AUTO-INJECTOR
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention refers to an auto-injector and to a method for operating it, the auto-injector comprising of a tubular chassis; a carrier subassembly comprising a tubular carrier slidably arranged in the chassis, the carrier containing a syringe with a hollow injection needle, a drive spring and a plunger for forwarding load of the drive spring to a stopper of the syringe; a wrap-over trigger sleeve arranged over the distal end (D) of the auto-injector; the trigger sleeve extending at least almost over the whole length of the auto-injector; a control spring arranged around the carrier; first interlock means for coupling a proximal end of the control spring to either the carrier for advancing it for needle insertion or to the chassis for needle retraction; second interlock means arranged for releasing the drive spring for injection; third interlock means arranged for coupling the chassis to the carrier for joint axial translation relative to the trigger sleeve; and fourth interlock means arranged for coupling a distal end of the control spring to either the carrier for needle retraction or to the trigger sleeve otherwise.
34 Citations
30 Claims
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1-15. -15. (canceled)
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16. Auto-injector for administering a dose of a liquid medicament (M), comprising:
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a tubular chassis, a carrier subassembly comprising a tubular carrier slidably arranged relative to the chassis and partially arranged in the chassis, the carrier containing a syringe with a hollow injection needle, a drive spring and a plunger for forwarding load of the drive spring to a stopper of the syringe, wherein the syringe is locked for joint axial translation with the carrier, a wrap-over trigger sleeve arranged over the distal end (D) of the auto-injector, the trigger sleeve extending at least almost over the whole length of the auto-injector, a control spring arranged around the carrier, first interlock means for coupling a proximal end of the control spring to either the carrier for advancing it for needle insertion or to the chassis for needle retraction depending on the relative axial position of the carrier and the trigger sleeve, second interlock means arranged for releasing the drive spring for injection when the carrier has at least almost reached an injection depth during needle insertion, third interlock means arranged for coupling the chassis to the carrier for joint axial translation relative to the trigger sleeve, wherein the third interlock means are arranged to decouple the chassis from the carrier upon translation of the trigger sleeve in proximal direction (P) relative to the chassis thus releasing the control spring for needle insertion, fourth interlock means arranged for coupling a distal end of the control spring to either the carrier for needle retraction or to the trigger sleeve otherwise. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. Method for operating an auto-injector, the auto-injector comprising:
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a tubular chassis, a carrier subassembly comprising a tubular carrier slidably arranged relative to the chassis and partially arranged in the chassis, the carrier containing a syringe with a hollow injection needle, a drive spring and a plunger for forwarding load of the drive spring to a stopper of the syringe, wherein the syringe is locked for joint axial translation with the carrier, a wrap-over trigger sleeve arranged over the distal end (D) of the auto-injector, the trigger sleeve extending at least almost over the whole length of the auto-injector, a control spring arranged around the carrier, first interlock means for coupling a proximal end of the control spring to either the carrier or to the chassis, second interlock means arranged for locking the drive spring, third interlock means arranged for coupling the chassis to the carrier, fourth interlock means arranged for coupling a distal end of the control spring to either the carrier or to the trigger sleeve, the method comprising the steps of; coupling the proximal end of the control spring to the carrier by the first interlock means, preventing release of the drive spring by the second interlock means, preventing decoupling of the chassis from the carrier by the third interlock means and coupling the distal end of the control spring to the trigger sleeve in an initial state, translating the trigger sleeve in proximal direction (P) relative to the chassis against the force of the control spring when the proximal end (P) of the auto-injector is being pushed against an injection site, disengaging the third interlock means when the trigger sleeve is at least almost fully translated thereby releasing the control spring for advancing the carrier subassembly for needle insertion, releasing the drive spring by the second interlock means when the needle at least almost reaches an injection depth during needle insertion, thereby allowing the drive spring to advance the plunger and the stopper for at least partially delivering the medicament (M), translating the trigger sleeve in distal direction (D) under load of the control spring relative to the carrier subassembly on removal of the auto-injector from the injection site, decoupling the proximal end of the control spring from the carrier and coupling it to the chassis by the first interlock means and decoupling the distal end of the control spring from the trigger sleeve and coupling it to the carrier by the fourth interlock means when the trigger sleeve reaches a defined position relative to the carrier, retracting the carrier subassembly into the chassis into a needle safe position under load of the control spring. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification