A SUPPLEMENTARY DEVICE FOR ATTACHMENT TO A DRUG INJECTION DEVICE FOR MONITORING INJECTION DOSES HAVING OCR IMAGING SYSTEM WITH GLARE REDUCTION

• US 20170304549A1
• Filed: 10/05/2015
• Published: 10/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Kunz, Theresa, Bock, Mario, Blei, Gertrud, Jones, Matthew, Steel, Samuel, Yates, Barry, Morris, Anthony Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,080,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• 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 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20021 Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/16 using multiple overlapping images; Image stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/02 Recognising information on displays, dials, clocks

Abstract

The subject matter described herein relates to a supplementary device for attachment to an injection device, the supplementary device comprising: a first imaging arrangement and a second imaging arrangement each configured to capture an image of a moveable number sleeve of the injection device from different respective angles. The supplementary device also comprises a plurality of light sources and a processor arrangement configured to control operation of the first imaging arrangement and the second imaging arrangement and the plurality of light sources and to receive image data from each of the imaging arrangements, wherein the processor arrangement is configured to combine images captured by the first imaging arrangement and the second imaging arrangement into a single image.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. An injection device for automatic spring driven injection of a liquid drug by which doses of an individual size can be set by a user, the injection device comprising:

a housing defining an interior space and having a longitudinal window,

a rotatable dose dial axially retained in relation to the housing,

a rotatable scale drum carrying indicia for indicating a size of a set dose, wherein the scale drum is functionally coupled to the dose dial to rotate when the dose dial is rotated to set a dose,

a sliding element provided with a sliding window, wherein the sliding element is adapted to slide axially in relation to the housing during dose setting, and the indicia carried by the scale drum is visible through the sliding window such that the longitudinal window and the sliding window in combination with the indicia form a dose size display,

wherein the scale drum rotates within an interior space defined by the housing during dose setting, an inner surface of the sliding element is provided with an internal feature engaging an external thread provided on an outer surface of the scale drum, and the sliding element is further axially guided in the housing such that the sliding element moves axially when the scale drum is rotated, and

wherein a drive spring is attached to the scale drum with one end and to the housing with another end such that relative rotation between the scale drum and the housing charges the drive spring.

19. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the inner surface of the sliding element is in sliding contact with the outer surface of the scale drum between adjacent thread turns of the scale drum.

20. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the drive spring is attached to a radially inner section of the scale drum.

21. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the sliding element and the sliding window are respectively configured such that the sliding element covers all indicia on the scale drum visible through the longitudinal window except one indicia on the scale drum, which corresponds to the set dose.

22. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the drive spring is pre-wound upon assembly such that it applies a force or torque to the scale drum when the injection device is at zero units dialed.

23. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the sliding element is a shell-like component that at least partly extends circumferentially around the scale drum.

24. The injection device according to claim 23, wherein the sliding element extends about an angle of less than 360°

in a circumferential direction with respect to a longitudinal axial of the scale drum.

25. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the sliding element is axially movable from a position corresponding to a set dose of zero units to a position corresponding to a maximum settable dose, wherein the sliding element is configured such that in both positions, the sliding element extends over the entire length of the longitudinal window in axial direction, and the one indicia that corresponds to the set dose is only visible through the sliding window.

26. The injection device according to claim 18, comprising a trigger button, wherein the trigger button and the dial grip are rotationally fixed and axially movable relative to each other, and wherein a releasable clutch for releasably coupling the trigger button to the scale drum is provided by corresponding splined portions on the trigger button and the scale drum, wherein movement of the trigger button from a first position into a second position causes the clutch to disengage.

27. The injection device according to claim 26, wherein the trigger button is provided with spline features configured to engage corresponding spline features on the housing, wherein movement of the trigger button from the first position into the second position causes the spline features of the trigger button and the housing to engage such that the trigger button is rotationally locked to the housing.

28. The injection device according to claim 18, comprising a drive sleeve and a clutch plate wherein the clutch plate is rotationally constrained to the scale drum, wherein the drive sleeve is movable from a first axial position to a second axial position,

wherein the drive sleeve is configured to engage the housing in the first axial position such that the drive sleeve is rotationally constrained to the housing, and

wherein the clutch plate is coupled to the drive sleeve via a ratchet interface such that energy stored in the drive spring is prevented from being released when the drive sleeve is in the first position.

29. The injection device according to claim 28, wherein in the second position, the drive sleeve is free to rotate relative to the housing,

30. The injection device according to claim 28, wherein the shift between the first axial position of the drive sleeve and the second axial position of the drive sleeve is initiated by a trigger button moving from a first position of the trigger button to a second position of the trigger button.

31. The injection device according to claim 30, wherein the trigger button moves the drive sleeve into the second axial position of the drive sleeve when the trigger button is moved from the first position of the trigger button into the second position of the trigger button, wherein the drive sleeve is configured to engage the drum scale in the second axial position of the drive sleeve in such way that the drive sleeve is rotationally constrained to the drum scale.

32. The injection device according to claim 18, comprising corresponding rotational stops on the scale drum and the sliding element.

33. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the drive spring is a torsion spring.

34. The injection device according to claim 18, wherein the scale drum is provided with a receiving section configured to firmly receive an end of the drive spring configured as a hook, wherein the receiving section comprises a lead-in section or a groove section followed by an anchor point for the end of the drive spring.

35. The injection device according to claim 18 further comprising a cartridge containing a liquid drug.