CONVEYING DEVICE IN OR FOR AN APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING A DRUG

• US 20100179476A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Feldmann, Peter, Niklaus, Hanspeter, Haenggi, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,177,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14573 with a replaceable reservoir for quick connection/disconnection with a driving system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump

Abstract

A conveying device in or for an apparatus for administering a product, including a base, a first conveying member which can be moved relative to the base and includes a first thread, a second conveying member which can be moved relative to the base and includes a second thread for a threaded engagement with the first thread, wherein the second thread extends over an axial portion of the second conveying member which is radially flexible in relation to its threaded axis, such that one of the conveying members can be axially inserted into the other in an overlap of the threads, and a blocking member which can be moved relative to the base, wherein one of the blocking member and the second conveying member can be moved relative to the other into a blocking position in which the blocking member radially stiffens the second thread in the threaded engagement in the region of the flexible axial portion and thus secures the threaded engagement.

Claims

1. A conveying device in or for an apparatus for administering a product, comprising:

a) a base;

b) a first conveying member which can be moved relative to the base and comprises a first thread;

c) a second conveying member which can be moved relative to the base and comprises a second thread for a threaded engagement with the first thread;

d) wherein the second thread extends over an axial portion of the second conveying member which is radially flexible in relation to its threaded axis, such that one of the conveying members can be axially inserted into the other in an overlap of the threads; and

e) a blocking member which can be moved relative to the base, wherein one of the blocking member and the second conveying member can be moved relative to the other into a blocking position in which the blocking member radially stiffens the second thread in the threaded engagement in the region of the flexible axial portion and thus secures the threaded engagement.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member or the second conveying member can be moved in the axial direction into the blocking position and is axially and linearly guided.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second conveying member carries the blocking member.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member is guided by the second conveying member, such that it can be axially and linearly moved but is secured against rotating in relation to the threaded axis.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein in the blocking position, the blocking member is axially fixed relative to the second conveying member in a locking engagement.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member can be moved out of a releasable locking engagement relative to the second conveying member into the blocking position.

7. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein a circumferential surface of the blocking member comprises one or more fixing means for creating the locking engagement, wherein the fixing means comprises recesses or bumps on the circumferential surface.

8. The conveying device according to claim 7, wherein the second conveying member comprises one or more fixing counter means for the locking engagement with the fixing means of the blocking member.

9. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein the blocking member and the second conveying member are axially fixed to each other in the locking engagement.

10. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein in the blocking position, the blocking member radially supports the second thread in a positive fit only, with zero force, as long as the threaded engagement is not axially loaded, and at least one of supports it radially inwardly or presses it into the threaded engagement radially outwardly.

11. The conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising a piston for conveying the product, wherein the second conveying member and the blocking member together form a piston rod which can be moved along the threaded axis for advancing the piston.

12. The conveying device according to claim 11, wherein the piston rod is one of axially fixed to the piston, releasably fixed to the piston, or is in an axial pressing contact with the piston and acts in an advancing direction for conveying the product.

13. The conveying device according to claim 11, wherein the blocking member forms a front end for contacting the piston.

14. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second conveying member and the blocking member can be telescopically axially moved relative to each other into the blocking position.

15. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member protrudes out of the second conveying member and can be axially moved out of an initial position into the blocking position, deeper into the conveying member.

16. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second thread in the flexible axial portion comprises at least one or arc segment which extends over an angle of at most 180°

about the threaded axis, and wherein if there is more than one arc segment, the segments are respectively separated from each other on the left and right in the circumferential direction.

17. The conveying device according to claim 1, the flexible axial portion comprises at least one axially extending arm and the second thread is formed on the at least one arm.

18. The conveying device according to claim 17, wherein the second conveying member comprises axially extending breaches between arc segments which are adjacent in the circumferential direction, said breaches separating the arc segments from each other.

19. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second conveying member is hollow at least in the flexible axial portion.

20. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second thread is an outer thread.

21. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the first thread is an inner thread.

22. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second thread extends over a part of the axial length of the first thread.

23. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein one of the conveying members is rotatable about the threaded axis relative to the base, and the other conveying member can be axially and linearly moved relative to the base, but is secured against rotating in relation to the threaded axis.

24. The conveying device according to claim 1, comprising a drive for automatically rotary-driving one of the conveying members.