Disposable injection device

• US 7,252,651 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GILBERT, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US10/337,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/111, 604/117, 604/130, 604135-139, 604/181, 604193- 8, 604/201, 604/203, 604/232
• US Class Current: 604/193
• 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 disposed on the plunger extending into the housing at least when the plunger is in the first position, and the plunger at least partially extending out of the first opening at least when the plunger is in the first position;

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 on a needle carrier wherein the needle carrier is disposed within and fixedly and non-movably attached to the housing, the needle carrier arranged in the first opening of the housing, wherein the cartridge is moveable relative to the delivery needle with the delivery needle being in fluid communication with the reservoir when the cartridge is in its second position and the delivery needle not being in fluid communication with the reservoir when the cartridge is in its first 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, 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.

3. The device of claim 2, 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.

4. The device of claim 3, 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.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the pedestal is disposed against the stopper to hold the stopper in place.

6. 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.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the pedestal is adapted to be received within the interior of the cartridge.

8. 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.

9. The device of claim 8, 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.

10. 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.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the spring is disposed coaxially around the cartridge.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the cartridge in its first position is releasably secured to the housing via the collar and the spring is compressed.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the collar further comprises a resilient latch normally biased against the housing to releasably secure the cartridge in its first position.

14. The device of claim 13, 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.

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

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

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

18. 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 disposed on the plunger, the prong extending into the housing at least when the plunger is 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 having a stopper, the cartridge disposed in the housing and having an interior serving as a reservoir for a drug and the stopper serving as a closure, the cartridge being moveable between first and second positions; and

a delivery needle having an insertable length of 0.5 mm-2 mm, and a diameter corresponding to about 30 to 34 gauge, wherein said needle is disposed on a needle carrier wherein the needle carrier is disposed within and fixedly and non-movably attached to the housing, the needle carrier arranged in the first opening of the housing, wherein the cartridge is movable relative to the delivery needle with the delivery needle being in fluid communication with the reservoir by penetration of the stopper by an access needle at least 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, wherein the resilient member has a biasing force sufficient to overcome both the frictional effects of the stopper to cartridge interaction and the backpressure of the fluid flow through the delivery needle.

19. The device of claim 18, 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.

20. The device of claim 19, 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.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the conduit extends 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.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the pedestal is disposed against the stopper to hold the stopper in place.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein as the drug is expelled from the reservoir the cartridge moves from its first position to its second position.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein the pedestal is adapted to be received within the interior of the cartridge.

25. The device of claim 18, 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.

26. The device of claim 25, 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.

27. The device of claim 18, wherein the cartridge further comprises a collar releasable secured to the housing and further comprising a spring biased against the collar.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the spring is disposed coaxially around the cartridge.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the cartridge in its first position is releasably secured to the housing via the collar and the spring is compressed.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the collar further comprises a resilient latch normally biased against the housing to releasably secure the cartridge in its first position.

31. The device of claim 30, 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.

32. The device of claim 18, further comprising a cap arranged over the second end of the housing enclosing the cartridge.