Needle cartridge for medication injection device

• US 9,149,578 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Inventors: Byerly, Roy Howard, Melzi, Ilario
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, ANH T
• Application Number:
  US13/298,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20120130313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 604/232, 604/82, 604/171, 604/173, 606/181, 206/366
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15146 Devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously, e.g. for serial firing without reloading, for example by use of stocking means. multiple simultaneous cutting or piercing A61B5/150977
• 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 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/008 Racks for supporting syringes or needles A61M5/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• 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 5/3293 characterised by features of the needle hub
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/349 using adhesive bond or glues

Abstract

A cartridge with injection needles for an injection device. The cartridge includes a plurality of injection needle assemblies, each including a hub, mounted to be shiftable in cavities of a needle assembly support. A hub ledge having a drive member engageable push surface projects within a gap between a first hub portion and a second hub portion. Driving engagement of the push surface by an injection device drive member shifts the needle assembly from a retracted position to an injection position, during which shifting the second hub portion moves relative to the first hub portion. A pull surface on the second hub portion is engagable with the drive member for lifting the needle assembly from the injection position.

Claims

1. A cartridge for a medication injection device having a reciprocating drive member, the cartridge comprising:

a plurality of injection needle assemblies, each injection needle assembly including a hub and a needle, each said needle including a first leg segment with a first end and a second leg segment with a second end and a spanning segment, said spanning segment providing fluid communication between portions of said first leg segment and said second leg segment opposite said first and second ends, said first end and second end of each said needle both facing in a first direction, each said hub including a first portion and a second portion, said needle supported in said first hub portion, said second hub portion movable relative to said first hub portion between a ready arrangement and a needle assembly lifting arrangement;

a needle assembly support defining a plurality of mutually parallel, needle assembly accommodating cavities, each injection needle assembly mounted in a different one of said plurality of needle accommodating cavities to be shiftable in the first direction from a retracted position, at which said first and second ends both are disposed within said cavity, to an injection position, at which said first and second ends both project outside of said cavity, said needle assembly support loadable into the injection device to be movable therein to allow for separate operational alignment of each injection needle assembly with the drive member of the injection device, whereby the drive member may move to drivingly engage the hub of an operationally aligned needle assembly so as to shift that needle assembly from the retracted position to the injection position;

each said needle assembly structured and arranged with said needle assembly support for its second hub portion to be moved relative to its first hub portion from said ready arrangement to said needle lifting arrangement upon a shifting of that needle assembly from the retracted position to the injection position;

wherein each said second hub portion includes a pull surface engagable with the drive member during needle assembly lifting;

wherein for a given needle assembly in alignment for operational engagement with the drive member, and when the drive member drivingly engages the hub of that given needle assembly, said second hub portion pull surface, in a second direction opposite the first direction, is located clear of the drive member when said given needle assembly is disposed in the retracted position with said second hub portion in the ready arrangement;

wherein for that given needle assembly, said second hub portion pull surface, in the second direction, is located adjacent the drive member when said given needle assembly has been shifted to said injection position by said hub being engaged by the drive member moving in the first direction, whereby said given needle assembly is liftable in said second direction by engagement of said pull surface of said second hub portion in the needle assembly lifting arrangement by the drive member when the drive member returns in the second direction;

wherein the improvement comprises a hub ledge having a drive member engageable push surface projecting within a gap between said first hub portion and said second hub portion, and wherein said second hub portion pull surface, when said second hub portion is in the needle assembly lifting arrangement, is disposed at a height in the first direction below a height of a furthermost extent of said first hub portion in said second direction; and

wherein said ledge is integrally formed with said first hub portion and further includes a recessed region between said drive member engageble push surface and said first hub portion, said ledge recessed region providing clearance for a membrane cutting surface of the drive member.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said drive member engageble push surface is disposed at a height in the first direction below a height of said needle spanning segment.

3. A cartridge for a medication injection device having a reciprocating drive member, the cartridge comprising:

a plurality of injection needle assemblies, each injection needle assembly including a hub and a needle, each said needle including a first leg segment with a first end and a second leg segment with a second end and a spanning segment, said spanning segment providing fluid communication between portions of said first leg segment and said second leg segment opposite said first and second ends, said first end and second end of each said needle both facing in a first direction, each said hub including a first portion and a second portion, said needle supported in said first hub portion, said second hub portion movable relative to said first hub portion between a ready arrangement and a needle assembly lifting arrangement;

a needle assembly support defining a plurality of mutually parallel, needle assembly accommodating cavities, each injection needle assembly mounted in a different one of said plurality of needle accommodating cavities to be shiftable in the first direction from a retracted position, at which said first and second ends both are disposed within said cavity, to an injection position, at which said first and second ends both project outside of said cavity, said needle assembly support loadable into the injection device to be movable therein to allow for separate operational alignment of each injection needle assembly with the drive member of the injection device, whereby the drive member may move to drivingly engage the hub of an operationally aligned needle assembly so as to shift that needle assembly from the retracted position to the injection position;

each said needle assembly structured and arranged with said needle assembly support for its second hub portion to be moved relative to its first hub portion from said ready arrangement to said needle lifting arrangement upon a shifting of that needle assembly from the retracted position to the injection position;

wherein each said second hub portion includes a pull surface engagable with the drive member during needle assembly lifting;

wherein for a given needle assembly in alignment for operational engagement with the drive member, and when the drive member drivingly engages the hub of that given needle assembly, said second hub portion pull surface, in a second direction opposite the first direction, is located clear of the drive member when said given needle assembly is disposed in the retracted position with said second hub portion in the ready arrangement;

wherein for that given needle assembly, said second hub portion pull surface, in the second direction, is located adjacent the drive member when said given needle assembly has been shifted to said injection position by said hub being engaged by the drive member moving in the first direction, whereby said given needle assembly is liftable in said second direction by engagement of said pull surface of said second hub portion in the needle assembly lifting arrangement by the drive member when the drive member returns in the second direction;

wherein the improvement comprises a hub ledge having a drive member engageable push surface projecting within a gap between said first hub portion and said second hub portion, and wherein said second hub portion pull surface, when said second hub portion is in the needle assembly lifting arrangement, is disposed at a height in the first direction below a height of a furthermost extent of said first hub portion in said second direction; and

wherein said drive member engageble push surface is arranged perpendicular to said first direction and is disposed at a height in said first direction below a point at which said needle first leg segment depends in said first direction completely exposed from said first hub portion.

4. A cartridge for a medication injection device having a reciprocating drive member, the cartridge comprising:

a plurality of injection needle assemblies, each injection needle assembly including a hub and a needle, each said needle including a first leg segment with a first end and a second leg segment with a second end and a spanning segment, said spanning segment providing fluid communication between portions of said first leg segment and said second leg segment opposite said first and second ends, said first end and second end of each said needle both facing in a first direction, each said hub including a first portion and a second portion, said needle supported in said first hub portion, said second hub portion movable relative to said first hub portion between a ready arrangement and a needle assembly lifting arrangement;

a needle assembly support defining a plurality of mutually parallel, needle assembly accommodating cavities, each injection needle assembly mounted in a different one of said plurality of needle accommodating cavities to be shiftable in the first direction from a retracted position, at which said first and second ends both are disposed within said cavity, to an injection position, at which said first and second ends both project outside of said cavity, said needle assembly support loadable into the injection device to be movable therein to allow for separate operational alignment of each injection needle assembly with the drive member of the injection device, whereby the drive member may move to drivingly engage the hub of an operationally aligned needle assembly so as to shift that needle assembly from the retracted position to the injection position;

each said needle assembly structured and arranged with said needle assembly support for its second hub portion to be moved relative to its first hub portion from said ready arrangement to said needle lifting arrangement upon a shifting of that needle assembly from the retracted position to the injection position;

wherein each said second hub portion includes a pull surface engagable with the drive member during needle assembly lifting;

wherein for a given needle assembly in alignment for operational engagement with the drive member, and when the drive member drivingly engages the hub of that given needle assembly, said second hub portion pull surface, in a second direction opposite the first direction, is located clear of the drive member when said given needle assembly is disposed in the retracted position with said second hub portion in the ready arrangement;

wherein for that given needle assembly, said second hub portion pull surface, in the second direction, is located adjacent the drive member when said given needle assembly has been shifted to said injection position by said hub being engaged by the drive member moving in the first direction, whereby said given needle assembly is liftable in said second direction by engagement of said pull surface of said second hub portion in the needle assembly lifting arrangement by the drive member when the drive member returns in the second direction;

wherein the improvement comprises a hub ledge having a drive member engageable push surface projecting within a gap between said first hub portion and said second hub portion, and wherein said second hub portion pull surface, when said second hub portion is in the needle assembly lifting arrangement, is disposed at a height in the first direction below a height of a furthermost extent of said first hub portion in said second direction;

wherein each said second hub portion comprises a stop protuberance projecting from a spring arm of said second hub portion, and wherein said needle assembly support includes a stop shoulder projecting into each of said needle assembly accommodating cavities for abutting engagement with said stop protuberance so as to positively halt shifting of said needle assembly at said injection position.

5. The cartridge of claim 4 wherein said stop protuberance projects away from said first hub portion and is formed along a bottom end region of said spring arm, wherein said stop protuberance, when said spring arm bends for moving said second hub portion relative to its first hub portion from the ready arrangement to the needle assembly lifting arrangement, shifts in said second direction relative to said first hub portion, and wherein said stop shoulder is disposed at a furthermost extent of said needle assembly support in said first direction.