Drive mechanisms suitable for use in drug delivery devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604009-B2
Application number	US-201414319394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Mar 3, 2003
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A drive mechanism suitable for use in drug delivery devices is disclosed. The drive mechanism may be used with injector-type drug delivery devices, such as those permitting a user to set the delivery dose. The drive mechanism may include a housing, a dose dial sleeve, and a drive sleeve. A clutch is configured to permit rotation of the drive sleeve and the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing when the dose dial sleeve and drive sleeve are coupled through the clutch. Conversely, when the dose dial sleeve and drive sleeve are in a de-coupled state, rotation of the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing is permitted and rotation of the drive sleeve with respect to the housing is prevented. In the de-coupled state, axial movement of the drive sleeve transfers force in a longitudinal direction for actuation of a drug delivery device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive mechanism for use in a drug delivery device comprising:
a housing;
a dose dial sleeve having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface, where the outer surface has a helical thread engaged with the housing, and the second end has an inwardly directed flange;
a dose dial grip connected and rotationally fixed to the second end through connection with the inwardly directed flange;
a drive sleeve releasably connected to the dose dial sleeve;
a piston rod engaged with the drive sleeve; and
a clutch located between the dose dial sleeve and the drive sleeve.

2. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the inwardly directed flange comprises a plurality of radially extending members connecting to the dose dial grip.

3. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the outer surface of the dose dial sleeve contains a visual indication of a set dose of medicament.

4. The drive mechanism of claim 3 where the visual indication is a set of dose reference numerals that are visible through a window located in the housing.

5. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the dose dial grip comprises an annular recess at a second end that is configured to accept a skirt of a dose button.

6. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the dose dial grip has an outer diameter that corresponds to an outer diameter of the housing.

7. The drive mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a clicker located between the drive sleeve and the dose dial sleeve.

8. The drive mechanism of claim 7 where the clicker further comprises a sleeve having a helically extending arm, where a free end of the arm has a toothed member.

9. The drive mechanism of claim 8 where the free end of the arm is configured to deform and drag the tooth member over splines to produce an audible click sound.

10. The drive mechanism of claim 9 where the splines are disposed such that each audible click sound corresponds to a conventional unit dose of medicament.

11. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the piston rod has a non-circular portion.

12. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the piston rod has a second end comprising a series of part threads.

13. The drive mechanism of claim 1 further comprising an anti-rotation mechanism to prevent rotation of the piston rod during dose setting.

14. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the anti-rotation mechanism comprises a piston rod having a first thread of one hand and a second thread having an opposite hand of the hand of the first thread.

15. The drive mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the piston rod is threadedly engaged with the drive sleeve.

Assignees

• Sanofi Aventis Deutschland

Inventors

• Veasey Robert Frederick
• Perkins Robert
• Plumptre David Aubrey

Classifications

• A61M2205/582

  by tactile feedback · CPC title

• A61M5/31575

  using scaling up or down transmissions, e.g. gearbox · CPC title

• A61M5/24 Primary

  Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic {(ampoules or carpules A61J1/06)} · CPC title

• A61M5/3156

  using volume steps only adjustable in discrete intervals, i.e. individually distinct intervals · CPC title

• A61M5/31585

  performed by axially moving actuator, e.g. an injection button · CPC title