Cartridge hold-up volume reduction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10603440-B2
Application number	US-201815875115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2018
Priority date	Jan 19, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

Drug delivery systems with reduced hold-up volumes are provided. The drug delivery systems include a cartridge configured to hold a liquid drug. A cartridge stopper is positioned in a first portion of the cartridge. A needle guide component is positioned within the cartridge stopper. A needle is positioned within a central opening of the needle guide. A plunger is positioned in a second portion of the cartridge. The plunger includes a fluid path pocket facing and aligned with the central opening of the needle guide component. The plunger is driven toward the cartridge stopper to expel the liquid drug from the cartridge through the needle. An end of the needle can be positioned within the fluid path pocket when the plunger is pushed against the cartridge stopper, ensuring that only a small volume of the liquid drug remains in the cartridge when delivery of the liquid drug is completed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drug delivery system, comprising:
a cartridge configured to hold a liquid drug;
a cartridge stopper positioned in a first portion of the cartridge having a first diameter;
a needle guide component positioned within the cartridge stopper, wherein the needle guide component is formed from a metal;
a needle positioned within a central opening of the needle guide; and
a plunger positioned in a second portion of the cartridge having a second diameter, the second diameter larger than the first diameter, the plunger having a fluid path pocket facing and aligned with the central opening of the needle guide component.

2. The drug delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge stopper is formed from plastic or rubber.

3. The drug delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge stopper is cylindrically-shaped.

4. The drug delivery system of claim 3 , wherein the cartridge stopper has a diameter approximately matching the first diameter, the cartridge stopper configured to form a seal for the liquid drug.

5. The drug delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the plunger includes a first surface facing the cartridge stopper and a second surface facing an opening of the cartridge, the first surface containing the fluid path pocket, the plunger forming a seal for the liquid drug.

6. The drug delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the second surface is substantially planar.

7. The drug delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the plunger has a diameter approximately matching the second diameter.

8. The drug delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid path pocket is cylindrically-shaped.

9. The drug delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid path pocket has a depth that extends into the plunger from the first surface.

10. The drug delivery system of claim 9 , wherein the fluid path pocket comprises a decreasing diameter along the depth of the fluid path pocket.

11. The drug delivery system of claim 9 , wherein the first surface is angled from a side of the plunger toward the fluid path pocket.

12. The drug delivery system of 11 , wherein the first surface is shaped to approximately match a transition region of the cartridge, the transition region of the cartridge having a variable diameter that transitions from the first diameter to the second diameter.

13. The drug delivery system of claim 5 , wherein the needle is configured to pierce the cartridge stopper to be coupled to the liquid drug.

14. The drug delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the plunger is configured to be driven toward the cartridge stopper to expel the liquid drug out of the cartridge through the needle.

15. The drug delivery system of claim 14 , wherein an end of the needle is configured to be positioned within the fluid path pocket of the plunger when the plunger expels substantially all of the liquid drug from the cartridge.

16. The drug delivery system of claim 14 , wherein an end of the needle is configured to be positioned within the fluid path pocket of the plunger when the first surface of the plunger is pressed against the cartridge stopper.

17. The drug delivery system of claim 16 , wherein the end of the needle is not in contact with the plunger.

18. A drug delivery system, comprising:
a cartridge configured to hold a liquid drug;
a needle guide component having a central opening;
a cylindrically-shaped cartridge stopper configured to form a seal for the liquid drug, wherein:
the needle guide component is positioned within the cylindrically-shaped cartridge stopper,
the cylindrically-shaped cartridge stopper includes a central cavity configured to retain the needle guide component positioned in a first portion of the cartridge having a first diameter, and
the cylindrically-shaped cartridge stopper has a diameter approximately matching the first diameter;

a needle positioned within the central opening of the needle guide; and
a plunger positioned in a second portion of the cartridge having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter, and the plunger having a fluid path pocket facing and aligned with the central opening of the needle guide component.

19. The drug delivery system of claim 18 , wherein the needle guide component is formed from metal, plastic, or rubber.

20. The drug delivery system of claim 19 , wherein the needle guide component is configured to be fitted within the central cavity of the cartridge stopper.

21. The drug delivery system of claim 20 , wherein the central opening of the needle guide component includes a conical portion and a cylindrical portion.

22. The drug delivery system of claim 21 , wherein the cylindrical portion is positioned closer to the plunger.

23. The drug delivery system of claim 22 , wherein the central opening of the needle guide component is aligned with a central axis of the needle guide component.

24. The drug delivery system of claim 23 , wherein the central opening of the needle guide component is aligned with a center of the fluid path pocket.

25. A drug delivery system, comprising:
a cartridge configured to hold a liquid drug;
a cartridge stopper positioned in a first portion of the cartridge having a first diameter;
a needle guide component positioned within the cartridge stopper;
a needle positioned within a central opening of the needle guide; and
a plunger positioned in a second portion of the cartridge having a second diameter, the second diameter larger than the first diameter, the plunger having a fluid path pocket facing and aligned with the central opening of the needle guide component,
wherein the plunger:
forms a seal for the liquid drug,
includes a first surface facing the cartridge stopper and a second surface facing an opening of the cartridge,
the first surface contains the fluid path pocket,
the fluid path pocket has a depth that extends into the plunger from the first surface,
the second surface is shaped to approximately match a transition region of the cartridge, and
the transition region of the cartridge having a variable diameter that transitions from the first diameter to the second diameter.

Assignees

• Insulet Corp

Inventors

• Mccaffrey Maureen
• Nazzaro David
• Mclaughlin Ian
• Kozin Simon

Classifications

• A61M5/2466

  by piercing without internal pressure increase (A61M5/2429 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M2005/31516

  reducing dead-space in the syringe barrel after delivery · CPC title

• A61M5/3293

  characterised by features of the needle hub · CPC title

• A61M5/34

  Constructions for connecting the needle {, e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub (connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014)} · CPC title

• A61J1/2089

  Containers or vials which are to be joined to each other in order to mix their contents (combinations of vial and syringe for mixing their contents A61J1/2096) · CPC title