Reusable Auto-Injector

• US 20110092954A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Jennings, Douglas Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 8,834,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• 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 5/326 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 5/3287 Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence

Abstract

An injection device comprises a first sub-assembly comprising a chamber for holding a fluid and a transfer assembly moveably disposed within the chamber. The chamber comprises an exit aperture and an inner surface and the transfer assembly has an outer surface substantially in contact with the inner surface about its perimeter. The transfer assembly is adapted to transfer fluid into the chamber when the transfer assembly is moved within the chamber.

Claims

1. An injection device comprising:

a first sub-assembly comprising;

a chamber for holding a fluid, said chamber comprising an exit aperture and an inner surface; and

a transfer assembly movably disposed within the chamber and having an outer surface substantially in contact with the inner surface about its perimeter, said transfer assembly being adapted to transfer fluid into the chamber when the transfer assembly is moved within the chamber.

2. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the transfer assembly is adapted to transfer fluid into the chamber when the transfer assembly is moved with respect to the chamber away from its exit aperture.

3. The injection device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the transfer assembly is adapted to receive a fluid container and transfer fluid from the container into the chamber when the transfer assembly is moved with respect to the chamber.

4. The injection device of claim 3, wherein the transfer assembly comprises a hollow fluid transfer needle adapted to engage the fluid container to form a fluid pathway from the container into the chamber through the hollow needle.

5. The injection device of claim 4, wherein the transfer assembly further comprises:

a stopper for blocking fluid movement out of the transfer assembly; and

wherein

the fluid transfer needle is adapted to pierce the stopper to deliver fluid through the stopper into the chamber.

6. The injection device of claim 5, further comprising a grip attached to the fluid transfer needle and movably disposed within the transfer assembly;

wherein the grip is adapted to move with the container as the container is inserted into the transfer assembly, thereby moving the fluid transfer needle into fluid communication with the chamber towards the exit aperture.

7. The injection device of any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the transfer assembly further comprises a port having an opening adapted to receive and secure the container at the opposite end to the exit aperture.

8. The injection device of any preceding claim, wherein the transfer assembly is adapted to move away from the exit aperture within the chamber upon rotation of the first sub-assembly, thereby drawing fluid into the chamber.

9. The injection device of claim 8, further comprising a second sub-assembly;

wherein

the transfer assembly comprises a first thread;

the second sub-assembly comprises a second thread engageable with the first thread; and

the first sub-assembly is adapted to rotate with respect to the second sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly is adapted to move the transfer assembly within the chamber away from the exit aperture.

10. The injection device of any preceding claim, wherein the transfer assembly is further adapted to expel fluid held within the chamber when the transfer assembly is moved toward the exit aperture.

11. The injection device of any preceding claim, further comprising an injection needle in fluid communication with the exit aperture.

12. The injection device of claim 11 further comprising a releasable drive mechanism which, upon activation, is adapted to:

(a) move the chamber and the injection needle from a retracted position in which the needle is wholly inside a housing of the injection device to an extended position in which the needle is at least partially outside the housing; and

(b) subsequently move the transfer assembly within the chamber toward the exit aperture to expel fluid out of the injection needle.

13. The injection device of claim 12, further comprising a retraction mechanism adapted to retract the injection needle into the housing after the fluid has been expelled.

14. The injection device of claim 9, or claims 10 to 13 when dependent on claim 9, wherein:

the first sub-assembly and the transfer assembly are detachable from the second sub-assembly; and

the second sub-assembly is reusable.

15. A method of priming an injection device having a transfer assembly, comprising:

inserting a container into the transfer assembly of the injection device, the injection device comprising a chamber having an exit aperture, the transfer assembly comprising a hollow needle and being movably disposed within the chamber;

piercing the container with the hollow needle to form a fluid conduit between the container and the chamber; and

moving the transfer assembly within the chamber, thereby drawing fluid from the container into the chamber.