit of parts for use in the manufacture of a particle cassette is also provided, as is a method of assembling a particle cassette. In certain cassette embodiments, one or both of the first and second cassette parts can be annular, tapered and/or have detents or recesses to provide for a snap fit.

Claims

1. A kit of parts for use in the manufacture of a particle cassette for a needleless syringe device, said kit comprising:

a first cassette part having a first rupturable membrane sealed thereto; and

a second cassette part having a second rupturable membrane sealed thereto;

said first and second cassette parts being arranged to be attachable together so as to create a chamber for the confinement of particles between said first and second membranes;

wherein said first and second cassette parts are substantially annular and said first cassette part defines a receptacle for receiving particles; and

wherein said second cassette part is attachable concentrically around or inside said first cassette part.

2. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second cassette parts are arranged to be attached together by an interference fit.

3. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second cassette parts each comprise corresponding features which provide for a snap fit when said first and second cassette parts are attached together.

4. A kit according to claim 3, wherein said corresponding features comprise a detent and a recess.

5. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second cassette parts each comprise a seating face which ensures the attainment of a predetermined dimension of said cassette in the direction in which said first and second parts are attachable together.

6. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second cassette parts each comprise a tapered face which are arranged to contact one another fully when said cassette is properly assembled.

7. A kit according to claim 3, wherein said corresponding features are provided on tapered faces which are arranged to contact one another fully when said cassette is properly assembled.

8. A kit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third cassette part for locking together said first and second cassette parts.

9. A kit according to claim 8, wherein said third cassette part has a third membrane sealed thereto.

10. A kit according to claim 8, wherein said third cassette part comprises a protrusion for creating an interference fit with said second cassette part.

11. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second cassette parts are shaped so as to be fitted together leaving an annular gap around said first cassette part.

12. A kit according to claim 8, wherein said first and second cassette parts are shaped so as to be fitted together leaving an annular gap around said first cassette part, and wherein said third cassette part has a portion which inserts into said annular gap so as to lock said first, second and third cassette parts together.

13. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first cassette part comprises at least one transfer duct for supplying gas to said particle confinement chamber.

14. A kit according to claim 8, wherein said third cassette part comprises gas ports for supplying gas to an annular space around said first cassette part.

15. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second cassette parts are arranged to be attached by a screw thread.

16. A kit according to claim 15, wherein said screw thread has a coarse pitch such that the first and second cassette parts can be attached together by a relative rotation of 180°

or less.

17. A kit according to claim 1, wherein one of said first and second cassette parts comprises an open chamber that is arranged to open outwardly of the assembled cassette when the first and second cassette parts are attached together.

18. A particle cassette for a needleless syringe comprising:

an assembled kit of the parts claimed in claim 1;

and

particles provided in said chamber between said first and second membranes.

19. A particle cassette according to claim 18, wherein said particles comprise powdered drug.

20. A needleless syringe including the particle cassette of claim 19.

21. A method of assembling a particle cassette for a needleless syringe device, said method comprising:

(a) sealing a first rupturable membrane to a first cassette part;

(b) sealing a second rupturable membrane to a second cassette part;

(c) supplying particles to said first cassette part; and

(d) attaching said first and second cassette parts together so as to create a chamber confining said supplied particles between said first and second membranes.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said sealing steps (a) and (b) comprise heat sealing.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein attaching step (d) does not involve the application of heat.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein attaching step (d) is carried out at the same temperature as supplying step (c).

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first cassette part is substantially annular and defines a receptacle, and wherein said particles are supplied to said receptacle in step (c).

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein said second cassette part is substantially annular, and wherein step (d) comprises:

fitting said second cassette part concentrically around or inside said first cassette part.

27. A method according to claim 21, wherein step (d) comprises:

establishing an interference fit between said first and second cassette parts.

28. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first and second cassette parts each comprise corresponding features which provide for a snap fit when said first and second cassette parts are attached, and wherein step (d) comprises:

associating said corresponding features to snap said second cassette part onto said first cassette part.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said corresponding features comprise a detent and a recess, and wherein step (d) comprises:

locating said detent in said recess.

30. A method according to claim 21, wherein sealing steps (a) and (b) comprise:

sealing said first and second membranes around their periphery to substantially annular first and second cassette parts, respectively.

31. A method according to claim 21, wherein step (c) is carried out before step (b).

32. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first and second cassette parts each comprise a seating face substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the parts are moved to be attached and wherein step (d) further comprises:

contacting said respective seating faces.

33. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first and second cassette parts each comprise a tapered face at an acute angle to the direction in which the parts are moved to be attached, and wherein step (d) further comprises:

contacting said respective tapered faces.

34. A method according to claim 21, wherein said attaching step (d) comprises:

introducing a third cassette part so as to attach said first and second cassette parts together.

35. A method according to claim 34, further comprising:

sealing a third rupturable membrane to said third cassette part before employing said third cassette part.

36. A method according to claim 21, wherein step (d) comprises:

rotating the first and second cassette parts relative to one another so as to screw them together.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein said relative rotation is less 180°

.

38. A particle cassette for a needleless syringe device, produced using the assembly method of claim 21.