Wakening electronics in an injection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447278-B2
Application number	US-202017622386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2019
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

An injection device including a stopper and an electromechanical switch. The stopper includes an electronics assembly. The electromechanical switch is operable to be activated to power the electronics assembly. The stopper is configured to transition between a first size and a second size to activate the electromechanical switch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An injection device comprising:
a stopper comprising an electronics assembly, wherein the stopper is configured to transition between a first size and a second size in response to a change in air pressure acting on the stopper; and
an electromechanical switch operable to be activated to power the electronic assembly,
wherein the stopper is configured to activate the electromechanical switch as a result of the stopper transitioning between the first size and the second size, and wherein the injection device is sealed in a package under vacuum in a manner such that when the sealed package is opened, the air pressure acting on the stopper changes, causing the stopper to transition between the first size and the second size and activate the electromechanical switch.

2. The injection device of any one of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical switch comprises a piezo switch.

3. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical switch is located on an external surface of the stopper.

4. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical switch is disposed inside the stopper.

5. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a plunger head, wherein, when the stopper transitions from the first size to the second size, the plunger head is configured to apply a force to the electromechanical switch to activate the electromechanical switch.

6. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a plunger head, wherein the plunger head is configured to move from a first location within the injection device to a second location within the injection device to activate the electromechanical switch.

7. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the electronics assembly comprises a wireless module and at least one sensor.

8. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the electronics assembly comprises at least one of: a pressure sensor, a force sensor, or a position sensor.

9. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a medicament reservoir that contains medicament.

10. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the electronics assembly comprises a processor that controls activation of one or more electronic components on the electronic assembly.

11. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper is made of a flexible material.

12. A method of operating an injection device, the method comprising:
causing a change in air pressure acting on a stopper of the injection device,
wherein the change in air pressure causes the stopper to transition between a first size and a second size, and
wherein the transition between the first size and the second size due to the change in air pressure causes an electromechanical switch of the injection device to be activated to power an electronics assembly of the injection device, and
wherein the injection device is sealed in a package under vacuum, and opening the package causes the change in air pressure.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein causing the change in the air pressure acting on the stopper comprises attaching a component to the injection device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the component is a cap or a needle assembly.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the injection device comprises a plunger head, and wherein, when the stopper transitions from the first size to the second size, the plunger head exerts a force on the electromechanical switch to activate the electromechanical switch.

16. A medicament injection system comprising:
an injection device sealed in a package under vacuum, the injection device comprising:
a stopper comprising an electronics assembly, wherein the stopper is configured to transition between a first size and a second size in response to a change in air pressure acting on the stopper, and
an electromechanical switch operable to be activated to power the electronic assembly,

wherein the stopper is configured to activate the electromechanical switch as a result of the stopper transitioning between the first size and the second size when the package is opened causing the change in air pressure; and
an external device comprising an external processor configured to communicate with the injection device.

17. The medicament injection system of claim 16 , wherein the injection device communicates with the external device wirelessly.

Assignees

• Sanofi Sa

Inventors

• Schabbach Michael
• Vedhachalam Ganesh Appusamy
• Bigalke Jörg
• Alpers Johannes
• Rausch Martin
• Baccaro Anna

Classifications

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• A61M5/31548

  Mechanically operated dose setting member · CPC title

• A61M5/31568

  Means keeping track of the total dose administered, e.g. since the cartridge was inserted · CPC title