Autoinjector system

• US 9,974,904 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avant Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avant Medical Corporation
• Inventors: Burk, Michael W., Slate, John B., Koerner, Richard J., Magers, Corey M., Barnes, Andrew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): Engel, Matthew A
• Application Number:
  US12/993,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,289 Days
• Field of Search: 604154, 604155, 604156, 604198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2026 Semi-automatic, e.g. user activated piston is assisted by additional source of energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/208 Release is possible only when device is pushed against the skin, e.g. using a trigger which is blocked or inactive when the device is not pushed against the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3142 Modular constructions, e.g. supplied in separate pieces to be assembled by end-user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31588 electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3365 Rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• 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 5/3134 characterised by constructional features of the distal end, i.e. end closest to the tip of the needle cannula
• 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: 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 system for injecting a fluid medicament into a patient includes a re-usable autoinjector, and a disposable cassette loaded with a hypodermic syringe pre-filled with a fluid medicament. The autoinjector includes a first motor for injecting a needle of the hypodermic syringe into the patient and a second motor for expelling the fluid medicament from the syringe.

Claims

1. A system for injecting a medicament, the system comprising:

an injector; and

a medicament cassette comprising a syringe having a syringe chamber containing the medicament, an injection needle affixed to an end of the syringe chamber and extending from the syringe chamber, and a housing entirely concealing the injection needle prior to mounting the medicament cassette in or on the injector;

the injector comprising;

a pusher for expelling the medicament from the syringe;

a motor for driving the pusher;

a speed selection switch operatively coupled to the motor, for allowing a user to select one of a plurality of different medicament injection rates of the system; and

a controller for automatically maintaining a selected one of the plurality of different injection rates of the system depending on a load force experienced by the motor as determined by measuring a speed of the pusher via a position sensor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of different injection rates range between about 2.0 seconds/medicament injection and about 15.0 seconds/medicament injection.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity of about 1 centipoise and wherein the plurality of different injection rates range between about 2.9 seconds/medicament injection and about 5.0 seconds/medicament injection.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity of about 19 centipoise and wherein the plurality of different injection rates range between about 4.4 seconds/medicament injection and about 9.6 seconds/medicament injection.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity of about 29 centipoise and wherein the plurality of different injection rates range between about 7.5 seconds/medicament injection and about 11.8 seconds/medicament injection.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity of about 19 centipoise.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 1 centipoise and about 320 centipoise.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 5 centipoise and about 40 centipoise.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 10 centipoise and about 35 centipoise.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 15 centipoise and about 30 centipoise.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 20 centipoise and about 25 centipoise.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 16 centipoise and about 42 centipoise.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the medicament comprises a fluid medicament having a viscosity ranging between about 1 centipoise and about 29 centipoise.

14. A system for injecting a medicament, the system comprising:

an injector; and

a medicament cassette for a syringe, the medicament cassette having a housing for entirely concealing an injection needle affixed to an end of the syringe prior to mounting the medicament cassette in or on the injector;

the injector comprising;

a pusher for expelling the medicament from the syringe;

a motor for driving the pusher;

a speed selection switch operatively coupled to the motor, for allowing a user to select one of a plurality of different medicament injection rates of the system; and

a controller for automatically maintaining a selected one of the plurality of different injection rates of the system depending on a load force experienced by the motor as determined by measuring a speed of the pusher via a position sensor.