Drug delivery device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10226582-B2
Application number	US-201515321919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2014
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to a drug delivery device for selecting and dispensing a number of user variable doses of a medicament comprising a clicker arrangement. The device comprises a housing (10), a dose selector (80) operable to set a dose by rotation relative to the housing (10), a number sleeve (60) coupled to the dose selector (80) and arranged within the housing (10) such that at least a portion of the number sleeve (60) is visible through a first aperture (11b) in the housing (10), a piston rod (30) coupled to the housing (10) and to a drive sleeve (40) such that rotation of the drive sleeve (40) relative to the housing (10) causes the piston rod (30) to translate relative to the housing (10), a clutch (120) arranged between the number sleeve (60) and the drive sleeve (40), and a dispense clicker comprising a flexible arm (123) and a toothed profile (75). The device further comprises a button (70) operable to effect dose dispensing. The clutch comprises a separate clutch element (120) which is permanently rotationally constrained to the number sleeve (60). The flexible arm (123) is provided on the clutch element (120) and the toothed profile (75) is provided on the button (70).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drug delivery device to select and dispense a number of user variable doses of a medicament, the device comprising:
a housing;
a dose selector configured to set a dose by rotation relative to the housing;
a number sleeve arranged within the housing;
a first aperture in the housing, wherein at least a portion of the number sleeve is visible through the first aperture;
a piston rod coupled to the housing;
a drive sleeve coupled to the piston rod, wherein rotation of the drive sleeve relative to the housing causes the piston rod to translate relative to the housing;
a clutch arranged between the number sleeve and the drive sleeve, wherein the clutch comprises a separate clutch element which is permanently rotationally constrained to the number sleeve;
a button configured to effect dose dispensing;
a dispense clicker comprising:
a flexible arm provided on one of the button or the clutch element, and
a toothed profile provided on the other of the button or the clutch element; and

a drive spring, wherein relative rotation of the number sleeve and the drive sleeve during dose setting strains the drive spring and the drive spring is allowed to at least partially relax when the drive sleeve is in a second axial position, thereby rotationally driving the number sleeve, the drive sleeve and the piston rod.

2. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the toothed profile is a ring of radially inwards directed ratchet teeth.

3. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the button is axially displaceable between a dose setting position and a dose dispensing position, wherein the button is rotatable relative to the housing in the dose setting position and rotationally locked to the housing in the dose dispensing position.

4. The drug delivery device according to claim 3 , wherein the button is rotatable relative to the number sleeve in the dose dispensing position and rotationally locked to the number sleeve in the dose setting position.

5. The drug delivery device according to claim 3 , wherein the clutch element is axially biased in abutment with the button by a clutch spring, wherein the button axially displaces the clutch element when displaced into the dose dispensing position, and wherein the clutch element axially displaces the button ( 70 ) into the dose setting position.

6. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive sleeve comprises clutch features configured to engage corresponding clutch features of the clutch element, wherein relative rotation of the clutch element with respect to the drive sleeve during dose setting generates an audible or tactile feedback signal.

7. The drug delivery device according to claim 6 , wherein each of the clutch features and the corresponding clutch features comprise teeth having a ramp angle allowing overhauling of each other for dose correction.

8. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , further comprising a clutch spring, wherein the clutch spring is located axially interposed between the housing and the drive sleeve, wherein the clutch spring biases the drive sleeve towards the clutch element, wherein the drive sleeve is coupled to the button via the clutch element, wherein, upon actuation of the button, the drive sleeve and the clutch element are translated against the bias of the clutch spring from a proximal position in which the drive sleeve is rotationally locked to the housing into a distal position in which the drive sleeve is rotationally un-locked from the housing, and wherein, upon release of the button, the clutch spring translates the drive sleeve, the clutch element and the button into the proximal position.

9. The drug delivery device according claim 1 , further comprising a clicker arrangement, the clicker arrangement comprising:
a clicker arm on the number sleeve;
a ramp on the drive sleeve; and
a cam on a further element,
wherein, upon relative rotation of the number sleeve and the further element, the clicker arm is elastically deflectable by the cam and relaxable upon disengagement with the cam thereby generating an audible or tactile feedback signal,
wherein, when the drive sleeve is in a first axial position, the ramp does not interact with the clicker arm which, in turn, prevents the clicker arm from contacting the cam, and when the drive sleeve is in a second axial position, the ramp deflects the clicker arm such that the clicker arm contacts the cam.

10. The drug delivery device according to claim 9 , wherein the number sleeve and the further element are in threaded engagement.

11. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , further comprising a gauge element interposed between the housing and the number sleeve, wherein the gauge element has a second aperture positioned with respect to the first aperture of the housing, wherein at least a part of the number sleeve is visible through the first and second apertures, and wherein the gauge element is axially guided within the housing and in threaded engagement with the number sleeve, wherein rotation of the number sleeve causes an axial displacement of the gauge element.

12. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive sleeve comprises:
a first interface configured to permanently rotationally constrain the drive sleeve and the piston rod;
a second interface configured to rotationally constrain the drive sleeve and the housing depending on the axial position of the drive sleeve;
a third interface configured to rotationally constrain the drive sleeve and the number sleeve depending on the axial position of the drive sleeve;
a fourth interface configured to rotationally constrain the drive sleeve and the clutch element depending on the axial position of the drive sleeve or the bias of the clutch spring; and
a fifth interface configured to generate a feedback signal upon rotation of the drive sleeve and depending on the axial position of the drive sleeve.

13. The drug delivery device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge containing a medicament.

14. The drug delivery device according to claim 13 , wherein the medicament comprises a pharmaceutically active compound.

15. A drug delivery device to select and dispense a number of user variable doses of a medicament, the device comprising:
a housing;
a dose selector configured to set a dose by rotation relative to the housing;
a number sleeve arranged within the housing;
a first aperture in the housing, wherein at least a portion of the number sleeve is visible through the first aperture;
a piston rod coupled to the housing;
a drive sleeve coupled to the piston rod, wherein rotation of the drive sleeve relative to the housing causes the piston rod to translate relative to the housing;
a clutch arranged between the number sleeve and the drive sleeve, wherein the clutch comprises a separate clutch element which is permanently rotationally constrained to the number sleeve;
a button configured to effect dose dispensing;
a dispense clicker comprising:
a flexible arm provided on one of the button or the clutch element, and
a toothed profile provided on the other of the button or the clutch element; and

a drive spring configured to be strained during dose setting and to at least partially relax to rotationally drive the number sleeve, the drive sleeve and the piston rod.

Assignees

• Sanofi Sa

Inventors

• Marsh William
• Morris Anthony Paul
• Butler Joseph
• Jones Matthew
• Steel Samuel Keir
• Avery Richard James Vincent

Classifications

• A61M5/31515

  Connection of piston with piston rod · CPC title

• A61M5/31511

  Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod (A61M5/5066 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M5/20 Primary

  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 title

• A61M2205/581

  by audible feedback · CPC title

• A61M5/31553

  without axial movement of dose setting member · CPC title