Spring force assembly for biasing or actuating stoppers of syringes, injection pen cartridges and the like

• US 11,027,059 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2014
• Issued: 06/08/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Niklaus, Hanspeter, Schaad, Florian, Teutsch, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zamory, Justun L
• Application Number:
  US14/466,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20140364808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,482 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1454 spring-actuated, e.g. by a clockwork
• 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 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31565 Administration mechanisms, i.e. constructional features, modes of administering a dose dosing mechanisms for setting a dose A61M5/31533
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31576 Constructional features or modes of drive mechanisms for piston rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3159 Dose expelling manners

Abstract

A spring force assembly for biasing a displaceable stopper of a liquid medicament cartridge including a spring element arranged along a longitudinal axis, with brace elements and coupling elements, with the coupling elements restricting the distance between the brace elements which also restricts the possible expansion of the spring element.

Claims

1. An infusion pump device, comprising a spring force unit for biasing a displaceable stopper of a liquid medicine cartridge, wherein the spring force unit is a spring force assembly comprising a spring element arranged along a longitudinal axis, comprising:

a first brace element is arranged on and supports one longitudinal end of the spring element;

a second brace element is arranged on the other longitudinal end of the spring element;

a first coupling element attached to the first brace element and aligned to the longitudinal axis; and

a second coupling element attached permanently to the second brace element and aligned to the longitudinal axis; and

wherein the first coupling element and the second coupling element are each single-piece elements operationally coupled to each other in such a way that they restrict the distance between the first brace element and the second brace element to a certain maximum value, thereby also restricting the possible expansion of the spring element.

2. The infusion pump device according to any of claim 1, further comprising:

a compressing mechanism for compressing the spring force unit, with a cartridge holding block in which the liquid medicine cartridge can be mounted;

an open cavity in which the spring force unit is mounted with one distal end of the spring force unit abutting the bottom of the cavity, and into which the cartridge holding block can be inserted in a linear motion; and

a mechanism for converting a linear displacement of the cartridge holding block along a longitudinal axis of the cavity into a linear displacement of the proximal end of the spring force unit toward the bottom of the cavity.

3. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element and the second coupling element are operationally coupled to each other in such a way that they restrict the distance between the first brace element and the second brace element to a certain minimum value, thereby restricting the possible compression of the spring element.

4. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements are operationally coupled in such a way that they form a telescopic arrangement.

5. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein the spring element comprises one or more helical compression springs.

6. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein the spring force unit has a damper configured to allow only a certain maximum displacement velocity during expansion of the spring element along the longitudinal axis.

7. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element has at least one venting bore.

8. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element has at least one venting bore for pressure relief, and wherein the first coupling element, second coupling element and the at least one venting bore interact together as a damper configured to allow only a certain maximum displacement velocity during expansion of the spring element along the longitudinal axis.

9. The infusion pump device of claim 1, wherein:

the coupling elements are operationally coupled in such a way that they form a telescopic arrangement,

the first coupling element is provided with at least one venting bore for pressure relief, and

the first coupling element, second coupling element and the at least one venting bore interact together as a damper configured to allow only a certain maximum displacement velocity during expansion of the spring element along the longitudinal axis.