Auto-injector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884152-B2
Application number	US-201214123084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2012
Priority date	Jun 2, 2011
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The cassette unit housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The cassette unit includes a needle cover defining a needle sheath. The removable cap is provided with a connector defining one or more needle cover gripping elements for gripping the needle cover. The connector defines a central hub and the one or more needle gripper elements attach to the central hub and in spaced arrangement relative to each other. The connector locates within the removable cap such that the central hub of the connector is in spaced relationship with a far end wall or surface of the cap interior.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cassette unit for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit, said cassette unit comprising:
a cassette unit housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture, said cassette unit housing cavity arranged for receipt of a syringe comprising:
a barrel for containing a volume of a liquid drug formulation;
a hollow needle at a front end of said barrel, said hollow needle defining a needle tip for dispensing of said liquid drug formulation; and
a plunger that is axially movable within the barrel;

a needle cover defining a needle sheath for sheathing of said needle tip; and
a removable cap that in a capping position fits over and thereby acts such as to close off the needle projection aperture, said removable cap defining a cap interior,
wherein said removable cap is provided with a connector defining one or more needle cover gripping elements for gripping said needle cover and said connector defines a central hub and said one or more needle gripper elements attach to said central hub and in spaced arrangement relative to each other,
wherein the connector locates within the removable cap such that the central hub of the connector is in spaced relationship with a central far end interior wall of said cap interior and the needle cover gripping elements project away from said central far end interior wall of the cap interior and towards the open end of the cap,
wherein the spaced relationship of the central hub of the connector with the central far end interior wall of the cap interior defines a give space that allows for forward give in the axial position of the needle cover within the give space,
wherein the removable cap is provided with a spacer insert for defining said spaced relationship of the central hub of the connector with the central far end interior wall of the cap interior, and
wherein the connector locates at least partly within said spacer insert.

2. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the connector and the needle cover are configured to translate into the give space.

3. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein each gripping element is provided with one or more gripping protrusions such as one or more internally facing hooks or barbs.

4. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer insert includes a central end hub and an inner boss extending from said central end hub to define a chamber for receiving the connector.

5. A cassette unit according to claim 4 , wherein the spacer insert includes an outer boss extending from the central end hub and circumferentially around the inner boss.

6. A cassette unit according to claim 5 , wherein said outer boss includes crenellated portions therein.

7. A cassette unit according to claim 6 , wherein the outer boss defines flexible fingers, which splay out from the central end hub and extending about the outer boss.

8. A cassette unit according to claim 7 , wherein said flexible fingers locate within said crenellated portions of the outer boss.

9. A cassette unit according to claim 4 , wherein the spacer insert is arranged within the removable cap such that the central end hub is in spaced relationship to the central far end interior wall of the cap interior.

10. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the spacer insert is comprised of a plastic polymer material and the connector is comprised of a metal material.

11. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cap is provided with one or more first engagement features arranged for selectively engaging one or more second engagement features of the cassette unit housing when the removable cap is in said capping position to thereby restrict or prevent rotation of the removable cap and needle cover relative to the cassette unit housing.

12. A cassette unit according to claim 11 , wherein the cassette unit housing and removable cap are arranged such that when the removable cap and needle cover connecting thereto are brought into capping relationship with the cassette unit housing the one or more first engagement features of the removable cap move into engaging relationship with the one or more second engagement features of the cassette unit housing.

13. A cassette unit according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more first engagement features of the removable cap and the one or more second engagement features of the cassette unit housing are arranged have a mutually engaging form selected from the group consisting of latching, peg and socket and snap-fit.

14. A cassette unit according to claim 11 , wherein the removable cap is provided at the brim thereof with an arrangement of the one or more first engagement features arranged to extend up into the cassette unit housing when the cap is in the capping position.

15. A cassette unit according to claim 14 , wherein said arrangement of the one or more first engagement features is in the form of a crown.

16. A cassette unit according to claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more first engagement features of said crown is in the form of a protruding arm having a shaped tip.

17. A cassette unit according to claim 11 , wherein the cassette unit housing is provided at the forward end thereof with an arrangement of the one or more second engagement features arranged to extend up into the removable cap when the cap is in the capping position.

18. A cassette unit according to claim 17 , wherein said arrangement of the one or more second engagement features is in the form of a crown.

19. A cassette unit according to claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more second engagement features of said crown is in the form of a protruding arm having a shaped tip.

20. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cap is provided with a finger-grip feature that is sized and shaped for gripping by the finger of a user to allow for removal of the removable cap and needle cover from the cassette unit housing.

21. A cassette unit according to claim 20 , wherein said finger-grip feature is shaped to provide a ring for finger gripping by the user by placing a finger or thumb inside the ring.

22. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the housing receives a syringe containing a liquid drug formulation.

23. A cassette unit according to claim 22 , wherein the liquid drug foiniulation comprises an aqueous formulation of a therapeutic biologic type drug.

24. An auto-injector comprising
a cassette unit according to claim 1 ; and
a drive unit comprising:
a drive unit housing defining a docking cavity and a needle delivery aperture, wherein said docking cavity is arranged for docking receipt of the cassette unit at a docking position, whereupon said cassette unit and/or said syringe is movable from a rest position, in which the needle tip of the syringe is within the drive unit housing to a use position, in which the needle tip protrudes from said needle delivery aperture; and
a drive arrangement, said drive arrangement comprising:
one or more electrically powered sources of axial drive;
a first drive transfer element for transferring said axial drive to the cassette unit and/or to the syringe for advancing the syringe to said use position; and
a second drive transfer element for subsequently transferring the axial drive to said plunger of the syringe for moving the plunger into the barrel of the syringe to eject at least part of said volume of liquid drug formulation.

Assignees

• Mcloughlin Martin John
• Morgan Darrell P
• Heald Michael James David
• Lozeau Kevin Richard
• Enga Agnete
• Freitag Eric
• Formosa Daniel
• Schumann Michael
• Lipford Brian
• Cowperthwaite Jake
• Flamm Alex
• Melzi Ilario
• Ucb Biopharma Sprl

Inventors

• Mcloughlin Martin John
• Morgan Darrell P
• Heald Michael James David
• Lozeau Kevin Richard
• Enga Agnete
• Freitag Eric
• Formosa Daniel
• Schumann Michael
• Lipford Brian
• Cowperthwaite Jake
• Flamm Alex
• Melzi Ilario

Classifications

• A61M5/3134

  characterised by constructional features of the distal end, i.e. end closest to the tip of the needle cannula · CPC title

• A61M5/1452

  pressurised by means of pistons · CPC title

• A61M2205/276

  preventing unwanted use · CPC title

• A61M5/5086

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

• A61M5/3137

  Specially designed finger grip means, e.g. for easy manipulation of the syringe rod · CPC title