AUTOINJECTORS

• US 20130310745A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Original Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Inventors: Latham, David, Wozencroft, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,713,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• 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 2005/2418 comprising means for damping shocks on ampoule
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• 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 5/31533 Dosing mechanisms, i.e. setting a dose administrating mechanisms A61M5/31565
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3157 Means providing feedback signals when administration is completed A61M5/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3204 Needle cap remover, i.e. devices to dislodge protection cover from needle or needle hub, e.g. deshielding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user

Abstract

An autoinjector includes a body (10, 12), a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within the body, and a plunger (60) moveable during operation between a first and a second position to effect an injection, the plunger including a transverse passage (66) containing a moveable magnetic element (68) of a magnetic pair, the body including another magnetic element (54) at a position such that, on the plunger reaching and/or nearing its second position, the magnetic attraction therebetween causes a sound-emitting impact, the plunger (60) including a magnetic keeper element (72) mounted adjacent the transverse passage and adapted to hold the movable magnetic element (68) against movement until attraction by the other magnetic pair element (54), wherein the keeper element (72) is disposed on the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An autoinjector comprising a body (10, 12), a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within said body, and an elongate plunger (60) movable longitudinally during operation between a first and a second position to effect an injection, the plunger including a transverse passage (66) containing a moveable magnetic element (68) of a magnetic pair, the body including another magnetic element (54) at a position such that, on said plunger reaching and/or nearing its second position, the magnetic attraction therebetween causes a sound-emitting impact, the plunger (60) including a magnetic keeper element (72) mounted adjacent said transverse passage and adapted to hold the movable magnetic element (68) against movement until attraction by the other magnetic pair element (54), wherein said keeper element (72) is disposed on said longitudinal axis.

2. An autoinjector according to claim 1, wherein the moveable magnetic element (68) comprises a magnetic ball.

3. An autoinjector according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic element (54) associated with said body comprises a disc magnet.

4. An autoinjector according to claim 1, wherein said keeper (72) element comprises a keeper element of ferro-magnetic material.

5. An autoinjector according to claim 4, wherein said keeper element is a ball (72) element.

6. An autoinjector according to claim 4, wherein said keeper element is a ring or part ring-shaped generally coaxial with said passage.

15. An autoinjector according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic element (54) associated with said body comprises a disc magnet.

16. An autoinjector according to claim 2, wherein said keeper (72) element comprises a keeper element of ferro-magnetic material.

17. An autoinjector according to claim 3, wherein said keeper (72) element comprises a keeper element of ferro-magnetic material.

18. An autoinjector according to claim 16, wherein said keeper element is a ball (72) element.

19. An autoinjector according to claim 17, wherein said keeper element is a ring or part ring-shaped generally coaxial with said passage.

7. An autoinjector comprising a body (10, 12), a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within said body, and a magnetically operated indicator (54, 68, 72) within said body for generating an acoustic signal upon completion of an injection, the autoinjector including mechanical sound enhancement means (180, 182, 184) for enhancing or amplifying the acoustic signal heard by user upon completion of an injection.

8. An autoinjector according to claim 7, wherein said mechanical sound enhancement means comprises one or more apertures (180) disposed in an external wall of the body.

9. An autoinjector according to claim 8, wherein said aperture (182) is of horn shape.

10. An autoinjector according to claim 7, wherein said mechanical sound enhancement means comprises a drum surface (184) associated with a wall of the body and energised by said magnetic indicator.

11. An autoinjector according to claim 7, wherein said magnetically operated indicator comprises a relatively fixed magnet associated with a wall portion of said body and a relatively moveable magnetic element associated with a drive mechanism for said syringe or cartridge, said mechanical sound enhancement means comprises a modified mounting arrangement for mounting the magnet in said body or portion.

12. An autoinjector according to claim 8, wherein said magnetically operated indicator comprises a relatively fixed magnet associated with a wall portion of said body and a relatively moveable magnetic element associated with a drive mechanism for said syringe or cartridge, said mechanical sound enhancement means comprises a modified mounting arrangement for mounting the magnet in said body or portion.

13. An autoinjector according to claim 9, wherein said magnetically operated indicator comprises a relatively fixed magnet associated with a wall portion of said body and a relatively moveable magnetic element associated with a drive mechanism for said syringe or cartridge, said mechanical sound enhancement means comprises a modified mounting arrangement for mounting the magnet in said body or portion.

14. An autoinjector according to claim 10, wherein said magnetically operated indicator comprises a relatively fixed magnet associated with a wall portion of said body and a relatively moveable magnetic element associated with a drive mechanism for said syringe or cartridge, said mechanical sound enhancement means comprises a modified mounting arrangement for mounting the magnet in said body or portion.