The invention concerns powerpack sub-assemblies, and particularly powerpack sub-assemblies with a lock mechanism.
Medicament delivery devices such as autoinjectors can include a lock mechanism to avoid premature medicament delivery. The applicant has appreciated that improvements can be made compared to these existing lock mechanisms.
The invention is defined by the appended claims, to which reference should now be made.
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.
One aspect of the invention concerns a powerpack sub-assembly for a medicament delivery device, the powerpack sub-assembly extending along an axis in an axial direction from a proximal end to a distal end, the powerpack sub-assembly comprising a housing extending from the distal end of the powerpack sub-assembly, a lock ring slidable in the axial direction relative to the housing, an activation ring slidable in the axial direction relative to the housing and relative to the lock ring, wherein the lock ring is arranged closer to the distal end of the powerpack sub-assembly than the activation ring, a connection mechanism to connect the activation ring to the lock ring during use, the connection mechanism comprising a connector on the activation ring and a corresponding connector on the lock ring, and a lock mechanism to lock the powerpack sub-assembly after use, the lock mechanism comprising a distally-facing surface on the lock ring and a corresponding proximally-facing surface on the housing. This can provide a powerpack sub-assembly which can have a clear activation point, with the activation provided by axial movement of the activation ring. This can provide a powerpack sub-assembly which includes a lock which can stop reuse of a used device.
Optionally, the powerpack sub-assembly comprises a spring arranged between the housing and the activation ring. Optionally, the housing comprises a flexible arm extending in the proximal direction, wherein the proximally-facing surface on the housing is on the arm. Optionally, the flexible arm is flexible in a radial direction relative to the axis. Optionally, the housing, the activation ring and the lock ring are all coaxial. Optionally, the housing comprises a tubular portion, and the activation ring and the lock ring both extend around the tubular portion of the housing.
Optionally, the connection mechanism is a snap-fit. Optionally, the connector on the lock ring is a hook on a flexible arm. Optionally, the connector on the activation ring is a protrusion or rib. Optionally, the flexible arm is flexible in a circumferential direction relative to the axis.
Optionally, the housing and the lock ring are rotationally locked relative to one another. Optionally, the housing and the activation ring are rotationally locked relative to one another. The provision of rotational locks between the housing on one hand and the lock ring and activation ring on the other hand can help ensure that the connection mechanism is aligned.
During use, the activation ring can be moveable in a distal direction from a position spaced apart from the lock ring to a position adjacent to the lock ring, and the activation ring and the lock ring can subsequently be moveable together relative to the housing from a distal position to a proximal position, so as to lock the powerpack sub-assembly after use. Optionally, the connection mechanism connects the activation ring to the lock ring when the activation ring moves to the position adjacent to the lock ring.
Optionally, the powerpack sub-assembly comprises a plunger rod and the housing comprises a flexible arm, wherein at least part of the flexible arm is inside the activation ring, and wherein a portion of the flexible arm of the housing extends into a recess in the plunger rod. When the activation ring moves in the distal direction, the flexible arm is no longer restricted from flexing away from the axis by the activation ring, which can allow the flexible arm to move out of the recess in the plunger rod, thereby allowing the plunger rod to move in the axial direction and activating a medicament delivery device of which the powerpack sub-assembly is of part.
Another aspect of the invention comprises an autoinjector comprising the powerpack sub-assembly of any previous claim. Optionally, the autoinjector comprises a needle shield that abuts the activation ring.
Another aspect of the invention comprises a powerpack sub-assembly comprising a housing, a lock ring and an activation ring, wherein when the activation ring is moved in the distal direction, the lock ring is connected to the activation ring, and wherein when the activation ring is subsequently moved in the proximal direction, the activation ring and the lock ring move together in the proximal direction.
Another aspect of the invention comprises a powerpack sub-assembly comprising a housing, a lock ring and an activation ring, wherein in a first state, the activation ring is in a first proximal position and the lock ring is in a distal position relative to the housing, wherein the activation ring is spaced apart from the lock ring in the axial direction, wherein in a subsequent second state, the activation ring is in a distal position and the lock ring is in the distal position and the activation ring is adjacent to the lock ring, and wherein in a subsequent third state, the activation ring is in a second proximal position (which is optionally the same as the first proximal position) and the lock ring is in a proximal position, wherein the activation ring is adjacent to the lock ring.
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, member, component, means, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, member component, means, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
A powerpack sub-assembly 10 will now be described. The powerpack sub-assembly 10 (see for example
The powerpack sub-assembly 10 comprises a connection mechanism. The connection mechanism can connect the lock ring to the activation ring during use. The connection mechanism comprises a connector on the lock ring and a corresponding connector on the activation ring. In this example, the connector on the activation ring 40 is a protrusion 46, and the connector on the lock ring is a hook 64 on a flexible arm 62 (see for example
The powerpack sub-assembly 10 also comprises a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism can lock the powerpack sub-assembly 10 after use. The lock mechanism comprises a distally-facing surface on the lock ring and a corresponding proximally-facing surface on the housing. In this example, the distally-facing surface on the lock ring is a distally-facing surface 72 of a protrusion 70, and the proximally-facing surface on the housing is a proximally-facing surface 24 on a flexible arm 22 of the housing 20 (see
The method of operation of the powerpack sub-assembly 10 will now be described with reference to
During use of a medicament delivery device containing a powerpack sub-assembly as described herein, the activation ring 40 is first pushed in the distal direction relative to the housing 20. The activation ring 40 thereby moves from the first position to a second position (distal position). Typically, the lock ring 60 does not move at this stage. In the illustrated example, the activation ring 40 is pushed in the distal direction by a needle shield 120, although another activator (such as a button) could alternatively push the activation ring 40 in the distal direction. After the activation ring 40 is pushed in the distal direction, the lock ring 60 is attached to the activation ring 40 by the connection mechanism. In this example, the injection would proceed with the powerpack sub-assembly 10 in the position shown in
Once the injection has been completed (or in this example also if the user prematurely removes the medicament delivery device from the injection site during injection), the needle shield 120 moves in the proximal direction. In this example, the spring 80 then pushes the activation ring 40 from the second position to a third position (second proximal position). In this case, the third position is the same as the first position, though the third position could also be a different position to the first position. As the lock ring 60 is now attached to the activation ring 40 by the connection mechanism, the lock ring 60 also moves with the activation ring 40 (from the first position of the lock ring 60 to a second position (proximal position)). In this final position, the lock mechanism is activated—the distally-facing surface on the lock ring (in this case on the protrusion 70 of the lock ring 60) and a corresponding proximally-facing surface on the housing (in this case on the flexible arm 22) oppose each other to stop the lock ring 60 from moving back to its original position (first position), even if the needle shield 120 is pushed in the distal direction.
The structure of the components shown above will now be described in more detail with reference to
In
In
In
The powerpack sub-assemblies described herein can be used in medicament delivery devices such as autoinjectors. One example of an autoinjector 100 in which the powerpack sub-assemblies described herein could be used is shown in
An autoinjector comprising a powerpack sub-assembly as described herein would typically comprise a needle shield, an optional cap, an outer housing, a primary package containing a medicament, a syringe holder to support the primary package, and a medicament delivery member such as a needle or a jet injector. In addition, the powerpack sub-assembly would typically comprise a plunger rod as well as the powerpack sub-assembly described above. Many different designs could work with the powerpack sub-assembly described herein though. For example, the syringe holder 116 could be an integral part of the outer housing, the outer housing could be an integral part of the housing, and/or the medicament delivery member could be an integral part of the primary package, just to list a couple of simple variations.
For completeness,
For context,
In this example, the housing 20 (particularly the tubular portion 26 of the housing) extends through the lock ring 60 and the activation ring 40 (see e.g.
The flexible arm 22 on the housing 20 is optional, and the proximally-facing surface on the housing could be elsewhere on the housing. The distally-facing surface on the lock ring could optionally be on a flexible arm of the lock ring. The flexible arm 22 is flexible in the radial direction, but could alternatively flex in other directions such as the circumferential direction.
Various features described herein, for example features of the lock ring 60 and the activation ring 40 as shown in
The lock ring 60 and the activation ring 40 are shown as extending all the way around the axis, but one or both could alternatively extend only part way round the axis. The lock ring 60 and the activation ring 40 are each shown as circular in cross-section when viewed perpendicular to the axis, but one or both of their cross-sections could alternatively be another shape.
An optional rotational lock between the housing and the activation ring is provided in the above example by ribs 44 and corresponding longitudinal grooves 34. The rotational lock can also comprise protrusions 35, which can stop the activation ring 40 from coming off the proximal end of the housing 20. The rotational lock could also be provided in other ways, for example by the inside surface 55 of the activation ring 40 being non-circular in cross-section perpendicular to the axis 12 and with the corresponding outside surface of the housing being correspondingly non-circular.
A second optional rotational lock between the housing and the lock ring is provided in the above example by ribs 68 and arms 22, with ribs 68 extending either side of arms 22 in the circumferential direction. The rotational lock could also be provided in other ways, for example by the inside surface 55 of the lock ring 60 being non-circular in cross-section perpendicular to the axis 12 and with the corresponding outside surface of the housing being correspondingly non-circular.
The flexible arm 62 of the lock ring 60 is flexible in the circumferential direction is the example described above, but could alternatively flex in other directions such as the radial direction.
The support surface 66 is optional (the lock ring 60 does not have to abut the activation ring 40 for the mechanism to work, and in some embodiments a gap between the lock ring and the activation ring remains even after they are connected together), but could provide the limit to how far the needle shield can be pushed back. Alternatively, a limit can be provided elsewhere in the device, for example by limiting the distal movement of the needle shield by a protrusion on an outer housing.
The protrusion 70 is optional, and the distally-facing surface 72 on the lock ring could be provided on another part of the lock ring. The protrusion can interact with the arm of the housing to help keep the lock ring in place before use.
The spring 80 is optional. One alternative to having a spring is to have the needle shield attached to the activation ring as described below, in which case pulling the needle shield forwards would pull the activation ring forwards as well after use (the needle shield could be moved forwards by a needle shield spring, for example, or the user could pull the needle shield forwards manually by pulling the needle back in the proximal direction). The spring 80 extends between the housing and the activation ring in this example. In this example, the spring is inside the lock ring and is outside a tubular portion of the housing.
An autoinjector 100 is shown above as an example for context, but other designs of autoinjector or medicament delivery device more generally could also use the powerpack sub-assembly described herein. The activation mechanism described herein, where a second flexible arm 32 of the housing 20 is able to move away from the axis in the radial direction once the activation lock ring 60 has moved out of the way (e.g.
The examples above are described with a needle shield for context. This design can also be used with other medicament delivery members such as jet injectors, so the term ‘needle shield’ as used herein can be generalised to ‘medicament delivery member shield’. Optionally, the activation ring 40 is an integral part of the needle shield 120. Optionally, the activation ring 40 is attached to the needle shield 120, for example by a snap fit or glue.
Various modifications to the embodiments described are possible and will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention which is defined by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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21160051.5 | Mar 2021 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2021/085126 | 12/10/2021 | WO |