The present invention relates to a medicament delivery device and in particular a medicament delivery device that is designed for improved and facilitated assembly.
Many medicament delivery device on the market are devices having a number of automatic or semi-automatic features in order to facilitate the use for a user, and in particular when used for self-administration.
The automatic or semi-automatic features entail a number of components and elements that are to interact with each other in order to provide the desired function. Because many medicament delivery devices for self-administration are of generally elongated tubular design, a number of these components and elements are positioned coaxial inside or outside each other.
This may pose problems when a medicament delivery device of that design is to be assembled, and in particular if the assembly process is to be automated or at least semi-automated. The components and elements then have to be placed inside each other in certain order and in many cases temporarily connected to each other in order to e.g. hold a drive spring in a tensioned position.
In the present disclosure, when the term “distal” is used, this refers to the direction pointing away from the dose delivery site. When the term “distal part/end” is used, this refers to the part/end of the delivery device, or the parts/ends of the members thereof, which under use of the medicament delivery device is/are located furthest away from the dose delivery site. Correspondingly, when the term “proximal” is used, this refers to the direction pointing to the dose delivery site. When the term “proximal part/end” is used, this refers to the part/end of the delivery device, or the parts/ends of the members thereof, which under use of the medicament delivery device is/are located closest to the dose delivery site.
The aim of the present application is to remedy the drawbacks of the state of the art medicament delivery devices. This aim is solved with a medicament delivery device according to the features of the independent patent claim. Preferable embodiments form the subject of the dependent patent claims.
According to one aspect, a medicament delivery device may comprise a housing, which housing is arranged to accommodate a medicament container. The medicament delivery device may further comprise a power pack arranged to exert a force on said medicament container for expelling a dose of medicament. Further the power pack may comprise a plunger rod, a drive spring arranged to exert a force on the plunger rod, an actuator coaxial with the plunger rod and arranged with holding elements for releasibly holding the plunger rod with the drive spring in an energized state, an actuator sleeve coaxial with said actuator and arranged to interact with the holding elements, the actuator sleeve being movable in a longitudinal direction in relation to the actuator. Moreover, a medicament delivery member guard may be protrude from the proximal end of the housing and movable in the longitudinal direction, the medicament delivery member shield being connected to the actuator sleeve, and a manually operable activator arranged at a distal end of the housing movable in said longitudinal direction and operably connected to said actuator for releasing said plunger rod.
In addition a locking arrangement may be arranged for releasibly locking the actuator to the actuator sleeve, such that movement of the medicament delivery member guard in a distal direction when pressing the medicament delivery device against an injection site causes the actuator sleeve, the actuator and the plunger rod to move in a distal direction, and that subsequent manual movement of the activator causes a movement of the plunger rod and the actuator in relation to the actuator sleeve in a proximal direction, causing a release of the plunger rod by the actuator.
According to a further aspect, the locking arrangement may comprise a flexible member on the actuator provided with a proximally directed stop surface, on which stop surface a distally directed surface of the actuator will act during movement in the distal direction, preventing relative movement of the actuator in relation to the actuator sleeve in a proximal direction, and that the activator may be arranged with ledges acting on the flexible member, removing the contact between the stop surface and the surface of the actuator sleeve, enabling movement of the actuator and the plunger rod.
Moreover, the activator may further comprise a proximally directed member, designed to act on a distal end of the plunger rod for enabling movement in the proximal direction of the plunger rod and the actuator. The medicament delivery device may further comprise a driver operably connected between the plunger rod and a medicament container holder such that movement of the plunger rod in the proximal direction will cause the driver and thus the medicament container holder in a proximal direction, causing a penetration operation.
According to a further aspect, the driver may have a releasable connection to the plunger rod such that the plunger rod is released from the driver when a penetration operation has ended, enabling the plunger rod to continue in the proximal direction, acting on a stopper of the medicament and causing an injection operation. In this regard, the releasable connection may comprise protrusions on an inner surface of the driver cooperating with recesses on the plunger rod. Further, the plunger rod may be arranged with a longitudinal groove aligned with the recess, in which recess the protrusion of the driver may slide during the injection operation.
According to a further aspect, the power pack may comprise a guide rod provided with fastening elements at its distal end, which fastening elements engage cut-outs on the actuator, and wherein the drive spring is arranged between a proximal end wall of the plunger rod and the fastening elements. In addition, the holding elements of the actuator may comprise two proximally directed arms that are flexible in the generally radial direction, which arms are arranged with inwardly directed arc-shaped protrusions engaging recesses in the plunger rod, and which arm are arranged with outwardly directed surfaces engaging an inner surface of the actuator sleeve.
These and other aspects of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and from the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description of the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, of which
The medicament delivery device shown in the drawings comprises a generally tubular housing 10 having a proximal end 12 and a distal end 14,
The inner surface of the body 24 of the safety cap 22 is arranged with longitudinally extending ledges 40. Some of the ledges 40 extend to a distal end surface of the safety cap 22 and some ledges 40 end a distance from the end surface of the safety cap 22. The ends of the ledges 40 are designed to interact with inclined proximally directed ledges 42 on the proximal area 18 of the housing 10, the function of which will be described below. The proximal area 18 of the housing 10 is further arranged with outwardly directed protrusions 44,
The medicament delivery device is further arranged with a medicament delivery member guard 52,
Coaxial with and inside the medicament delivery member guard 52 is a container holder 78,
The distal end of the medicament container holder 78 is arranged with a transversal wall 92 having a central opening 94,
The inwardly inclined tongues 76 of the distal area of the medicament delivery member guard 52 are designed to engage with an annular ledge 112 of a proximal area of an actuator sleeve 114 comprised in a power pack 116,
The actuator sleeve 114 and thus the medicament delivery member guard 52 is urged in the proximal direction by an actuator sleeve spring 122 that is arranged coaxial and outside the actuator sleeve 114 between an annular ledge 124 of the actuator sleeve 114 and a proximally directed surface of a manually operable activator 126, which activator 126 is protruding out of a distal passage 127 of a generally tubular power pack housing 128,
Coaxial with and inside the actuator sleeve 114 is an actuator 148,
The protrusions 158 are intended to fit into recesses 160,
The arms 174 fit into cut-outs 178 in the wall section 142 of the power pack housing 128,
On the side of the arms 174 distally directed ledges 179 are provided, which will interact with the wall sections 142 of the power pack housing 128 as will be described. The actuator 148 is also provided with second distally directed arms 180 that in the embodiment shown are oriented 90 degrees in relation to the first arms along the extension of the actuator 148. The second arms 180 are flexible in the general radial direction and are provided with outwardly directed wedge-shaped ledges 182 at the free ends. The second arms 180 are intended to interact with the distally directed tongues 120 of the actuator sleeve 114 as will be described below.
The power pack 116 is further arranged with a driver 184 having a generally tubular body 186,
The device is intended to be used as follows. When delivered to a user, the medicament delivery device is provided with a medicament delivery member in the form of a syringe 110 placed in the medicament container holder 78. The drive spring 164 is tensioned inside the plunger rod 162 and is held in this tensioned state by the inwardly protrusions 158 of the arms 154 fitting into the recesses 160 of the plunger rod 162, and wherein the arms 154 are held immobile by the actuator sleeve 114 being in contact with the arc-shaped elements 156 of the arms 154,
The medicament delivery member guard 52 is held stationary even if the medicament delivery device is dropped due to that the inwardly protrusions 62 of the tongue 60 of the medicament delivery member guard 52 is in contact with an outer surface of the medicament delivery member shield remover 30 so that it cannot flex inwards while the outwardly directed protrusion 62 is abutting a proximal end surface of the housing,
When the medicament delivery device is to be used, the user pulls the safety cap 22 off the proximal end of the medicament delivery device. This will cause the tongues 36 of the medicament delivery member shield remover 30 to grip into the material of the medicament delivery member shield 111, thereby also pulling the medicament delivery member shield 111 off the medicament delivery member. The proximal end of the device is then pressed against a dose delivery site. This causes the medicament delivery member guard 52 to move inside the housing 10 in the distal direction. Since the medicament delivery member guard 52 is connected to the actuator sleeve 114, the latter will also move distally in relation to the rest of the medicament delivery device. The distally directed tongues 120 of the actuator sleeve 114 are in line with the wedge-shaped ledges 182 of the second arms 180 of the actuator 148, wherein also the actuator 148 is moved in the distal direction,
Further since the actuator 148 is connected to the plunger rod 162 via the protrusions 158 engaging the recesses 160 of the plunger rod 162, the plunger rod 160 will also move distally. Moreover, since the driver 184 is connected to the plunger rod 162 via the protrusions 188 engaging the recesses 190, the driver 184 will also move distally. In addition, since the driver 184 is connected to the medicament container holder 78 via its protrusions 106 engaging the ledge 202 of the driver 184, the container holder 78 with the container 84 will also move distally. The movement of all the mentioned components is done against the force of the actuator sleeve spring 122 and if the medicament delivery device should now be removed from the dose delivery site, all components will move back to their initial positions due to the spring force. Further, due to the movement of all the above components together with plunger rod 162, the distal end of the plunger rod 162 has now moved the distance D and is now adjacent the proximal end of the post 144 of the push button, as seen in
The user can now press on the push button 126 at the distal end of the medicament delivery device, causing the push button 126 to move in the proximal direction inside the housing. This will cause the second arms 180 to be pressed inwards by the longitudinal ledges 137 of the push button 126,
Since the protrusions 158 of the arms 154 of the actuator 148 are positioned in the recesses 160 of the plunger rod 162, the actuator 148 will also move in the proximal direction and in particular in relation to the actuator sleeve 114. This will cause the surfaces 157 of the ends of the arms 154 of the actuator 148 to move past the edge of the actuator sleeve 114,
Since the actuator sleeve 114 no longer holds the arms 154, the arms 154 are free to move radially outwards whereby the plunger rod 162 is released. Due to the tensioned drive spring 164, the plunger rod 162 will be urged in the proximal direction and the inwardly directed protrusions 158 of the arms 154 of the actuator 148 will be in contact with and slide along the outer surface of the plunger rod 162. Due to the force of the drive spring 164 acting on the transversal beam 168 of the guide rod 170, which in turn is connected to the actuator 148, a force in the distal direction is acting on the actuator 148. However, since the arms 154 of the actuator 148 has flexed radially outwards, distally directed surfaces of the outwardly directed arc-shaped elements 156 will abut a proximal surface of the actuator sleeve, preventing the actuator 148 from moving in the distal direction due to the force of the drive spring 164. Further since the driver 184 is connected to the plunger rod 162 via the protrusions 188 inside the recesses 190 and since the driver 184 is connected to the medicament container holder 78, the latter is also moved proximally,
When the medicament container holder 78 has reached its proximal end position by the proximally directed ledges 91 of the medicament container holder 78 coming in contact with the distally directed ledge 21 of the housing 10,
The plunger rod 162 now acts on the stopper 108 to push it in the proximal direction so that a dose of medicament is delivered through the syringe 110. When the stopper 108 via the plunger rod 162 is approaching its most proximal position, the distal end of the plunger rod 162 is moved out of contact with the inwardly directed protrusions 158 of the arms 154 of the actuator 148,
When the medicament delivery device is removed from the dose delivery site, the medicament delivery member guard 52 is pushed in the proximal direction by the actuator sleeve spring 122 so that the medicament delivery member 110 is completely covered. Further, the proximal ends of the arms 154 of the actuator 148 have passed the distally directed ledge 119 on the inner surface of the actuator sleeve 114, causing them to flex further radially outwards,
It is to be understood that the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings is to be regarded only as a non-limiting example of the application and that it may be modified in many ways within the scope of the patent claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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19167823.4 | Apr 2019 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2019/084867 | 12/12/2019 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62791443 | Jan 2019 | US |