Coded drug reservoir connection element with hinged flange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9844630-B2
Application number	US-201113639398-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2011
Priority date	Apr 9, 2010
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A locking mechanism is provided for use with a reservoir and a reservoir holder so as to prevent unwanted tampering with the reservoir. The mechanism comprises a main body with an aperture that is coupled to the reservoir. A hinged flange is provided on the main body. The flange folds inwards at the pivot point provided by the hinge, toward the aperture of the main body, allowing the mechanism to pass over the ferrule of the reservoir. Once the mechanism is placed over the cartridge, the flange folds toward the reservoir at the pivot point, flexing away from the main body. The flange rests against the underside of the reservoir ferrule, thereby retaining the reservoir within the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism may be for use with either a disposable or a reusable delivery device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A locking mechanism for attaching a reservoir containing a medicament to a reservoir holder of a drug delivery system, the locking mechanism comprising:
a main body configured to be coupled to the reservoir, the main body comprising a proximal end and a distal end and defining an aperture at the proximal end, and
at least one flange provided at the proximal end of the main body, the flange comprising a hinge and being configured to fold on the hinge, such that at least a portion of the flange is folded on the hinge into the aperture toward an inner surface of the main body and abuts against a neck of the reservoir and retains the locking mechanism on the reservoir when the locking mechanism is mounted with its aperture on the reservoir, wherein the neck of the reservoir projects distally from a shoulder part of the reservoir,
wherein the flange is pointing in a proximal direction when the flange is unfolded, and wherein the flange is pointing in a distal direction when the flange is folded.

2. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the flange is configured such that, when the flange is pointing in the distal direction, mounting the locking mechanism on the reservoir causes the flange to fold inwards on the hinge toward the neck of the reservoir due to contact of the hinge with the shoulder part of the reservoir.

3. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the hinge comprises a reduced thickness of material compared to the main body.

4. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the flange is configured to abut against an underside of the neck of the reservoir when the flange is folded on the hinge into the aperture.

5. The locking mechanism of claim 1 comprising a first coding feature designed to code the locking mechanism such that only retainment of the locking mechanism to a corresponding reservoir holder is enabled.

6. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange extends along at least a portion of the perimeter of the main body.

7. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism comprises a thread configured for receiving a threaded needle hub.

8. The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the flange is located inward from the inner surface of the main body when the flange is folded and wherein the flange extends inwardly from the inner surface of the main body when the flange is unfolded.

9. The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein when unfolded the flange is tapered toward a proximal end.

10. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a first retaining mechanism configured to secure the locking mechanism to the reservoir holder.

11. The locking mechanism of claim 10 wherein the first retaining mechanism comprises a ledge extending from the main body which is configured to interact with the reservoir holder.

12. The locking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange comprises a plurality of perforations.

13. The locking mechanism of claim 12 wherein the plurality of perforations is positioned near an end of the flange which is directly adjacent to the main body.

14. The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the aperture has an aperture diameter at a proximal end of the main body and wherein the inner surface of the main body is angled away from an aperture diameter line.

15. The locking mechanism of claim 14 , wherein a space between the inner surface of the main body and the aperture diameter line provides a recess, which is configured to receive the hinged flange, and
wherein the hinged flange is configured to be positioned in the recess.

16. A method for securing the locking mechanism according to claim 1 to a reservoir, comprising:
pushing the locking mechanism with its main body over the neck of the reservoir, wherein at least a portion of the flange of the locking mechanism is folded on the hinge into the aperture toward the inner surface of the main body such that the flange comes into engagement with the neck of the reservoir, thereby securing the locking mechanism to the reservoir.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein pushing the locking mechanism with its main body over the neck of the reservoir further comprises causing the hinge to contact the shoulder part of the reservoir such that the flange folds inwards on the hinge toward the neck of the reservoir due to the contact with the shoulder part.

18. A system comprising:
a drug delivery device comprising:
a reservoir holder, and
a reservoir contained within the reservoir holder; and

a locking mechanism comprising:
a main body configured to be coupled to the reservoir, the main body comprising a proximal end and a distal end and defining an aperture at the proximal end, and
at least one flange provided at the proximal end of the main body, the flange comprising a hinge and being configured to fold on the hinge, such that at least a portion of the flange is folded on the hinge into the aperture toward an inner surface of the main body and abuts against a neck of the reservoir and retains the locking mechanism on the reservoir when the locking mechanism is mounted with its aperture on the reservoir, wherein the neck of the reservoir projects distally from a shoulder part of the reservoir,
wherein the flange is pointing in a proximal direction when the flange is unfolded, and wherein the flange is pointing in a distal direction when the flange is folded,

wherein the locking mechanism is retained to the reservoir and to the reservoir holder.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the reservoir holder comprises a second coding feature designed to code the reservoir holder such that only interaction with a corresponding locking mechanism is enabled.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the reservoir holder is removably secured to a dose setting mechanism of the drug delivery device.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the flange is configured to abut against an underside of the neck of the reservoir when the flange is folded on the hinge into the aperture.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the flange is located inward from the inner surface of the main body when the flange is folded and wherein the flange extends inwardly from the inner surface of the main body when the flange is unfolded.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein when unfolded the flange is tapered toward a proximal end.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the reservoir holder comprises a second retaining mechanism interacting with the locking mechanism to secure the locking mechanism to the reservoir holder.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the second retaining mechanism comprises a groove in the reservoir holder.

26. The system of claim 18 , wherein the aperture has an aperture diameter at a proximal end of the main body and wherein the inner surface of the main body is angled away from an aperture diameter line.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein a space between the inner surface of the main body and the aperture diameter line provides a recess, which is configured to receive the hinged flange, and
wherein the hinged flange is configured to be positioned in the recess.

Assignees

• Avery Richard James Vincent
• James Aled Meredydd
• Sanofi Aventis Deutschland

Inventors

• Avery Richard James Vincent
• James Aled Meredydd

Classifications

• A61M2005/2407

  from the rear · CPC title

• A61J1/16

  Holders for containers · 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

• A61M2205/276

  preventing unwanted use · CPC title

• A61M2205/6045

  having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes · CPC title