Removal of needle shields from syringes and automatic injection devices
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for removing a needle shield from a syringe, comprising:
- a tubular member for enclosing the needle shield coupled to the syringe;
one or more cap engagement mechanisms provided at a distal end of the tubular member and configured for engagement with a distal cap provided for covering a distal end of the syringe;
two shield engagement mechanisms provided at a proximal end of the tubular member and configured for engagement with the needle shield, the two shield engagement mechanisms configured such that,when the apparatus is pulled away from the syringe, the two shield engagement mechanisms exert force against the needle shield to remove the needle shield from the syringe;
two apertures disposed in a sidewall of the tubular member, wherein each of the two shield engagement mechanisms is provided in a respective one of the two apertures; and
two cutout portions formed in the sidewall of the tubular member and circumferentially disposed in an alternating manner with the two apertures about the tubular member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments provide a needle shield remover that reliably engages with a distal cap of an automatic injection device and with one or more needle shields coupled to a syringe of the device. When a user removes the distal cap, the needle shield remover reliably removes the needle shields (e.g., a soft needle shield and a rigid needle shield) from the syringe, thereby exposing the injection needle for performing an injection. In an exemplary assembly method, a needle shield remover is engaged to a needle shield coupled to a syringe, prior to insertion of the syringe and needle shield remover assembly into a housing of the device. This exemplary assembly method allows visual inspection, outside the housing of the device, to ensure that the needle shield remover is correctly and reliably engaged to the needle shield before the syringe and needle shield remover assembly is inserted into the housing.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus for removing a needle shield from a syringe, comprising:
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a tubular member for enclosing the needle shield coupled to the syringe; one or more cap engagement mechanisms provided at a distal end of the tubular member and configured for engagement with a distal cap provided for covering a distal end of the syringe; two shield engagement mechanisms provided at a proximal end of the tubular member and configured for engagement with the needle shield, the two shield engagement mechanisms configured such that, when the apparatus is pulled away from the syringe, the two shield engagement mechanisms exert force against the needle shield to remove the needle shield from the syringe; two apertures disposed in a sidewall of the tubular member, wherein each of the two shield engagement mechanisms is provided in a respective one of the two apertures; and two cutout portions formed in the sidewall of the tubular member and circumferentially disposed in an alternating manner with the two apertures about the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An automatic injection device, comprising:
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a syringe; a needle shield coupled to a distal end of the syringe; a distal cap for covering the needle shield; and a needle shield remover disposed between the needle shield and the distal cap, the needle shield comprising; a tubular member for enclosing the needle shield coupled to the syringe, one or more cap engagement mechanisms provided at a distal end of the tubular member and engaged with the distal cap, two shield engagement mechanisms provided at a proximal end of the tubular member and engaged with the needle shield, the two shield engagement mechanisms configured such that, when the needle shield remover is pulled away from the syringe, the two shield engagement mechanisms exert force against the needle shield to remove the needle shield from the syringe, two apertures disposed in a sidewall of the tubular member, wherein each of the two shield engagement mechanisms is provided in a respective one of the two apertures, and two cutout portions formed in the sidewall of the tubular member and circumferentially disposed in an alternating manner with the two apertures about the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for removing a needle shield from a syringe, comprising:
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a tubular member for enclosing the needle shield coupled to the syringe; one or more cap engagement mechanisms provided at a distal end of the tubular member and configured for engagement with a distal cap provided for covering a distal end of the syringe; two shield engagement mechanisms provided at a proximal end of the tubular member and configured for engagement with the needle shield, the two shield engagement mechanisms configured such that, when the apparatus is pulled away from the syringe, the two shield engagement mechanisms exert force against the needle shield to remove the needle shield from the syringe; and two cutout portions formed in the sidewall of the tubular member and circumferentially disposed in an alternating manner with the two shield engagement mechanisms about the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification