Autoinjectors

• US 9,713,676 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Original Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Inventors: Wozencroft, Robert, Latham, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): STILES, AMBER R.
• Application Number:
  US13/997,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• 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 2005/2418 comprising means for damping shocks on ampoule
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• 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 5/2033 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 5/31533 Dosing mechanisms, i.e. setting a dose administrating mechanisms A61M5/31565
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3157 Means providing feedback signals when administration is completed A61M5/20 takes precedence
• 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 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user

Abstract

An autoinjector includes a body (10, 12), a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within the body, and a plunger (60) moveable during operation between a first and a second position to effect an injection, the plunger including a transverse passage (66) containing a moveable magnetic element (68) of a magnetic pair, the body including another magnetic element (54) at a position such that, on the plunger reaching and/or nearing its second position, the magnetic attraction therebetween causes a sound-emitting impact, the plunger (60) including a magnetic keeper element (72) mounted adjacent the transverse passage and adapted to hold the movable magnetic element (68) against movement until attraction by the other magnetic pair element (54), wherein the keeper element (72) is disposed on the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An autoinjector comprising:

a body (10, 12),

a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within said body, and

an elongate plunger (60) movable longitudinally during operation between a first position and a second position to effect an injection,

the plunger having a center, and a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the plunger and parallel to a longitudinal direction of the autoinjector,

the plunger including a transverse passage (66) containing a moveable magnetic element (68) of a magnetic pair,

the body including another magnetic element (54) at a position such that, on said plunger reaching and/or nearing the second position, the magnetic attraction therebetween causes a sound-emitting impact,

the plunger (60) including a magnetic keeper element (72) fixedly mounted adjacent said transverse passage and adapted to hold the movable magnetic element (68) against movement until attraction by the other magnetic pair element (54), wherein said keeper element (72) is disposed on said longitudinal axis of the plunger.

2. An autoinjector according to claim 1, wherein the moveable magnetic element (68) comprises a magnetic ball.

3. An autoinjector according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic element (54) associated with said body comprises a disc magnet.

4. An autoinjector according to claim 1, wherein said keeper (72) element comprises a keeper element of ferro-magnetic material.

5. An autoinjector according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic element (54) associated with said body comprises a disc magnet.

6. An autoinjector according to claim 2, wherein said keeper (72) element comprises a keeper element of ferro-magnetic material.

7. An autoinjector according to claim 6, wherein said keeper element is a ball (72) element.

8. An autoinjector according to claim 3, wherein said keeper (72) element comprises a keeper element of ferro-magnetic material.

9. An autoinjector according to claim 8, wherein said keeper element is a ring or part ring-shaped generally coaxial with said transverse passage.

10. An autoinjector comprising:

a body (10, 12),

a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within said body, and

an elongate plunger (60) movable longitudinally during operation between a first position and a second position to effect an injection,

the plunger having a center, and a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the plunger and parallel to a longitudinal direction of the autoinjector,

the plunger including a transverse passage (66) containing a moveable magnetic element (68) of a magnetic pair,

the body including another magnetic element (54) at a position such that, on said plunger reaching and/or nearing the second position, the magnetic attraction therebetween causes a sound-emitting impact,

the plunger (60) including a magnetic keeper element (72) fixedly mounted adjacent said transverse passage and

adapted to hold the movable magnetic element (68) against movement until attraction by the other magnetic pair element (54), wherein said keeper element (72) is disposed on said longitudinal axis of the plunger,

wherein said keeper element is a ball element (72) of ferro-magnetic material fixedly disposed against a first side of a wall of a recess (70) of the elongate plunger (60), wherein with the elongate plunger (60) in the first position, said movable magnetic element (68) is held against a second side of the wall of the recess (70) by magnetic attraction with the ball element (72) and in said second position, said movable magnetic element (68) is spaced apart from said second side of the wall of the recess (70).

11. An autoinjector comprising:

a body (10, 12),

a syringe (13) or cartridge disposed within said body, and

an elongate plunger (60) movable longitudinally during operation between a first position and a second position to effect an injection,

the plunger having a center, and a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the plunger and parallel to a longitudinal direction of the autoinjector,

the plunger including a transverse passage (66) containing a moveable magnetic element (68) of a magnetic pair,

the body including another magnetic element (54) at a position such that, on said plunger reaching and/or nearing the second position, the magnetic attraction therebetween causes a sound-emitting impact,

the plunger (60) including a magnetic keeper element (72) fixedly mounted adjacent said transverse passage and

adapted to hold the movable magnetic element (68) against movement until attraction by the other magnetic pair element (54), wherein said keeper element (72) is disposed on said longitudinal axis of the plunger,

wherein said keeper element is a ring or part ring-shaped element (186) of ferro-magnetic material having a diameter generally coaxial with said transverse passage, the diameter of said ring or part ring-shaped element (186) being greater than a diameter of said movable magnetic element (68), and wherein with the elongate plunger (60) in the first position, said movable magnetic element (68) is held in and is encompassed by said ring or part ring-shaped element (186) by magnetic attraction with said ring or part ring-shaped element (186), and in said second position, said movable magnetic element (68) is spaced apart from said ring or part ring-shaped element (186).