AUTOINJECTION DEVICES

• US 20110202011A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Original Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Inventors: Wozencroft, Robert Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,242,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/192
• 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 2005/2073 preventing premature release, e.g. by making use of a safety lock
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2407 from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2488 via rotation, e.g. threads or bayonet
• 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 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31505 Integral with the syringe barrel, i.e. connected to the barrel so as to make up a single complete piece or unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5013 Means for blocking the piston or the fluid passageway to prevent illegal refilling of a syringe

Abstract

An autoinjection device has front and rear separable assemblies (10) and (12). The rear assembly contains a drive assembly which is triggered or unlatched by rearward movement of an actuating sleeve (14) extending from the front assembly. A locking dial (16) is provided which locks the actuating sleeve against rearward movement until the dial is moved to an unlocked position. The dial automatically returns to a locked position upon initial rearward movement of the actuating member (14), so that, when the actuating member (14) moves forwardly after completion of an injection, it locks out to shroud the needle of the autoinjection device. The docking dial can be made integral with the actuating member (14) in an alternative embodiment.

Claims

1. An autoinjection device, comprising:

a main body (10,12);

a drive mechanism (88,90) in said main body for being fired to expel a dose from a syringe (2-8) in use;

an actuating member (14) associated with said main body and moveable from a first position to a second position in which said mechanism is fired;

a locking member (16) associated with said actuating member (12) for preventing said actuating member reaching said second position when in a locked position, the locking member and the actuating member being relatively moveable between locked and unlocked positions when said actuating member is in said first position, wherein on moving said locking member to its unlocked position, and after moving said actuating member to its second position, return of said actuating member to its first position is accompanied by return of said locking member to its locked position.

2. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member (14) is biased towards its first position.

3. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said locking member (16) is biased towards its locked position.

4. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member (14) is linearly moveable between said first and second positions.

5. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, said actuating member (14) includes a needle shroud portion, and upon completion of said injection, return of said actuating member to its first position shrouds the needle (6) of the syringe with said shroud portion.

6. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said locking member (16) is angularly moveable between said locked and unlocked positions.

7. An autoinjection device according to claim 6, wherein said locking member (16) and said housing (10,12) have cooperating abutment surfaces (66,50) that are rotated out of blocking alignment when said locking member is moved to the unlocked position.

8. An autoinjection device according to claim 6, wherein said locking member (16) is capable of limited angular movement with respect to said actuating member but longitudinally fixed with respect thereto.

9. An autoinjection device according to claim 8, wherein one of said actuating member (14) and said locking member (16) have spaced recesses (62,64) provided therein, corresponding to the locking and unlocked positions and the other thereof has a toothed element (60) capable of angular movement from the locked (62) to the unlocked recess (64) when the actuating member is in its first position, movement of the actuating member towards said second position axially withdrawing the toothed element from the unlocked recess (64) whereupon it moves towards angular registration with the locking recess.

10. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism includes a drive spring (88), a drive member (90) longitudinally moveable within said housing, and a latch (92) for latching the drive member in a primed position, wherein said actuating member is operable to release said latch.

11. An autoinjection device according to claim 10, wherein said latch (92) includes at least one side portion (94) extending generally parallel to the axis of the drive spring and having an inclined surface (96) adapted to cooperate with a respective complementary inclined surface (26) on said actuating member (14) to release said latch as said actuating member moves towards its second position.

12. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein the main body is formed of separable forward (10) and rearward (12) parts wherein said rearward part contains at least a major portion of said drive mechanism (88,90) and said forward part supports said actuating member (14) and said locking member (16).

13. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member (14) extends forwardly of said main body.

14. An autoinjection device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member (14) includes a moveable adjustable portion (20) associated therewith for adjusting the effective length of said actuating member.

15. An autoinjection device, comprising:

a main body (10,12);

a drive mechanism (88,90) in said main body for being fired to expel a dose from a syringe (2-8) in use;

an actuating member (14) associated with said main body and moveable from a first longitudinal position to a second longitudinal position in which said mechanism is fired;

releasable locking means (50, 66) associated with said actuating member (14) for preventing said actuating member reaching said second position, the actuating member (14) being adjustable between locked and unlocked positions when said actuating member is in said first position, wherein on adjusting said actuating member to its unlocked position, and after moving said actuating member to its second position, return of said actuating member to its first position is accompanied by its return to its locked position.

16. An autoinjection device according to claim 15, wherein said actuating member is angularly moveable between its locked and unlocked positions when in its first longitudinal position.

17. An autoinjection device according to claim 15, wherein said actuating member is manually moveable between its locked and unlocked positions when in its first longitudinal position.

18. An autoinjection device according to claim 15, wherein said locking means comprises a locking element (50) integrally formed with the actuating member which cooperates with a respective locking element 66 formed in a portion (18) of the main body (10).

19. An autoinjection device comprising a main body having separable forward (10) and rearward (12) parts, the rearward part containing a drive mechanism (88,90) operated by a latch (92), and the forward part of said main body having an actuating member (14) extending forwardly of the body and adapted to be driven rearwardly into the body to release said latch when applied to an injection site and pressed.

20. An autoinjection device comprising front (10) and rear (12) separable rear housing portions, the rear housing portion containing a drive mechanism including a drive energy store (88), a drive member (90) and a latch arrangement (92) to latch the drive member in a primed position for being unlatched for forward movement, the forward housing portion including an actuating member (14) having a needle shroud sleeve portion extending forwardly of the housing portion, the actuating member being moveable rearwardly to unlatch the drive member, and a syringe carrier (38) mounted on or in said actuating member for longitudinal movement with respect thereto.