Dose metering mechanism for an injection device

• US 20070016142A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Moser, Ulrich, Burren, Stefan, Schrul, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,811,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2407 from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31508 provided on the piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible 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 5/3146 Priming, e.g. purging, reducing backlash or clearance
• 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 5/31536 Blocking means to immobilize a selected dose, e.g. to administer equal doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31538 Permanent blocking, e.g. by medical personnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31541 Means preventing setting of a dose beyond the amount remaining in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31551 including axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31563 interacting with a displaceable stop member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31575 using scaling up or down transmissions, e.g. gearbox
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31585 performed by axially moving actuator, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/021 : of the piston type G01F11/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/027 : of the syringe type

Abstract

A dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from an injection device, the mechanism including a setting sleeve marked with dose amounts by which a dose to be administered is set by rotation, and a rotating sleeve which can be rotated out of the dose metering mechanism to prime the dispensing of a dose and is marked with dose amounts, the setting sleeve coupled to the rotating sleeve whereby when the rotating sleeve is fully rotated out, the dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated dose amount of the rotating sleeve. A method of priming an injection device is encompassed, wherein a dose to be administered is set by a setting element and dispensing of the substance is primed by a priming element by rotating the priming element out, wherein the setting element and priming element are coupled whereby the priming element can be rotated out as far as a restriction after the dose has been set, until, being restricted, a marking on the priming element defining the dosage amount is positioned relative to an associated set dose marking on the setting element.

Claims

1. A dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from an injection device, the dose metering mechanism comprising:

a setting sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, by which setting sleeve a dose can be set by rotation, and

a rotating sleeve which can be rotated out of the dose metering mechanism to prime the dispensing of a dose, said rotating sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, wherein

said setting sleeve is coupled to the rotating sleeve so that when the rotating sleeve is fully rotated out the dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated dose amount of the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction.

2. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dose to be administered is fixed by a position of rotation of the setting sleeve relative to the dose metering mechanism or to the injection device.

3. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of rotation of the setting sleeve restricts the degree to which the rotating sleeve can be rotated out and defines a maximum possible angle of rotation of the rotating sleeve.

4. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the position of rotation of the setting sleeve defines a maximum possible angle of rotation of the rotating sleeve.

5. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locking element associated with the rotating sleeve which is moved toward an end stop associated with the setting sleeve during every setting routine, and restricts the degree to which the rotating sleeve can be rotated out.

6. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting sleeve is substantially coaxial with the rotating sleeve, and wherein the setting sleeve and the rotating sleeve each comprise a stop element which restricts the degree to which the rotating sleeve is able to rotate relative to the setting sleeve.

7. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein every dose amount on the setting sleeve is assigned a corresponding amount on the rotating sleeve.

8. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dose amounts on the rotating sleeve are offset from one another in an axial direction in rising sequence and in a spiral.

9. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a marking element associated with the injection device by which a reading can be taken of the dose set by rotating the setting sleeve relative to the injection device.

10. An injection device comprising a dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from the injection device, the dose metering mechanism comprising:

a setting sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, by which setting sleeve a dose can be set by rotation, and

a rotating sleeve which can be rotated out of the dose metering mechanism to prime the dispensing of a dose, said rotating sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, wherein

said setting sleeve is coupled to the rotating sleeve so that when the rotating sleeve is fully rotated out the dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated dose amount of the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction.

11. A method of priming the dispensing of a dose of substance to be administered from an injection device, comprising the steps of;

rotating a setting element to set the dose to be administered, and

priming the dispensing of the substance by rotating out a priming element, wherein

the setting element and priming element are operably coupled, whereby the priming element can be rotated out as far as a restriction after the dose has been set, until, being restricted, a mark on the priming element defining the dose amount is positioned in the axial extension of an associated set dose marking on the setting element.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, whereby the set dose is administered from the injection device by rotating back the priming element which was previously rotated out of the setting element or the injection device by the setting element as far as the restriction.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the setting element comprises a setting sleeve.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the priming element comprises a rotating sleeve.

15. A method of priming the dispensing of a dose of a substance to be administered from an injection device, wherein the quantity of the dose to be administered is set by means of a setting element comprising a setting sleeve by rotating the setting element, and wherein dispensing of the substance is primed by means of a priming element comprising a rotating sleeve by rotating the priming element out, the injection device further comprising a locking element moved in a direction toward an end position defined by an end stop during every setting routine, the locking element restricting the outward rotating movement of the priming element if the available quantity of substance to be dispensed is smaller than the quantity of the dose to be dispensed set by the setting element.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein if the rotating movement of the priming element is restricted by the locking element and not by the setting element a marking on the priming element defining a dose does not lie in the axial extension of an associated dose marking set on the setting element.

17. A dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from an injection device, said dose metering mechanism comprising a setting sleeve incorporating at least one marking with different dose amounts in a circumferential direction by which a dose to be administered can be set by rotation, and a rotating sleeve which can be rotated out of the dose metering mechanism to prime the dispensing of a dose, which rotating sleeve has at least one marking with different dose amounts in a circumferential direction, wherein the setting sleeve is coupled to the rotating sleeve so that when the rotating sleeve is in a fully rotated out state, the dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated dose amount of the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction.