USE ACTIVATED EMERGENCY ALERT FOR A MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20160193408A1
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Katherine Schweikert, Robert J. Schweikert
• Original Assignee: Katherine Schweikert, Robert J. Schweikert
• Inventors: Schweikert, Katherine, Schweikert, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,391,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/178 Syringes
• 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 5/50 having means for preventing re-use, or for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile retractable needles or needle protectors with means for preventing re-use A61M5/321
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

An epinephrine auto-injector use activated device detects and responds to usage of the auto-injector. The resulting use activated device includes an actuator for manual generation of an injection force, as by a patient'"'"'s hand, and a medicinal reservoir or vial for storing a quantity of medication for injection. A plunger is responsive to the actuator for displacing the medication in the medicinal reservoir, and a needle in fluidic communication with the medicinal reservoir defines a syringe for transporting the displaced medication through an aperture in a distal end of the needle. An electrical coupling, switch or sensor is responsive to movement of the actuator for initiating an alert signal. The alert signal is configured for transmission to a first responder in anticipation of an exigent response for further medical attention, in which the movement corresponds to plunger travel for dispensing the medication in the medicinal reservoir.

Claims

1. A medication injection device, comprising:

an actuator for manual generation of an injection force;

a medicinal reservoir for storing a quantity of medication for injection;

a plunger responsive to the actuator for displacing the medication in the medicinal reservoir;

a needle in fluidic communication with the medicinal reservoir for transporting the displaced medication through an aperture in a distal end of the needle; and

an electrical coupling responsive to movement of the actuator for initiating an alert signal, the alert signal configured for transmission to a first responder in anticipation of an exigent response for further medical attention, the movement corresponding to plunger travel for dispensing the medication in the medicinal reservoir.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a housing containing the plunger, the actuator slidably disposed within a bore in the housing; and

a circuit board affixed to the housing, the circuit board connected to the electrical coupling for initiating the alert signal.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising:

opposed contacts attached to the actuator;

a conductive collar around the bore; and

a connection from the circuit board to the opposed contacts, the electrical coupling defined by the opposed contacts and the conductive collar, the opposed contacts adapted to electrically connect to the conductive collar upon disposing the actuator through the bore.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the opposed contacts extend along a longitudinal side of the actuator and the conductive collar circularly surrounds an opening of the bore, the opposed contacts adapted to engage the conductive collar upon travel of the actuator for disposing the plunger.

5. The device of claim 2 further comprising:

a conductive sleeve around an interior of the bore; and

a conductive coil around the actuator, the conductive coil adapted to engage the conductive sleeve upon travel of the actuator through the bore, the conductive coil and conductive sleeve connected to the circuit board and configured to close the electrical coupling upon travel of the conductive coil through the conductive sleeve.

6. The device of claim 2 further comprising:

a vial defining the medicinal reservoir, the vial comprising an optically clear material, the plunger configured to engage an interior of the vial for forcing the medication through the needle; and

an optical coupling across opposed sides of the vial, the optical coupling responsive to interruption of an optical signal across the vial resulting from plunger travel.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a plunger in communication with the actuator, the actuator having a stop collar around a circumference, the stop collar configured to engage the medicinal reservoir for limiting travel of the plunger to limit a delivered quantity of medication; and

a plurality of contacts attached to the stop collar, each of the contacts connected to the circuit board; and

a contact ring around the medicinal reservoir, the contact ring configured to engage the plurality of contacts for closing the electrical coupling upon movement of the plunger into the medicinal reservoir.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a proximity sensor in communication with the actuator, the proximity sensor configured to sense the actuator approaching the housing;

the proximity sensor coupled to the circuit board for defining the electrical coupling.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

an inductive ring disposed in the plunger;

an inductive sensor on an exterior side of the medicinal reservoir, the inductive sensor responsive to movement of the inductive ring within the medicinal reservoir resulting from plunger movement.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrical coupling closes to initiate transmission of the alert signal.

11. The device of claim 2 further comprising a switching element disposed on the housing, the housing retaining a resilient coupling between the actuator and the plunger, the housing configured to retract to an unusable position subsequent to a first usage, the electrical coupling initiating the alert signal based on travel of the actuator within the housing.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the alert signal includes a message containing an identity of the user for indexing into a database of medical history for enabling first responders to access information for strategic medical response.

13. A method for detecting use of a medication injection device, comprising

in response to an actuator for generation of an injection force, and a plunger responsive to the actuator for displacing the medication in a medicinal reservoir for storing a quantity of medication for injection,

detecting movement corresponding to plunger travel for dispensing the medication in the medicinal reservoir,

the detection based on an electrical coupling responsive to movement of the actuator;

and, in response to the detection, initiating an alert signal, the alert signal configured for transmission to a first responder in anticipation of an exigent response for further medical attention.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

disposing the actuator slidably within a bore in a housing, the housing containing the actuator and plunger; and

affixing a circuit board to the housing; and

connecting the circuit board to the electrical coupling for initiating the alert signal.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

attaching a pair of opposed contacts to the actuator;

disposing a conductive collar around the bore; and

connecting the circuit board to the opposed contacts, defined by the opposed contacts and the conductive collar defining the electrical coupling, the opposed contacts adapted to electrically connect to the conductive collar upon disposing the actuator through the bore,

the opposed contacts extending along a longitudinal side of the actuator and the conductive collar circularly surrounds an opening of the bore, the opposed contacts adapted to engage the conductive collar upon travel of the actuator for disposing a needle for medication delivery.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

disposing a conductive sleeve around an interior of the bore; and

disposing a conductive coil around the actuator, the conductive coil adapted to engage the conductive sleeve upon travel of the actuator through the bore, the conductive coil and conductive sleeve connected to the circuit board and configured to close the electrical coupling upon travel of the conductive coil through the conductive sleeve.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

detecting, via a proximity sensor in communication with the actuator, the actuator approaching the housing;

the proximity sensor coupled to the circuit board for defining the electrical coupling.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

disposing an inductive ring in the plunger;

detecting, via an inductive sensor on an exterior side of the medicinal reservoir, movement of the inductive ring within the medicinal reservoir resulting from plunger movement.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the alert signal includes a message containing an identity of the user for indexing into a database of medical history for enabling first responders to access information for strategic medical response

20. A computer program product on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions for performing a method for detecting use of a medication injection device, the method comprising:

in response to an actuator for generation of an injection force, and a plunger responsive to the actuator for displacing the medication in a medicinal reservoir for storing a quantity of medication for injection,

detecting movement corresponding to plunger travel for dispensing the medication in the medicinal reservoir,

the detection based on an electrical coupling responsive to movement of the actuator; and

, in response to the detection, initiating an alert signal, the alert signal configured for transmission to a first responder in anticipation of an exigent response for further medical attention.