Vial injector device

• US 6,607,508 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Invivotech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Invivotech, Inc.
• Inventors: Knauer, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gartenberg, Ehud
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Application Number:
  US09/844,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/134, 604/137, 604/93.01, 604/140, 604/141, 604/148, 604/411, 604/412, 604/403, 604/414, 604/533, 604/538, 604/905
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2013 triggering of discharging means by contact of injector with patient body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/204 connected to external reservoirs for multiple refilling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31556 Accuracy improving means

Abstract

An automatic medicament delivery device and corresponding method for use with a standard needle assembly and a standard vial container that contains a medicament is disclosed. A user attaches the needle assembly and the vial container to the device. The user can transfer and measure a dose from the vial container into the device. When the user presses the tip of the device against the injection site, a needle of the needle assembly is automatically injected into the user and the measured dose is delivered into the user through the needle. When the user removes the device from the injection site, the device is re-cocked for the next injection.

Claims

1. An automatic medicament delivery device for use with a disposable needle assembly and a vial container that contains a medicament, the device comprising:

an injector body; and

a disposable transfer system configured to enable a user to (a) attach the disposable needle assembly to the disposable transfer system and (b) attach the disposable transfer system to the injector body, the disposable transfer system including a syringe barrel, a plunger rod, and a plunger, the plunger rod and the plunger being connected to each other and translatable in the syringe barrel, the plunger rod being configured to enable the user to attach the vial container to the plunger rod; and

the attached disposable transfer system and the injector body being further configured to cooperatively enable the user to (a) transfer and measure a dose of medicament from the attached vial container through the plunger rod and the plunger into the syringe barrel prior to delivery of the dose into the user and (b) when the injector body is pressed against an injection site of the user, automatically inject a needle of the attached disposable needle assembly into the user and deliver the dose from the syringe barrel into the user through the needle.

2. The automatic medicament delivery device of claim 1 wherein:

the injector body includes a dose measuring mechanism; and

the dose measuring mechanism and the plunger and the plunger rod are configured to cooperatively enable the user to transfer and measure the dose from the vial container through the plunger rod and plunger and into the syringe barrel prior to delivery into the user.

3. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 2 wherein the dose measuring mechanism is configured to enable the user to measure and transfer the dose by selectively controlling upward translation of the plunger rod and the plunger in the syringe barrel so as to create a vacuum in the syringe barrel which draws the medicament from the attached vial container through the plunger rod and plunger and into the syringe barrel.

4. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 3 wherein:

the plunger rod includes pins;

the dose measuring system comprises;

a dose dial; and

a dose barrel attached to the dose barrel to allow dependent rotation with the dose dial and independent translation from the dose dial;

a dose ring locked to the plunger rod when the disposable transfer system is attached to the injector body and rotatably engaged in the dose barrel for upward and downward translation of the plunger and plunger rod; and

the dose ring, the dose dial, and the dose barrel being configured to cooperatively enable the user to selectively rotate the dose dial in a first direction so that the dose barrel and the dose ring dependently rotate and cause the selectively controlled upward translation of the plunger and the plunger rod.

5. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 4 wherein the dose measuring system further comprises:

a dose spring in the dose barrel that presses against the dose ring and is compressed as a result of the selectively controlled translation of the plunger and the plunger rod; and

a ratchet ring;

the dose barrel including ratchets;

the ratchet ring and ratchets being configured to be cooperatively engaged until delivery of the dose to enable the user to selectively rotate the dose barrel in the first direction using the dose dial and prevent the dose barrel from rotating in a counter direction to the first direction due to the force of the compressed dose spring.

6. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 5 wherein the injector body comprises:

a shell;

a tip trigger piece;

a trigger ring that presses against the tip trigger piece;

a main barrel configured to be lock to and unlocked from the trigger ring and to be locked to the syringe barrel when the disposable transfer system is attached to the injector body;

an insertion spring that presses against the main barrel and the shell;

the shell, the tip trigger piece, the trigger ring, and the main barrel being cooperatively configured to, when the tip trigger piece is pressed against an injection site by the user, enable (a) the trigger ring to translate upward and rotate so that the main barrel is unlocked from the trigger ring and released for downward translation, (b) compress the insertion spring so that the insertion spring provides the force to translate the main barrel downward when the main barrel is unlocked from the trigger ring so that the needle is injected into the user at the injection site, (c) release the ratchet ring from the ratchets when the main barrel is translated upward so that the dose barrel rotates in the counter direction due to the force of the compressed dose spring and translates the plunger and plunger rod downward to deliver the dose.

7. The automatic medicament delivery device of claim 2 wherein the disposable transfer system includes a check valve in the plunger that is configured to prevent the dose from flowing back into the vial container during delivery of the dose into the user.

8. An automatic medicament delivery device comprising:

an injector body; and

a disposable transfer system including a syring barrel, a plunger rod, and a plunger, the plunger rod and the plunger being connected to each other and translatable in the syringe barrel;

the disposable transfer system and the injector body being configured to cooperatively enable a user to (a) attach the disposable transfer system to the injector body, (b) transfer and measure a dose of medicament from a vial container attached to the plunger rod through the plunger rod and the plunger into the syringe barrel prior to delivery of the dose into the user, and (c) when the injector body is pressed against an injection site of the user, automatically inject a needle of a needle assembly attached to the disposable transfer system into the user and deliver the dose from the syringe barrel into the user through the needle.

9. The automatic medicament delivery device of claim 8 wherein:

the injector body includes a dose measuring mechanism; and

the dose measuring mechanism and the plunger rod and the plunger are configured to cooperatively enable the user to transfer and measure the dose from the vial container through the plunger rod and plunger and into the syringe barrel prior to delivery into the user.

10. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 9 wherein the dose measuring mechanism is configured to enable the user to measure and transfer the dose by selectively controlling upward translation of the plunger rod and the plunger in the syringe barrel so as to create a vacuum in the syringe barrel which draws the medicament from the attached vial container through the plunger rod and plunger and into the syringe barrel.

11. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 10 wherein:

the plunger rod includes pins;

the dose measuring system comprises;

a dose dial; and

a dose barrel attached to the dose barrel to allow dependent rotation with the dose dial and independent translation from the dose dial;

a dose ring locked to the plunger rod when the disposable transfer system is attached to the injector body and rotatably engaged in the dose barrel for upward and downward translation of the plunger and plunger rod; and

the dose ring, the dose dial, and the dose barrel being configured to cooperatively enable the user to selectively rotate the dose dial in a first direction so that the dose barrel and the dose ring dependently rotate and cause the selectively controlled upward translation of the plunger and the plunger rod.

12. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 11 wherein the dose measuring system further comprises:

a dose spring in the dose barrel that presses against the dose ring and is compressed as a result of the selectively controlled translation of the plunger and the plunger rod; and

a ratchet ring;

the dose barrel including ratchets;

the ratchet ring and ratchets being configured to be cooperatively engaged until delivery of the dose to enable the user to selectively rotate the dose barrel in the first direction using the dose dial and prevent the dose barrel from rotating in a counter direction to the first direction due to the force of the compressed dose spring.

13. The automatic medicament delivery system of claim 12 wherein the injector body comprises:

a shell;

a tip trigger piece;

a trigger ring that presses against the tip trigger piece;

a main barrel configured to be lock to and unlocked from the trigger ring and to be locked to the syringe barrel when the disposable transfer system is attached to the injector body;

an insertion spring that presses against the main barrel and the shell;

the shell, the tip trigger piece, the trigger ring, and the main barrel being cooperatively configured to, when the tip trigger piece is pressed against an injection site by the user, enable (a) the trigger ring to translate upward and rotate so that the main barrel is unlocked from the trigger ring and released for downward translation, (b) compress the insertion spring so that the insertion spring provides the force to translate the main barrel downward when the main barrel is unlocked from the trigger ring so that the needle is injected into the user at the injection site, (c) release the ratchet ring from the ratchets when the main barrel is translated upward so that the dose barrel rotates in the counter direction due to the force of the compressed dose spring and translates the plunger and plunger rod downward to deliver the dose.

14. The automatic medicament delivery device of claim 8 wherein the disposable transfer system includes a check valve in the plunger that is configured to prevent the dose from flowing back into the vial container during delivery of the dose into the user.