Injection Device

• US 20100016794A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Corrigan, Joseph Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,757,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/134
• 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 2005/208 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 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 5/3202 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
• 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

Abstract

An injection device 110 is described having a housing 112 that receives a syringe 114 having a needle 118, wherein the syringe is supported in a syringe carrier 150. The syringe 114 and syringe carrier 150 are biased by a return spring 126 from an extended position in which the needle 118 extends from the housing 112 through an exit aperture 128 to a retracted position in which it does not. A drive spring 130 acts via a drive to advance the syringe 114 from its retracted position to its extended position and discharge its contents through the needle 118 and a return spring 126, brought into play when the drive has reached a nominal return position, restores the syringe 114 to its retracted position. The syringe carrier 150 is designed to restrict rearward movement of the syringe so that the injection device is less prone to failure and damage to is components than prior art devices.

Claims

1. An injection device comprising:

a housing adapted to receive a syringe having a discharge nozzle at a first end of the syringe, the syringe being movable between a retracted position in which the discharge nozzle is contained within the housing and an extended position in which the discharge nozzle extends from the housing through an exit aperture;

a drive that acts upon the syringe to advance it from its retracted position to its extended position and discharge its contents through the discharge nozzle; and

a syringe carrier for carrying the syringe as it is advanced, the syringe carrier having a first end through which the discharge nozzle extends and a second end opposite the first end,

wherein the syringe carrier is adapted to restrict movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier in a direction from the first end of the syringe carrier to the second end of the syringe carrier.

2. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the syringe comprises a flange at a second end of the syringe opposite the first end of the syringe.

3. The injection device of claim 2, wherein the syringe carrier comprises, at its second end, means for restricting movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier in a direction from the first end of the syringe carrier to the second end of the syringe carrier.

4. The injection device of claim 3, wherein the means for restricting movement comprises at least one lug on the syringe carrier for preventing movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier beyond a nominal distance.

5. The injection device of claim 4, wherein each lug is adapted to be in juxtaposition to the flange on the syringe, thereby preventing all movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier.

6. The injection device of claim 4, wherein a underside of each lug is positioned at a nominal distance above the flange.

7. The injection device of claim 3, wherein the means for restricting movement comprises at least one damping element.

8. The injection device of claim 3, wherein the damping element is arranged to bias the syringe in a direction from the second end to the first end of the syringe carrier.

9. The injection device of claim 8, wherein the damping element comprises biasing means formed from resilient material.

10. The injection device of claim 9, wherein the biasing means is in the form of an arc of resilient material,

wherein each end of the arc is attached to the syringe carrier and an outer convex surface of the arc is in juxtaposition with the flange of the syringe.

11. The injection device of any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the syringe carrier includes a delatch mechanism for releasing the drive from acting on the syringe after the contents of the syringe has been discharged and wherein the damping element is located on the delatch mechanism.

12. The injection device of claim 11, wherein the delatch mechanism is in the form of an annular portion which is adapted to couple with the drive element in order to disconnect the drive element from the drive.

13. The injection device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge nozzle comprises a hypodermic needle and the syringe comprises a removable needle shield on the needle.

14. An injection device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the attached drawings.