Device for the dosed administration of a fluid product comprising a torsion spring drive

• US 7,951,113 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ypsomed AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Wittwer, Martin, Kuenzli, Daniel, Meier, Christoph, Kohlbrenner, Philippe, Hommann, Edgar, Stettler, Peter, Wittmann, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDWAY, SCOTT J
• Application Number:
  US11/769,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/136, 604/156, 604/232, 604/138, 604/134, 604/135, 604/137, 604/157, 604/186, 604207-209, 604/211, 604/218, 604/201, 604/228
• US Class Current: 604/135
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/202 cocking means, e.g. to bias the main drive spring of an injector
• 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 2005/3142 Modular constructions, e.g. supplied in separate pieces to be assembled by end-user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• 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 5/24 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 5/31535 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 5/31543 piston rod reset means, i.e. means for causing or facilitating retraction of piston rod to its starting position during cartridge change
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31555 by purely axial movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31558 using scaling up or down transmissions, e.g. gearbox
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31575 using scaling up or down transmissions, e.g. gearbox
• 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 5/31593 Multi-dose, i.e. individually set dose repeatedly administered from the same medicament reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3204 Needle cap remover, i.e. devices to dislodge protection cover from needle or needle hub, e.g. deshielding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3245 Constructional features thereof, e.g. to improve manipulation or functioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3257 : Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 : Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/106 : Responsive to pumped volume

Abstract

A device for administering a fluid product including a housing, a conveying device for the product, a coupling element provided for the drive of the conveying device and which can be rotated about a rotational axis, a first blocking element connected in a rotationally secure manner to the coupling element, a second blocking element detachably engageable with the first blocking element thereby preventing a rotational movement thereof in the drive direction and enabling said rotational movement to take place in the counter dosing direction, a torsion spring connected to the coupling element such that it is stressed by the rotational movement when the blocking elements are engaged in a blocked position and drives the coupling element in a rotary manner after the blocking position is released, and a release element coupled to at least one of the blocking elements such that a release movement of the release element displaces at least one of the blocking elements from the blocked position, the release element also forming a dosing element used to control a product dose.

Claims

1. A device for administering a fluid product comprising a housing, a conveying device for the product, a coupling element provided for the drive of the conveying device and which can be rotated about a rotational axis, a first blocking member connected in a rotationally secure manner to the coupling element, a second blocking member detachably engageable with the first blocking member thereby preventing a rotational movement thereof in the drive direction and enabling said rotational movement to take place in the counter dosing direction, a torsion spring connected to the coupling element such that it is stressed by the rotational movement when the blocking members are engaged in a blocked position and drives the coupling element in a rotary manner after the blocking position is released, and a release element coupled to at least one of the blocking members such that a release movement of the release element translationally along the rotational axis displaces at least one of the blocking members from the blocked position, the release element also forming a dose setting element used to set a product dose amount to be delivered.

2. A device for administering a fluid product, said device including:

a) a casing comprising a reservoir for the product;

b) a conveying means for the product;

c) a coupler member rotationally moveable about a rotational axis for driving the conveying means;

d) a first blocking member connected to the coupler member so that the first blocking member is slaved in rotation by the coupler member;

e) a second blocking member which, in a releasable blocking engagement with the first blocking member, prevents a rotational movement of the first blocking member in a drive direction and allows the rotational movement of the first blocking member in an opposite dosing direction;

f) a torsion spring which is connected to the coupler member such that it is tensed by the rotational movement when the blocking members are in blocking engagement, and rotationally drives the coupler member after the blocking engagement is released; and

g) a triggering element coupled to at least one of the blocking members such that a triggering movement of the triggering element moves said at least one of the blocking members out of the releasable blocking engagement;

h) wherein the triggering element also comprises a dosing member for setting a product dosage to be delivered.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the coupler member drives the conveying means as the coupler member moves by a coupler movement in a direction parallel to the rotational axis into a coupler engagement with the conveying means, wherein the blocking engagement is released by the coupler movement.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the coupler movement is a translational movement along the rotational axis.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the coupler member slaves one of the blocking members during the coupler movement, which releases the blocking engagement.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the triggering element is coupled to the coupler member such that the triggering movement of the triggering element causes a coupler movement of the coupler member in a direction parallel to the rotational axis into a coupler engagement in which a drive force of the torsion spring is transferred to the conveying means via the coupler member.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the triggering element slaves the coupler member during the triggering movement.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein the coupler member is rotationally coupled to the conveying means in a first phase of the triggering movement, and in a second phase of the triggering movement, the blocking engagement of the blocking members is released, while the coupling between the coupler member and the conveying means is extant.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second blocking member can be moved in the direction of the coupler movement.

10. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a blocking spring that urges one of the blocking members into the blocking engagement.

11. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a blocking spring acting on the second blocking member in the direction of the coupler movement.

12. The device according to claim 2, wherein the coupler member performs a dosing rotational movement in the dosing direction when the product dosage is being set.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the triggering element performs a rotational dosing movement when the product dosage is being set, and is coupled to the coupler member such that rotational dosing movement of the triggering element causes the dosing rotational movement of the coupler member.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the triggering element is connected to the coupler member and slaves the coupler member in rotation when setting the product dosage.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the coupling between the triggering element and the coupler member for setting the product dosage is releasable.

16. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a dosage display coupled to the coupler member such that the dosing rotational movement causes an increase in a dosage value displayed.

17. The device according to claim 12, further comprising a dosage display coupled to the coupler member such that a movement of the coupler member in the drive direction causes a reduction in a dosage value displayed.

18. The device according to claim 2, wherein the torsion spring is a spiral spring wound around the rotational axis, comprising an inner spring winding and at least one outer spring winding which surrounds the inner spring winding over at least a part of its circumference.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein one end of the torsion spring is connected, secure against rotating, to the coupler member.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the coupler member mounts the torsion spring and the torsion spring is slaved in a coupler movement of the coupler member in a direction along the rotational axis.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the torsion spring does not exert a force on the coupler member in the direction of the coupler movement, or exerts a force acting counter to the coupler movement.

22. The device according to claim 3, further comprising a holding means which holds the coupler member in a holding position, decoupled from the conveying means prior to establishing the coupler engagement.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the holding means comprises a restoring member and the restoring member charges the coupler member with an elastic restoring force acting counter to the coupler movement.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the restoring member is supported counter to the coupler movement on the first blocking member.

25. The device according to claim 2, wherein for correcting a dosage, the triggering element performs a retracting movement in a direction opposite a triggering movement direction which releases the blocking engagement of the blocking members.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the triggering element is coupled to the second blocking member such that the retracting movement causes a movement of the second blocking member out of the blocking engagement.

27. The device according to claim 2, wherein the coupler member can be moved relative to the first blocking member counter to the direction of the coupler movement, a restoring member charges the first blocking member with an elastic restoring force acting counter to the coupler movement, and wherein the casing or a structure connected to the casing forms a stopper, which acts counter to the elastic restoring force, for the first blocking member.

28. The device according to claim 2, wherein the casing includes a first casing part comprising the reservoir, and a second casing part which carries the coupler member and the blocking members, and wherein the casing parts are detachable from each other and the device comprises a decoupling mechanism which, while acting on at least one of the blocking members, automatically releases the blocking engagement when the casing parts are detached.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein the decoupling mechanism moves the coupler member counter to the direction of the coupler movement, and the coupler member is coupled to the second blocking member during said movement of the coupler member, such that the second blocking member is moved counter to the direction of the coupler movement, out of the blocking engagement.

30. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first blocking member forms a first rotational stopper which limits the rotational movement of the coupler member in the drive direction.

31. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first blocking member forms a second rotational stopper which limits the rotational movement of the coupler member in the dosing direction.

32. The device according to claim 30, wherein the first blocking member is provided with a thread and the device includes a stopping member which in the course of the rotational movement abuts against the rotational stopper and so limits the rotational movement.

33. The device according to claims 31, wherein the first blocking member is provided with a thread and the device includes a stopping member which in the course of the rotational movement abuts against the rotational stopper and so limits the rotational movement.

34. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first blocking member and the coupler member can be moved relative to each other along the rotational axis, and a restoring member charges the first blocking member with an elastic restoring force in the direction of the second blocking member.

35. The device according to claim 34, wherein the first blocking member is a sleeve body comprising a base, and the restoring member is supported on the base and protrudes into the sleeve body.

36. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first blocking member can be moved counter to the direction of the coupler movement until it abuts against at least one of the coupler member and the casing.