Administration instrument for medical use

• US 20050090781A1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Baba, Tokumi, Matsuda, Kouichi, Ishikawa, Tokumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,922,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2407 from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2488 via rotation, e.g. threads or bayonet
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2496 via pivot
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3123 having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3132 having flow passages for injection agents at the distal end of the barrel to bypass a sealing stopper after its displacement to this end due to internal pressure increase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3152 including gearings to multiply or attenuate the piston displacing force
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• 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 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• 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 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3146 Priming, e.g. purging, reducing backlash or clearance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31556 Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31571 : Means preventing accidental administration for automatic syringes A61M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31573 : Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 : performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31583 : based on rotational translation, i.e. movement of piston rod is caused by relative rotation between the user activated actuator and the piston rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31585 : performed by axially moving actuator, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31596 : comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3287 : Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 : having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

The present invention relates to an administration instrument for medical use that can perform injection of a drug solution with stability and with great reliability. For example, at the administration, it is possible to prevent a force that presses the injection button from acting in a direction of inserting the needle that is inserted into the skin deeper, and enables the administration under a stable state where the needle does not wobble, thereby alleviating physical and mental pain of the administration patient.

With a structure in which an injection button (3) is pressed at an angle that is not parallel to the needle with respect to a direction in which the needle (4) is inserted into the skin, it is possible to prevent the force of pressing the injection button from being transmitted in a direction of inserting the needle into the skin deeper than the initial insertion of the needle, thereby achieving an administration under a stable state.

Claims

1. An administration instrument for medical use including:

an injection button for administering an injection, which is depressed by an administrator of the injection; and

a depressing force transmission unit for transmitting an injection button depressing force to a plunger of a drug solution cartridge that contains the injection at an angle that is not parallel to a longitudinal direction of a needle,

thereby enabling administration of the injection by pressing the injection button at an angle that is not parallel to a direction of insertion of the needle.

2. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 1 wherein

the depressing force transmission unit includes:

a rack which extends in the same direction as that of the depression of the injection button;

a first gear which engages with teeth formed on one side of the rack in a longitudinal direction;

a second gear which engages with the first gear; and

a movable piece which has teeth engaging with the second gear on one side thereof in a direction perpendicular to the rack extending direction, and

said movable piece presses the plunger of the drug solution cartridge due to the pressing operation of the injection button.

3. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 1 including:

an injection amount setting unit for setting an amount of the injection to be administered.

4. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 3 wherein

the injection amount setting unit includes:

a sleeve which is integrated with the plunger, and passes through and engages with the movable piece; and

an administration amount adjustment knob which is attached to the sleeve on a side opposite to the plunger, and moves the movable piece within the drug solution cartridge forward or backward by the administrator changing the rotational direction.

5. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 1 including:

an injection button return unit for returning the injection button to its original position when the finger that has pressed the injection button is taken off after the administration.

6. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 5 wherein

the injection button return unit comprises a spring that is sandwiched between an end surface of the rack opposite to the injection button and an inner surface of the administration instrument for medical use.

7. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 1 wherein

a skin touch portion which is touched on the skin at the injection is provided on the same side as a surface of the body of the administration instrument for medical use, on which the needle is located.

8. An administration instrument for medical use including:

a skin touch portion that touches the skin of an administrator to stabilize an administration state at administration of a drug solution;

a position variable unit for variably changing a position of the skin touch portion; and

a skin touch area variable unit for variably changing a skin touch area of the skin touch portion.

9. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 8 wherein

the skin touch position variable unit comprises a mating fixing unit for mating and fixing the skin touch portion to the body of the administration instrument for medical use stepwise at a desired position in a longitudinal direction of a needle.

10. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 8 wherein

the skin touch area variable unit comprises a skin touch width adjustment unit for variably changing an area of a skin touch width by manually sliding a skin touch width adjustment piece including a part of a surface of the skin touch portion.

11. An administration operation inhibit unit for inhibiting an administration operation that is activated by pressing an injection button or an administration button when a needle is not attached to the administration instrument.

12. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 11 wherein

the administration operation inhibit unit inhibits an operation of a plunger that forces a drug solution out of the needle when the button operation is performed in a case where the needle is not attached to the administration instrument.

13. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 11 wherein

the administration operation inhibit unit includes:

a needle attachment detection unit for detecting whether the needle is attached to the administration instrument or not.

14. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 13 including:

a plunger driving unit for driving the plunger by an operation of the injection button or the administration button, and

said needle attachment detection unit engaging with the plunger driving unit when the needle is not attached to the administration instrument to inhibit the operation of the injection button or the administration button.

15. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 14 wherein

a resin unit that is integral with the needle contacts the detection unit when the needle is attached to the administration instrument.

16. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 15 wherein

a resin unit that is integral with the needle is separated from the detection unit when the needle is removed from the administration instrument.

17. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 14 wherein

the plunger driving unit includes:

an injection button for administering an injection, which is depressed by an administrator of the injection;

a rack which extends in the same direction as that of the depression of the injection button, and has a cut-away engagement portion in a part;

a first gear which engages with teeth formed on one side of the rack in its longitudinal direction; and

a second gear which engages with the first gear and teeth that are formed on the plunger in its longitudinal direction,

the needle attachment detection unit includes;

an eject lever which is located in parallel to the plunger, and has a L-shaped end portion that is sandwiched between the drug solution cartridge and the needle, on one end, and a cut-away engagement portion that is formed at a position corresponding to the engagement portion of the rack; and

a spring member that pulls the eject lever toward the tip of the needle, and

when the needle is not attached to the instrument with the L-shaped end portion being sandwiched, the engagement portions of the eject lever and the plunger engage with each other due to a tension of the spring member, thereby inhibiting the operation of the injection button or the administration button.

18. An administration instrument for medical use that is constructed in such a manner that, when a drug solution cartridge is to be placed in the administration instrument body, the drug solution cartridge cannot be housed normally in the administration instrument body without a needle being attached thereto.

19. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 18 wherein

plural drug solutions are mixed or a drug and a drug solution are dissolved and mixed, and the mixture cannot be performed in said administration instrument body unless a needle is attached thereto.

20. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 19 wherein

when the drug solution cartridge is to be placed in the body of the administration instrument, a rear rubber part of the drug solution cartridge cannot slide within the drug solution cartridge with contacting a part of the administration instrument unless a needle is attached to the instrument.

21. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 19 wherein

in the drug solution cartridge,

different drugs or drug solutions are loaded in a front half of the cartridge to which the needle is attached and a rear opposite half of the cartridge, respectively,

the front half of the cartridge has a larger diameter part, the inner diameter of which is larger than the inner diameter of the remaining parts,

the rear rubber part is provided on an end surface that is opposite to an end surface of the drug solution cartridge to which the needle is attached, and

by depressing the rear rubber part into the drug solution cartridge, a separation rubber that partitions the front half and the rear half of the cartridge is moved to the larger diameter part, thereby mixing the drugs or drug solutions.

22. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 21 including:

a dissolution piece which is fixed to the administration instrument body and pushes the rear rubber part of the drug solution cartridge by the cartridge being slid within the administration instrument body and attached to the body.

23. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 18 wherein

a retractable door is provided at a position on the administration instrument body where the drug solution cartridge is loaded when the drug solution cartridge is to be loaded in the administration instrument body.

24. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 18 wherein

a needle attachment detection unit for detecting whether the needle is attached to the administration instrument or not is provided between the needle and the administration instrument body.

25. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 20 wherein

a sliding piece for sliding the drug solution cartridge and house the same into the administration instrument body is fixed in synchronization with the needle attachment detection unit which detects that the needle is attached to the drug solution cartridge.

26. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 25 wherein the needle attachment detection unit is provided under the sliding piece in parallel to the sliding piece, except for an L-shaped end portion that is sandwiched between the needle and the drug solution cartridge at attachment of the needle,

an eject knob is provided which fits into openings that are formed on the sliding piece and the needle attachment detection unit by a depressing urge force, and

the openings are formed so that positions of the openings of the sliding piece and the needle attachment detection unit are the same in a state where the needle is not attached yet, while the positions of the openings are different from each other in a state where the needle attachment detection unit is shifted by attaching the needle to the instrument.

27. An administration instrument for medical use including an air removal announcement unit for urging an administrator to perform an air removal operation for removing air that remains within a drug solution cabin of the administration instrument before injection.

28. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 27 wherein

the air removal announcement unit displays a text, a symbol, or a figure which urges the administrator to perform the air removal operation, as well as outputs voices which urge the administrator to perform the air removal operation.

29. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 27 wherein

the air removal announcement unit includes:

a first switch for detecting removal of a body cap that is attached over the body of the administration instrument for medical use to which a needle is attached;

a air removal display signal generation unit for generating a display signal for the text, the symbol, or the figure that urges the administrator to perform the air removal operation when the first switch detects that the body cap is removed; and

a display unit for displaying the display signal for the text, the symbol, or the figure that urges the air removal operation,

thereby displaying the text, the symbol, or the figure that urges the administrator to perform the air removal operation when the body cap attached over the body of the administration instrument for medical use to which the needle is attached is removed.

30. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 27 wherein

the air removal announcement unit includes:

a second switch for detecting that the drug solution cartridge has been loaded into the body of the administration instrument for medical use;

an air removal display signal generation unit for generating a display signal for a text, a symbol, and a figure that urges the administrator to perform an air removal operation at a time when the second switch detects that the drug solution cartridge has been loaded into the body of the administration instrument for medical use; and

a display unit for displaying the display signal for the text, the symbol, and the figure that urges the air removal operation,

thereby displaying the text, the symbol, and the figure that urges the administrator to perform the air removal operation when the drug solution cartridge is loaded into the body of the administration instrument for medical use.

31. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 27 wherein

the air removal announcement unit includes:

a first switch for detecting removal of the body cap which is attached over the body of the administration instrument for medical use to which the needle is attached;

an air removal audio signal generation unit for generating an audio signal that urges the administrator to perform an air removal operation when the first switch detects the removal of the body cap; and

a speaker for outputting voices in accordance with the audio signal that urges the air removal operation,

thereby outputting the voices that urge the administrator to perform the air removal operation when the body cap is removed.

32. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 27 wherein

the air removal announcement unit includes:

a second switch for detecting that the drug solution cartridge has been loaded into the body of the administration instrument for medical use;

an air removal audio signal generation unit for generating an audio signal that urges the administrator to perform an air removal operation when the second switch detects that the drug solution cartridge has been loaded in the administration instrument for medical use; and

a speaker for outputting voices in accordance with the audio signal that urges the air removal operation,

thereby outputting voices that urge the administrator to perform the air removal operation when the drug solution cartridge has been loaded in the body of the administration instrument for medical use.

33. An administration instrument for medical use including:

a needle contact detection unit for detecting that a needle is touching the skin;

an injection completion detection unit for detecting that injection has been completed;

an injection amount detection unit for detecting an amount of the injection administered;

an injection amount recording unit for recording the amount of the injection administered; and

a control unit for controlling the injection amount detection unit and the injection amount recording unit to record the amount of the injection administered only when the injection completion detection unit detects that the injection has been completed and the needle contact detection unit detects that the needle is touching the skin.

34. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 33 including:

a calendar unit for generating a present date information;

a clock unit for generating a present time information; and

said control unit detecting that the injection has been completed and, at the same time, recording the date and the time of the completion of the injection.

35. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 33 including:

a display unit for displaying an injection amount in setting an amount of the injection to be administered, and an injection amount that is recorded when the injection has been completed.

36. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 35 wherein

the display unit displays the date and the time, in addition to the injection amount that is recorded at the completion of the injection.

37. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 33 wherein

the needle contact detection unit includes:

a ring-shaped or a semi-ring-shaped contact detection member that slides along the needle at an instant when the needle is inserted; and

a third switch that is operated by the sliding of the contact detection member.

38. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 33 wherein

the needle contact detection unit includes:

a third switch which is on the same side of the skin touch portion as the needle, and is operated during the administration at an instant when the needle is inserted into the skin.