SELF-INJECTION DEVICE

• US 20120310175A1
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Vedrine, Lionel, Sonderegger, Ralph, Bingham, Curt
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/218
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons

Abstract

A device (100) for delivering a medicament into a patient'"'"'s body by injection into or through the patient'"'"'s skin, including a main body having a top enclosure (116) and a bottom enclosure (104), a reservoir (160) disposed within the main body for containing the medicament, and an injection needle (152) for penetrating the skin of the patient, the needle (152) having a lumen and selectively communicating with the reservoir (160). The device also includes a pressurizing system (600, 140) for selectively pressurizing the reservoir (160). In a pre-activated position, the pressurizing system (600, 140) contacts and compresses the reservoir (160) to reduce the initial volume of the reservoir (160), thereby allowing for partial filling of the reservoir (160).

Claims

1. A drug delivery device, comprising:

a body including a top enclosure and a bottom enclosure;

a reservoir disposed within the body for containing a medicament;

an injection needle for penetrating the skin of the patient, the needle having a lumen and selectively communicating with the reservoir; and

a pressurizing system for selectively pressurizing the reservoir, wherein in a pre-activated position, the pressurizing system contacts and compresses the reservoir to reduce an initial volume of the reservoir.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the bottom enclosure comprises a cylindrical housing; and

the pressurizing system is disposed within the cylindrical housing.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the pressurizing system comprises:

a plunger movable within the cylindrical housing; and

a pressurization spring compressed by the plunger when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein:

the plunger comprises at least one tab extending from an outer edge thereof; and

the cylindrical housing includes at least one recessed channel to guide the at least one plunger tab during plunger movement.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein:

the at least one plunger tab comprises a leg extending from the outer edge of the plunger, and a foot extending from the leg; and

the at least one recessed channel includes a retaining portion;

wherein a resistance between the foot and the retaining portion retains the pressurizing system in the pre-activated position against the force of the pressurization spring.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a length of the leg determines an amount of reduction of the initial volume of the reservoir.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein:

the reservoir comprises a dome and a flexible reservoir dome seal;

when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position a surface of the plunger contacts and compresses the reservoir dome seal to reduce the initial volume of the reservoir; and

a shape of the surface of the plunger that contacts the reservoir dome seal corresponds to a shape of the dome.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising an activator button movably disposed on the main body and movable from a pre-activated position to an activated position;

wherein moving the activator button from the pre-activated position to the activated position causes rotation of the plunger such that the foot is free of the retaining portion and the plunger moves within the cylindrical housing due to the force of the pressurization spring, to pressurize the reservoir.

9. The device according to claim 3, wherein the pressurizing system further comprises:

a retention plate disposed on the bottom enclosure; and

a post disposed substantially at a center of the cylindrical housing on one of the retention plate and the plunger, the post having a sprocket disposed at a distal end thereof;

wherein the pressurization spring is disposed between the retention plate and the plunger;

the remaining one of the retention plate and the plunger includes an opening with a shape corresponding to the sprocket, the opening having slots interposed between fingers of remaining one of the retention plate and the plunger; and

in the pre-activated position, teeth of the sprocket align with said fingers to maintain the pressurization spring compression.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the post and the one of the retention plate and the plunger where the post is disposed are integrally formed as a unitary structure.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein:

the plunger comprises at least one tab extending from an outer edge thereof; and

the cylindrical housing includes at least one recessed channel to guide the at least one plunger tab during plunger movement.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein a length of the post determines an amount of reduction of the initial volume of the reservoir.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein:

the reservoir comprises a dome and a flexible reservoir dome seal;

when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position a surface of the plunger contacts and compresses the reservoir dome seal to reduce the initial volume of the reservoir; and

a shape of the surface of the plunger that contacts the reservoir dome seal corresponds to a shape of the dome.

14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising an activator button movably disposed on the main body and movable from a pre-activated position to an activated position;

wherein moving the activator button from the pre-activated position to the activated position causes rotation of one of the retention plate and the plunger with respect to the non-rotating one of the retention plate and the plunger such that the sprocket teeth align with the slots of the opening to release the plunger to move within the cylindrical housing under the force of the pressurization spring to pressurize the reservoir.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the post is disposed on the retention plate.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the post is disposed on the plunger.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein moving the activator button from the pre-activated position to the activated position causes rotation of the retention plate to align the sprocket teeth with the slots of the opening.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein moving the activator button from the pre-activated position to the activated position causes rotation of the plunger to align the sprocket teeth with the slots of the opening.

19. A device for delivering a predetermined volume of a medicament into a patient'"'"'s body by injection into or through the patient'"'"'s skin, comprising:

a main body including a top enclosure and a bottom enclosure;

a reservoir disposed within the main body for containing the medicament;

an injection needle for penetrating the skin of the patient, the needle having a lumen and selectively communicating with the reservoir;

a pressurizing system for selectively pressurizing the reservoir, wherein in a pre-activated position, the pressurizing system contacts and deflects the reservoir to reduce an initial volume of the reservoir substantially to the predetermined volume.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the pressurizing system comprises:

a plunger movable within the main body; and

a pressurization spring compressed by the plunger when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein:

the reservoir comprises a dome and a flexible reservoir dome seal;

when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position a surface of the plunger contacts and deflects the reservoir dome seal to reduce the initial volume of the reservoir; and

a shape of the surface of the plunger that contacts the reservoir dome seal corresponds to a shape of the dome.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein:

the plunger comprises at least one a leg extending from an outer edge of the plunger, and a foot extending from the leg;

the bottom enclosure comprises a retaining portion, wherein a frictional resistance between the foot and the retaining portion retains the pressurizing system in the pre-activated position against the force of the pressurization spring; and

a length of the leg determines an amount of reduction of the initial volume of the reservoir.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the pressurizing system further comprises:

a retention plate disposed on the bottom enclosure; and

a post disposed substantially at a center of one of the plunger and the retention plate, the post having a sprocket disposed at a distal end thereof;

wherein the pressurization spring is disposed between the retention plate and the plunger;

the remaining one of the retention plate and the plunger includes an opening with a shape corresponding to the sprocket, the opening having slots interposed between fingers of remaining one of the retention plate and the plunger;

in the pre-activated position, teeth of the sprocket align with said fingers to maintain the pressurization spring compression; and

a length of the post determines an amount of reduction of the initial volume of the reservoir.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the post is disposed on the retention plate.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein the post is disposed on the plunger.

26. The device according to claim 23, wherein moving the activator button from the pre-activated position to the activated position cause rotation of the retention plate to align the sprocket teeth with the slots of the opening.

27. The device according to claim 23, wherein moving the activator button from the pre-activated position to the activated position causes rotation of the plunger to align the sprocket teeth with the slots of the opening.

32. The device according to claim 21, wherein:

the plunger comprises at least one a leg extending from an outer edge of the plunger, and a foot extending from the leg;

the bottom enclosure comprises a retaining portion, wherein a frictional resistance between the foot and the retaining portion retains the pressurizing system in the pre-activated position against the force of the pressurization spring; and

a length of the leg determines an amount of reduction of volume of the reservoir.

28. A device for delivering a medicament into a patient'"'"'s body by injection into or through the patient'"'"'s skin, comprising:

a main body including a top enclosure and a bottom enclosure including a cylindrical housing;

a reservoir disposed within the main body for containing the medicament;

an injection needle for penetrating the skin of the patient, the needle having a lumen and selectively communicating with the reservoir;

a pressurizing system for selectively pressurizing the reservoir;

wherein in a pre-activated position, the pressurizing system is restrained within the cylindrical housing and the pressurizing system contacts and deforms the reservoir to reduce an initial volume of the reservoir.

29. A device for delivering a medicament into a patient'"'"'s body by injection into or through the patient'"'"'s skin, comprising:

a main body including a top enclosure and a bottom enclosure;

a reservoir disposed within the main body for containing medicament;

an injection needle for penetrating the skin of the patient, the needle having a lumen and selectively communicating with the reservoir;

a pressurizing system for selectively pressurizing the reservoir, the pressurizing system comprising means for reducing an initial volume of the reservoir.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein the means for reducing the initial volume of the reservoir comprises:

a plunger movable within the main body; and

a pressurization spring compressed by the plunger when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein:

the reservoir comprises a dome and a flexible reservoir dome seal;

when the pressurizing system is in the pre-activated position a surface of the plunger contacts and partially compresses the reservoir dome seal to reduce the initial volume of the reservoir; and

a shape of the surface of the plunger that contacts the reservoir dome seal corresponds to a shape of the dome.

33. The device according to claim 31, wherein the means for non-distensibly reducing the initial volume of the reservoir further comprises:

a retention plate disposed on the bottom enclosure; and

a post disposed substantially at a center of one of the plunger and the retention plate, the post having a sprocket disposed at a distal end thereof;

wherein the pressurization spring is disposed between the retention plate and the plunger;

the remaining one of the retention plate and the plunger includes an opening with a shape corresponding to the sprocket, the opening having slots interposed between fingers of remaining one of the retention plate and the plunger;

in the pre-activated position, teeth of the sprocket align with said fingers to maintain the pressurization spring compression; and

a length of the post determines an amount of reduction of the initial volume of the reservoir.

34. The device according to claim 33, wherein the post is disposed on the retention plate.

35. The device according to claim 33, wherein the post is disposed on the plunger.