Cartridge interface assembly

• US 9,259,532 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Pharma. Services IL, Ltd. (West Pharmaceutical Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medimop Medical Projects Ltd. (West Pharmaceutical Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cabiri, Oz
• Primary Examiner(s): Bosques, Edelmira
• Application Number:
  US13/521,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 604/151, 604209-211
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2425 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall

Abstract

A cartridge interface assembly (80) characterized by a driving plunger (82) including an outer shaft (84), and a driver (86) including an inner shaft (88) movable telescopically with respect to the outer shaft (84), wherein rotation of the driver (86) causes the driving plunger (82) to advance in a direction away from the driver (86), and wherein the cartridge interface assembly (80) is inserted in a cartridge (22) in which a plunger (24) is slidingly disposed, and rotation of the driver (86) causes the driving plunger (82) to advance distally in the cartridge (22) until abutting against the plunger (24).

Claims

1. A combination cartridge and cartridge interface assembly comprising:

a rotationally immobile cartridge (22) having an inner cylindrical surface, a first stopper (24) slidingly inserted in the cartridge (22), a distal end and a substance therein for administration to a subject; and

a cartridge interface assembly (80) comprising;

a driving plunger (82) comprising a first shaft (84), the driving plunger (82) having an abutting surface and one or more outer surfaces in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22);

a driver (86) comprising a gear wheel and a second shaft (88) rotatably fixed to the gear wheel, said second shaft (88) mating with said first shaft (84), so that said shafts are movable telescopically with respect to one another, wherein rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance in a direction away from said driver (86), the arrangement being such that on insertion of the cartridge interface assembly (80) in the rotationally immobile cartridge (22), the one or more outer surfaces of the driving plunger (82) and the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22) have a frictional relationship such that it is easier for the driving plunger (82) to move linearly than rotate within the cartridge, wherein the frictional relationship is the only force impeding rotation of the driving plunger (82) with respect to the cartridge (22) such that rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance only towards the distal end until the abutting surface of the driving plunger (82) abuts against the stopper (24) whereupon the driving plunger (82) urges the stopper (24) towards the distal end for metering substance from the cartridge; and

a locking assembly that permits said driver (86) to rotate in a first rotational direction and blocks rotation of said driver (86) in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said second shaft (88) is threadedly received inside a hollow portion of said first shaft (84).

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said driving plunger (82) is at a distal end of said first shaft (84).

4. A combination cartridge and cartridge interface assembly comprising:

a rotationally immobile cartridge (22) having an inner cylindrical surface, a first stopper (24) slidingly inserted in the cartridge (22), a distal end and a substance therein for administration to a subject; and

a cartridge interface assembly (80) comprising;

a driving plunger (82) comprising a first shaft (84), the driving plunger (82) having an abutting surface and one or more outer surfaces in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22);

a driver (86) comprising a second shaft (88). said second shaft (88) mating with said first shaft (84), so that said shafts are movable telescopically with respect to one another, wherein rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance in a direction away from said driver (86), the arrangement being such that on insertion of the cartridge interface assembly (80) in the rotationally immobile cartridge (22), the one or more outer surfaces of the driving plunger (82) and the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22) have a frictional relationship such that it is easier for the driving plunger (82) to move linearly than rotate within the cartridge, wherein the frictional relationship is the only force impeding rotation of the driving plunger (82) with respect to the cartridge (22) such that rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance only towards the distal end until the abutting surface of the driving plunger (82) abuts against the stopper (24) whereupon the driving plunger (82) urges the stopper (24) towards the distal end for metering substance from the cartridge, an intermediate shaft (90) being threadedly received inside a hollow portion of said first shaft (84), said second shaft (88) being threadedly received inside a hollow portion of said intermediate shaft (90); and

a locking assembly that permits said driver (86) to rotate in a first rotational direction and blocks rotation of said driver (86) in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction.

5. A combination cartridge and cartridge interface assembly comprising:

a rotationally immobile cartridge (22) having an inner cylindrical surface, a first stopper (24) slidingly inserted in the cartridge (22), a distal end and a substance therein for administration to a subject; and

a cartridge interface assembly (80) comprising;

a driving plunger (82) comprising a first shaft (84), the driving plunger (82) having an abutting surface and one or more outer surfaces in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22);

a driver (86) comprising a second shaft (88), said second shaft (88) mating with said first shaft (84), so that said shafts are movable telescopically with respect to one another, wherein rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance in a direction away from said driver (86), the arrangement being such that on insertion of the cartridge interface assembly (80) in the rotationally immobile cartridge (22), the one or more outer surfaces of the driving plunger (82) and the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22) have a frictional relationship such that it is easier for the driving plunger (82) to move linearly than rotate within the cartridge, wherein the frictional relationship is the only force impeding rotation of the driving plunger (82) with respect to the cartridge (22) such that rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance only towards the distal end until the abutting surface of the driving plunger (82) abuts against the stopper (24) whereupon the driving plunger (82) urges the stopper (24) towards the distal end for metering substance from the cartridge, a threaded fastener (102) protrudes from a distal end of said cartridge interface assembly (100) that mates with a threaded hole (1 26) formed in said plunger (1 24); and

a locking assembly that permits said driver (86) to rotate in a first rotational direction and blocks rotation of said driver (86) in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction.

6. A combination cartridge and cartridge interface assembly comprising:

a rotationally immobile cartridge (22) having an inner cylindrical surface, a first stopper (24) slidingly inserted in the cartridge (22), a distal end and a substance therein for administration to a subject; and

a cartridge interface assembly (80) comprising;

a driving plunger (82) comprising a first shaft (84), the driving plunger (82) having an abutting surface and one or more outer surfaces in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22);

a driver (86) comprising a second shaft (88), said second shaft (88) mating with said first shaft (84), so that said shafts are movable telescopically with respect to one another, wherein rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance in a direction away from said driver (86), the arrangement being such that on insertion of the cartridge interface assembly (80) in the rotationally immobile cartridge (22), the one or more outer surfaces of the driving plunger (82) and the inner cylindrical surface of the cartridge (22) have a frictional relationship such that it is easier for the driving plunger (82) to move linearly than rotate within the cartridge, wherein the frictional relationship is the only force impeding rotation of the driving plunger (82) with respect to the cartridge (22) such that rotation of said driver (86) causes said driving plunger (82) to linearly advance only towards the distal end until the abutting surface of the driving plunger (82) abuts against the stopper (24) whereupon the driving plunger (82) urges the stopper (24) towards the distal end for metering substance from the cartridge, said driver (86) being formed with a recess (104), bounded by a wall (105) and a first locking tooth (106), and a proximal end of a body (103) of said cartridge interface assembly (80, 100) is formed with a second locking tooth (108), which in a final assembly position, is received in said recess (104), and wherein said first and second locking teeth (106, 108) are formed with slanted walls (110, 112) which can glide over each other in the first rotational direction, but said second locking tooth (108) cannot move past said wall (105) in the second rotational direction.

7. A cartridge interface assembly (100), comprising:

a rotatable driver (86), linkable to a stopper (24), slidingly disposed in a cartridge (22) for advancing said stopper (24) distally in said cartridge for dispensing a substance from said cartridge (22), wherein a locking assembly permits said driver (86) to rotate in a first rotational direction and blocks rotation of said driver (86) in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, wherein said driver (86) is formed with a recess (104), bounded by a wall (105) and a first locking tooth (106), and a proximal end of a body (103) of said cartridge interface assembly (100) is formed with a second locking tooth (108), which in a final assembly position, is received in said recess (104), and wherein said first and second locking teeth (106, 108) are formed with slanted walls (110, 112) which can glide over each other in the first rotational direction, but said second locking tooth (108) cannot move past said wall (105) in the second rotational direction.