Dose metering mechanism for an injection device

• US 7,811,263 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Schrul, Christian, Moser, Ulrich, Burren, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenberg; Rebecca E
• Application Number:
  US11/439,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 604207-211
• US Class Current: 604/211
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2407 from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31508 provided on the piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• 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 5/3146 Priming, e.g. purging, reducing backlash or clearance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31501 Means for blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston A61M5/5013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31535 Means improving security or handling thereof, e.g. blocking means, means preventing insufficient dosing, means allowing correction of overset dose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31536 Blocking means to immobilize a selected dose, e.g. to administer equal doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31538 Permanent blocking, e.g. by medical personnel
• 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 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31563 interacting with a displaceable stop member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31575 using scaling up or down transmissions, e.g. gearbox
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31585 performed by axially moving actuator, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/021 : of the piston type G01F11/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/027 : of the syringe type

Abstract

A dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from an injection device, the mechanism including a setting sleeve marked with dose amounts by which a dose to be administered is set by rotation, and a rotating sleeve which can be rotated out of the dose metering mechanism to prime the dispensing of a dose and is marked with dose amounts, the setting sleeve coupled to the rotating sleeve whereby when the rotating sleeve is fully rotated out, the dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated dose amount of the rotating sleeve.

Claims

1. A dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from an injection device, the dose metering mechanism comprising:

a setting sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, by which setting sleeve a dose can be set by rotation, and

a rotating sleeve configured to be axially displaced by rotation, said axial displacement relative to the setting sleeve to prime a dispensing of the set dose by rotation, said rotating sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction that match the dose amounts marked on the setting sleeve, wherein

said setting sleeve is coupled to the rotating sleeve so that each time the rotating sleeve is fully rotated out, the set dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated matching set dose amount of the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction.

2. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dose to be administered is fixed by a position of rotation of the setting sleeve relative to the dose metering mechanism or to the injection device.

3. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of rotation of the setting sleeve restricts the degree to which the rotating sleeve rotates out and defines a maximum possible angle of rotation of the rotating sleeve.

4. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the position of rotation of the setting sleeve defines a maximum possible angle of rotation of the rotating sleeve.

5. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locking element associated with the rotating sleeve which is moved toward an end stop associated with the rotating sleeve during every dose setting routine, and restricts the degree to which the rotating sleeve rotates out.

6. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting sleeve is substantially coaxial with the rotating sleeve, and wherein the setting sleeve and the rotating sleeve each comprise a stop element which restricts the degree to which the rotating sleeve is able to rotate relative to the setting sleeve.

7. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein every dose amount on the setting sleeve is assigned a corresponding amount on the rotating sleeve.

8. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dose amounts on the rotating sleeve are offset from one another in an axial direction in rising sequence and in a spiral.

9. The dose metering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a marking element associated with the injection device by which a reading is taken of the dose set by rotating the setting sleeve relative to the injection device.

10. An injection device comprising a dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from the injection device, the dose metering mechanism comprising:

a setting sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, by which setting sleeve a dose can be set by rotation,

a rotating sleeve configured to be axially displaced in a proximal direction relative to the setting sleeve to prime a dispensing of the set dose by rotation in a first direction and further configured to be axially displaced in a distal direction relative to the setting sleeve to administer the set dose by rotation in a second direction, said rotating sleeve marked with different dose amounts in the circumferential direction, and

a locking element having an external thread which is engaged with an internal thread of the rotating sleeve, wherein the locking element rotates into the rotating sleeve when the rotating sleeve is rotated out of the dose metering mechanism such that the locking element moves distally relative to the rotating sleeve toward a front stop of the rotating sleeve, wherein

said setting sleeve is coupled to the rotating sleeve so that each time the rotating sleeve is fully rotated out, the set dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated matching set dose amount of the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction.

11. The injection device of claim 10, wherein the locking element restricts outward movement of the rotating sleeve if an available quantity of a substance to be administered is less than the set dose.

12. The injection device of claim 11, wherein the relative position between the locking element and the rotating sleeve is unchanged when the rotating sleeve is rotated into the dose metering mechanism to administer the set dose.

13. A dose metering mechanism for setting a dose to be administered from an injection device, said dose metering mechanism comprising a setting sleeve incorporating at least one marking with different dose amounts in a circumferential direction by which a dose to be administered can be set by rotation, a rotating sleeve configured to be axially displaced in a proximal direction relative to the setting sleeve to prime the dispensing of a dose by rotation in a first direction and further configured to be axially displaced in a distal direction relative to the setting sleeve to administer the set dose by rotation in a second direction, which rotating sleeve has at least one marking with different dose amounts in a circumferential direction that matches the dose amounts marked on the setting sleeve, and a locking element having an external thread which is engaged with an internal thread of the rotating sleeve, wherein the locking element rotates into the rotating sleeve when the rotating sleeve is rotated out of the dose metering mechanism such that the locking element moves distally relative to the rotating sleeve toward a front stop of the rotating sleeve, wherein the setting sleeve is coupled to the rotating sleeve so that each time the rotating sleeve is in a fully rotated out state, the set dose amount of the setting sleeve is not offset from an associated matching set dose amount of the rotating sleeve in the circumferential direction and wherein the setting sleeve is freely rotatable relative to the injection device when the rotating sleeve is in a fully pushed-in state and is rotably fixed when the rotating sleeve is moved from the fully pushed-in state.

14. The dose metering mechanism of claim 13, wherein the setting sleeve comprises one or more latching cams which lie opposite a circumferentially extending groove of the rotating sleeve when the rotating sleeve is in the fully pushed-in state.

15. The dose metering mechanism of claim 14, wherein the locking element restricts outward movement of the rotating sleeve if an available quantity of a substance to be administered is less than the set dose.

16. The dose metering mechanism of claim 15, wherein the relative position between the locking element and the rotating sleeve is unchanged when the rotating sleeve is rotated into the dose metering mechanism to administer the set dose.