Medicine injection devices and methods

• US 20060173408A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Washington Biotech Corporation
• Original Assignee: Washington Biotech Corporation
• Inventors: Wyrick, Ronald E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,297,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2013 triggering of discharging means by contact of injector with patient body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2073 preventing premature release, e.g. by making use of a safety lock
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3267 Biased sleeves where the needle is uncovered by insertion of the needle into a patient's body
• 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 5/2459 upon internal pressure increase, e.g. pierced or burst A61M5/2429 takes precedence
• 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 5/3204 Needle cap remover, i.e. devices to dislodge protection cover from needle or needle hub, e.g. deshielding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

A reloadable medicine injector and methods are described in which a barrel with a receiving cavity is adapted to slidably receive a syringe subassembly for axial movement therein. Upon removal of a safety and release of a syringe driver, the syringe driver moves forward and injects the syringe needle. A plurality of penetration controls are shown for controlling injection needle penetration depth. The penetration controls have an abutment and various lengths to provide different needle penetration depth positions. In one form of penetration control a sleeve is used against which the syringe or related parts contact. In another form the front return spring is used as a penetration control. A cushioning ring may be used to reduce syringe breakage. A load distribution and guide ring may be used to distribute loading applied to the syringe and help guide the moving syringe.

Claims

1. An apparatus forming a medicine injection device, comprising:

a barrel having a muzzle end with a needle receiving aperture,

a syringe subassembly receiving cavity situated along the barrel adjacent the muzzle end, adapted to releasably and slidably receive a syringe subassembly for movement toward and away from the muzzle end with a needle of the syringe subassembly being capable of projection through the needle receiving aperture;

a syringe driver connected to the barrel, and having a driver bar movable toward the muzzle end through the syringe subassembly receiving cavity; and

a penetration controller mounted at the muzzle end of the barrel and having a syringe subassembly abutment spaced from the muzzle end to achieve a desired needle penetration depth position.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a nose cap at the muzzle end of the barrel, and wherein the penetration controller is mounted using the nose cap.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a sheath remover, releasably mounted on the barrel at the muzzle end for removing a needle sheath which covers at least part of said needle.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the penetration controller comprises a sleeve and a resilient pad which is positioned between the syringe subassembly and the penetration controller.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a nose cap releasably mounted to the barrel, and wherein the penetration controller is spring mounted to the nose cap and having a compressed length which controls penetration depth of the needle which extends from the muzzle end.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a dose stop collar releasably mounted within the barrel to stop movement of the driver bar toward the muzzle end.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a nose cap removably mounted to the barrel at the muzzle end and wherein the penetration controller is comprised of a penetration control sleeve with a needle hub abutment surface spaced a desired distance from the muzzle end.

8. An apparatus forming a medicine injection device, comprising:

a barrel having a muzzle end with a needle receiving aperture,

a syringe subassembly cavity within the barrel;

a double needle syringe subassembly within the barrel and sized to slide within said cavity, the double needle syringe subassembly having at least one fluid medication receiving ampule with a rearward end slidably receiving a plunger piston and a forward end having a penetrable seal, a double needle mounted adjacent the penetrable seal, the double needle having a seal penetration needle projecting rearwardly toward the seal and a flesh penetration needle projecting forwardly for deployment through the needle receiving aperture;

a syringe driver on the barrel, and having an driver bar movable to operatively engage the syringe subassembly, to move the syringe subassembly toward the muzzle end through the syringe subassembly cavity; and

a penetration control which controls penetration of the flesh penetration needle to a depth stop position to provide a desired final penetration depth which can be varied by choice of the penetration control selected.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the penetration control includes a penetration control element within the barrel, having an abutment surface thereon.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the penetration control includes plural penetration control elements which can be interchangeably used depending on the desired penetration depth for the dose of medicine to be dispensed.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a resilient pad positioned between the double needle syringe subassembly and said penetration control to distribute forces experienced by the double needle syringe assembly when deployed into a fully extended penetration stop position.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the penetration control includes a spring mounted within the barrel between the double needle and the muzzle end.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the penetration control is comprised of a compression spring mounted to engage with a nose cap which is releasably secured to the barrel at the muzzle end.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a nose cap removably mounted to the barrel at the muzzle end and defining the needle receiving aperture, and wherein the penetration control includes a compression spring mounted within the nose cap.

15. An apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a nose cap removably mounted to the barrel and defining the needle receiving aperture, and wherein the penetration control includes a sleeve positioned at least partially within the nose cap and having an abutment surface for abutment with the double needle syringe subassembly.

16. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the flesh penetration needle is covered by a sheath;

and further comprising a sheath remover releasably mounted on the barrel at the muzzle end and including a needle sheath gripper for engaging and removing the sheath.

17. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the syringe driver includes a driver bar slidably positioned within the barrel, and wherein the double needle syringe subassembly has a plunger rod of adjustable axial length.

18. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the syringe driver includes a driver bar which engages a plunger rod of the double needle syringe subassembly, and a removable dosage stop attached to the plunger rod to limit motion of the driver bar in a forward direction toward the muzzle end.

19. An apparatus forming a medicine injection device, comprising:

a barrel having a muzzle end with a needle receiving aperture,

a syringe subassembly receiving cavity along the barrel;

a syringe subassembly within the barrel and sized to slide within the cavity, the syringe subassembly having an ampule for housing fluid medication, a needle, and a plunger for forcing the fluid medication from the ampule through the needle;

a driver for forcing the syringe subassembly to penetrate flesh and displace fluid medication through the needle, the driver being movable between a cocked position and extended positions;

a driver release for controllably releasing the driver from the cocked position to move toward said extended positions;

a removable stop within the barrel for halting movement of the driver at a selected extended position; and

a penetration control which can be varied and having an abutment surface which stops movement of the syringe subassembly such that the needle projects from the muzzle end a desired penetration distance.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 and further comprising an adjustable length plunger shaft.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said abutment surface is a surface on a penetration controller of a selected length.

22. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the penetration control is a compression spring that collapses to stop movement of the syringe subassembly.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the penetration control is comprised of a sleeve having a selected length dimension and a syringe subassembly abutment surface at a rearward end thereof, and further comprising a nose cap mounting the sleeve, and wherein the nose cap is releasably connected to the barrel at the muzzle end to allow installation and removal of the syringe subassembly.

24. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the penetration control comprises a selected compression spring having a predetermined compressed length dimension and having an abutment surface at a rearward end thereof, and further comprising a nose cap releasably mounted to the barrel at the muzzle end.

25. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the penetration control comprises a compression spring having a compressed length dimension and having an abutment surface at a rearward end thereof.

26. An apparatus forming a medicine injection device, comprising:

a barrel having a muzzle end;

a syringe subassembly cavity within the barrel;

a syringe subassembly within the barrel and sized to slide within the cavity, the syringe subassembly having an ampule for housing fluid medication, a needle, and a plunger for forcing the fluid medication from the ampule through the needle;

a driver for forcing the syringe subassembly to penetrate flesh and displace fluid medication through the needle, the driver being movable between a cocked position and extended positions;

a penetration controller comprising a selected coil spring from a series of coil springs of different winding configurations with different compressed axial lengths, the selected coil spring being positioned in the cavity to be engaged and compressed by the syringe subassembly to its contracted axial length in response to movement of the syringe subassembly, to thereby stop movement of the syringe subassembly at a selected stop position with the needle at a selected needle penetration depth.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the muzzle end is selectively covered by a removable nose cap and wherein the selected spring engages the nose cap for removal therewith.

28. An apparatus according to claim 26 further comprising a removable nose cap releasably attached to the barrel and abutting an end of the selected spring.

29. An apparatus forming a medicine injection device, comprising:

a barrel having a muzzle end with a needle receiving aperture;

a nose cap which is detachable from said barrel;

a syringe subassembly cavity within the barrel;

a syringe subassembly within the barrel and sized to slide within said cavity;

a syringe driver to move the syringe subassembly toward the muzzle end through the syringe subassembly cavity;

wherein the syringe subassembly can be inserted into the barrel in reverse orientation after an injection has been given and the nose cap and syringe subassembly have been removed to thus serve as a sharps container.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein the nose cap is attached to the barrel after insertion of the syringe subassembly in the reverse orientation.

31. A method for driving a syringe needle to a selected penetration depth, comprising:

locating a syringe subassembly within a barrel having a muzzle end;

positioning a penetration control between the muzzle end and syringe subassembly selected from a plurality of penetration controls having different stop positions; and

driving the syringe subassembly toward the muzzle end until the syringe subassembly is stopped by the penetration control such that the needle projects a selected penetration depth from said muzzle end.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein positioning the penetration control is accomplished by placing a sleeve of a selected length within the barrel.

33. A method according to claim 31 wherein positioning the penetration control is accomplished by placing a compression spring and a sleeve of a selected length within the barrel.

34. A method according to claim 31 wherein positioning the penetration control is accomplished by placing at least one compression spring having a selected compressed length dimension within the barrel between the syringe and the muzzle end.

35. A method for injecting medicine from a syringe and storing the syringe after injection of the medicine, comprising:

providing an injector having a barrel with a syringe therein and a removable nose cap;

administering a dose of medicine using said injector;

removing the nose cap;

withdrawing the syringe from the barrel after said nose cap has been removed;

reinserting the syringe back into the barrel in reverse orientation so that the injector serves as a sharps container for the syringe.

36. A method according to claim 35 and further comprising reattaching the nose cap to the barrel to lock the syringe therein.