The present disclosure generally relates to medicament delivery devices.
Administration of some medicaments require an injection at a certain depth. Therefore, medicament delivery devices may be provided with an auto-penetration functionality. Hereto, a sub-assembly comprising the delivery member, typically a needle, is moved forward a predetermined distance automatically when the medicament delivery device is triggered. This forward movement causes the delivery member to be inserted to the required depth into the site of delivery.
WO2017/198383 A1 discloses a medicament delivery device with auto-penetration functionality. This document discloses an administration mechanism for a medicament delivery device, comprising: a linearly displaceable medicament delivery member cover, an actuator sleeve, and an actuator configured to be received by the actuator sleeve. The medicament delivery member cover is configured to axially displace the actuator sleeve from an initial position to a distally displaced position thereby displacing the actuator sleeve relative to the actuator. The administration mechanism further comprises a rotator having a guide structure and configured to be received by the actuator, a plunger holder configured to be received by and engage with the rotator, and a plunger rod. The rotator and plunger holder are configured to be proximally biased, and the plunger is rod configured to be received by and engage with the plunger holder in the initial position of the actuator sleeve. The plunger rod is configured to be proximally biased, wherein the actuator is configured to engage with the plunger holder in the initial position of the actuator sleeve, thereby preventing the plunger holder from proximal displacement relative to the actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to be released from engagement with the plunger holder by displacement of the actuator sleeve towards the distally displaced position, thereby enabling proximal displacement of the plunger holder, the plunger rod and the rotator relative to the actuator, whereby the actuator is configured to engage with the guide structure of the rotator and to rotate the rotator relative to the plunger holder, releasing the plunger rod from the plunger holder.
The configuration which provides the auto-penetration functionality may be rather bulky.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a medicament delivery device which solves or at least mitigates problems of the prior art.
There is hence provided a medicament delivery device comprising: a housing, a delivery member cover slidably arranged in the housing, a medicament container housing arranged in the housing, a forward-biased rotator structure configured to move the medicament container housing in a forward direction in the housing, wherein the delivery member cover is configured to be moved axially from an extended position relative to the housing to a retracted position, thereby causing the rotator structure to rotate from a first rotator position to a second rotator position, and a forward-biased plunger rod extending axially inside rotator structure and having a first axial engagement position with the rotator structure when the rotator structure is in the first rotator position and the second rotator position, the rotator structure having a first rotator guide track structure configured to cooperate with an inner surface structure of the housing, enabling: rotation of the rotator structure when the rotator structure is rotated from the first rotator position to the second rotator position, preventing axial forward movement of the rotator structure inside the housing when the rotator structure is in the first rotator position, releasing of the rotator structure from axial engagement with the inner surface structure of the housing when the rotator structure is rotated from the first rotator position towards the second rotator position, causing the forward-biased rotator structure, the plunger rod and the medicament container housing to move a first forward distance in the housing to perform an auto-penetration operation.
The auto-penetration functionality is hence obtained by means of the rotator structure instead of relying on a triple-layer configuration of an actuator sleeve, an actuator holder and a plunger holder as in WO2017/198383. The three-layer arrangement of WO2017/198383 is hence replaced by fewer layers. The auto-penetration assembly may therefore be made more compact.
According to one embodiment the rotator structure is configured to cooperate with the inner surface structure of the housing to provide a final rotation of the rotator structure towards a third rotator position in an end stage of the auto-penetration operation, causing the plunger rod to be released from its engagement with the rotator structure in the first axial engagement position and move in the forward direction relative to the rotator structure.
According to one embodiment the rotator structure is configured to axially engage with the inner surface structure of the housing when the rotator structure has moved the first forward distance, thereby preventing further axial forward movement of the rotator structure and the medicament container housing in the housing.
According to one embodiment the rotator structure has an inner surface provided with a stepped structure and the plunger rod is provided with a radially outwards extending protrusion configured to cooperate with the stepped structure to enable axial engagement between the rotator structure and the plunger rod.
According to one embodiment the stepped structure has a first step on which the radially outwards extending protrusion rests when the rotator structure is in the first rotator position.
According to one embodiment the stepped structure includes an axially extending groove opening from the first step, the radially outwards extending protrusion being configured to move into the groove from the first step when the rotator structure is rotated from the second rotator position towards the third rotator position.
According to one embodiment the inner surface structure of the housing includes a radially inwards extending pin and the first rotator guide track structure comprises a circumferential radially outwards extending rib portion bearing against the pin when the rotator structure is rotated from the first rotator position towards the second rotator position, enabling the rotator structure to rotate relative to the housing but preventing it to move forward.
According to one embodiment the first rotator guide track structure comprises an axial radially outwards extending rib portion, the circumferential radially outwards extending rib portion transitioning to the axial radially outwards extending rib portion, enabling the forward-biased rotator structure to move forward relative to the housing when the rotator structure is moved from the first rotator position and the pin moves past the circumferential radially outwards extending rib portion.
According to one embodiment the first rotator guide track structure has a helical radially outwards extending rib portion, the axial radially outwards extending rib portion transitioning to the helical radially outwards extending rib portion, the helical radially outwards extending rib portion providing a final rotation of the rotator structure from the second rotator position towards the third rotator position.
According to one embodiment the helical radially outwards extending rib portion is provided on an outer surface of the rotator structure and has an axially extending component and a circumferentially extending component.
According to one embodiment the delivery member cover is configured to initially be arranged in an initial position in which it is arranged further in the housing than in the extended position, wherein the delivery member cover is configured to be moved from the initial position to the extended position, causing the rotator structure to rotate from an initial rotator position to the first rotator position.
According to one embodiment the plunger rod has an initial axial engagement position with the rotator structure when the rotator structure is in the initial rotator position, and wherein the plunger rod is configured to disengage from the initial axial engagement position and move forward axially a priming distance relative to the rotator structure and engage with the rotator structure in the first axial engagement position.
According to one embodiment the stepped structure has a second step on which the radially outwards extending protrusion rests when the rotator structure is in the initial rotator position.
According to one embodiment the first step is arranged closer to the front end of the housing than the second step.
According to one embodiment the rotator structure comprises a rotator and a rotator sleeve configured to be rotationally and axially locked to the rotator, the rotator sleeve being provided with the first rotator guide structure.
Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to “a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, etc.”, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The specific embodiments of the inventive concept will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The inventive concept will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplifying embodiments are shown. The inventive concept may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.
The medicament delivery device 1 comprises a housing 3. In the present example, the housing 3 has a front part 3a, a rear part 3c and a middle part 3b arranged between the front part 3a and the rear part 3c.
The medicament delivery device 1 has a front end 1a and a rear end 1b. The medicament delivery device 1 has a detachable cap 5. The cap 5 forms part of the front end 1a of the medicament delivery device 1 when the cap 5 is attached to the housing 3. The front end 1a means that end of the medicament delivery device 1 which faces the site of injection when in use. The rear end 1b is the opposite end of the medicament delivery device 1 relative to the front end 1a. The front end 1a may alternatively be referred to as the proximal end of the medicament delivery device 1. The rear end 1b may alternatively be referred to as the distal end of the medicament delivery device 1.
The medicament delivery member 1 may be provided with a priming functionality. The medicament delivery device 1 may hence initially be arranged in an initial state which is an un-primed state. The medicament delivery device 1 may be in this state before the cap 5 is removed. In this case, the cap 5 which is attached to the front part 3a of the housing 3 presses the delivery member cover 7 inwards into the housing 3 towards the rear end 1b of the medicament delivery device 1. The delivery member cover 7 is thus arranged in an initial position. When the cap 5 is removed, the delivery member cover 7 is released and due to forward-biasing moved axially from the initial position to the extended position.
The medicament delivery device 1 comprises a medicament container housing 10 configured to receive a medicament container 13, and a delivery member 15 such as a needle, for example a double-sided needle, configured to be in fluid connection with the medicament container.
The medicament delivery device 1 furthermore comprises a medicament delivery assembly 9. The delivery member 13 forms part of the medicament delivery assembly 9. In case the medicament delivery device 1 is provided with priming functionality, the delivery member 15 may be a double-sided needle that may be moved rearwards, towards the rear end 1b of the medicament delivery device 1, when the delivery member cover 7 is moved from the initial position towards the extended position thereby rupturing a septum arranged in or on the medicament container. Since this aspect does not form part of the present disclosure, and since many different variations of such priming functionality can be realised, this feature will not be discussed in any further detail herein.
The present example of the medicament delivery device 1 comprises a sleeve 17, a rotator 19 and a rotator sleeve 21. The rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21 form a rotator structure. The rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21 are rotationally locked relative to each other. Rotation of the rotator 19 hence causes rotation of the rotator sleeve 21 with the same amount of rotation as the rotator 19. The rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21 are axially locked relative to each other. Thus, axial movement of the rotator 19 causes the same amount of axial movement of the rotator sleeve 21 and vice versa. The rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21 engage with each other to provide axial and rotational locking between the rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21. The rotator sleeve 21 is arranged closer to the rear end 1b of the medicament delivery device 1 than the rotator 19. The rotator structure according to the present example hence comprises two components, namely the rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21. Alternatively, the rotator structure could for example comprise a single component. The rotator 19 and the rotator sleeve 21 could for example be integral, i.e. forming a single component. Furthermore, the sleeve 17 may according to one variation be discarded with. In this case, the delivery member cover 7 may be configured to directly cooperate with the rotator structure.
The medicament delivery device 1 comprises a plunger rod 23 extending through the rotator 19. The plunger rod 23 is configured to be forward-biased. The plunger rod 23 is hence configured to be biased towards the front end 1a of the medicament delivery device 1. The medicament delivery device 1 comprises a plunger 25 provided on a front end of the plunger rod 23. The plunger rod 23 and the plunger 25 are configured to extend into the medicament container 13.
The exemplified medicament delivery device 1 comprises a first resilient member 27 configured to bias the delivery member cover 7 towards the extended position. The first resilient member 27 may for example be a spring.
The medicament delivery device 1 comprises a second resilient member 29 configured to bias the rotator structure in the forward direction, i.e. towards the front end of the medicament delivery device 1. The second resilient member 29 is configured to bias the rotator sleeve 21 towards the front end of the medicament delivery device 1. The second resilient member 29 may for example be a spring. The rear end of the second resilient member 29 may be in contact with the rear end 1b of the medicament delivery device 1.
The sleeve 17 is axially locked relative to the delivery member cover 7. The delivery member cover 7 is configured to engage with the sleeve 17 to axially lock the delivery member cover 7 with the sleeve 17. Axial movement of the delivery member cover 7 hence causes axial movement of the sleeve 17. The sleeve 17 has a radially outwards protruding holding structure 17a in mechanical contact with the front end of the first resilient member 27, providing biasing of the sleeve 17 towards the front end 1a of the medicament delivery device 1. The middle part 3b of the housing 3 may have an inner structure in mechanical contact with the rear end of the first resilient member 27. The first resilient member 27 is hence compressed between the holding structure 17a and the inner structure.
The medicament container housing 10 is configured to be axially locked relative to the rotator structure. The medicament container housing 10 is configured to engage with the rotator structure. In the example in
When the delivery member cover 7 is moved from the initial position to the extended position, the rotator 19 is rotated from an initial rotator position to a first rotator position.
The engagement structure 17b arranged on the inner surface of the sleeve 17 is configured to cooperate with the main rotator guide track structure 19b.
As an alternative to the above configuration, the rotator may be have an inner surface provided with a radially inwards extending protrusion and the plunger rod may be provided with the stepped structure.
The first rotator guide track structure 21a comprises a circumferentially radially outwards extending rib portion 21b. The first rotator guide track structure 21a comprises an axial radially outwards extending rib portion 21c. The circumferentially radially outwards extending rib portion 21b transitions to the axial radially outwards extending rib portion 21c. The axially radially outwards extending rib portion 21c extends rearwards relative to the circumferentially radially outwards extending rib portion 21c. The first rotator guide track structure 21a comprises an inclined or helical radially outwards extending rib portion 21d. The axially outwards extending rib portion 21c transitions to the helical radially outwards extending rib portion 21d. The helical radially outwards extending rib portion 21d is arranged rearwards relative to the axially outwards extending rib portion 21c.
In the initial state, prior to priming, the inner surface structure 4b is in a first position 1-4b relative to the first rotator guide track structure 21a. In the first position 1-4b the inner surface structure 4b rests against the circumferentially radially outwards extending rib portion 21b. The circumferentially radially outwards extending rib portion 21b prevents axial movement of the rotator sleeve 21 as long as the inner surface structure 4b bears against a front surface of the circumferentially radially outwards extending rib portion 21b.
The rotation of the rotator 19 caused by the retraction of the delivery member cover 7 will not release the plunger rod 23 from engagement with the rotator 19. This rotation will move the protrusion 23a along the first step 19j but the protrusion 23a will not clear the first step 19j. Adjacent to the first step 19j is an axially extending groove or channel configured to receive the protrusion 23a therein. The first step 19j hence opens into the axially extending groove. In an end stage of the auto-penetration operation, shown in
As previously mentioned, the protruding holding structure 17a also functions as a stop, which after the delivery member cover 7 has been released from its retracted position when medicament administration has been performed and the sleeve 17 has been moved a certain distance forward together with the delivery member cover 7, will hit inner ribs of the front part 3a of the housing 3, preventing further forward movement of the delivery member cover 7 and the sleeve 17, as shown in
The inventive concept has mainly been described above with reference to a few examples. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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19215378.1 | Dec 2019 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/078696 | 10/13/2020 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62933532 | Nov 2019 | US |