CASSETTE FOR A HIDDEN INJECTION NEEDLE

• US 20090292246A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avant Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avant Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Barnes, Andrew C., Magers, Corey M., Koerner, Richard J., Slate, John B., Burk, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,177,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• 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 2005/31588 electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• 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 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user

Abstract

A system for injecting a fluid medicament into a patient includes a drive mechanism, and a cassette loaded with a pre-filled hypodermic syringe. When the cassette is loaded, the syringe is held firmly inside and the cassette can be selectively engaged with the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism has two motors. A first motor initially moves the hypodermic syringe from a position inside the cassette where its needle is concealed, to a position where the needle extends from the cassette for insertion into a patient for an injection. With the needle inserted, a second motor pushes the syringe stopper to expel a fluid medicament from the syringe. After an injection, the first motor withdraws the syringe back into concealment inside the cassette, to again firmly hold the syringe on the cassette. The cassette and syringe, in combination, can then be removed from the drive mechanism and discarded.

Claims

1. A system for injecting a fluid medicament into a patient which comprises:

a drive mechanism;

a hypodermic syringe with a needle, wherein the syringe is pre-filled with the fluid medicament and the syringe includes a stopper for expelling the medicament from the syringe through the needle; and

a cassette for receiving and holding the hypodermic syringe, wherein the syringe is engaged with the drive mechanism for movement of the syringe on the cassette, between a first position and a second position, when the cassette is mounted on the drive mechanism.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first position is a proximal position for hiding the syringe needle inside the cassette, and the second position is a distal position where the needle extends from the cassette for injection of the medicament.

3. A system as recited in claim 2 wherein the drive mechanism comprises:

a first motor for engagement with the hypodermic syringe to move the syringe between the proximal and the distal positions; and

a second motor for pushing the stopper to expel the medicament from the syringe while the syringe is in the distal position.

4. A system as recited in claim 3 wherein the cassette comprises:

an inner sleeve for holding the syringe; and

an outer sleeve for supporting the inner sleeve during movement of the inner sleeve thereon between the proximal position and the distal position, with the inner sleeve being selectively engaged with the outer sleeve to firmly hold the inner sleeve in the proximal position, and engageable with the drive mechanism for release of the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve and subsequent movement of the syringe with the inner sleeve between the proximal position and the distal position.

5. A system as recited in claim 4 wherein the outer sleeve is a hollow tube having a wall defining an axis, and having a first end and a second end, with the wall of the tube having a longitudinal slot extending between the first and second ends of the tube, and wherein the cassette further comprises:

a resilient arm formed on the wall of the outer sleeve with a detent formed on the arm, the arm being biased to extend the detent into the slot of the outer sleeve; and

a projection extending radially outward from the inner sleeve and into the slot of the outer sleeve for selective engagement with the detent of the outer sleeve.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 further comprising a pair of resilient arms, wherein the arms are opposite each other across the slot for concerted engagement with the projection on the inner sleeve.

7. A system as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

a protective cover positioned over the needle of the syringe; and

a cap engageable with the protective cover for subsequent removal of the protective cover with the cap when the cap is removed from the outer sleeve.

8. A system as recited in claim 3 further comprising an adhesive means mounted on the cassette to hold the hypodermic syringe in the proximal position for selective release therefrom, and re-engagement therewith, in response to action of the drive mechanism.

9. A system as recited in claim 3 further comprising a resilient bump formed on the cassette to hold the syringe in the proximal position, and to release the syringe therefrom in response to action of the drive mechanism.

10. A system for expelling a fluid medicament from a pre-filled hypodermic syringe, wherein the syringe has a needle and a stopper for expelling the medicament from the syringe through the needle, the system comprising:

a means for holding the syringe in a first position on the holding means to hide the needle;

a means for moving the syringe on the holding means between the first position and a second position wherein the needle extends from the holding means for injection of the medicament; and

a means for pushing the stopper to expel the medicament from the syringe while the syringe is in the second position.

11. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the moving means, in combination with the pushing means, comprises a drive mechanism.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the holding means is a cassette, and the cassette is selectively engaged with the drive mechanism.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the cassette comprises:

an inner sleeve for holding the syringe; and

an outer sleeve for supporting the inner sleeve during movement of the inner sleeve thereon between the first position and the second position, with the inner sleeve being selectively engaged with the outer sleeve to firmly hold the inner sleeve in the first position, and engageable with the drive mechanism for release of the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve and subsequent movement of the syringe with the inner sleeve between the first position and the second position.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein the outer sleeve is a hollow tube having a wall defining an axis, and having a first end and a second end, with the wall of the tube having a longitudinal slot extending between the first and second ends of the tube, and wherein the cassette further comprises:

a resilient arm formed on the wall of the outer sleeve with a detent formed on the arm, the arm being biased to extend the detent into the slot of the outer sleeve; and

a projection extending radially outward from the inner sleeve and into the slot of the outer sleeve for selective engagement with the detent of the outer sleeve.

15. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising an adhesive means mounted on the cassette to hold the hypodermic syringe in the first position for selective release therefrom, and re-engagement therewith, in response to action of the drive mechanism.

16. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a resilient bump formed on the cassette to hold the syringe in the proximal position, and to release the syringe therefrom in response to action of the drive mechanism.

17. A drive mechanism for expelling a fluid medicament from a hypodermic syringe, wherein the syringe has a needle and a stopper for expelling the medicament from the syringe through the needle, and wherein the syringe is engaged with a cassette to conceal the needle of the syringe;

the drive mechanism comprising;

a housing for engagement with the cassette while the needle of the syringe is in a concealed position inside the cassette;

a first motor mounted on the housing for moving the syringe and its needle on the cassette from its concealed position to an extended position where the needle is exposed; and

a second motor mounted on the housing for pushing the stopper to expel the medicament from the syringe while the syringe needle is in its extended position.

18. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 17 wherein the cassette comprises:

an inner sleeve for holding the syringe; and

an outer sleeve for supporting the inner sleeve during movement of the inner sleeve thereon between the concealed position and the extended position, with the inner sleeve being selectively engaged with the outer sleeve to firmly hold the inner sleeve in the concealed position, and engageable with the first motor for release of the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve and subsequent movement of the syringe with the inner sleeve between the concealed position and the extended position.

19. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 17 further comprising an adhesive means mounted on the cassette to hold the hypodermic syringe in the concealed position for selective release therefrom, and re-engagement therewith, in response to action of the first motor.

20. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 17 further comprising a resilient bump formed on the cassette to hold the syringe in the concealed position, and to release the syringe therefrom in response to action of the first motor.