DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR MEDICAMENT DELIVERY

• US 20070149925A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaleo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelliject Incorporated
• Inventors: Edwards, Eric, Licata, Mark, Edwards, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 7,648,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/141
• 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 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6036 characterised by physical shape, e.g. array of activating switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• 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 5/2053 Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• 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 5/3204 Needle cap remover, i.e. devices to dislodge protection cover from needle or needle hub, e.g. deshielding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a medicament container and an actuator. The actuator includes a release member and an energy storage member having a first position and a second position. In the first position, the energy storage member has a first potential energy. In the second position the energy storage member has a second potential energy. The energy storage member is configured to convert a portion of the first potential energy into kinetic energy when moved from the first position to the second position to move the medicament container within the housing. The energy storage member has a longitudinal axis offset from a longitudinal axis of the medicament container. The release member is configured to selectively deploy the energy storage member from its first position to its second position.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a needle having a first end and a second end, the needle defining a longitudinal axis; and

an actuator configured to be disposed within the housing and to move the needle between a first needle position and a second needle position, in the first needle position the second end of the needle is within the housing, in the second needle position the second end of the needle is outside the housing, the actuator including;

an energy storage member having a first position and a second position, in the first position the energy storage member has a first potential energy, in the second position the energy storage member has a second potential energy less than the first potential energy, the energy storage member configured to convert a portion of the first potential energy into a kinetic energy when moved from the first position to the second position to move the needle between the first needle position and the second needle position, the energy storage member having a longitudinal axis offset from the longitudinal axis of the needle; and

a release member configured to selectively deploy the energy storage member from the first position to the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to move the needle with a force sufficient to penetrate skin.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy storage member is configured to move along its longitudinal axis between the first position and the second position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the energy storage member is a gas container configured to contain a gas having a first pressure when the gas container is in the first position and a second pressure when the gas container is the second position, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and

the actuator includes a puncturer configured to penetrate a portion of the gas container when the gas container is in the second position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a medicament container disposed within the housing,

the actuator being configured to move the medicament container between a first medicament container position and a second medicament container position, in the first medicament container position, a lumen defined by the needle is fluidically isolated from the medicament container, in the second medicament container position, the lumen is in fluid communication with the medicament container.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a medicament container disposed within the housing,

the actuator being configured to move the medicament container between a first medicament container position and a second medicament container position, in the first medicament container position, a lumen defined by the needle is fluidically isolated from the medicament container, in the second medicament container position, the first end of the needle is disposed within the medicament container such that the lumen is in fluid communication with the medicament container.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a medicament container disposed within the housing; and

a movable member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the movable member being configured to receive a portion of the kinetic energy produced by the energy storage member when the energy storage member moves between the first position and the second position, the second portion of the movable member being configured to move within the medicament container to expel a medicament contained within the medicament container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing has a substantially rectangular shape.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;

a medicament injector disposed within the housing, the medicament injector configured to inject a medicament contained therein into a body, the medicament injector including a medicament container and a needle;

an energy storage member having first configuration and a second configuration, the energy storage member configured to produce a force when moved from the first configuration to the second configuration to move the medicament injector between a first position and a second position; and

a retainer having a first position and a second position, when the retainer is in its first position the retainer is configured to retain the energy storage member in its first configuration, when the retainer is in its second position the retainer is configured to allow the energy storage member to be moved from its first configuration to its second configuration, the retainer configured to be selectively moved from its first position to its second position by manipulating an actuator adjacent the distal end portion of the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

when the medicament injector is in the first position the needle is contained within the housing; and

when the medicament injector is in the second position a portion of the needle extends from the distal end of the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the retainer is further configured to move the energy storage member from its first configuration to its second configuration when the retainer is in its second position.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a longitudinal axis of the medicament container is offset from a longitudinal axis of the energy storage member.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the energy storage member is configured to move between a first position and a second position, the energy storage member being disposed in the first position when in the first configuration, the energy storage member being disposed in the second position when in the second configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the energy storage member is a gas container configured to contain a gas having a first pressure when the gas container is in the first configuration and a second pressure when the gas container is in the second configuration, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and

the actuator includes a puncturer configured to penetrate a portion of the gas container when the gas container is in the second configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the retainer includes a spring retainer.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the retainer is a spring retainer having a distal end configured to engage the distal end portion of the housing and a proximal end configured to engage the energy storage member, the retainer configured to be moved from its first position to its second position by disengaging the distal end of the retainer from the distal end portion of the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the retainer is a spring retainer having a distal end configured to engage the distal end portion of the housing and a proximal end configured to engage the energy storage member, the retainer configured to be moved from its first position to its second position by moving the distal end portion of the housing inwardly towards the proximal end portion of the housing to disengage the distal end of the retainer from the distal end portion of the housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a protrusion configured to engage a portion of a user'"'"'s finger.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; and

a medicament injector disposed within the housing, the medicament injector configured to inject a medicament contained therein into a body, the medicament injector including a medicament container and an injection member,

the housing including a protrusion configured to engage a portion of a user'"'"'s hand.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the housing has a substantially rectangular shape.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the protrusion is disposed at the distal end portion of the housing.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the housing further includes a gripping portion configured to engage the user'"'"'s fingers.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the housing further includes a gripping portion having a plurality of contours configured to engage the user'"'"'s fingers.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a portion of a surface of the housing includes an adhesive configured to remain tacky.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the distal end portion of the housing includes an alignment mark.