Injection device

• US 7,758,545 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Rasch-Menges, Juergen, Jansen, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANDER, DIVA KAKAR
• Application Number:
  US11/776,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20080015503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 604/117, 604/83
• US Class Current: 604/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150198 Depth adjustment mechanism at the proximal end of the carrier of the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15198 purely manually retracted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8293 Solar
• 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 5/3287 Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

The invention refers to an injection device for the injection of a medical agent, in particular insulin, comprising: a housing, a reception compartment for a vial containing the agent to be injected, advancement mechanics for moving an injection needle that is inserted in the device in a direction of puncturing, and a pressing facility for pressing agent from a vial that is inserted in the reception compartment for the purpose of an injection process. The advancement mechanics, effects, in a first device function for an injection process, a first motion profile of an inserted injection needle, in which a resting phase follows after an advancement motion, during which resting phase the inserted injection needle for an injection process is at rest with respect to the device housing, and effects, in a second device function for obtaining a body fluid sample for diagnostic purposes, a second motion profile of an inserted injection needle, in which a returning motion follows immediately after a puncturing motion.

Claims

1. An injection device for the injection into a patient of a medical agent contained within a vial, comprising:

a housing;

a compartment configured to receive the vial;

a needle that is movable in a first direction in order to puncture the patient; and

a pressing member configured to force the medical agent from the vial and through the needle into the patient;

wherein the needle is movable from an initial position in accordance with a first motion profile in which the needle moves a first distance relative to the housing followed by a rest period, and in accordance with a second motion profile in which the needle is returned to the initial position without a rest period after moving relative to the housing to puncture the patient.

2. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 further including an activation mechanism capable of initiating motion of the needle in accordance with the first motion profile or the second motion profile.

3. The injection device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the activation mechanism includes a first trigger element causing motion of the needle in accordance with the first motion profile.

4. The injection device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the activation mechanism includes a second trigger element causing motion of the needle in accordance with the second motion profile.

5. The injection device as set forth in claim 2 further including a mechanism for setting a first puncturing depth for the first motion profile and a second puncturing depth for the second motion profile.

6. The injection device as set forth in claim 5 further including a display capable of displaying the first puncturing depth and the second puncturing depth.

7. The injection device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the activation mechanism includes a first setting element for setting the first puncturing depth and a second setting element for setting the second puncturing depth.

8. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 further including a measuring unit for assaying a body fluid sample.

9. The injection device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the measuring unit is a blood glucose meter.

10. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 further including a cap connected to the housing.

11. The injection device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the cap includes an opening and the needle extends through the opening during puncturing.

12. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the needle moves with respect to the vial when the needle moves in accordance with the first motion profile.

13. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the needle and the vial move with respect to the housing in accordance with the second motion profile.

14. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the needle moves with respect to the vial when the needle moves in accordance with one of the motion profiles, and the needle and the vial move with respect to the housing in accordance with the other of the motion profiles.

15. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 further including a sensor for detecting at least one of a first puncturing depth or a second puncturing depth.

16. The injection device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pressing member forces the medical agent from the vial and through the needle during the rest period.

17. An injection device for the injection into a patient of a medical agent contained within a vial comprising:

a housing including a compartment configured to receive the vial;

a needle that may be moved in a first direction in order to puncture the patient;

a pressing member configured to force the medical agent from the vial; and

advancement mechanics for moving the needle;

wherein the advancement mechanics effect in a first device function for an injection process a first motion profile of the needle in which a resting phase follows after an advancement motion of the needle relative to the housing, during which resting phase the needle is at rest with respect to the housing for the injection process; and

wherein the advancement mechanics effect in a second device function for obtaining a body fluid sample for diagnostic purposes a second motion profile of the needle in which a returning motion follows immediately after a puncturing motion.

18. The injection device as set forth in claim 17 further including a cap connected to the housing.

19. The injection device as set forth in claim 18 wherein the cap includes an opening and an arcuate cross section.

20. The injection device as set forth in claim 18 wherein the cap has a substantially cylindrical shape.

21. The injection device as set forth in claim 18 wherein the cap includes a portion having the cross-sectional shape of a frustum.

22. The injection device as set forth in claim 17 wherein the needle moves with respect to the vial when the needle moves according to the second motion profile.

23. The injection device as set forth in claim 17 further including a measuring unit capable of assaying a body fluid sample.

24. The injection device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the measuring unit is a blood glucose meter.

25. The injection device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the measuring unit is a photometrical unit.

26. The injection device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the measuring unit is an electrochemical unit.

27. The injection device as set forth in claim 17 further including a trigger element capable of actuating movement of the needle in accordance with one of the first motion profile or the second motion profile.

28. The injection device as set forth in claim 27 further including a second trigger element capable of actuating movement of the needle in accordance with the other of the first motion profile or the second motion profile.

29. The injection device as set forth in claim 17 further including a first setting element capable of setting a puncture depth of the needle in accordance with movement of the needle based upon the first motion profile.

30. The injection device as set forth in claim 29 further including a second setting element capable of setting a second puncture depth of the needle in accordance with movement of the needle based upon the second motion profile.

31. The injection device as set forth in claim 29 further including a display capable of displaying the first puncture depth or the second puncture depth.

32. The injection device as set forth in claim 31 wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.