DRIVE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ADVANCING AN ADVANCING ELEMENT

• US 20110132924A1
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Wu thrich, Heinz, Jost, Stefan, Heiniger, Hanspeter, Siegenthaler, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,475,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• 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 5/482 Varying injection pressure, e.g. by varying speed of injection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/484 Regulating injection pressure

Abstract

A drive device for advancing an advancing element (2; 33) relative to a housing (1; 30) over a entire advancing distance (G) comprises a tensioning device having a tensioning element (3; 39) for tensioning a spring device (4). A predetermined distance (A) between the tensioning element (39) and the advancing element (33) or between the counter element (7) and the tensioning element (3) that engages with advancing element can be set according to the advancing of the advancing element (2; 33) by a partial advancing distance that is less than the entire advancing distance (G). According to a method for discharging a fluid product from a container (16) via an outlet (17), a plunger (18) is displaced inside the container (16) by means of a drive device provided with an advancing element (2; 33) and with a spring device (4), whereby the spring device (4) is tensioned by a tensioning device according to the advancing of the advancing element (2; 33) by a partial advancing distance.

Claims

1. A method for discharging a fluid product from a container through an outlet in the container, the method comprising the steps of:

arranging a plunger remote from the outlet inside the container, wherein a total advancing distance is defined by a maximum distance the plunger can travel within the container in the direction of the outlet;

arranging a drive device in a housing proximate the plunger, the drive device comprising;

a spring device,

a tensioning element for tensioning the spring device, and

an advancing element,

wherein the spring device is tensioned between a counter-element and one of the advancing element and the tensioning element, and the advancing element is movable relative to the counter-element;

advancing the plunger in the direction of the outlet under the force of the drive device, by a partial advancing distance which is shorter than the total advancing distance; and

after or during the advance of the advancing element over the partial advancing distance, tensioning the spring device by translational movement of the tensioning element relative to the housing.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plunger is advanced by the advancing element of the drive device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein upon tensioning of the spring device, a predetermined tensioning force in the spring device is generated by setting a predetermined distance between the counter-element and one of the advancing element and the tensioning element.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein a predetermined pressure in the container is generated, and the spring device is tensioned when the pressure drops by a certain amount.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drive device can be tensioned by the tensioning device during an advance of the advancing element.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plunger, at the start of the advance, is pushed in the advancing direction by a striker device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein upon tensioning of the spring device, a predetermined tensioning force in the spring device is generated by setting a predetermined distance between the counter-element and the advancing element and the tensioning element.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a predetermined pressure in the container is generated, and the spring device is tensioned when the pressure drops by a certain amount.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive device can be tensioned by the tensioning device during an advance of the advancing element.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plunger, at the start of the advance, is pushed in the advancing direction by a striker device.