System Comprising a Drug Delivery Device and a Cartridge Provided with a Bung and a Method of Identifying the Cartridge

• US 20120195182A1
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Pommereau, Christian, Liewald, Anke, Teucher, Axel, Jugl, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,855,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/127
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/06 Ampoules or carpules syringe ampoules or carpules A61M5/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/065 Rigid ampoules, e.g. glass ampoules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• 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 5/2422 using emptying means to expel or eject media, e.g. pistons, deformation of the ampoule, or telescoping of the ampoule
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/28 Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle
• 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 5/31515 Connection of piston with piston rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bung (20), to a drug containing cartridge (10) and to a drug delivery device, wherein the bung (20) comprises a coding feature (28) for carrying information regarding at least one of the cartridge (10) and the content of the cartridge (10). Furthermore, it relates to a method for identifying a cartridge (10) containing a medicinal product.

Claims

1. A system comprising a cartridge provided with a bung, wherein the bung comprises a first mechanical coding feature for carrying information regarding at least one of the cartridge and the content of the cartridge, and

a drug delivery device comprising a second mechanical coding feature, wherein the cartridge is only mountable to the drug delivery device in case that the first and the second mechanical coding features match.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the bung is adapted to identify a medicinal product contained in a cartridge within a batch of medicinal products contained in other cartridges by means of the coding feature.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein a medicinal product can be identified by means of the visible structure of the mechanical coding feature.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the bung comprises at least two different materials.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the bung is moveable along a longitudinal axis of the cartridge.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical coding feature comprises a protruding ring and the second mechanical coding feature comprises a trench.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the cartridge is identifiable and/or distinguishable by the radius (r) of the protruding ring.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical coding feature comprises a plurality of relief structures and the second mechanical coding feature comprises a plurality of depressions.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein a cartridge is identifiable and/or distinguishable by the shape of the relief structures and/or by the arrangement of the relief structures.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the relief structures have an elongated shape with a length (l), and the relief structures are arranged at a minimal distance (d) from one another.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the cartridge is identifiable and/or distinguishable by one or more of

the number of the relief structures,

the minimal distance (d) between the relief structures and

the length (l) of the relief structures.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the relief structures are arranged on a circle and parallel to a radius of the circle.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the relief structures are arranged on a circle and transverse to a radius (r) of the circle.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical coding feature is adapted to facilitate a separation of the bungs in a bulk storage.

15. A method for identifying a cartridge containing a medicinal product for use in a drug delivery device, comprising:

the cartridge being provided with a bung carrying a first mechanical coding feature that corresponds to a type of the cartridge or to a content of the cartridge, and the coding feature is personally or automatically recognized to identify the cartridge.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the cartridge is identified visually by the structure of the coding feature.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the coding feature is provided for being recognized automatically.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the cartridge is identified by fitting it to a second mechanical coding feature that is arranged in a drug delivery device.