Patent Application
20220387713
The present application relates to a medicament delivery device specifically a medicament delivery device with an accidental activation mechanism.
Medicament delivery devices such as auto-injectors, pen-injectors, inhalers, on-body devices are generally known for the self administration of a medicament by patients without formal medical training occurs. As just one example, those patients suffering from diabetes may require repeated injections of insulin. Other patients may require regular injections of other types of medicaments, such as a growth hormone or biological medicaments. Therefore, to facilitate the patients, there is a demand to design medicament delivery devices with multiple automatic functions, predetermined dosage and assembled a medicament container.
To simplify the medicament delivery operation sequence or prevent an unintentional activation of the medicament delivery operation sequence, most of medicament delivery devices in the market are designed that the medicament delivery operation sequence is activated when the medicament delivery device is aimed to the medicament delivery site; more particularly, a medicament delivery member is aimed to the medicament delivery site.
Also, most of medicament delivery devices in the market are provided with cover members configured to bi-directionally moved in relation to medicament delivery members to cover medicament delivery members, e.g. needle, catheter or nozzle; before and after an operation of medicament delivery devices, the bi-directional movement of cover members usually will be restricted after the operation of medicament delivery devices, e.g. after injection; such that the injury or the infection by accessing delivery members before or after the operation of medicament delivery devices will also be prevented.
Since the movement of the cover member is usually associated with the medicament delivery member, arranging the medicament delivery operation sequence being activated in response to the movement of the cover member of the medicament delivery device, can be a guarantee that the medicament delivery operation sequence is activated when the medicament delivery member is aimed to the medicament delivery site.
Such function and/or arrangement is commonly used in medicament delivery devices in the market, and it can be achieved by, for example, a mechanism described in any one of WO 02/47746, WO 2011/005177 and WO 2015/113172.
The document WO 02/47746 discloses a medicament delivery device provided with an activator tube and a needle cover. A medicament delivery operation sequence of the medicament delivery device is activated by the distal axial movement of the needle cover and followed by the proximal axial movement of the activator tube.
The document WO 2011/005177 discloses a medicament delivery device provided with a second activator member and a needle shield sleeve. A medicament delivery operation sequence of the medicament delivery device is activated by both needle shield sleeve moving into a distal position and the second activator member moving into a proximal position.
The document WO 2015/113172 discloses a medicament delivery device provided with a housing, a needle guard and a protective cap. The needle guard is configured to activate a medicament delivery operation sequence of the medicament delivery device by moving into the housing.
However, there is a risk of accidental activation of the medicament delivery operation sequence of the medicament delivery devices which is caused by dropping the medicament delivery devices or shaking during transporting the medicament delivery devices to an end user. Therefore, there is a demand of arranging an accidental activation prevention design on such medicament delivery devices.
The document WO 2015/113172 discloses an accidental activation prevention mechanism is arranged between the housing, the needle guard and the protective cap. The needle guard comprises a locking means arranged with a resilient portion, a contact surface and a cam. The protective cap is configured to deflect the locking means when it is attached to the housing, such that the contact surface is opposite to an abutment on the housing, the rearward movement of the needle guard is therefore prevented.
However, the accidental activation prevention mechanism provided by WO 2015/113172, using the interaction between the contact surface on a resilient tongue and the abutment on the housing to restrict the axial movement of the needle guard, especially during the dropping or shaking the medicament delivery device, the resilient tongue is therefore subjected to a compressive axial stress. Such that a buckling may occur on the resilient tongue. The buckling may cause a deformation or breakage of the resilient tongue and consequentially block the movement of the needle guard during activating the medicament delivery device.
The aim of the present disclosure is to solve or at least mitigate the problem of the prior art.
In the present disclosure, when the term “distal direction” is used, this refers to the direction pointing away from the dose delivery site during use of the medicament delivery device. 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 direction” is used, this refers to the direction pointing towards the dose delivery site during use of the medicament delivery device. 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.
Further, the terms “longitudinal”, “longitudinally”, “axially” and “axial” refer to a direction extending from the proximal end to the distal end and along the device or components thereof, typically in the direction of the longest extension of the device and/or component.
Similarly, the terms “transverse”, “transversal” and “transversally” refer to a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
An object of this disclosure is to provide a simple and reliable way of accidental activation prevention mechanism for a medicament delivery device.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the object is achieved by a robust and reliable accidental activation prevention mechanism according to claim 1.
There is hence provided a medicament delivery device comprising: a tubular housing comprising a distal end and a proximal end; a medicament container arranged with a medicament delivery member and placed in the housing, a cap removably arranged on the proximal end of the housing and configured to cover the delivery member; a drive mechanism configured to act on the medicament container to expel the medicament through the medicament delivery member upon the drive mechanism is triggered; an activation member arranged coaxially movable in relation to the housing, associated with the drive mechanism and comprising a proximal tubular portion which extends from the proximal end of the housing and wherein for triggering the drive mechanism the activation member is axially moved towards the distal end of the housing after removing the cap from the housing; characterized in that the proximal tubular portion of the activation member comprises a resilient element arranged with a friction member; and the cap comprises an interaction member configured to radial force the resilient element and thereby causes the friction member to laterally engage with the housing when the cap is arranged on the proximal end of the housing; whereby an accidental axial movement of the activation member is prevented.
The accidental activation prevention mechanism is hence obtained by means of the lateral friction-fitting instead of relying on an axially stressed resilient tongue configuration as in WO 2015/113172. Instead of applying an abutting force on an edge of a resilient tongue that may cause the buckling, the lateral friction is evenly borne by the whole or major portion on the lateral surface of the resilient element, such that the buckling can be prevented. Furthermore, the accidental activation prevention mechanism is more often to be performed by a mechanical form-fitting arrangement, namely the activation member is fitted to the housing by the shaped or structural abutments on the activation member and a portion of the housing, such as latch or the abutment and the counter abutment like in WO 2015/113172; that is usually required a space for accommodating that form-fitting arrangement. The lateral friction-fitting arrangement may reduce the required space, since the retaining friction is controlled by whether there is a pressing force applied on the resilient element, such that the medicament delivery device can be more compact.
According to one embodiment, the friction member is laterally arranged on resilient element and is configured to interact with the inner surface of the proximal portion of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the proximal tubular portion comprises a lateral cut-out; wherein the cut-out defines the resilient element with a fixed end and a free end which is radially movable in relation to the proximal tubular portion; and the friction member is arranged on the outer surface of the free end of the resilient element.
According to one embodiment, the proximal tubular portion comprises a lateral arranged pair of slots; wherein the pair of slots defines the resilient element; and wherein the friction member is arranged on the outer surface of the resilient element.
According to one embodiment, the friction member is radial outwardly protruding from resilient element and the proximal tubular portion.
According to one embodiment, the outer surface of the proximal tubular portion where the resilient element and the friction member is located, is at least partially surrounded by the inner surface of the proximal portion of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the interaction member of the cap is coaxially arranged within the proximal tubular portion.
According to one embodiment, the activation member is configured to trigger the drive mechanism when the activation member axially moves towards the distal end of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the medicament delivery device is further comprises a trigger button arranged on the distal end of the housing and movable between a distal initial position to a proximal trigger position; wherein the drive mechanism is triggered only when the trigger button is in its proximal trigger position and the activation member is axially moved towards the distal end of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the trigger button is prevented from moving into its proximal trigger position until the activation member is axially moved towards the distal end of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the proximal tubular portion is configured to completely surround the medicament delivery member when the activation member extends from the proximal end of the housing and the cap is removed from the proximal end of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the interaction member is coaxially arranged with the medicament delivery member when the cap is arranged on the proximal end of the housing.
According to one embodiment, the medicament container can be axially fixed to the housing of the medicament delivery device; or axially movable within the housing of the medicament delivery device.
According to one embodiment, the medicament container can be a syringe arranged with a needle or a delivery nozzle; or a cartridge that can be attached with a needle or a delivery nozzle by an end user.
According to one embodiment, the medicament delivery device can be an injection device, an inhalation device, an on-body device or a medical sprayer.
Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the summary above, as well as from the description that follows, including the figures and the claims.
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 also comprises a drive mechanism configured to act on the medicament container 5 to expel the medicament through the medicament delivery member 51 upon the drive mechanism is triggered. The drive mechanism comprises an energy source, such as a spring, a gas canister or a motor; a plunger rod which is biased by the energy source in the proximal direction and is configured to act on the medicament container 5 to expel the medicament through the medicament delivery member 51. The plunger rod may be hold against the energy source by a holding member before the drive mechanism is triggered; or the energy source may be prevented to output a force before the drive mechanism is triggered, such that the medicament can only be delivered upon the drive mechanism is triggered.
The medicament delivery device further comprises an activation member 3 arranged coaxially movable in relation to the housing 1 and associated with the drive mechanism. The activation member 3 comprises a proximal tubular portion 30 that extends from the proximal end of the housing 1 as shown in
The activation member 3 may be further associated with a trigger button (not show). The trigger button may be arranged on the distal end of the housing or on the lateral outer surface of the housing 1. The trigger button is movable between an initial position to an axially proximal trigger position or a transverse trigger position. The drive mechanism is arranged to be triggered only when the trigger button is in its axial proximal trigger position or traverse trigger position and the activation member is axially moved towards the distal end of the housing 1. The trigger button may be prevented from moving into its axial proximal trigger position or traverse trigger position until the activation member 3 is axially moved towards the distal end of the housing 1.
Since this aspect does not form part of the present disclosure, and since many different variations of such drive mechanism associated with the distal movement of the activation member and/or the movement of the trigger button can be realised, such as those drive mechanism disclosed in the cited prior art documents, this feature will not be discussed in any further detail herein.
The interaction member 22 is configured to provide a pressing force or normal force on the resilient portion, so that the friction for retaining the proximal tubular portion 30 can be generated when the cap 2 is attached to the housing 1.
It should be noted that alternatively, the interaction protrusion can be re-arranged onto the interaction member of the cap, and configured to contact the flat inner surface of the resilient element of the proximal tubular portion. It is also feasible that the interaction protrusion can be removed, since the interaction member can be arranged with a slightly greater diameter than the inner diameter of the proximal tubular portion, such that the interaction member is compressed and assembled into the proximal tubular portion, and therefore the interaction member will provide the pressing force to the resilient element. To increase the friction generated by the friction member 32 and the inner surface 11 of the housing 1, it is preferred that the interaction member 22 creates less deformation on the resilient element 31; such that the pressing force from the interaction member 22 can be mainly transited into the pressing force or the normal force on the resilient element 31.
It should be noted that alternatively, instead of the cut-out, the resilient element 31 can be defined by a lateral arranged pair of slots on the proximal tubular portion 30. Such as the free end 31b as described above can be re-arranged as a second fixed end, and the friction member 32 can be arranged between the two fixed ends.
The friction member 32 can also be alternatively arranged on the inner surface of the resilient element 31. Such arrangement is suitable for a housing with two layers proximal portion. In this embodiment, the proximal tubular portion is arranged between the outer layer housing and the inner layer housing; the interaction member of the cap is configured to contact the interaction protrusion or directly to the outer surface of the resilient element, such that the friction member is engaged with the outer surface of the inner layer of the housing and friction-fitted with housing.
The friction member 32, instead of protruding from either the inner or the outer surface of the resilient element 31, can be alternatively flat arranged on the inner or the outer surface of the resilient element 31. Similarly, the interaction protrusion 4 can also be removed, such that the interaction member 22 can directly contact on the inner or outer surface of the resilient element 31.
The proximal tubular portion 30 also acts as the delivery member cover, such that the proximal tubular portion 30 is configured to completely surround the medicament delivery member 51 when the activation member 3 extends from the proximal end of the housing 1 and the cap 2 is removed from the proximal end of the housing 1, as shown in
The interaction member 22 of the cap 2 can also serve as or be used with a delivery member sheath remover. Such that the interaction member 22 is coaxially arranged with the medicament delivery member 51 when the cap 2 is arranged on the proximal end of the housing 1, as shown in
The inventive concept has 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19209132.0 | Nov 2019 | EP | regional |
The present application is a U.S. National Phase Application pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2020/080526 filed Oct. 30, 2020, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 19209132.0 filed Nov. 14, 2019. The entire disclosure contents of these applications are herewith incorporated by reference into the present application.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/080526 | 10/30/2020 | WO |
