INNER HOUSING FOR A DRUG DELIVERY DEVICE

• US 20120157929A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Plumptre, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/27 preventing use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31541 Means preventing setting of a dose beyond the amount remaining in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31543 piston rod reset means, i.e. means for causing or facilitating retraction of piston rod to its starting position during cartridge change
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31551 including axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31585 performed by axially moving actuator, e.g. an injection button

Abstract

A dose setting mechanism for a drug delivery device is disclosed. The mechanism comprises an outer housing and an inner housing having an external groove. The inner housing guides a driver to dispense a set dose. A dial sleeve is disposed between the outer and inner housing and is rotatably engaged with the inner housing. When a dose is set, the dial sleeve is rotated and translates away from both the outer housing and the inner housing.

Claims

1. A dose setting mechanism for a drug delivery device, said mechanism comprising an outer housing, an inner housing, a driver and a dial sleeve disposed between said outer housing and said inner housing, wherein the inner housing has an external groove, said inner housing being operatively coupled to the driver and guiding said driver to dispense a dose set by said dose setting mechanism and wherein said dial sleeve is rotatably engaged with said external groove of said inner housing;

and with the does setting mechanism further comprising at least one of the following features;

a) a dose dial grip is provided rotatably coupled to said dial sleeve, said dose dial grip non-rotatably coupled to a dose button, such that when a dose is set by rotating said dose dial grip of said dose setting mechanism, said dial sleeve is rotated with respect to both said outer housing and said inner housing and said dial sleeve is translated away from both said outer housing and said inner housing;

b) a spindle for acting on a cartridge bung is provided, with the driver cooperating with said spindle, and the inner housing having an inner surface dictating movement of said driver during a dose dispensing step so that said spindle acts on said cartridge bung;

c) a clutch operatively coupled to said dial sleeve and said driver is provided, said clutch allows said dial sleeve and said driver to rotate together during a setting of a dose of said drug delivery device, and said clutch allows relative rotation of said driver and said dial sleeve during an injection of said dose;

d) the dose setting mechanism is configured such that when a dose is set by said dose setting mechanism, said dial sleeve and driver are both rotated with respect to both said outer housing and said inner housing and are translated away from both said outer housing and said inner housing.

2. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein said dose dial grip is non-rotatably coupled to the dose button, such that when a dose is set by rotating said dose dial grip of said dose setting mechanism, said dial sleeve is rotated with respect to both said outer housing and said inner housing and said dial sleeve is translated away from both said outer housing and said inner housing while said button does not rotate.

3. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1, wherein said inner housing comprises an internal surface, said internal surface comprising a mechanical configuration that guides said driver to dispense said dose set by said dose setting mechanism.

4. The dose setting mechanism of claim 3 wherein said mechanical configuration of said inner housing comprises a spline that guides said driver to dispense said dose set by said dose setting mechanism.

5. The dose setting mechanism of claim 3 wherein said mechanical configuration of said inner housing comprises a groove that guides said driver to dispense said dose set by said dose setting mechanism.

6. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein said external groove of said inner housing comprises a helical groove having a constant pitch.

7. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein said dial sleeve has a generally smooth outer surface.

8. The dose setting mechanism of claim 7 comprising a scale arrangement provided along a portion of said generally smooth outer surface.

9. The dose setting mechanism of claim 8 wherein said scale arrangement provided along said portion of said generally smoother outer surface is viewable only through a window provided in an outer housing of said dose setting mechanism.

10. The dose setting mechanism of any of claim 1 wherein said dose setting mechanism is coupled, preferably permanently coupled, to a cartridge holder.

11. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 comprising a spindle operatively coupled to said driver such that when said inner housing guides said driver to dispense said dose set by said dose setting mechanism, said driver pushes said spindle to act on a cartridge bung while said spindle translates in a distal direction to expel said dose from said cartridge.

12. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said inner housing comprises at least one longitudinal groove.

13. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said inner housing comprises at least a portion of a helical groove.

14. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said inner housing comprises a male groove guide.

15. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein said spindle comprises at least one groove, said at least one groove allowing said spindle to translate in a distal direction to expel said dose from a cartridge.

16. The dose setting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the inner housing has a length in its axial direction which is essentially the same as the length of the dose setting mechanism, or the outer housing or the dose dial sleeve.