Reusable auto-injector

• US 9,028,453 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Jennings, Douglas Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): GILBERT, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US12/997,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/181, 604/187, 604/198, 604/200, 604/201, 604/205, 604/207, 604/218, 604/232, 604/407, 604/411, 604/412, 604/413, 604/414, 604/415, 141/2, 141/18, 141/22, 141/27
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2013 having two piercing ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3114 Filling or refilling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• 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 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An injection device comprises a first sub-assembly. The first sub-assembly comprises a chamber for holding a fluid. The chamber comprises an inner surface and an exit aperture. The first sub-assembly comprises a stopper movably disposed within the chamber and having an outer surface substantially in contact with the inner surface about its perimeter. The first sub-assembly comprises an adapter adapted to transfer fluid into the chamber.

Claims

1. An auto-injector comprising:

a first sub-assembly comprising;

a chamber for holding a fluid, said chamber comprising an inner surface and an exit aperture;

a stopper movably disposed within the chamber and having an outer surface substantially in contact with the inner surface about the stopper'"'"'s outer perimeter; and

an adapter adapted to transfer the fluid into the chamber, wherein the adapter is adapted to receive a fluid container and transfer the fluid via a fluid pathway from the fluid container to the chamber, wherein the adapter comprises;

an elongate shaft to move the stopper through the chamber; and

a hollow fluid transfer needle adapted to engage the fluid container to transfer the fluid from the fluid container through the hollow fluid transfer needle, as the stopper is moved away from the exit aperture;

wherein the hollow fluid transfer needle is adapted to pierce the stopper to deliver the fluid through the stopper into the chamber; and

a second sub-assembly comprising;

a releasable drive mechanism, said releasable drive mechanism comprising an elongate drive shaft which is driven directly against the stopper upon activation of the releasable drive mechanism.

2. The auto-injector of claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to be inserted within the elongate drive shaft.

3. The auto-injector of claim 1, wherein the adapter is removably attachable to the stopper.

4. The auto-injector of claim 3, wherein the adapter and the stopper comprise inter-engagable threads to permit removable attachment.

5. The auto-injector of claim 1, wherein the stopper is further adapted to expel the fluid held within the chamber when the stopper is moved toward the exit aperture.

6. The auto-injector of claim 1, further comprising an injection needle in fluid communication with the exit aperture.

7. The auto-injector of claim 6, wherein the releasable drive mechanism is, upon activation, adapted to:

(a) move the chamber and the injection needle from a refracted position in which the injection needle is wholly inside a housing of the auto-injector to an extended position in which the injection needle is at least partially outside the housing; and

(b) subsequently move the stopper within the chamber toward the exit aperture to expel the fluid out of the injection needle.

8. The auto-injector of claim 7, further comprising a retraction mechanism adapted to retract the injection needle into the housing after the fluid has been expelled.

9. The auto-injector of claim 1, claim 7 or claim 8, wherein:

the first sub-assembly is detachable from the second sub-assembly; and

the second sub-assembly is reusable.

10. An injection kit comprising:

a first sub-assembly for an auto-injector comprising;

a chamber for holding a fluid, said chamber comprising an inner surface and an exit aperture;

a stopper movably disposed within the chamber and having an outer surface substantially in contact with the inner surface about the stopper'"'"'s outer perimeter; and

an adapter adapted to transfer the fluid into the chamber, wherein the adapter is adapted to receive a fluid container and transfer the fluid via a fluid pathway from the fluid container to the chamber, wherein the adapter comprises;

an elongate shaft to move the stopper through the chamber; and

a hollow fluid transfer needle adapted to engage the fluid container to transfer the fluid from the fluid container through the hollow fluid transfer needle, as the stopper is moved away from the exit aperture;

wherein the hollow fluid transfer needle is adapted to pierce the stopper to deliver the fluid through the stopper into the chamber; and

a second sub-assembly comprising;

a releasable drive mechanism, said releasable drive mechanism comprising an elongate drive shaft which is driven directly against the stopper upon activation of the releasable drive mechanism.

11. The injection kit of claim 10, further comprising a vial of the fluid to be transferred for connection to the adapter.