Needle-less injector and method of fluid delivery

• US 20070118094A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PharmaJet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PharmaJet, Inc.
• Inventors: Bingham, John, Steinway, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/208 Release is possible only when device is pushed against the skin, e.g. using a trigger which is blocked or inactive when the device is not pushed against the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/425 Protruding skin to facilitate piercing, e.g. vacuum cylinders, vein immobilising means

Abstract

A needle-less injector device for delivering a dose of fluid intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human. The device includes an inner housing having opposed ends. A syringe is disposed in one end of the inner housing. The syringe includes a nozzle for delivering a dose of fluid held within the syringe. A plunger is movably disposed within the syringe. A spring powered hammer is movably disposed within the inner housing. The hammer cooperates with the plunger to drive the dose of medicament from the nozzle. An injection delivery spring for powering the hammer is positioned and compressed between the other end of the inner housing and the spring powered hammer. An outer housing slideably supports the inner housing. A skin tensioning spring is mounted between the inner housing and the outer housing, the skin tensioning spring biasing the nozzle of the syringe against the animal or human. A trigger mechanism is disposed in the outer housing, the trigger mechanism cooperating with the spring powered hammer to release the injection delivery spring, wherein the size of the injection delivery spring and the length of the hammer dictate the amount of dose delivered and whether the dose is delivered intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human.

Claims

1. A needle-less injector device for delivering a dose of fluid intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human comprising:

an inner housing having opposed ends;

a syringe disposed in one end of the inner housing, the syringe including a nozzle for delivering a dose of fluid held within the syringe;

a plunger movably disposed within the syringe;

a spring powered hammer movably disposed within said inner housing, the hammer communicating with the plunger to drive the dose of medicament from the nozzle;

an injection delivery spring for powering the hammer, positioned and compressed between the other end of the inner housing and the spring powered hammer;

an outer housing for slideably supporting the inner housing;

a skin tensioning spring mounted between the inner housing and the outer housing, the skin tensioning spring biasing the nozzle of the syringe against the animal or human; and

a trigger mechanism disposed in said outer housing, the trigger mechanism cooperating with the spring powered hammer to release the injection delivery spring, wherein the size of the injection delivery spring, skin tensioning spring and the length of the hammer dictate the amount of dose delivered and whether the dose is delivered intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human.

2. The needle-less injection device of claim 1, wherein said trigger mechanism is movably disposed in the outer housing between a cocked position to an unloaded position.

3. The needle-less injection device of claim 2, wherein said trigger mechanism includes a trigger in communication with the hammer, wherein when the spring powered hammer is moved towards the trailing end of the inner housing the injection delivery is compressed to move the spring powered hammer towards the cocked position.

4. The needle-less injection device of claim 1, wherein said injection delivery spring has a predetermined stiffness to control the depth of the delivery of the fluid.

5. The needle-less injection device of claim 1, wherein said hammer has a predetermined length so as to position the plunger so that it extends into the syringe a predetermined distance, wherein a longer length hammer will position the plunger further into the syringe allowing for delivery of smaller doses of fluid.

6. The needle-less injector device of claim 1, wherein the syringe is made of an injection molded polymer.

7. The needle-less injector device of claim 6, wherein the syringe is made of Topas®

.

8. The needle-less injector device of claim 1, wherein the syringe is made of an injection molded polypropylene.

9. The needle-less injector device of claim 1, wherein the plunger is made of a polycarbonate material.

10. The needle-less injector device of claim 1, wherein the syringe contains a single dose of fluid.

11. The needle-less injector device of claim 1, wherein the syringe contains multiple doses of fluid.

12. The needle-less injector device of claim 1, wherein the syringe contains a dose of medicament within the range of 0.1 cc to 1 ccs.

13. The needless-injector of claim 1, wherein the syringe is pre-filled with a predetermined dose of medicament.

14. A needle-less injector device for delivering a dose of medicament intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human comprising:

an outer housing;

an inner housing slideably disposed within the outer housing, the inner housing being movable within the outer housing between a ready position and a firing position, the inner housing having a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end of the inner housing being adapted for receiving a syringe that includes a nozzle for delivering a dose of medicament held within the syringe, the inner housing further having a hammer that is movable from a cocked position to an unloaded position;

an injection delivery spring movably disposed within the inner housing for driving the hammer;

a plunger movably and sealingly disposed in the syringe, said plunger being movable by said hammer to dispense the dose of medicament from the syringe;

a skin tensioning spring mounted between the inner housing and the outer housing, the skin tensioning spring biasing the leading end of the inner housing away from the outer housing; and

a trigger disposed in said outer housing, the trigger being operable through the outer housing when the inner housing is in the firing position, the trigger cooperating with the spring powered ram to release the hammer from the cocked position only when the inner housing is in the firing position, wherein the size of the injection delivery spring and the length of the hammer dictate the amount of dose delivered and whether the dose is delivered intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human.

15. The needle-less injection device of claim 14, wherein said injection delivery spring has a predetermined stiffness to control the depth of the delivery of the fluid.

16. The needle-less injection device of claim 14, wherein said hammer has a predetermined length so as to position the plunger so that it extends into the syringe a predetermined distance, wherein a longer length hammer will position the plunger further into the syringe allowing for delivery of smaller doses of fluid.

17. The needle-less injector device of claim 14, wherein the syringe is made of an injection molded polymer.

18. The needle-less injector device of claim 17, wherein the syringe is made of Topas®

.

19. The needle-less injector device of claim 14, wherein the syringe is made of an injection molded polypropylene.

20. The needle-less injector device of claim 14, wherein the plunger is made of a polycarbonate material.

21. The needle-less injector device of claim 14, wherein the plunger is made of a polycarbonate material.

22. The needle-less injector device of claim 14, wherein the syringe contains a single dose of fluid.

23. The needle-less injector device of claim 14, wherein the syringe contains a dose of medicament within the range of 0.1 cc to 1 ccs.

24. A method for delivering a dose of medicament intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a syringe containing a predetermined dose of medicament, said syringe including a nozzle for delivering the medicament and a skin tensioner;

providing a needle-less injector device, said needle-less injector device including an inner housing having a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end of the inner housing being adapted for receiving said syringe, the inner housing further having a hammer movably disposed within the inner housing;

an injection delivery spring disposed in the inner housing between the hammer and the trailing end of the inner housing for driving the hammer;

a plunger movably and sealingly located within the syringe, the plunger being driven by the hammer;

a hollow outer housing adapted for slideably receiving the inner housing therein, the inner housing being movable within the hollow outer housing between a safe position and a firing position; and

a skin tensioning spring mounted between the inner housing and the outer housing, the skin tensioning spring biasing the nozzle toward the skin of the human or animal;

placing the nozzle of the syringe against the skin; and

pressing the trigger to release the hammer, wherein the hammer forces the plunger through the syringe to eject the fluid from the syringe through the nozzle into the skin, wherein the size of the injection delivery spring, skin tensioning spring and the length of the hammer dictate the amount of dose delivered and whether the dose is delivered intradermally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly to an animal or human.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of placing the nozzle of the syringe against the skin further comprises positioning the skin tensioner against the skin and pressing the tensioner against the skin by pushing the outer housing towards the skin tensioner and causing the outer housing to move towards the leading end of the inner housing against the skin and against a force from the tensioning spring until the inner housing is in the firing position, wherein the force from the skin tensioning spring causes the skin to stretch in front of the nozzle.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the syringe comprises filling the syringe with a dose of medicament within the range of 0.1 cc to 1 cc.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the syringe comprises pre-filling the syringe with the predetermined dose.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the syringe comprises providing a multi-dose syringe.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the syringe comprises providing a syringe made of an injection molded polymer.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of providing the syringe comprises providing a syringe made of Topas®

.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the syringe comprises providing a syringe made of an injection molded polypropylene.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the needle-less injection device further comprises providing a skin tensioning spring having a predetermined stiffness.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the needle-less injection device further comprises providing an injection tensioning spring having a predetermined stiffness to control the depth of the injection.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing the needle-less injection device further comprises providing a hammer having a predetermined length to control the amount of medicament driven from the syringe by the plunger.