Devices, systems and methods for medicament delivery

• US 8,920,377 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaleo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kaleo, Inc.
• Inventors: Edwards, Eric S., Edwards, Evan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/866,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 604131-155
• US Class Current: 604/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2013 triggering of discharging means by contact of injector with patient body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2073 preventing premature release, e.g. by making use of a safety lock
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31508 provided on the piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8218 Gas operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2033 Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2046 Media being expelled from injector by gas generation, e.g. explosive charge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2053 Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31501 Means for blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston A61M5/5013 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a medicament container, an actuator, and a biasing member. The actuator is configured to move the medicament container within the housing when the actuator is moved from a first configuration to a second configuration. The actuator includes a gas container and a puncturer. When the actuator is in the first configuration, a portion of the puncturer is disposed apart from the gas container. When the actuator is in the second configuration, the portion of the puncturer is disposed within the gas container. The gas container has a longitudinal axis offset from a longitudinal axis of the medicament container. The biasing member is configured to bias the actuator toward the second configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an outer housing associated with a medical injector, the outer housing defining a window;

an inner housing at least partially disposed within the outer housing;

an elastomeric member disposed within the inner housing;

a carrier configured to receive a portion of the inner housing;

a system actuator configured to release energy from an energy storage member to produce a force;

a piston having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion configured to receive the force to move the second end portion of the piston and the elastomeric member within the inner housing to move the apparatus from an initial configuration to an activated configuration, the carrier and the inner housing configured such that at least some of the portion of the inner housing is viewable through the window when the apparatus is in the initial configuration; and

an indicator configured to move with the piston within the outer housing between a first position and a second position, at least a portion of the indicator being viewable through the window when the apparatus is in the activated configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is in the first position when the apparatus is in the initial configuration, and the indicator is in the second position when the apparatus is in the activated configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator exposes a colored portion indicating that the apparatus is in the activated configuration when the indicator is in the second position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the second end portion of the piston moves in a distal direction within the inner housing; and

the indicator moves in a proximal direction within the outer housing between the first position and the second position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector; and

the inner housing is a medicament container including a medicament, the medicament being viewable through the window when the apparatus is in the initial configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the inner housing includes a medicament, the medicament being viewable through the window when the apparatus is in the initial configuration; and

the piston is configured to move the elastomeric member within the inner housing to expel the medicament when the apparatus moves from the initial configuration to the activated configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the piston is configured to move the inner housing within the outer housing.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector, the inner housing is a medicament container that contains a medicament, the apparatus further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member defining an opening through which the medicament is expelled when the apparatus moves from the initial configuration to the activated configuration,

the indicator configured to move within the outer housing between the first position and the second position when the contact member is stationary relative to the outer housing.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the contact member includes a surface configured to contact a target location when the apparatus moves from the initial configuration to the activated configuration.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a spring disposed between the carrier and the contact member.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector, the inner housing is a medicament container that contains a medicament, the apparatus further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member defining an opening through which the medicament is expelled when the apparatus moves from the initial configuration to the activated configuration,

the indicator configured to move within the outer housing between the first position and the second position independent from movement of the contact member.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is spaced apart from the elastomeric member.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is separate from the elastomeric member and the energy storage member.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to move linearly within the outer housing.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector, the inner housing is a medicament container that contains a medicament, the medicament being viewable through the window when the apparatus is in the initial configuration, the apparatus further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member including a surface configured to contact a target location, the contact member defining an opening through which the medicament is expelled when the apparatus moves from the initial configuration to the activated configuration; and

a spring disposed between the carrier and the contact member,

the indicator configured to move along a linear axis within the outer housing between the first position and the second position independent from movement of the contact member relative to the outer housing, the indicator being in the first position when the apparatus is in the initial configuration, the indicator being in the second position when the apparatus is in the activated configuration, the indicator being spaced apart from the elastomeric member and the energy storage member.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

an outer housing associated with a medical injector, the outer housing defining a status window;

an inner housing disposed within the outer housing;

an energy storage member configured to produce a force when actuated;

a piston member configured to receive the force to move an elastomeric member within the inner housing from a first elastomeric member position to a second elastomeric member position; and

an indicator configured to move with the piston member within the outer housing between a first indicator position and a second indicator position, a contents of the inner housing being viewable through the status window when the elastomeric member is in the first elastomeric member position and the indicator is in the first indicator position, the indicator providing a visual indication when the elastomeric member is in the second elastomeric member position and the indicator is in the second indicator position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the indicator is viewable through the status window when the elastomeric member is in the second elastomeric member position and the indicator is in the second indicator position.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the indicator exposes a colored portion to provide the visual indication when the indicator is in the second indicator position.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector; and

the inner housing is a medicament container, the contents of the medicament container including a medicament.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the contents of the inner housing includes a medicament; and

the piston member is configured to expel the medicament via a needle when the elastomeric member moves from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the piston member is configured to move the inner housing within the outer housing; and

the indicator is configured to move from the first indicator position to the second indicator position after the piston member moves the inner housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a carrier coupled to the inner housing, the carrier configured to receive a portion of the inner housing, the carrier configured such that the contents of the inner housing are viewable through the status window.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a block configured to inhibit passage of ultraviolet radiation through the status window.

31. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member including a surface configured to be placed against a target location,

the indicator configured to move within the outer housing between the first indicator position and the second indicator position independent from movement of the contact member relative to the outer housing.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

a spring disposed between the carrier and the contact member.

33. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the indicator is spaced apart from the elastomeric member.

34. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the indicator is separate from the elastomeric member and the energy storage member.

35. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the elastomeric member is configured to move within the inner housing along an axis from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position; and

the indicator is configured to move along the axis within the outer housing.

36. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector, the inner housing is a medicament container, the contents of the medicament container including a medicament, the piston member configured to expel the medicament via a needle when the elastomeric member moves along an axis from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position, the apparatus further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member including a surface configured to be placed against a target location, the contact member defining an opening through which the medicament is expelled when the elastomeric member is moved from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position,

the indicator configured to move along the axis within the outer housing between the first indicator position and the second indicator position independent from movement of the contact member, the indicator being spaced apart from the elastomeric member and the energy storage member.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

an outer housing associated with a medical injector, the outer housing defining a status window;

a carrier disposed within the outer housing;

an inner housing disposed within the outer housing, a portion of the inner housing received within the carrier;

an energy storage member configured to produce a force when actuated;

a piston member configured to receive the force to move an elastomeric member within the inner housing from a first elastomeric member position to a second elastomeric member position; and

an indicator configured to move within the outer housing between a first indicator position and a second indicator position, the carrier and the outer housing being configured such that a contents of the inner housing are viewable through the status window when the elastomeric member is in the first elastomeric member position and the indicator is in the first indicator position, the indicator exposing a colored portion to provide a visual indication when the elastomeric member is in the second elastomeric member position and the indicator is in the second indicator position.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the carrier and the outer housing are configured such that the indicator is viewable through the status window when the elastomeric member is in the second elastomeric member position and the indicator is in the second indicator position.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator is configured to move with the piston member when moving between the first indicator position and the second indicator position.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector; and

the inner housing is a medicament container, the contents of the medicament container including a medicament.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the contents of the inner housing includes a medicament; and

the piston member is configured to expel the medicament via a needle when the elastomeric member moves from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the contents of the inner housing includes a medicament;

the piston member is configured to move the carrier and the inner housing within the outer housing to move a needle from a first needle position in which the needle is within the outer housing to a second needle position in which a portion of the needle is disposed outside of the outer housing, the piston member is configured to expel the medicament via the needle when the elastomeric member moves from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position; and

the indicator is configured to move from the first indicator position to the second indicator position after the piston member moves the carrier and the inner housing to move the needle to the second needle position.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator is in the second indicator position after the piston member moves the elastomeric member from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position.

37. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector, the inner housing is a medicament container, the contents of the medicament container including a medicament, the apparatus further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member defining an opening through which the medicament is expelled when the elastomeric member is moved from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position,

the indicator configured to move within the outer housing between the first position and the second position when the contact member is stationary relative to the outer housing.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the contact member includes a surface configured to contact a target location when the apparatus moves from the initial configuration to the activated configuration.

39. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator is spaced apart from the elastomeric member.

40. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicator is separate from the elastomeric member and the energy storage member.

41. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the outer housing is the outer housing of an auto-injector, the inner housing is a medicament container, the contents of the medicament container including a medicament, the piston member configured to expel the medicament via a needle when the elastomeric member moves along an axis from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position the apparatus further comprising:

a contact member movably coupled to a distal end portion of the outer housing, the contact member defining an opening through which the medicament is expelled when the elastomeric member is moved from the first elastomeric member position to the second elastomeric member position,

the indicator configured to move along the axis within the outer housing between the first position and the second position independent from movement of the contact member relative to the outer housing, the indicator being spaced apart from the elastomeric member and the energy storage member.