Needle assembly for drug pump

• US 9,522,234 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• 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): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US14/553,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 604/162, 604/198, 604/263, 604/302
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• 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 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1626 Needle protectors therefor in combination with syringes A61M5/3202; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• 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 5/3204 Needle cap remover, i.e. devices to dislodge protection cover from needle or needle hub, e.g. deshielding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612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

Abstract

An apparatus (110) includes an activation mechanism (20) and a safety latch (122). The activation mechanism is operative to deploy a needle (116) to protrude out of a housing (112), the needle (116) having a longitudinal axis. The safety latch (122) is movably mounted on the housing (112) and formed with a needle opening (129) to allow the needle (116) to pass therethrough. The safety latch (122) has a first position wherein the needle (116) is aligned to pass through the needle opening (129) and a second position wherein the safety latch (122) is moved with respect to the housing (112) such that the needle (116) is blocked from movement in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof by a portion of the safety latch (122) distanced from the needle opening (129).

Claims

1. An apparatus for administering a substance to a subject comprising:

a housing;

a release apparatus operative to release a needle to protrude out of the housing;

a first biasing device for applying an urging force on the needle to protrude out of the housing;

a safety latch coupled to the housing and formed with a needle opening for advancement of the needle therethrough, the safety latch being movable from an initially down position to an up position when the apparatus has been placed on the subject; and

a safety latch position sensor configured to detect the position of the safety latch, and activate the release apparatus to release the needle to protrude out of the housing and pierce the subject when the safety latch has been moved to the up position, wherein

the release apparatus comprises a biasing device arrestor initially blocking the first biasing device and impeding protrusion of the needle out of the housing, and an actuator for withdrawing the biasing device arrestor, thereby releasing the first biasing device to advance the needle out of the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator commences withdrawal of the biasing device arrestor when the safety latch position sensor detects that the safety latch is in the up position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a step motor, a linear actuator or a solenoid.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microsensor for detecting a position of the needle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the safety latch is flush with the housing in the up position, and the needle is aligned with the needle opening.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the safety latch is pivotally mounted on said housing, and is pivoted away from the housing in the down position, and the needle is not aligned with the needle opening.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second biasing device, biasing the safety latch into the down position.

5. An apparatus for administering a substance to a subject comprising:

a housing;

a release apparatus operative to release a needle to protrude out of the housing;

a safety latch coupled to the housing and formed with a needle opening for advancement of the needle therethrough, the safety latch being movable from an initially down position to an up position when the apparatus has been placed on the subject;

a safety latch position sensor configured to detect the position of the safety latch, and activate the release apparatus to release the needle to protrude out of the housing and pierce the subject when the safety latch has been moved to the up position; and

a microsensor for detecting a position of the needle, wherein the microsensor indicates when the needle pierces the subject.

8. An apparatus for administering a substance to a subject comprising:

a housing;

a release apparatus operative to release a needle to protrude out of the housing;

a safety latch pivotally mounted to the housing and formed with a needle opening for advancement of the needle therethrough, the safety latch being movable from an initially down position, pivoted away from the housing wherein the needle is not aligned with the needle opening, to an up position when the apparatus has been placed on the subject; and

a safety latch position sensor configured to detect the position of the safety latch, and activate the release apparatus to release the needle to protrude out of the housing and pierce the subject when the safety latch has been moved to the up position,

wherein a portion of the safety latch distanced from the needle opening shields a tip of the needle in the down position.