Injection device with cammed ram assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12171986-B2
Application number	US-202117162320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2021
Priority date	May 7, 2012
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of injector includes a trigger mechanism, an energy source, and a user-operable firing-initiation member. The trigger member can include a trigger member having a retainer portion, and a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize a medicament container for expelling a medicament therefrom and a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition. The energy source can be associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament, and the user-operable firing-initiation member can be operable for causing an axial rotation between the trigger engagement member and the retainer portion from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition in which the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to fire the ram.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An injector, comprising:
an injector housing;
a medicament container within the injector housing, the medicament container containing a medicament;
a trigger member having a retainer portion;
a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize the medicament container for expelling the medicament therefrom, the ram assembly including a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition;
an energy source associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament;
a user-operable firing-initiation member operable for causing movement of the trigger member from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition where the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to move the ram; and
an end cap coupled to a proximal end of the injector, the end cap configured to prevent the energy source from moving the ram when the trigger member is in the pre-firing condition,
wherein the user-operable firing-initiation member includes a subject-contacting member disposed at a distal end of the injector that is movable proximally with respect to the injector housing when a force is applied to the subject-contacting member at the distal end of the injector, and
wherein the subject-contacting member comprises a first cam, and the ram assembly comprises a second cam, the first cam being operatively associated with the second cam for camming the second cam upon axial movement to rotate the ram assembly with respect to the retainer portion so as to position the ram assembly in the firing condition.

2. The injector of claim 1 , wherein the subject-contacting member includes a retractable needle guard and is configured to expose a needle connected to the medicament container upon a proximal movement of the subject-contacting member.

3. The injector of claim 2 , wherein a second cap engages the retractable needle guard and the retractable needle guard is axially fixed relative to the injector housing when the second cap is engaged with the retractable needle guard.

4. The injector of claim 3 , wherein the second cap is coupled to a distal end of the injector housing.

5. The injector of claim 3 , wherein the second cap includes a cap thread configured to engage a thread on the injector housing.

6. The injector of claim 3 further comprising:
a container support at least partially coupled to the injector housing and configured to receive the medicament container, the container support including a coupling arrangement configured to releasably engage the second cap.

7. The injector of claim 2 , wherein the needle is in fluid communication with the medicament container for injecting the medicament expelled therefrom during firing.

8. The injector of claim 2 , wherein the energy source and the needle are configured for jet injecting the medicament through the needle.

9. The injector of claim 8 , wherein the energy source is configured to pressurize the medicament to between about 90 psi and about 500 psi to jet inject the medicament.

10. The injector of claim 8 , wherein the energy source and the needle are configured for injecting the medicament at an average velocity of at least about 1,000 cm/sec within the needle.

11. The injector of claim 1 , wherein the ram assembly is of unitary construction.

12. The injector of claim 1 , wherein the medicament comprises testosterone.

13. An injector, comprising:
an injector housing;
a medicament container within the injector housing, the medicament container containing a medicament;
a trigger member having a retainer portion;
a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize the medicament container for expelling the medicament therefrom, the ram assembly including a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition;
an energy source associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament;
a user-operable firing-initiation member operable for causing movement of the trigger member from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition where the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to move the ram; and
an end cap coupled to a proximal end of the injector, the end cap configured to prevent the energy source from moving the ram when the trigger member is in the pre-firing condition,
wherein the trigger engagement member and the ram are in fixed association, such that rotation of the trigger engagement member rotates the ram,
wherein the ram assembly is associated with the user-operable firing-initiation member such that operation of the user-operable firing-initiation member rotates the ram assembly within the injector housing to the firing condition,
wherein the trigger member is coupled to a ram holding member that axially retains the ram assembly in a proximal position against action of the energy source in the pre-firing condition, the retainer portion retaining the trigger engagement member engaged and held against firing by the ram holding member, and
wherein the ram holding member includes a projection that includes a bulge and a groove engaged with the trigger engagement member, and the retainer portion retains an engagement of the trigger engagement member with the bulge and the groove in the pre-firing condition.

14. The injector of claim 13 , wherein in the firing condition, the ram is disengaged from the retainer portion, and the energy source overcomes an engagement between the trigger engagement member and the ram holding member.

15. The injector of claim 13 , wherein the ram assembly is of unitary construction.

16. The injector of claim 13 , wherein the medicament comprises testosterone.

17. An injector, comprising:
an injector housing;
a medicament container within the injector housing, the medicament container containing a medicament;
a trigger member having a retainer portion;
a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize the medicament container for expelling the medicament therefrom, the ram assembly including a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition;
an energy source associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament;
a user-operable firing-initiation member operable for causing movement of the trigger member from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition where the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to move the ram;
an end cap coupled to a proximal end of the injector, the end cap configured to prevent the energy source from moving the ram when the trigger member is in the pre-firing condition; and
a container support that is configured for holding the medicament container during injection, and wherein the ram assembly is configured to engage the container support to lock-out the injector after an injection,
wherein proximal movement of the user-operable firing-initiation member is blocked by the ram assembly when the injector is locked-out.

18. The injector of claim 17 , wherein the ram assembly is of unitary construction.

19. The injector of claim 17 , wherein the medicament comprises testosterone.

20. An injector, comprising:
an injector housing;
a medicament container within the injector housing, the medicament container containing a medicament;
a trigger member having a retainer portion;
a ram assembly havin

Assignees

• Antares Pharma Inc

Inventors

• Kramer Thomas
• Rust Matthew H
• Goudreau Paul M
• Hoeft Peter A
• Sund Julius C
• Sadowski Peter L

Classifications

• A61M5/5086

  for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile · CPC title

• A61M2202/048

  Anaesthetics · CPC title

• A61M2202/0007

  introduced into the body · CPC title

• A61M2005/3125

  specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting · CPC title

• A61M2005/208

  Release is possible only when device is pushed against the skin, e.g. using a trigger which is blocked or inactive when the device is not pushed against the skin · CPC title