Disposable injection device

• US 20040133159A1
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Pettis, Ronald J., Erskine, Timothy, Haider, M. Ishaq
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2013 triggering of discharging means by contact of injector with patient body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• 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 5/2429 by telescoping of ampoules or carpules with the syringe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3234 Fully automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/502 for blocking the piston

Abstract

An injection device is provided. The device includes a housing having a first end defining a first opening. A plunger is received within the first opening of the housing to move between first and second positions. A cartridge is disposed in the housing and has an interior serving as a reservoir for a drug. A delivery needle is disposed within the housing and is in fluid communication with the reservoir via an interruptible fluid channel. A locking mechanism is disposed in the housing. In the first position of the plunger the delivery needle is enclosed by the plunger and in the second position of the plunger the delivery needle is placed in an injection position and the plunger activates the locking mechanism whereby when the plunger returns to the first position the locking mechanism prevents the needle from being placed in the injection position.

Claims

1. A bolus injection device, comprising:

a housing having a first end defining a first opening;

a plunger being slidably received within the first opening of the housing to move between first and second positions, the plunger having a bottom surface adapted to be brought into contact with the skin of a subject and a prong extending into the shell, in the first position the plunger at least partially extending out of the first opening;

a resilient member biasing the plunger into its first position;

a cartridge disposed in the housing and having an interior serving as a reservoir for a drug, the cartridge being moveable between first and second positions; and

a delivery needle disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the reservoir when the cartridge is in its second position,

wherein the plunger is moved against the force of the resilient member to its second position to expose the delivery needle to the skin of the subject and to actuate movement of the cartridge from its first position to its second position.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a needle carrier fixed inside the housing, the delivery needle being disposed on the needle carrier and arranged in the first opening of the housing.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the needle carrier further comprises a bottom surface and a pedestal extending from the bottom surface towards the second end of the housing, the pedestal defining a longitudinal bore therethrough.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a conduit on the pedestal in fluid communication with the longitudinal bore on an opposite side of the needle carrier from the delivery needle.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the cartridge further comprises an open end sealed by a stopper, the conduit extending partially into the stopper when the cartridge is in its first position and extending through the stopper into the reservoir when the cartridge is in its second position.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the pedestal is disposed against the stopper to hold the stopper in place.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein as the drug is expelled from the reservoir the cartridge moves from its first position to its second position.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the pedestal is adapted to be received within the interior of the cartridge.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a second end defining a second opening and the cartridge extends at least partially out of the second opening in its first position and is contained completely within the housing in its second position.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a latch indicator disposed at the second end of the housing adjacent to the second opening and resiliently biased against the cartridge when the cartridge is in its first position and moving over the second opening when the cartridge is in the second position.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises a collar releasable secured to the housing and further comprising a spring biased against the collar.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the spring is disposed coaxially around the cartridge.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the cartridge in its first position is releasably secured to the housing via the collar and the spring is compressed.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the collar further comprises a resilient latch normally biased against the housing to releasably secure the cartridge in its first position.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the plunger further comprises a prong extending into the housing, in the second position of the plunger, the prong engaging and compressing the resilient latch to release the collar from the housing, whereby the spring biases the cartridge to its second position.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cap arranged over the second end of the housing enclosing the cartridge.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing and the plunger define aligned openings on their side and further comprising a pin removably disposed in the holes to secure the plunger in place with respect to the housing.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the delivery needle comprises an array of microneedles.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the delivery needle penetrates the skin due to manual pressure.

20. An automatic injection device, comprising:

a shell having a longitudinal axis and defining first and second openings on opposite sides of its longitudinal axis;

a plunger being slidably received within the first opening of the housing to move between first and second positions, the plunger having a bottom surface adapted to be brought into contact with the skin of a subject and a prong extending into the shell, in the first position the plunger at least partially extends out of the first opening;

a resilient member biasing the plunger to the first position;

a cartridge disposed in the housing and having an interior serving as a reservoir for a drug;

a button disposed in the second opening of the shell to be moveable between first and second positions, the button releasably secured to the shell in its first position;

a needle carrier disposed within the shell and coupled to the button;

a needle hub coupled to the needle carrier; and

a delivery needle disposed on the needle hub,

wherein in the second position of the plunger the button is released from the shell and wherein in the first position of the button the delivery needle is enclosed with the shell and in the second position of the button the delivery needle is exposed from the shell and is in fluid communication with the reservoir.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising means for expelling the drug from the interior of the cartridge and wherein the button in its second position actuates the means for expelling.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the cartridge is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the shell.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the cartridge is moveable between first and second positions within the housing and further comprising a collar releasably securing the cartridge to the housing in its first position.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the means for expelling comprises a spring biased against the collar.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the button in its second position engages the collar to release it from the housing and the spring biases the cartridge to move to its second position.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the collar further comprises a resilient latch normally biased against the housing to secure the cartridge in its first position.

27. The device of claim 20, wherein the housing further comprises a second end defining a second opening and the cartridge extends at least partially out of the second opening in its first position and is contained completely within the housing in its second position.

28. The device of claim 20, wherein as the drug is expelled from the reservoir the cartridge moves from its first position to its second position.

29. The device of claim 20, further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on the bottom surface of the plunger.

30. The device of claim 20, wherein the button, needle carrier and needle hub are formed as an integral unit.

31. The device of claim 20, wherein the button moving to its second position moves the delivery needle is into an injection position.

32. An injection device, comprising:

a housing having a first end defining a first opening;

a plunger received within the first opening of the housing to move between first and second positions;

a cartridge disposed in the housing and having an interior serving as a reservoir for a drug;

a delivery needle disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the reservoir via an interruptible fluid channel; and

a locking mechanism disposed in the housing,

wherein in the first position of the plunger the delivery needle is enclosed by the plunger and in the second position of the plunger the delivery needle is placed in an injection position and the plunger activates the locking mechanism whereby when the plunger returns to the first position the locking mechanism prevents the needle from being placed in the injection position.

33. The device of claim 32, further comprising an interlock including a first resilient member biasing the plunger to at least partially extend out of the first opening.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a second resilient member connected to the interlock, the second resilient member having a relaxed position towards a center of the first opening.

35. The device of claim 32, wherein in the injection position the delivery needle is exposed via the first opening.

36. The device of claim 34, further comprising a latch holding the second resilient member clear of the first opening to enable the delivery needle to be placed to the injection position.

37. The device of claim 34, further comprising a needle hub carrying the delivery needle and wherein in the second position of the plunger, the needle hub releases the latch and the second resilient member rests against a side of the needle hub while the delivery needle is in the injection position.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein when the plunger returns to the first position, the second resilient member moves towards the center of the first opening and prevents the delivery needle from being placed in the injection position.

39. The device of claim 32, wherein the plunger further comprises a bottom surface adapted to be brought into contact with the skin of a subject.

40. The device of claim 32, further comprising means for expelling the drug from the reservoir.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the means for expelling comprises a spring.

42. The device of claim 32, further comprising an indicator for indicating when the injection is complete.

43. The device of claim 32, further comprising a needle carrier disposed in the housing, the delivery needle being attached to the needle carrier.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the needle carrier is fixed in the housing.

45. The device of claim 43, wherein a portion of the interruptible fluid channel comprised a longitudinal bore through the needle carrier, the delivery needle being disposed at one end of the bore.

46. The device of claim 45, further comprising an access needle disposed at another end of the bore.

47. A medical device, comprising:

a housing having a first end defining a first opening;

a plunger received within the first opening of the housing to move between first and second positions;

a needle for administering or withdrawing fluids; and

a locking mechanism disposed in the housing,

wherein in the first position of the plunger the needle is enclosed by the plunger and in the second position of the plunger the needle is placed in an exposed position and the plunger activates the locking mechanism whereby when the plunger returns to the first position the locking mechanism prevents the needle from being placed in the exposed position.

48. The device of claim 47, further comprising an interlock including a first resilient member biasing the plunger to at least partially extend out of the first opening.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a second resilient member connected to the interlock, the second resilient member having a relaxed position towards a center of the first opening.

50. The device of claim 47, wherein in the exposed position the needle is exposed via the first opening.

51. The device of claim 49, further comprising a latch holding the second resilient member clear of the first opening to enable the needle to be placed to the exposed position.