Injection system with hidden needles

• US 8,529,540 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avant Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avant Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Slate, John B., Barnes, Andrew C., Magers, Corey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/580,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 604/181, 604/506, 604135-139, 604/65, 604/62, 738/648.7, 600/62
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/004 Magazines with multiple needles directly inserted into an injection or infusion device, e.g. revolver-like magazines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/008 Racks for supporting syringes or needles A61M5/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/204 connected to external reservoirs for multiple refilling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/32 Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub infusion needles A61M5/158; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body A61M5/42, A61M5/46 take precedence; guide needles for catheters A61M25/065; Devices for protection of needles apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising needles A61M5/001
• 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: A61M 5/3287 Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/34 Constructions for connecting the needle , e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/425 Protruding skin to facilitate piercing, e.g. vacuum cylinders, vein immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

An auto-injector confines all functional components inside an enclosed housing, to keep its needle out-of-sight, at all times. Within the housing, a needle holder positions a needle at a location. A drive mechanism then simultaneously engages the needle with a fluid source and accelerates it with a predetermined momentum for insertion into a patient. After fluid delivery, the withdrawn needle is moved to storage within the housing for subsequent disposal.

Claims

1. A method for operating an auto-injector which comprises the steps of:

mounting a fluid reservoir on a housing formed with an interior;

loading a plurality of sterile needles onto the housing;

moving a sterile needle to a location in the housing to present the sterile needle for fluid communication engagement through a connector with the fluid reservoir, wherein the connector includes a flex hose having a spike to establish fluid communication between the connector and the fluid reservoir;

positioning the housing against an injection site on the patient;

connecting the fluid reservoir to the connector by inserting the spike of the flex hose into a septum covering the fluid reservoir;

accelerating a driver rod into contact with the connector to engage the connector with the needle to establish a connector/needle combination for fluid communication between the needle and said fluid reservoir;

transferring momentum from the drive rod to the connector/needle combination, in response to the accelerating step, to move the connector/needle combination, relative to the fluid reservoir, from the location and insert the needle into the patient;

ejecting fluid from said fluid reservoir and through said needle for injecting the fluid into the patient;

withdrawing the connector/needle combination by moving the connector/needle combination relative to the fluid reservoir; and

disconnecting the used needle from said connector for storage of the needle in the interior of said housing.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein engagement of the connector with the needle in said accelerating step and said transferring step are accomplished simultaneously.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of needles are held in a magazine.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said accelerating step is accomplished by pushing a button.