Auto-injector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9901674-B2
Application number	US-201214123068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2012
Priority date	Jun 2, 2011
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 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 housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe for injected delivery of a drug to a patient. The cassette unit includes a removable cap that in a capping position fits over and thereby acts to close off the needle projection aperture; and connecting to the removable cap, a needle cover defining a needle sheath for sheathing the needle tip of the syringe. 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 the capping position to thereby restrict/prevent rotation of the removable cap and needle cover relative to the housing.

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 removable cap that in a capping position is received by the cassette unit housing and fits over and thereby, acts such as to close off, the needle projection aperture, wherein the removable cap is fully removable from the cassette unit housing; and
connecting to said removable cap, a needle cover defining a needle sheath for sheathing of said needle tip,
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,
wherein each of said one or more first engagement features is in the form of a rectangular shaped through-hole having four edges provided to the removable cap, and
wherein each of said one or more second engagement features is in the form of an axially protruding arm having a forward end, wherein a ramp projects radially outwards from said forward end of said axially protruding arm,
wherein said ramp is arranged for engaging receipt within said rectangular shaped through-hole, and
wherein said ramp comprises a first ramp surface extending radially and rearwardly from the forward end of the arm and a second ramp surface extending radially and forwardly from a position part way along the arm, said first ramp surface and said second ramp surface meeting at a ramp summit.

2. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , 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.

3. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , 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.

4. A cassette unit according to claim 3 , wherein said arrangement of the one or more second engagement features is in the form of a crown.

5. 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.

6. A cassette unit according to claim 5 , 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.

7. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cap is provided with a connector defining one or more needle cover gripping elements for gripping the needle cover.

8. A cassette unit according to claim 7 , wherein 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.

9. A cassette unit according to claim 7 , wherein each gripping element is provided with one or more gripping protrusions such as one or more internally facing hooks or barbs.

10. A cassette unit according to claim 7 , wherein the connector locates within the removable cap such that the central hub locates adjacent to or slightly spaced from the top inner cap wall or surface and the needle cover gripping elements project away from the top inner cap wall or surface and towards the open end of the cap.

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

12. A cassette unit according to claim 11 , wherein the liquid drug formulation comprises an aqueous formulation of a therapeutic biologic type drug.

13. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second engagement features of the cassette unit housing comprise a plurality of evenly spaced second engagement features.

14. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second engagement features of the cassette unit housing comprise four evenly spaced second engagement features.

15. A cassette unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second engagement features of the cassette unit housing comprise four radially evenly spaced second engagement features.

16. An auto-injector comprising:
(a) a cassette unit according to claim 1 ; and
(b) 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 I 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.

17. A cassette unit comprising:
a housing defining a needle projection aperture and being arranged for receipt of a syringe;
a removable cap that in a capping position is received by the housing and fits over and closes off the needle projection aperture, wherein the removable cap is fully removable from the housing; and
a needle cover for sheathing said syringe;
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 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 housing,
wherein each of said one or more first engagement features is in the form of a rectangular shaped through-hole having four edges provided to the removable cap,
wherein each of said one or more second engagement features is in the form of an axially protruding arm having a forward end, wherein a ramp projects radially outwards from said forward end of said axially protruding arm,
wherein said ramp is arranged for engaging receipt within said rectangular shaped through-hole, and
wherein said ramp comprises a first ramp surface extending radially and rearwardly from the forward end of the arm and a second ramp surface extending radially and forwardly from a position part way along the arm, said first ramp surface and said second ramp surface meeting at a ramp summit.

18. A cassette unit according to claim 17

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

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title

• A61M2205/33

  Controlling, regulating or measuring · CPC title

• A61M5/31511

  Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod (A61M5/5066 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M2205/502

  User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards · CPC title

• A61M5/158

  Needles {for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body} · CPC title