Cylinder ampoule

• US 6,569,126 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Møller-Jensen, Jens, Poulsen, Jens Ulrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US09/111,832
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 604/232, 604/211, 604/207, 604/209, 604/210, 604/181, 604/186, 604/197, 604/199, 604/218, 604/220-224, 604/228, 604/229, 604/263, 604/118, 604/235, 604/202, 604/244, 604/110, 604/38, 223/25--27, 223/86, 223/90, 221/37
• US Class Current: 604/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31541 Means preventing setting of a dose beyond the amount remaining in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31551 including axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/50 having means for preventing re-use, or for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile retractable needles or needle protectors with means for preventing re-use A61M5/321

Abstract

By a cylinder ampoule (1), comprising a tubular vessel with a membrane (4) sealingly closing one end and a piston (9) closing the other end, liquid stored between said piston (9) and said membrane (4) can be pressed out through an injection needle (7) piercing the membrane (4) when the piston (9) is pressed into the ampoule (1). The tube is made from a plastically deformable material. A pressure foot (10) on which a piston rod (13) is acting abuts the piston (9), carries a spring plate (11) made from a harder material than is the ampoule (1), is mainly perpendicular to the ampoule (1) axis, and has at least one diameter which is larger than the inner diameter of the ampoule (1) so that edges of the plate (11) abutting the inner wall of the ampoule (1) are deflected away from the piston (9) to form an acute angle with said wall. The ampoule (1) has an extension (14) beyond the position of the piston (9) by a full ampoule (1) and forms a part of a pen shaped syringe further comprising a dose setting and injection means co-operating with the piston rod (13).

Claims

1. A cylinder ampoule comprising:

a tubular vessel having a first end, a second end, and an inner wall;

a membrane for sealing and closing the first end of the vessel;

a piston having a first and second end, the piston closing the second end of the vessel so that a liquid can be stored in the vessel between the first end of the piston and the membrane and can be pressed out through an injection needle inserted through the membrane when the piston is forced into the tubular vessel;

wherein the tubular vessel is made from a plastically deformable material; and

further comprises a spring plate made of a material harder than the material of the vessel and a pressure foot, wherein the spring plate is carried by the pressure foot and is mainly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel; and

wherein the spring plate has at least one diameter that is larger than the diameter of the vessel inner wall so that edges of the plate abut tile inner wall of the vessel and are deflected away from the piston to form an acute angle with the inner wall; and

wherein the spring plate is split up to engage the vessel inner, wall in a number of circumferentially spaces, points, or zones.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a cylinder ampoule comprising;

a tubular vessel having a first end, a second end, and an inner wall;

a membrane for sealing and closing the first end of the vessel;

a piston having a first and second end, the piston closing the second end of the vessel so that a liquid can be stored in the vessel between the first end of the piston and the membrane and can be pressed out through an injection needle inserted through the membrane when the piston is forced into the tubular vessel;

wherein the tubular vessel is made from a plastically deformable material; and

further comprises a spring plate made of a material harder than the material of the vessel and a pressure foot, wherein the spring plate is carried by the pressure foot and is mainly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel; and

wherein he spring plate has at least one diameter that is larger than the diameter of the vessel inner wall so that edges of the plate abut the inner wall of the vessel and are deflected away from the piston to form an acute angle with the inner wall; and

wherein the apparatus further comprises a piston rod that is integral with the pressure foot and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vessel away from the second side of the piston; and

wherein the apparatus further comprises a dose setting for setting a dose and injection mechanism for driving the piston rod to administer the set dose, wherein the dose setting and injection mechanism comprises a nut member having an inner thread; and

wherein the piston rod is provided with an outer thread engaging the inner thread of the nut member and wherein the ampoule has an inner wall having a protrusion, and wherein the nut member has a plurality of longitudinal recesses for selectively receiving the protrusion to provide an audible and tactile indication of the setting of a dose and wherein the protrusion further cooperates with the nut member to act as a stop defining the maximum dose that can be set.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ampoule has an edge provided with a toothing comprising teeth having an abrupt leading edge and a ramp shaped trailing edge and wherein said dose setting mechanism includes a does setting and injection button having an edge containing toothing that cooperates with the toothing on the ampoule edge to allow rotation of the dose setting and injection button relative to the ampoule in only one direction when the toothings engage one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a removable cap that fits over the ampoule and has a cap edge that abuts the dose setting and injection button, wherein the cap has a recess and a scale along the cap edge and wherein the dose setting and injection button includes a projection fitting in the recess when the cap is mounted on the ampoule.