Safety device for a pre-filled syringe and injection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9586011-B2
Application number	US-201113808070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2011
Priority date	Jul 2, 2010
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A safety device for a pre-filled syringe comprises a hollow support body to retain the pre-filled syringe therein, a hollow needle shield that is slidable relative to the support body and guiding means for guiding the movement of the needle shield relative to the support body. The guiding means comprise a deflectable flexible arm, a guide pin and a guide track. The deflectable flexible arm extends essentially parallel to a central axis of the safety device. The guide pin extends radial from the flexible arm. The guide track guides the guide pin within and along the guide track when the needle shield is slid relative to the support body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A safety device for a pre-filled syringe, comprising:
an outer body;
a hollow support body to retain the pre-filled syringe therein, wherein the hollow support body is received in the outer body and slidably arranged relative to the outer body to perform an injection stroke;
a hollow needle shield slidable relative to the support body; and
a guiding mechanism to guide the movement of the needle shield relative to the support body, the guiding mechanism comprising
a deflectable flexible arm with a guide pin radially extending therefrom, the flexible arm extending essentially parallel to a central axis of the safety device, and
a guide track configured to guide the guide pin within and along the guide track so that the guide pin follows the guide track when the needle shield is slid relative to the support body,

wherein the flexible arm is configured to be laterally deflected as the guide pin follows the guide track, and
wherein the flexible arm is connected to or is integrally formed to the needle shield or the support body, and the guide track is formed into the other of the needle shield or the support body.

2. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding mechanism further comprises a longitudinal tongue configured to be received in a longitudinal groove to inhibit relative rotation of the needle shield and the support body when the needle shield is moved with respect to the support body in a distal direction.

3. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible arm is connected to or is integrally formed to the needle shield and the guide track is formed into the support body.

4. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible arm is connected to or is integrally formed to the support body and the guide track is formed into the needle shield.

5. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible arm is deflectable and energizable by the action of a relaxing spring.

6. The safety device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the needle shield is arranged to protrude from the support body in an initial position, and
the spring is configured to be in a partially energized state when the needle shield is in the initial position.

7. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the guide pin is arranged to be located in an intermediate position in proximity of a proximal end of the guide track when the needle shield is in a retracted position,
the guide pin arranged to be located in an end position in proximity of a distal end of the guide track when the needle shield is an advanced position, and
the needle shield is arranged to be substantially received in the support body in the retracted position and to protrude from the distal end of the support body in the advanced position.

8. The safety device according to claim 7 , wherein the guide pin in a start position, in the end position, and in the intermediate position is non-biased in a lateral direction perpendicular to the central axis.

9. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible arm is deflectable to bias the guide pin in the lateral direction when the guide pin moves along the guide track from the intermediate position towards the end position.

10. The safety device according claim 1 , wherein the needle shield is retainable in an initial position by a flexing gate element configured to retain the guide pin in a start position between a distal end and a proximal end of the guide track.

11. The safety device according to claim 10 , wherein the flexing gate element is configured to guide the movement of the guide pin within the guide track.

12. The safety device according to claim 10 , wherein the flexing gate element is deflectable in a lateral direction as to allow the guide pin to move from the start position towards the intermediate position.

13. The safety device according to claim 10 , wherein a sloped section of the flexing gate element is configured to guide the movement of the guide pin along a section of the guide track and inhibit the guide pin from re-entering the start position.

14. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the needle shield further comprises at least one radial outwardly protruding retaining catch to releasably retain the needle shield in the retracted position, and
the support body further comprises at least one release flap hinged to the support body, wherein an interior surface of the outer body is configured to engage the release flap such that the release flap presses the retaining catch inwardly to release the needle shield.

15. The safety device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer body comprises an inward projection to abut the guide pin in an intermediate position to retain the needle shield in a retracted position.

16. The safety device according to claim 15 , wherein the guide pin and the inward projection comprise a substantially triangular cross-section.

17. The safety device according to claim 15 , wherein the inward projection is movable along a section of the guide track to release the needle shield from being retained in the retracted position.

18. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the outer body is configured to advance a piston rod of a pre-filled syringe in a distal direction when the outer body is translated in the distal direction relative to the support body.

19. The safety device of claim 1 , further comprising a longitudinal notch formed into an outer surface of the support body, wherein an inwardly protruding dent is formed into an inner surface of the outer body that is received in the longitudinal notch, the outer body being substantially hollow, and
wherein the flexible arm is configured to be laterally deflected as the guide pin moves along a section of the guide track oriented at an acute angle relative to the central axis.

20. An injection device comprising:
a pre-filled syringe; and
a safety device comprising
an outer body,
a hollow support body to retain the pre-filled syringe therein, wherein the hollow support body is received in the outer body and slidably arranged relative to the outer body to perform an injection stroke,
a hollow needle shield slidable relative to the support body, and
a guiding mechanism to guide the movement of the needle shield relative to the support body, the guiding mechanism comprising
a deflectable flexible arm with a guide pin radially extending therefrom, the flexible arm extending essentially parallel to a central axis of the safety device, and
a guide track configured to guide the guide pin within and along the guide track so that the guide pin follows the guide track when the needle shield is slid relative to the support body;

wherein the flexible arm is configured to be deflected laterally as the guide pin follows the guide track,
wherein the flexible arm is connected to or is integrally formed to the needle shield or the support body, and the guide track is formed into the other of the needle shield or the support body, and
wherein the pre-filled syringe is retained within the support body of the safety device, so that the hypodermic needle protrudes the distal end of the support body, whereas the hypodermic needle is surrounded by the needle shield in the initial position and/or in the advanced position and the hypodermic needle is exposed when the needle shield is in the retracted position.

Assignees

• Roberts Gareth
• Owen Sioned
• Ekman Matthew
• Sanofi Aventis Deutschland

Inventors

• Roberts Gareth
• Owen Sioned
• Ekman Matthew

Classifications

• A61M5/3272

  having projections following labyrinth paths · CPC title

• A61M5/3287

  Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion (A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61M5/3213

  Caps placed axially onto the needle, e.g. equipped with finger protection guards (axially-extensible protective sleeves A61M5/3243) · CPC title

• A61M5/28

  Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle · CPC title

• A61M5/3271 Primary

  with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position · CPC title