NEEDLE PROTECTION DEVICE WITH A BLOCKED PROTECTION POSITION

• US 20090259196A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ypsomed AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Widmer, Urs, Lanz, Marc, Gratwohl, Christian, Wymann, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3254 Shielding of proximal needles, e.g. for pen needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3267 Biased sleeves where the needle is uncovered by insertion of the needle into a patient's body
• 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: A61M 5/3271 with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position

Abstract

A needle protection device for use with an injection device, the needle protection device including a moveable needle protection element which moves through a release course of movement into a locking engagement position as a result of an elastic force, the locking engagement position being achieved when the needle protection element moves from a starting position to a triggering position, when the needle protection element moves over a small portion of the release course, and being maintained when the needle protection element is no longer subjected to an external force in the triggering position.

Claims

1. A needle guard device for or on an injection device, the needle guard device comprising:

a) an injection needle,

b) a needle holder which is attached to or can be attached to the injection device, from which the injection needle extends in a distal direction,

c) a spring element,

d) a needle guard element, which can be moved by an external force against a spring force of the spring element from a distal initial position, in which it surrounds the injection needle to beyond a needle tip, in the proximal direction by a releasing stroke as far as a releasing position releasing the injection needle and out of the releasing position in the distal direction as far as a guard position in which it surrounds the injection needle and the needle tip, and

e) a lock mechanism which locks the needle guard element in a locked connection in the guard position to prevent a movement in the proximal direction, wherein

f) the needle guard element moves into the locked connection due to the spring force when the needle guard element is moved out of the initial position by a shorter part of the releasing stroke into at least a triggering position and is relieved of the external force in the triggering position.

2. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locking member able to move relative to at least one of the needle holder or lock mechanism, and the needle guard element moves into engagement with the locking member on reaching the triggering position, thereby causing the needle guard element to move into the guard position when the needle guard element is relieved of the external force, or is released from an engagement with the locking member which prevents the movement into the guard position.

3. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking member is able to move relative to at least one of the needle holder and lock mechanism from a first position which the locking member assumes when the needle guard element is in the initial position into a second position, and the locking member prevents the needle guard element from moving into the guard position in the first position or prevents the needle guard element from moving out of the guard position in the second position.

4. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a cam guide with a guide inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the injection needle and a locating element which is guided along the guide, wherein at least one of the locating element and guide is stationary relative to the locking member and the other is stationary relative to at least one of the needle holder and lock mechanism, and the needle guard element is coupled with the locking member so that it exerts a force on the locking member during the movement into the triggering position, causing the locking member to move into the second position when a guide contact is established between the guide and locating element.

5. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a locating element of the needle guard element in an abutting contact with a locating element of the locking member in the distal direction when the needle guard element is in the initial position, in a direction extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the injection needle, wherein one of the needle guard or the locking member has a passage extending in the longitudinal direction of the injection needle in addition to the locating element or complementary locating element and the needle guard element is coupled with the locking member so that the movement of the needle guard element into the triggering position causes a relative movement between the needle guard element and the locking member in the transverse direction so that the locating element and the complementary locating element move out of the abutting contact, and the locating element or complementary locating element moves into axial alignment with the passage.

6. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of the locking member or the needle guard has a separating element extending in the longitudinal direction of the injection needle between the passage and the locating element or complementary locating element, the length of which corresponds to the stroke which the needle guard element effects to reach the triggering position and wherein the separating element is in a guide contact with the locating element or complementary locating element as the needle guard element moves into the triggering position, which prevents the relative movement in the transverse direction.

7. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the locking member is able to move in rotation about the injection needle and in translation in the longitudinal direction of the injection needle relative to at least one of the needle holder and lock mechanism.

8. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the needle guard element exerts a force via the spring element on the locking member acting in the proximal direction as it moves into the triggering position.

9. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the needle guard element has a locating element and the locking member has a complementary locating element which move into a driving connection with one another when the needle guard element reaches the triggering position, and the needle guard element drives the locking member with it in the driving connection as it moves in the distal direction.

10. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locating element moves into contact with a lock stop of the lock mechanism in the proximal direction when the needle guard element is in the guard position.

11. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a flexibly elastic second lug extending in the longitudinal direction of the injection needle constitutes the locating element and another lug constitutes the lock stop.

12. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the locking member supports the locating element radially inwardly to block a radially inward movement of the locating element in the guard position.

13. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the locking member has a guide for the locating element, which extends in the proximal direction with an inclination radially outward to deflect the locating element radially outwardly during the movement into the triggering position.

14. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the guide is phased out radially inwardly at a proximal end to form the complementary locating element.

15. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a locking member able to move relative to at least one of the needle holder and lock mechanism, and

a locating element associated with the needle guard element which engages with a complementary locating element of the locking member when the needle guard element is in the initial position, the engagement preventing a movement of the needle guard element in the distal direction, wherein the needle guard element additionally has a lock element for the locking engagement with the lock mechanism.

16. The needle guard device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lock mechanism has a complementary lock element for the lock element and at least one of the lock element and complementary lock element is able to move transversely to the longitudinal direction of the injection needle against a spring force to automatically establish a lock connection with the other of the lock element and complementary lock element.

17. A needle guard for use with an injection device, the needle guard comprising a needle protection element moveable through a release course of movement into a locking engagement position as a result of an elastic force, the locking engagement position being achieved when the needle protection element moves from a starting position to a triggering position, when the needle protection element moves over a small portion of the release course, and being maintained when the needle protection element is no longer subjected to an external force in the triggering position.