Device with time indicating means

• US 7,397,730 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Skyggebjerg, Ole, Weben, Barry, Bjorlig, Nina, Icaza, Manuel Alvarez, Syme, Steven, Lav, Steffen, Panduro, Rasmus, Christensen, Lars Hofmann
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska; Vit W
• Application Number:
  US11/544,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368107-113, 604/174, 604/181, 604/187, 604/192
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/178 Syringes
• 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 5/28 Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 25/06 by moving figures, e.g. cuckoo clocks, trumpet clocks figures or part of figures set in motion by the clockwork and creating an optical special effect G04B45/0007; figures or parts of figures not used to indicate time G04B45/0038; clockworks driving inscriptions or figures G04B45/0023; time indication by means of plates or bands driven electrically G04C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/005 using electronic timing, e.g. counting means pulse time delay arrangements H03K5/13; modifications of electronic switches for introducing a time delay before switching H03K17/28

Abstract

The invention relates to a timer device capable of performing one or more control actions in response to the time lapsed since a user initiated action took place. The timer device comprises contact means operatable between two conditions, timer means, and means for storing first and second time stamps. The device further comprises control means for setting a first time stamp in response to the contact means being operated between first and second conditions, setting a second time stamp in response to the contact means being operated between the second and first conditions, calculating the time elapsed between the two time stamps, comparing the elapsed time with a preset time value, and performing a control action if the elapsed time is greater than the preset time value.

Claims

1. An injection device for injecting a medication, the device comprising:

a needle, a doser that comprises a reservoir of medication, and a cap that covers a portion of the doser, wherein the cap comprises;

a mechanism operable between a first condition and a second condition,

a clock device for storing a first time stamp, a second time stamp, and a first time-period value,

a controller for

setting a first time stamp in response to the mechanism being operated between the first condition and the second condition,

setting a second time stamp in response to the mechanism being operated between the second condition and the first condition,

calculating the time elapsed between the first and second time stamps,

comparing the elapsed time with the first time-period value, and

performing a first control action if the elapsed time is greater than the first time-period value; and

the clock device being adapted for being reset in response to the control action, and

a display for indicating the time lapsed since reset of the clock device.

2. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the doser is a prefilled, disposable injection device with a non-removable reservoir.

3. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the clock device is adapted to store a third time stamp, wherein the first control action replaces the third time stamp with the first or second time stamp or a time value calculated on the basis of the first and/or second time stamp.

4. The injection device of claim 1 further comprising a first actuator for cancelling the first control action.

5. The injection device of claim 1, further comprising a first actuator for confirming the first control action, whereby no confirmation will cancel the first control action.

6. A cap for an injection device comprising:

an interior space that conceals an injecting end of an injection device;

a circuit that detects when the cap has been removed for a period of time sufficiently long to complete an injection, and

a clock that records the time when the cap has been removed long enough to complete an injection.

7. The cap of claim 6, wherein the clock is a stop watch and records the elapsed time since an injection took place.

8. The cap of claim 6, wherein the cap displays a point of time user time stamp that corresponds to a time of injection.

9. The cap of claim 6, wherein the cap is adapted to fit a disposable, prefilled, non-electronically controlled injection pen device.

10. An injection device for injecting a preset dose of medication from a non-removable reservoir contained in the device, the device comprising:

a needle, a prefilled, disposable doser and a cap, the cap comprising;

a clock and

a circuit for actuating the clock, the circuit adapted to detect when the cap has been removed from the device and for how long the cap has been removed, the circuit further adapted to reset the clock if the cap has been removed for a period equal to a value in a preset range, the preset range corresponding to the lime necessary to perform an injection.

11. The injection device of claim 10, wherein the clock records the time of injection.

12. The injection device of claim 11, wherein the clock records elapsed time since the injection.