Apparatus for subcutaneous administration of an injectable product

• US 20060184134A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guido Hertig, Hanspeter Heiniger
• Original Assignee: Guido Hertig, Hanspeter Heiniger
• Inventors: Heiniger, Hanspeter, Hertig, Guido
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3267 Biased sleeves where the needle is uncovered by insertion of the needle into a patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/585 having magnification means, e.g. magnifying glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

An apparatus for subcutaneous administration of an injectable product including a housing, a container for the product to be injected, an injection needle and a needle protection sleeve surrounding the injection needle, wherein the apparatus also includes an indicator to tell a user when the needle protection sleeve has attained its maximum distal position.

Claims

1. An apparatus for subcutaneous self-administration of an injectable product comprising:

a housing;

a receiving sleeve coupled with the housing;

an injection needle protruding beyond the housing;

a needle protection sleeve generally surrounding the injection needle, the needle protection sleeve being connected to the housing and slideable between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein in the distal position the injection needle protrudes beyond the needle protection sleeve and the needle protection sleeve is disposed within an interior of the receiving sleeve such that a user of the apparatus cannot view the needle entering and penetrating tissue and cannot gauge the relative position of the needle by monitoring the relative movement of a rear portion of the needle protection sleeve, and wherein in the proximal position the injection needle does not protrude beyond the needle protection sleeve; and

an indicator which visibly indicates to the user of the apparatus that the needle protection sleeve is in the distal position during insertion of the injection needle for administration of the injectable product.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a circuit having a luminous element, the circuit being positionable between an open position and a closed position, the closed position indicating that the needle protection sleeve is in the distal position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the luminous element is a light emitting diode.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the luminous element is a two-color element, the luminous element illuminating to indicate the position of the needle protection sleeve, a first color of the two-color element indicating that the needle protection sleeve is in the distal position and a second color of the two-color element indicating that the needle protection sleeve is not in the distal position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a circuit having a switch having an open position and a closed position, wherein the switch is contactless, the circuit being closed when the switch is in the closed position and the circuit being opened when the switch is in the opened position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the indicator provides a first signal when the needle protection sleeve is in the distal position and a second signal when the needle protection sleeve is not in the distal position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the needle protection sleeve actuates the indicator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a window on the housing, wherein the indicator comprises a slider including an optical marker visible through the window when the needle protection sleeve is in the distal position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the slider is slideable in a shifting direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein movement of the needle protection sleeve from the proximal position to the distal position slides the slider in the shifting direction.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the slider further includes a second optical marker that indicates when the needle protection sleeve is not in the distal position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator further provides an audible signal for audibly signalling to the user that the needle protection sleeve is in the distal position.