Syringe with automatically triggered safety sleeve

• US 8,858,508 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Pharmaceutical Services of Delaware, Inc. (West Pharmaceutical Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: West Pharmaceutical Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Lavi, Gilad, Tsals, Izrail
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUCHELLE, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US10/566,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,730 Days
• Field of Search: 604/192, 604/195, 604/196, 604/197, 604/198, 604/187, 604/181, 604/110
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3109 Caps sealing the needle bore by use of, e.g. air-hardening adhesive, elastomer or epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• 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 5/3271 with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position

Abstract

A medical injection device is provided which includes a shield system and a syringe. The shield system includes a housing, a shield telescopically received in the housing and slidably coupled to the housing and a driver that pushes the syringe stopper to cause drug injection. The driver is equipped with sensing elements that automatically detect empty syringe. A spring resiliently urges the shield from a retracted position to an extended position shielding the needle. The syringe is coupled to the housing. The shield is positioned externally to the syringe and the driver. The shield includes flexible latches to keep its position relative to the housing during storage and use. The axial movement of the driver in respect to the syringe causes an automatic release of the spring by sensors when the syringe is empty, allowing the spring to move and lock the shield in the extended position after use.

Claims

1. An injection device comprising:

a housing having a proximate end and a distal end, the distal end having an opening therein;

a cartridge barrel within the housing, the cartridge barrel having proximate and distal ends;

a needle cannula fixed to the distal end of the cartridge barrel;

a stopper within the cartridge barrel;

a driver coupled to the stopper;

a shield coupled to the housing and slidable between a retracted and an extended position;

a spring activateable to urge the shield from the retracted position to the extended position; and

at least one deformable side arm forming a portion of said driver and releasably retaining the spring in a compressed state, wherein the at least one side arm is biased into slidable contact with an exterior surface of said cartridge barrel and deflects radially inwardly at an end profile of the distal end of the cartridge barrel and, in turn, release the spring such that the spring slides past the at least one side arm and applies a force to the shield to urge the shield into the extended position.

2. An injection device according to claim 1, wherein the spring is a coil spring within which the cartridge barrel is located.

3. An injection device according to claim 2, wherein the driver further comprises a release mechanism for releasably fixing the spring relative to the driver in the compressed state, the release mechanism being actuatable by the side arms to release the spring.

4. An injection device according to claim 3, wherein the release mechanism comprises a catch provided on a radial outer surface of each deformable arm.

5. An injection device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one deformable arm is formed integrally with the driver.

6. An injection device according to claim 5, wherein each arm is naturally biased against the exterior surface of the cartridge barrel and arranged to follow the surface profile of the barrel.

7. An injection device according to claim 1, wherein said driver and said at least one side arm are a single molded plastic element.

8. The injection device of claim 1, wherein said driver is deformable during assembly.

9. An injection device comprising:

a housing having a proximate end and a distal end, the distal end having an opening therein;

a cartridge barrel within the housing, the cartridge barrel having proximate and distal ends;

a needle cannula fixed to the distal end of the cartridge barrel;

a stopper within the cartridge barrel;

a driver coupled to the stopper and arranged to be manually pushed through the housing;

a shield coupled to the housing and slidable between a retracted and an extended position;

a spring activateable to urge the shield from the retracted position to the extended position, wherein the driver carries the spring to a shield activation point; and

at least one deformable side arm forming a portion of said driver and being biased into slidable contact with an exterior surface of said cartridge barrel, said at least one side arm deflecting radially inwardly at an end profile of the distal end of the cartridge barrel, said deflecting triggering activation of the spring.

10. An injection device according to claim 9, wherein the spring is fixed at a proximal end thereof to the driver, and a spring release mechanism fixes the spring to the driver at a distal end thereof.

11. An injection device comprising:

a housing having a proximate end and a distal end, the distal end having an opening therein;

a cartridge barrel within the housing, the cartridge barrel having proximate and distal ends;

a needle cannula fixed to the distal end of the cartridge;

a stopper within the cartridge barrel;

a driver coupled to the stopper and;

a shield coupled to the housing and slidable between a retracted and an extended position;

a spring activateable to urge the shield from the retracted position to the extended position and additionally provides a driving force for said driver; and

at least one deformable side arm forming a portion of said driver and being biased into slidable contact with an exterior surface of said cartridge barrel, said at least one side arm deflecting radially inwardly at an end profile of the distal end of the cartridge barrel, said deflecting triggering activation of the spring.

12. An injection device according to claim 11, wherein the spring is fixed at a proximal end thereof to the driver, and a spring release mechanism fixes the spring to the driver at a distal end thereof.

13. An injection device comprising:

a cartridge barrel, said barrel arranged to contain a stopper and fluid therein and wherein said barrel has a distal first end and a second open end and a second end having a radial flange adjacent to the second end;

a needle cannula having a sharp distal end and a second open end, the fluid being in communication with said needle second end, and wherein said needle second end is coupled at said distal first end;

a housing surrounding said barrel, said housing having a distal open end adjacent the needle and a proximate end having a flange receiving the radial flange of the barrel;

a shield releasably retained by the housing, said housing and said shield arranged in a sliding relationship with the shield positioned primarily within the housing until release, wherein said shield includes radially deflectable latches;

a driver positioned partially within said housing, said driver equipped with at least one deformable side arm slidably disposed on an exterior surface of said barrel, said driver slidingly located within said housing for moving the stopper forward; and

a biasing spring adapted to bias the shield to a needle-shielded position to automatically cover the needle after said driver reaches the distal end of the barrel;

wherein the latches are configured to radially deflect and engage the distal end of the housing to retain the shield in the needle shielded position and prevent movement of the shield out of the needle-shielded position.

14. The injection device of claim 13, wherein the biasing spring is carried by the driver and is released to bias the shield when the end of said barrel is reached.

15. The injection device of claim 13, wherein the driver includes two cams configured to follow the exterior surface of the barrel to the distal end of the barrel.

16. The injection device of claim 13, wherein said latches prevent premature release of the shield.