Injection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956350-B2
Application number	US-201414782725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2014
Priority date	Apr 10, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A handheld injection device comprising a housing, a piston rod defining a first longitudinal axis and located within the housing, a driver coupled to the piston rod, a dose setting means, which is rotatable about a second longitudinal axis during dose setting, and optionally a power reservoir for driving the driver and/or a release clutch preventing rotation of the driver during dose setting and allowing rotation of the driver during dose dispensing. The first longitudinal axis is spaced from the second longitudinal axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A handheld injection device comprising:
a housing;
a piston rod located within the housing, the piston rod defining a first longitudinal axis and being configured to move along the first longitudinal axis to dispense a dose of a medicament during dose dispensing;
a driver coupled to the piston rod, wherein the driver comprises a drive sleeve rotatable about a second longitudinal axis during the dose dispensing and coupled to a flat spiral spring, the drive sleeve being configured to be rotationally restrained to the housing during dose setting; and
a dose setting mechanism comprising a user operable portion positioned at least partially outside of the housing and protruding in a proximal direction from a proximal end of the housing, the user operable portion rotatable about the second longitudinal axis during the dose setting and axially movable along the second longitudinal axis to initiate the dose dispensing, the second longitudinal axis being spaced apart from and parallel to the first longitudinal axis.

2. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the flat spiral spring has a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to a first spool located on the first longitudinal axis, the second end being attached to a second spool located on the second longitudinal axis, and at least one of the first end and the second end being coupled to the driver.

3. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a drive tube rotatable about the first longitudinal axis and directly coupled to the piston rod.

4. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein:
the dose setting mechanism comprises a dial assembly and a dial sleeve, the dial assembly and the dial sleeve being rotatable about the second longitudinal axis, and the dial sleeve being configured to be decoupled from the driver during the dose setting and to be coupled to the driver during the dose dispensing, and
the dial assembly comprises the user operable portion.

5. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a number sleeve threadedly engaged with the housing and splined to the dose setting mechanism.

6. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein:
the piston rod comprises a threaded lead screw, and
the housing has a threaded portion configured to cooperate with a threaded outer surface of the piston rod so that rotation of the piston rod axially displaces the piston rod along the first longitudinal axis.

7. The injection device of claim 1 , comprising a limiter mechanism defining a maximum settable dose and a minimum settable dose.

8. The injection device of claim 1 , comprising a last dose protection mechanism to inhibit setting of an excess dose exceeding an amount of liquid remaining in a cartridge loaded in the housing.

9. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a component movable along the second longitudinal axis between a dose setting position, in which the dose setting mechanism is rotatable relative to the housing and relative to the driver, and a dose dispensing position, in which the driver is rotatable relative to the housing, the component forming a portion of at least one of the dose setting mechanism and the driver.

10. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a clicker configured to produce an audible or tactile first feedback during the dose setting or during the dose dispensing.

11. The injection device of claim 10 , wherein the clicker is a first clicker, and the injection device comprises a second clicker configured to produce an audible or tactile second feedback during the dose dispensing when the injection device reaches a minimum settable dose position, the second feedback being distinct from the first feedback.

12. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the injection device is configured such that a length of the injection device before the dose setting and a length of the injection device after the dose setting are substantially equal.

13. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein:
the user operable portion comprises a release button axially displaceable along the second longitudinal axis, and
the injection device further comprises a friction mechanism configured to engage the driver to decelerate the driver based on a position of the release button along the second longitudinal axis.

14. The injection device of claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge containing a medicament and a movable bung to displace the medicament.

15. The injection device of claim 14 , wherein the piston rod comprises a bearing at its end facing the bung, the bearing being configured to abut the bung in an unused delivery state of the injection device.

16. The injection device of claim 1 , wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are offset relative to a central longitudinal axis of the injection device.

17. A dose dispensing and setting mechanism for an injection device, the dose dispensing and setting mechanism comprising: a piston rod defining a first longitudinal axis, the piston rod being configured to move along the first longitudinal axis to dispense a dose of a medicament during dose dispensing; a driver coupled to the piston rod, wherein the driver comprises a drive sleeve rotatable about a second longitudinal axis during the dose dispensing and coupled to a flat spiral spring, the drive sleeve being configured to be rotationally restrained to a housing of the injection device during dose setting; and a dose setting mechanism comprising a user operable portion positionable at least partially outside of the housing of the injection device and protruding in a proximal direction from a proximal end of the housing of the injection device, the user operable portion rotatable about the second longitudinal axis during the dose setting and axially movable along the second longitudinal axis to initiate the dose dispensing, wherein the first longitudinal axis is spaced apart from and parallel to the second longitudinal axis.

18. The dose dispensing and setting mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the flat spiral spring has a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to a first spool located on the first longitudinal axis, the second end being attached to a second spool located on the second longitudinal axis, and at least one of the first end and the second end being coupled to the driver.

19. The dose dispensing and setting mechanism of claim 18 , wherein the driver comprises a drive tube rotatable about the first longitudinal axis and directly coupled to the piston rod.

20. The dose dispensing and setting mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are offset relative to a central longitudinal axis of the injection device.

21. A handheld injection device comprising:
a housing;
a piston rod located within the housing, the piston rod defining a first longitudinal axis and being configured to move along the first longitudinal axis to dispense a dose of a medicament during dose dispensing;
a driver coupled to the piston rod; and
a dose setting mechanism comprises a dial assembly and a dial sleeve, the dial assembly and the dial sleeve being rotatable about a second longitudinal axis, the second longitudinal axis being spaced apart from and parallel to the first longitudinal axis,
wherein the dial sleeve is configured to be decoupled from the driver during dose setting and to be coupled to the driver during the dose dispensing,
wherein the dial assembly comprises a user oper

Assignees

• Sanofi Sa

Inventors

• Morris Anthony Paul
• Marsh William
• Jones Matthew
• Butler Joseph

Classifications

• A61M5/3157 Primary

  Means providing feedback signals when administration is completed (A61M5/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M5/31551

  including axial movement of dose setting member · CPC title

• A61M5/31548 Primary

  Mechanically operated dose setting member · CPC title

• A61M2205/58

  Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision · CPC title

• A61M5/20

  Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically (A61M5/142 {, A61M5/46} take precedence; {hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54}) · CPC title