Automatic injection devices having overmolded gripping surfaces

• US 9,878,102 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd. (Puerto Rico) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd. (Puerto Rico) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Julian, Joseph F., Li, Chuan, Eiger, Aaron B., Kurth, Mark, Katz, Sabrina, Callif, Adam, Stango, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, QUYNH-NHU HOANG
• Application Number:
  US15/047,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20160158450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150274 Manufacture or production processes or steps for blood sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/586 Ergonomic details therefor, e.g. specific ergonomics for left or right-handed users
• 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 5/3137 Specially designed finger grip means, e.g. for easy manipulation of the syringe rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3157 Means providing feedback signals when administration is completed A61M5/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide automatic injection devices, housing components for automatic injection devices and methods for fabricating the same. An exemplary housing of an automatic injection device may be overmolded with one or more gripping surfaces to facilitate gripping and manipulation of the automatic injection device by a user when performing an injection. In an exemplary embodiment, an overmolded left gripping surface may extend along a left side of the housing and an overmolded right gripping surface may extend along a right side of the housing opposite to the left side.

Claims

1. An injection device, comprising:

a first body portion;

a second body portion cooperatively engageable to the first body portion to form a gripping region of the device at a proximal portion thereof and to define an injection region of the device at a distal portion thereof;

a first overmolded gripping surface disposed along a first length of the gripping region;

a second overmolded gripping surface disposed along a second length of the gripping region opposite the first overmolded gripping surface;

a first recessed portion abutting the first overmolded gripping surface;

a second recessed portion abutting the second overmolded gripping surface;

a firing button that extends from a recessed surface of the first body portion;

an inspection window disposed in the injection region to allow a user to view a content of a container disposed within the injection device;

a removable cap couplable to the distal portion of the device, the removable cap having a concave cutout portion for accommodating part of the inspection window; and

a third overmolded gripping surface disposed over an exterior surface of the removable cap.

2. The injection device of claim 1, further comprising one or more grooves or divots depressed into the first overmolded gripping surface and the second overmolded gripping surface.

3. The injection device of claim 1, further comprising one or more protrusions extending outwardly from a front surface and a back surface of the removable cap.

4. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the gripping region has a tapered structure.

5. The injection device of claim 1, wherein a front surface of the first body portion is flat.

6. The injection device of claim 5, wherein a front surface of the second body portion is flat.

7. The injection device of claim 6, wherein side surfaces of the first body portion are convex.

8. The injection device of claim 7, wherein side surfaces of the second body portion are convex.

9. A method of using an injection device, the method comprising:

providing an injection device according to claim 1,

grasping the gripping region of the injection device,

holding the distal portion of the injection device against an injection site, and

pressing on the firing button.