ADMINISTRATION APPARATUS FOR MEDICAL USE

• US 20090054832A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hirofumi Sugimoto, Kouichi Matsuda, Seiji Kikuchi, Toshiaki Iio, Yoshiki Takeuchi
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Yoshiki, SUGIMOTO, Hirofumi, Iio, Toshiaki, Matsuda, Kouichi, Kikuchi, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,206,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/67
• 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 2005/208 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 2005/2411 from the front
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2496 via pivot
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31518 designed to reduce the overall size of an injection device, e.g. using flexible or pivotally connected chain-like rod members
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31588 electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3146 Priming, e.g. purging, reducing backlash or clearance
• 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 5/31541 Means preventing setting of a dose beyond the amount remaining in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31546 Electrically operated dose setting, e.g. input via touch screen or plus/minus buttons

Abstract

An expansion/compression mechanism of a piston rod assembly is composed of a bush shaft, a first cylindrical piston rod that is screwed with the bush shaft, a second cylindrical piston rod that is screwed with the first piston rod, and a piston rod holding member for housing the bush shaft and these piston rods. Therefore, the piston rods move linearly in multiple stages.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. An administration apparatus for medical use which performs administration of a drug using an electric driving source, said apparatus comprising:

a drug cartridge having an end closed with a plunger, and containing a drug inside;

a cartridge holder for holding the drug cartridge;

a piston rod for pressing the plunger held in the drug cartridge to move the plunger;

a needle assembly for inserting a needle into a target region, and administering the drug that is emitted from the other end of the drug cartridge with a movement of the piston rod; and

a control circuit for controlling an air releasing operation for the drug cartridge and/or the injection needle so that the air releasing operation is carried out at a speed lower than the speed of drug administration.

13. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 12 wherein

the air releasing operation is carried out with the movement of the piston rod.

14. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 13 wherein

during the air releasing operation, the piston rod is moved at a speed lower than the speed of the piston rod during drug administration.

15. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 14 wherein

the low-speed operation of the piston rod during the air releasing operation is performed by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control for controlling the piston rod with the ON-OFF ratio of the pulse width being varied.

16. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 14 wherein

the low-speed operation of the piston rod during the air releasing operation is performed by voltage control.

19. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 12 further including

a contact sensor for detecting whether a portion of the administration apparatus in the vicinity of the needle assembly contacts a target region or not,

wherein the air releasing operation is suppressed when the contact sensor contacts the target region.

17. An administration apparatus for medical use which performs administration of a drug using an electric driving source, said apparatus comprising:

a drug cartridge having an end closed with a plunger, and containing a drug inside;

a cartridge holder for holding the drug cartridge;

a piston rod for pressing the plunger in the drug cartridge to move the plunger;

a needle assembly for inserting a needle into a target region, and administering the drug that is emitted from the other end of the drug cartridge with a movement of the piston rod; and

a control circuit for performing control so that an air releasing operation for the drug cartridge and/or the injection needle is always carried out before performing the drug administration operation.

18. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 17 further including

an air releasing switch for performing the air releasing operation, and an administration switch for injecting the drug,

wherein the control circuit permits an operation by turn-on of the administration switch after the air releasing operation.

30. An administration apparatus for medical use as defined in claim 17 further including

a contact sensor for detecting whether a portion of the administration apparatus in the vicinity of the needle assembly contacts a target region or not,

wherein the air releasing operation is suppressed when the contact sensor contacts the target region.

20-29. -29. (canceled)