Autoinjector with shock reducing elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12029882-B2
Application number	US-202016905960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2020
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

An injection device, method, and system for drug delivery includes a primary container for storing a drug, the container having a stopper movably disposed in the container for expelling the drug, an injection drive mechanism comprising a plunger for acting on the stopper and an energy source for exerting a force on the plunger to cause the plunger to act on the stopper to expel the drug, the force causing the plunger to accelerate to a velocity prior to acting on the stopper, and a damping mechanism for reducing the velocity of the plunger prior to acting on the stopper. The damping mechanism can include a dashpot or an energy absorbing material associated with the plunger. Alternatively or additionally, the damping mechanisms can include absorbing material disposed between support members of an outer casing of the injection device and the primary container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An injection device for drug delivery, the injection device comprising:
a container for storing a drug, the container comprising a stopper movably disposed in the container for expelling the drug;
an injection drive mechanism comprising a plunger for acting on the stopper and an energy source for exerting a force on the plunger to cause the plunger to move in a distal direction to act on the stopper to expel the drug, the force causing the plunger to accelerate to a velocity prior to acting on the stopper; and
a damping mechanism for reducing the velocity of the plunger prior to acting on the stopper, the damping mechanism comprising energy absorbing material disposed on the plunger such that at least a portion of a proximally-facing surface of the energy absorbing material contacts at least a portion of a distally-facing surface of the plunger prior to any movement of the plunger in the distal direction,
wherein, prior to any movement of the plunger in the distal direction, a distally-facing surface of the energy absorbing material is spaced from a proximally-facing surface of the stopper.

2. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorbing material comprises a layer of damping material.

3. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorbing material comprises a laminate formed by two or more layers of damping material.

4. The injection device of claim 3 , wherein the layers of the laminate have different damping characteristics.

5. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the damping mechanism is disposed between the stopper and the plunger.

6. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a dose delivery member.

7. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a triggering mechanism for activating the injection drive mechanism.

8. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a drug stored in the container.

9. The injection device of claim 8 , wherein the drug is selected from the group consisting of TNF inhibitors, antibodies to the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, colony stimulating factors, erythropoiesis stimulating agents, apelin receptor agonists, anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin antibodies, anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietinreceptor antibodies, antibodies that bind human Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases.

10. An injection device for drug delivery, the injection device comprising:
a container for storing a drug, the container comprising a stopper movably disposed in the container for expelling the drug;
an injection drive mechanism comprising a plunger for acting on the stopper and an energy source for exerting a force on the plunger to cause the plunger to act on the stopper to expel the drug, the force causing the plunger to accelerate to a velocity prior to acting on the stopper;
an outer casing for encasing the container, the outer casing including an inwardly extending support member; and
a sleeve disposed at least partially within the outer casing and supported at least partially by the inwardly extending support member of the outer casing, wherein the container is disposed at least partially within the sleeve;
a damping mechanism for reducing energy applied by the energy source to the container, the damping mechanism comprising an energy absorbing material disposed at least partially between the inwardly extending support member of the outer casing and the sleeve.

11. The injection device of claim 10 , wherein the energy absorbing material comprises a layer of damping material.

12. The injection device of claim 10 , wherein the energy absorbing material comprises a laminate formed by two or more layers of damping material bonded to one another.

13. The injection device of claim 12 , wherein the layers of the laminate have different damping characteristics.

14. The injection device of claim 10 , wherein the container is mounted in the sleeve, and the damping mechanism comprises a first strip of energy absorbing or damping material disposed between the container and the sleeve at a location where the container and the sleeve contact one another.

15. The injection device of claim 14 , wherein the sleeve includes a container support flange and the container includes a rim flange, the first strip of energy absorbing or damping material disposed between the container support flange and the rim flange.

16. The injection device of claim 14 , wherein the energy absorbing material disposed at least partially between the inwardly extending support member of the outer casing and the sleeve comprises a second strip of energy absorbing or damping material disposed between the sleeve and the outer casing at a location where the sleeve and the outer casing contact one another.

17. The injection device of claim 16 , wherein the sleeve includes a casing engagement flange and the outer casing includes a support member, and the second strip of energy absorbing or damping material is disposed between the casing engagement flange and the support member.

18. The injection device of claim 10 , further comprising a drug stored in the container.

19. The injection device of claim 18 , wherein the drug is selected from the group consisting of TNF inhibitors, antibodies to the calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, colony stimulating factors, erythropoiesis stimulating agents, apelin receptor agonists, anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin antibodies, anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietinreceptor antibodies, antibodies that bind human Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases.

Assignees

• Amgen Inc

Inventors

• Folk Christopher R
• Gibson Scott Robert

Classifications

• F16F9/3481

  characterised by shape or construction of throttling passages in piston (F16F9/344 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/16

  involving only straight-line movement of the effective parts {(wing closers or openers with liquid piston brakes E05F3/04)} · CPC title

• A61M2005/3143

  Damping means for syringe components executing relative movements, e.g. retarders or attenuators slowing down or timing syringe mechanisms · CPC title

• A61M5/2033

  Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion (multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287) · CPC title

• F16F9/3228

  of connections between pistons and piston rods · CPC title