Needle magnetizing arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802009-B2
Application number	US-201314441293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2013
Priority date	Nov 8, 2012
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A needle magnetizing arrangement ( 1 ) comprising a controller ( 4 ) adapted to generate a first magnetic field (F) for magnetizing a needle ( 2 ), and a magnetic field sensor ( 5 ) adapted to generate a signal based on a second magnetic field (F R ) of the needle ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A needle magnetizing system comprising:
a processor configured to:
permit an injection procedure in response to determining an absence of a magnetic field in a first needle, wherein the absence of the magnetic field indicates that the first needle is unused; and
prevent an injection procedure in response to determining a presence of a magnetic field in the first needle, wherein the presence of the magnetic field indicates that the first needle is used;

a controller coupled to the processor, wherein, in response to the processor permitting the injection procedure in response to determining an absence of a magnetic field in a second needle, the controller is adapted to generate a first magnetic field (F) for magnetizing the second needle, wherein the first magnetic field (F) magnetizes the second needle to have a second magnetic field (F R ) during the injection procedure;
a coil coupled to the controller, wherein the controller passes current (I) through the coil;
a magnetic field sensor adapted to generate a signal based on the second magnetic field (F R ) of the second needle after it is magnetized by the first magnetic Field (F), wherein the second needle is positioned at a first distance from the coil, the first distance sufficient to magnetize the second needle to have the second magnetic field (F R ) and the magnetic field sensor is positioned at a second distance from the second needle, the second distance sufficient for the magnetic field sensor to sense the second magnetic field (F R ).

2. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 1 further comprising:
a magnetic guide adapted to guide a flux of the second magnetic field (F R ) toward the magnetic field sensor.

3. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 2 , wherein the magnetic guide is coupled to the magnetic field sensor.

4. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 1 , wherein the second needle is coupled to a removable needle assembly or a syringe.

5. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 1 further comprising:
a magnetic shield at least partially enclosing an area around the second needle.

6. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 5 , wherein the magnetic shield circumferentially encloses the area around the second needle.

7. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 5 , further comprising a magnetic guide adapted to guide a flux of the second magnetic field (F R ) toward the magnetic field sensor, wherein the magnetic guide is enclosed by the magnetic shield.

8. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 5 , wherein the magnetic shield is composed of Mu-metal, permalloy or electrical steel.

9. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform a predetermined action in response to determining the presence of a magnetic field in the first needle, wherein the predetermined action is providing an audible or visual feedback.

10. The needle magnetizing system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is integrally formed with or removably coupled to an injection device.

11. An injection device comprising:
an unmagnetized needle; and
a needle magnetizing system comprising:
a processor configured to:
permit an injection procedure in response to determining an absence of a magnetic field in a first needle, wherein the absence of the magnetic field indicates that the first needle is unused; and
prevent an injection procedure in response to determining a presence of a magnetic field in the first needle, wherein the presence of the magnetic field indicates that the first needle is used;

a controller coupled to the processor, wherein, in response to the processor permitting the injection procedure in response to determining an absence of a magnetic field in the unmagnetized needle, the controller is adapted to generate a first magnetic field (F) for magnetizing the unmagnetized needle, wherein the first magnetic field (F) magnetizes the unmagnetized needle; and
a magnetic field sensor adapted to generate a signal based on a second magnetic field (F R ) of the needle magnetized by the first magnetic field (F), wherein the magnetic field sensor is positioned at a distance from the unmagnetized needle, the distance sufficient to sense the second magnetic field (F R ).

12. The injection device according to claim 11 , wherein the needle magnetizing system further comprises:
a coil coupled to the controller, wherein the controller passes current (I) through the coil.

13. The injection device according to claim 11 , wherein the needle magnetizing system further comprises:
a magnetic guide adapted to guide a flux of the second magnetic field (F R ) toward the magnetic field sensor; and
a magnetic shield circumferentially enclosing the unmagnetized needle and the magnetic guide.

14. A method comprising:
prior to using a first needle in a medicament injection procedure, wherein an unmagnetized needle is an unused needle and a magnetized needle is a used needle:
positioning the first needle at a distance from a magnetic field sensor, the distance sufficient to sense any magnetic field in the first needle;
measuring, by the magnetic field sensor, a magnetic field in the first needle, the magnetic field showing that the needle is magnetized; and
in response to measuring the magnetic field, executing, by a processor, a predetermined action comprising preventing the injection procedure; and

in place of the first needle, positioning a second needle at the distance from the magnetic field sensor;
measuring, by the magnetic field sensor, no magnetic field in the second needle showing that the second needle is unmagnetized; and
in response to measuring no magnetic field in the second needle, executing, by the processor, the medicament injection procedure.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, after the medicament injection procedure magnetizing the second needle.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein magnetizing the second needle comprises:
generating, by a controller, a magnetic field by flowing a current through a coil; and
exposing the second needle to the generated magnetic field.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising circumferentially enclosing an area around the second needle with a magnetic shield.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising guiding a magnetic flux of the magnetic field in the first needle towards the magnetic field sensor using a magnetic guide.

Assignees

• Sanofi Aventis Deutschland

Inventors

• Nessel Christian
• Auernhammer Daniel

Classifications

• A61M5/5086 Primary

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

• A61M2205/6054

  Magnetic identification systems · CPC title

• A61M2205/273

  preventing reuse, e.g. of disposables · CPC title

• G11B5/37

  using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices (G11B5/39 takes precedence){using Hall or Hall-related effect, e.g. planar-Hall effect or pseudo-Hall effect} · CPC title

• A61M2205/0272

  Electro-active or magneto-active materials · CPC title