Administration instrument for medical use

• US 7,922,699 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Kouichi, Ishikawa, Tokumi, Baba, Tokumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Price; Nathan R
• Application Number:
  US10/498,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,042 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 60416501-16504, 604207-209, 604/220, 604/201
• US Class Current: 604/220
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2407 from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2488 via rotation, e.g. threads or bayonet
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2496 via pivot
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3123 having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3132 having flow passages for injection agents at the distal end of the barrel to bypass a sealing stopper after its displacement to this end due to internal pressure increase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3152 including gearings to multiply or attenuate the piston displacing force
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual 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 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3146 Priming, e.g. purging, reducing backlash or clearance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31556 Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31571 : Means preventing accidental administration for automatic syringes A61M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31573 : Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 : performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31583 : based on rotational translation, i.e. movement of piston rod is caused by relative rotation between the user activated actuator and the piston rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31585 : performed by axially moving actuator, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31596 : comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• 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

An administration instrument for medical use performs injection of a drug solution with stability and with great reliability. The administration instrument includes a needle that does not wobble, thereby alleviating physical and mental pain of the administration patient. The structure includes an injection button that is pressed at an angle that is not parallel to the needle with respect to a direction in which the needle is inserted into the skin. Thus, it is possible to prevent the force of pressing the injection button from being transmitted in a direction of insertion of the needle so that the needle is inserted deeper into the skin than the initial insertion of the needle, thereby achieving administration under a stable state.

Claims

1. An administration instrument for medical use comprising:

a body including a skin touch portion;

a drug solution cartridge set in the body and configured to store a drug solution therein;

an injection needle configured to be detachably attached to the drug solution cartridge;

a plunger configured to perform an administration operation by forcing out the drug solution stored in the drug solution cartridge to administer the drug solution;

an injection button configured to be pressed so as to enable the plunger to perform the administration operation;

an administration operation inhibit unit configured to detect whether or not the injection needle is attached to the drug solution cartridge stored in the body, configured to perform an administration operation of the drug solution via the plunger when the injection button is pressed and when the needle is attached to the drug solution cartridge, and configured to inhibit the administration operation performed by the plunger when the injection button is pressed and when the needle is not attached to the drug solution cartridge, wherein said administration operation inhibit unit includes an injection button-integrated driving lever attached to the injection button and extending in a direction along which the injection button is pressed, and an injection lever arranged in parallel to the plunger, and having, at one end, an end portion sandwiched against the drug solution cartridge by the injection needle; and

a spring member configured to pull the injection lever toward the tip of the injection needle.

2. The administration instrument of claim 1 further including

a Plunger driving unit including a first rack which is disposed on a portion of the injection button-integrated driving lever, a first gear which is engaged with the first rack, and a second gear which is engaged with the first gear and a second rack, the second rack being disposed in a longitudinal direction of the plunger, said plunger driving unit configured to transmit a pressing operation of the injection button to the plunger to drive the plunger.

3. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 2 wherein

when the injection needle is not attached to the drug solution cartridge so that an end portion of the injection lever is not sandwiched between the injection needle and the drug solution cartridge, the engagement portions of the injection lever and the plunger are engaged with each other due to tension in the spring member, whereby the pressing operation of the injection button is stopped to inhibit the administration operation;

and

when the injection needle is attached to the drug solution cartridge so that the end portion of the injection lever is sandwiched between injection needle and the drug solution cartridge, the engagement portions of the injection lever and the plunger are not engaged with each other against the tension in the spring member, whereby the injection button or the administration button is capable of being pressed so as to enable the administration operation.

4. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 3 wherein

the injection needle integrally includes a resin unit that contacts the administration operation inhibit unit when the injection needle is attached to the drug solution cartridge.

5. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 4 wherein

when the injection needle is removed from the drug solution cartridge the resin unit is separated from the administration operation inhibit unit.

6. The administration instrument for medical use of claim 3 wherein

the second rack includes teeth disposed on a side, extends in the same direction as the direction along which the injection button is pressed, and has a cut-away engagement portion in a part thereof;

the first gear is configured to engage the teeth formed on the side of the second rack; and

the second gear is configured to engage the first gear, and includes teeth disposed on the plunger in a longitudinal direction,

the end portion is L-shaped and the injection lever includes a cut-away engagement portion disposed at a position corresponding to the engagement portion of the second rack.

7. An administration operation inhibit unit for inhibiting an administration operation that is activated by pressing an injection button or an administration button when a needle is not attached to an administration instrument, the administration operation inhibit unit comprising:

a needle attachment detection unit for detecting whether the needle is attached to the administration instrument or not;

a plunger driving unit for driving a plunger operation of the injection button or the administration button, the plunger including teeth disposed in a longitudinal direction of the plunger, and

wherein said needle attachment detection unit engages with the plunger driving unit when the needle is not attached to the administration instrument to inhibit operation of the injection button or the administration button;

the plunger driving unit including

the injection button for administering an injection, which is depressed by an administrator of the injection;

a rack including teeth formed on one side, and extending in a direction along which the injection button or the administration button is pressed, and having a cut-away engagement portion in a part thereof;

a first gear which engages the teeth on the one side of the rack; and

a second gear which engages the first gear and the teeth disposed on the plunger,

the needle attachment detection unit including

an eject lever which is disposed parallel to the plunger, and has a L-shaped end portion sandwiched between a drug solution cartridge and the needle, on one end, and a cut-away engagement portion that is formed at a position corresponding to the engagement portion of the rack; and

a spring member that pulls the eject lever toward a tip of the needle, and

when the needle is not attached to the instrument so that the L-shaped end portion is not sandwiched between the drug solution cartridge and the needle, the engagement portions of the eject lever and the plunger engage with each other due to a tension of the spring member, thereby inhibiting the operation of the injection button or the administration button.