Smart injection training device and system

• US 9,460,638 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noble International, Inc. (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Noble International, Inc. (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baker, Jeff, van der Pol, Paul, Chung, Christopher, Siemer, Francis Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIRLEY, KRISTEN NICOLE
• Application Number:
  US14/320,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 434/272, 434/267
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas

Abstract

In an embodiment, an injection training device configured to interact with an injection device having an injection member is provided herein. The injection training device includes a housing having an opening, a pad component disposed in the opening, wherein the pad component is configured to receive an injection member of an injection device. The injection training device further includes a signal output component and circuitry associated with the housing to receive information about the operation of the injection device and to provide a communication about an operation of the injection device to a user of the injection training device through the signal output component.

Claims

1. An injection training device configured to interact with an injection device having an injection member, said injection training device comprising:

a housing comprising an opening;

a pad component disposed in said opening, wherein said pad component is configured to receive an injection member of an injection device;

a signal output component;

circuitry associated with the housing to provide a communication about an operation of the injection device to a user of the injection training device through the signal output component, wherein the circuitry comprises a time-keeping component; and

a force sensing component, wherein said force sensing component detects one or more forces from the injection device;

wherein the one or more forces include at least a first force and a second force, wherein the first force is detected by the force sensing component once the injection device is activated, and the second force is detected by the force sensing component after a complete dose of a medicament contained within the injection device has been delivered;

wherein the force sensing component of the injection training device is configured to detect the presence of the injection device on the pad component, wherein when the force sensing component detects the presence of the injection device on the pad component before the force sensing component detects the first force of the injection device, and the force sensing component detects no presence of the injection device on the pad component before the second force of the injection device is detected, the circuitry detects that an error condition has occurred and an error message is communicated through the signal output component;

wherein the communication about an operation of the injection device is provided through the signal output component based on the one or more forces and timing thereof.

2. The injection training device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface.

3. The injection training device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional sensor, wherein the at least one additional sensor comprises at least one of a light sensor, a contact sensor, an orientation sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, a strain gauge sensor, a tilt sensor, and a temperature sensor.

4. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the communication provided by the injection training device comprises an instruction to the user for using the injection device, said instruction is based on information received by the injection training device.

5. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the pad component comprises a skin layer, adipose layer, simulated ligament material, simulated tendon material, simulated bone material, simulated vasculature material, simulated organ material, and/or simulated bodily fluid, said layers, material and fluid being configured to mimic human or non-human animal skin and adipose tissue, ligaments, tendons, bones, vasculature, organs and/or fluid.

6. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the training device is configured to provide stepwise instructions for administering an injection to a user.

7. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the skin layer and/or the subcutaneous layer of the pad component mimics the puncture resistance of skin and/or subcutaneous tissue of a human or non-human animal.

8. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the pad component comprises an absorbent material.

9. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the pad component is removable.

10. The injection training device of claim 1 further comprising a microphone component, wherein said microphone component detects one or more sounds from the injection device.

11. The injection training device of claim 10, wherein the communication about an operation of the injection device is provided through the signal output component based on the one or more sounds and/or a sensor input received from the injection device.

12. The injection training device of claim 11, wherein the injection device is an auto injector and the one or more sounds include at least a first sound and a second sound, wherein a first sound is detected by the microphone component once the auto injector is activated and the injection member is extended, and the second sound is detected by the microphone component after a complete dose of a medicament contained within the auto injector has been delivered through the injection member.

14. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry further comprises a microcontroller.

15. The injection training device of claim 3, wherein the injection training device detects a condition of the injection device.

16. The injection training device of claim 15, wherein the condition of the injection device detected is compared to a predetermined condition for the injection device.

17. The injection training device of claim 16, wherein an output from the signal output component is initiated in response to a predetermined value detected for a condition.

18. The injection training device of claim 3, wherein the at least one additional sensor is an orientation sensor, provided to detect an orientation of the injection device relative to the injection training device.

19. The injection training device of claim 18, wherein an output from the signal output component is initiated if the detected orientation of the injection device meets a predetermined orientation value.

20. The injection training device of claim 3, wherein the at least one additional sensor is a contact sensor provided to detect a contact between the injection device and the injection training device.

21. The injection training device of claim 20, wherein an output from the signal output component is initiated if the detected contact of the injection device meets a predetermined contact value.

22. The injection training device of claim 3, wherein the at least one additional sensor is configured to detect the perpendicularity of the injection device relative to a surface of the pad component.

23. The injection training device of claim 22, wherein an output from the signal output component is initiated if the detected perpendicularity of the injection device meets a predetermined perpendicularity value.

24. The injection training device of claim 3, wherein the at least one additional sensor is provided to detect alignment of the injection device during operation of the injection training device.

25. The injection training device of claim 24, wherein an output from the signal output component is initiated if the detected alignment of the injection device meets a predetermined alignment value.

26. The injection training device of claim 1, wherein the injection device comprises and auto injector.

13. An injection training device configured to interact with an injection device having an injection member, said injection training device comprising:

a housing comprising an opening;

a pad component disposed in said opening, wherein said pad component is configured to receive an injection member of an injection device;

a signal output component; and

circuitry associated with the housing to provide a communication about an operation of the injection device to a user of the infection training device through the signal output component;

a microphone component, wherein said microphone component detects one or more sounds from the injection device;

wherein the communication about an operation of the injection device is provided through the signal output component based on the one or more sounds and/or a sensor input received from the injection device

wherein the injection device is an auto injector and the one or more sounds include at least a first sound and a second sound, wherein a first sound is detected by the microphone component once the auto injector is activated and the injection member is extended, and the second sound is detected by the microphone component after a complete dose of a medicament contained within the auto injector has been delivered through the injection member;

wherein the injection training device comprises a sensor, said sensor being configured to detect the presence of the injection member in the pad component, wherein when the sensor detects the presence of the injection member in the pad component before the microphone component detects the first sound of the auto injector, and the sensor detects no presence of the injection member in the pad component before the second sound of the auto injector is detected, the circuitry detects that an error condition has occurred and an error message is communicated through the signal output component.

27. An injection training device configured to interact with an injection device, said injection training device comprising:

a housing comprising an opening;

a pad component disposed in said opening, wherein said pad component is configured to receive an injection device;

a signal output component; and

circuitry associated with the housing to provide a communication about an operation of the injection device to a user of the injection training device through the signal output component;

a force sensing component, wherein said force sensing component detects one or more forces from the injection device;

wherein the communication about an operation of the injection device is provided through the signal output component based on the one or more forces received from the injection device;

wherein the injection device is an auto injector and the one or more forces include at least a first force and a second force, wherein a first force is detected by the force sensing component once the auto injector is activated, and the second force is detected by the force sensing component after a complete dose of a medicament contained within the auto injector has been delivered;

wherein the force sensing component is configured to detect the presence of the auto injector on the pad component, wherein when the force sensing component detects the presence of the auto injector on the pad component before the force sensing component detects the first force of the auto injector, and the force sensing component detects no presence of the auto injector on the pad component before the second force of the auto injector is detected, the circuitry detects that an error condition has occurred and an error message is communicated through the signal output component.