Wearable automatic injection device for controlled administration of therapeutic agents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956345-B2
Application number	US-201214111933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2012
Priority date	Apr 21, 2011
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide wearable automatic injection devices for administering a therapeutic agent to a patient's body at fast, controlled rates, for example, in a single fast bolus. Exemplary embodiments also provide methods for assembling wearable automatic injection devices for administering a therapeutic agent to a patient at fast, controlled rates. Exemplary embodiments also provide methods for using wearable automatic injection devices for administering a therapeutic agent to a patient at fast, controlled rates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable automatic injection device operable without electrical power for administering a therapeutic agent to a patient, the wearable automatic injection device comprising:
a housing comprising a patient contact portion for contacting the patient;
an administration assembly moveably disposed in the housing holding an administration interface for administering the therapeutic agent to the patient, the administration assembly moveable between a retracted position in which the administration interface does not protrude outside the housing and an extended position in which the administration interface protrudes outside the housing;
a vessel provided in the housing for holding the therapeutic agent;
a plunger actuation mechanism moveably disposed in the vessel for ejecting the therapeutic agent from the vessel into the administration assembly; and
an administration interface locking mechanism for automatically locking the administration interface in the retracted position within the housing in a pre-administration state and a post-administration state.

2. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a retraction trigger responsive to a change of state of the wearable automatic injection device from an administration state to a post-administration state; and
a retraction mechanism for automatically retracting the administration assembly from the extended position in the administration state to the retracted position in the post-administration state upon triggering by the retraction trigger.

3. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the vessel comprises a syringe.

4. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 3 , wherein the syringe comprises: a barrel portion for holding the therapeutic agent; and
a piercing needle coupled to a distal end of the barrel portion for establishing fluid communication between the barrel portion of the syringe and the administration assembly.

5. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 4 , wherein the administration assembly comprises:
a septum that is pierceable by the piercing needle of the syringe; and
a fluid conduit extending between the administration interface and the septum, wherein piercing of the septum by the piercing needle of the syringe couples the barrel portion of the syringe and the administration interface.

6. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 5 , wherein the piercing needle of the syringe is spaced from the septum when the device is in a pre-administration state, and wherein the piercing needle pierces the septum when the device is in an administration state.

7. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the vessel comprises a cartridge.

8. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 7 , wherein the cartridge comprises
a barrel portion for holding the therapeutic agent; and
a septum that is pierceable by a piercing needle.

9. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 8 , wherein the administration assembly comprises:
the piercing needle for establishing fluid communication between the barrel portion of the cartridge and the administration interface; and
a fluid conduit provided between the administration interface and the piercing needle for establishing fluid communication between the administration interface and the barrel portion of the cartridge.

10. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 9 , wherein piercing of the septum by the piercing needle of the administration assembly establishes fluid communication between the barrel portion of the cartridge and the administration interface.

11. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 10 , wherein the septum of the cartridge is spaced from the piercing needle of the administration assembly when the device is in a pre-administration state, and wherein the piercing needle pierces the septum when the device is in an administration state.

12. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the vessel is moveably disposed within the housing.

13. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 12 , wherein the vessel is moveable between a first position in a pre-administration state and a second position in an administration state.

14. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a vessel actuator for automatically actuating the vessel from the first position to the second position.

15. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 14 , wherein a fluid pathway is established between the administration assembly and the vessel, when the administration assembly is in the extended position and the vessel is in the second position in the administration state.

16. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the plunger actuation mechanism administers the therapeutic agent to the patient at a controlled linear rate.

17. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the plunger actuation mechanism further comprises:
a plunger configured to exert an expulsion force to the therapeutic agent in the vessel;
a source of a working fluid for providing a hydraulic pressure to the plunger; and
a fluid conduit provided between the source of the working fluid and the plunger.

18. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 17 , wherein the plunger actuation mechanism further comprises:
a damping mechanism coupled to the plunger and the source of the working fluid to regulate the ejection of the therapeutic agent from the vessel.

19. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 18 , wherein the damping mechanism comprises a flow restrictor for maintaining a first hydraulic pressure downstream of the flow restrictor toward the vessel at a lower pressure than a second hydraulic pressure upstream of the flow restrictor toward the source of the working fluid.

20. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 19 , wherein the flow restrictor is coupled to a retraction trigger, wherein administration of the therapeutic agent in the vessel causes the flow restrictor to activate the retraction trigger, and wherein activation of the retraction trigger automatically retracts the administration assembly from the extended position to the retracted position.

21. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the administration interface locking mechanism comprises:
a barrier mechanism moveably disposed over an administration interface aperture in the housing;
wherein the administration interface aperture allows the administration interface to protrude outside the housing when the barrier mechanism is in a first position; and
wherein the administration interface aperture prevents the administration interface from protruding outside the housing when the barrier mechanism is in a second position.

22. The wearable automatic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the administration interface locking mechanism comprises:
an administration interface lock release mechanism responsive to retraction of the administration assembly from the extended position in the administration state to the retraction position in the post-administration state; and
a pivoting member coupled to the administration interface and to the administration interface lock release mechanism;
wherein activation of the administration interface lock release mechanism causes the pivoting member to pivot the administration interface away from an administration interface aperture in the h

Assignees

• Anderson Philip D
• Julian Joseph F
• Laurusonis Linas P
• Corrigan Sean
• Fienup William
• Matusaitis Tomas
• Strahm Chris
• Abbvie Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Philip D
• Julian Joseph F
• Laurusonis Linas P
• Corrigan Sean
• Fienup William
• Matusaitis Tomas
• Strahm Chris

Classifications

• A61M5/1452

  pressurised by means of pistons · CPC title

• A61M2005/14252

  with needle insertion means · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• A61M5/2466

  by piercing without internal pressure increase (A61M5/2429 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M5/2053 Primary

  Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum (for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155) · CPC title