Auto-Injector Comprising a Resettable Releasing Safety Device

• US 20070142787A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Scherer
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Scherer
• Inventors: Scherer, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 7,635,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/197
• 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 2205/583 by visual feedback
• 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 5/3157 Means providing feedback signals when administration is completed A61M5/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001

Abstract

An autoinjector including a housing, a receptacle for an active substance, which receptacle, together with a connected injection needle, is displaceable within the housing by spring force for inserting the injection needle into a patient, a piston displaceable within the receptacle by spring force for expelling the active substance, a transfer mechanism for transferring the spring force to the receptacle and/or to the piston, a holding mechanism for holding the transfer mechanism, a releasing mechanism for causing the holding mechanism to release the transfer mechanism when the releasing mechanism is moved from a first position into a second position, and a resetting mechanism for moving the releasing mechanism from the first position into the second position without during the move causing the transfer mechanism to be released.

Claims

1. An autoinjector comprising:

a housing;

a receptacle for an active substance, which receptacle, together with a connected injection needle, is displaceable within the housing by spring force for inserting the injection needle into a patient;

a piston displaceable within the receptacle by spring force for expelling the active substance;

a transfer mechanism for transferring the spring force to at least one of the receptacle and piston;

a holding mechanism for holding the transfer mechanism;

a releasing mechanism for causing the holding mechanism to release the transfer mechanism when the releasing mechanism is moved from a first position into a second position; and

a resetting mechanism for moving the releasing mechanism from the first position into the second position without during the move causing the transfer mechanism to be released.

2. An autoinjector for the automatic injection of an active substance, said autoinjector comprising a receptacle for the active substance, which receptacle, together with a connected injection needle, is displaceable within a housing by spring force for the purpose of inserting the injection needle, a syringe piston, which for the purpose of expelling the active substance is displaceable within the receptacle by spring force, a transfer means that transfer the spring force to at least one of the receptacle and syringe piston, a holding means for holding the transfer means, a releasing means for causing the holding means to release the transfer means when the releasing means are brought from a first position into a second position, and selectively actuable resetting means to bring the releasing means from the first position into the second position without causing the transfer means to be released.

3. The autoinjector according to claim 2, wherein the holding means comprises elastic nubs that with their free ends engage a recess provided on the transfer means.

4. The autoinjector according to claim 3, wherein the releasing means comprises elastic tongues that act on the elastic nubs and bring the nubs out of engagement in the recess when the releasing means are moved from the first into the second position.

5. The autoinjector according to claim 4, wherein actuating the resetting means causes the elastic tongues to elastically deform so the tongues do not act on the elastic nubs when the releasing means are brought the first into the second position.

6. The autoinjector according to claim 5, wherein the releasing means comprise a releasing head axially displaceable in relation to the housing.

7. The autoinjector according to claim 6, wherein the releasing head in its first position is further rearward in relation to the housing than in its second position.

8. The autoinjector according to claim 7, wherein the releasing head is adjacent to the rear end of the housing, which rear end is opposite to the injection needle.

9. The autoinjector according to claim 2, further comprising spring means for urging the releasing head in the direction of its second position.

10. The autoinjector according to claim 9, wherein the resetting means comprises at least one pushbutton accommodated in the releasing head and actuable generally radially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the autoinjector.

11. An autoinjector, comprising:

a housing for enclosing a reservoir, an injection needle fluidly coupled to the reservoir, and a piston for displacing fluid in the reservoir though the injection needle to deliver a dose to a patient;

a transfer mechanism for applying a transferring force to the piston in a dose delivery direction, wherein the transfer mechanism is spring-loaded;

a gripping mechanism that grips the transfer mechanism to prevent movement of the transfer mechanism prior to applying the transferring force to the piston;

a trigger mechanism for triggering operation of the transfer mechanism, thereby delivering the dose to the patient;

a release mechanism coupled to the trigger mechanism, wherein the release mechanism is enabled by moving the trigger mechanism in a direction substantially opposite to the dose delivery direction from a first position into a second position, and wherein the release mechanism releases the gripping mechanism when the trigger mechanism is moved from the second position to the first position, thereby delivering the dose to the patient; and

a resetting mechanism coupled to the trigger mechanism for disengaging the release mechanism when the trigger mechanism is in the second position prior to delivery of the dose to enable the trigger mechanism to return to the first position without releasing the gripping mechanism.

12. The autoinjector of claim 11, wherein the gripping mechanism comprises elastic nubs that engage grooves in the transfer mechanism.

13. The autoinjector of claim 12, wherein the release mechanism comprises a wedge-shaped elastic tongue that releases the elastic nubs of the gripping mechanism by sliding between the nubs to disengage the nubs from the grooves in the transfer mechanism when the trigger mechanism is moved from the second position to the first position, thereby enabling the transfer mechanism to apply spring-loaded force to the piston.

14. The autoinjector of claim 13, wherein the resetting mechanism comprises a tab that separates the wedge-shaped elastic tongue from the nubs to enable the wedge-shaped elastic tongue to slide past the nubs without disengaging the nubs from the grooves of the transfer mechanism when the trigger mechanism is moved from the second position to the first position.