Auto-Injector with Pivoting Trigger

Abstract

A resettable and reusable auto-injector with a trigger having a pivot axis dividing an elongate body into distal and proximal portions. The proximal portion has a finger surface on an upper section and a bearing surface projecting downwardly configured to engage a button blocker to function as a safety feature to prevent premature firing of the auto-injector before a needle hider is pressed against an injection site.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A trigger for an auto-injection device, comprising: an elongate body having a longitudinal axis L and a pivot axis P, wherein the pivot axis P divides the elongate body into a distal portion and a proximal portion; a finger surface on an upper section of the proximal portion, and a bearing surface projecting downwardly from the upper section of the proximal portion; two axle studs on the distal portion, each axle stud projecting outwardly along the pivot axis P and configured to rotatably engage a housing to allow the trigger to pivot about the pivot axis P from a fired position to a cocked position; an abutment arm on the distal portion configured to engage a plunger rod driver when the trigger is in the cocked position; a catch on the distal portion configured to prevent axial movement of a plunger rod driver when the trigger is in the cocked position; and a slot adjacent to one of the axle studs configured to engage one arm of a biasing member such that the trigger is biased toward the cocked position.

13. The trigger of claim 12, wherein one of axle studs holds the biasing member having first and second arms.

14. The trigger of claim 13, wherein the biasing member is a spring, the first arm engages the slot, and the second arm engages an interior portion of a housing structure of the auto-injection device.

15. The trigger of claim 13, wherein the biasing member is a torsion spring, and the first and second arms are biased away from each other.

16. The trigger of claim 12, wherein the pivot axis P divides the elongate body in approximately equal halves such that a longitudinal length of the distal portion is approximately equal to a longitudinal length of the proximal portion.

17. The trigger of claim 12, further comprising two abutment arms projecting distally and parallel to the longitudinal axis L, wherein the catch is located between the two abutment arms and has a bearing surface projecting downwardly from an upper surface of the distal portion.

18. A trigger mechanism for a resettable auto-injection device, comprising: a button configured to pivot about a pivot axis P between a cocked position and a fired position; a first biasing member configured to engage the button and exert a torsional force, thereby biasing the button toward the cocked position; a button blocker configured to slide axially from a blocked position to a release position, wherein the blocked position prevents the button from moving from the cocked position to the fired position, and the release position allows the button to move from the cocked position to the fired position; a second biasing member configured to engage the button blocker and bias the button blocker toward the blocked position; and an axially biased plunger rod driver releasably engaged with a catch on a distal portion of the button when the button is in the cocked position.

19. The trigger mechanism of claim 18, wherein the button comprises: an elongate body having a longitudinal axis L, wherein a pivot axis P divides the elongate body into a distal portion and a proximal portion; a finger surface on an upper section of the proximal portion and a bearing surface projecting downwardly from the upper section of the proximal portion; two axle studs on the distal portion, each projecting outwardly along the pivot axis P and configured to rotatably engage a housing to allow the trigger to pivot about the pivot axis P from the fired position to the cocked position; two abutment arms on the distal portion configured to engage the plunger rod driver when the trigger is in the cocked position; a catch positioned between the abutment arms and having a bearing surface projecting downwardly from an upper surface of the distal portion configured to prevent axial movement of the plunger driver when the trigger is in the cocked position; and a slot adjacent to one of the axle studs configured to engage one arm of the first biasing member such that the trigger is biased toward the cocked position.

20. The trigger mechanism of claim 19, wherein the bearing surface projecting downwardly from the upper section of the proximal portion engages the button blocker when the trigger is in the cocked position and the button blocker is in blocked position.

21. The trigger mechanism of claim 19, wherein the bearing surface projecting downwardly from the upper section of the proximal portion disengages from the button blocker when the trigger is moved to the cocked position and the button blocker is moved to the released position.

22. A method of activating and firing a resettable auto-injector, comprising: a) separating a front housing of the resettable auto-injector from a rear housing of the resettable auto-injector; b) inserting a resetting tool into the rear housing and pushing the resetting tool proximally thereby pushing a plunger rod driver proximally until a catch on a button engages the plunger rod driver, thereby causing the button to move from a fired position to a cocked position; c) removing the resetting tool from the rear housing and assembling the front housing to the rear housing; d) removing a needle shield from a syringe loaded in a distal portion of the resettable auto-injector using a needle shield remover inserted into a distal end of a needle hider; e) pressing the needle hider against an injection site such that the needle hider moves proximally, thereby pushing a button blocker in the rear housing such that the button blocker overcomes a distal bias force and moves proximally out of engagement with a bearing surface on a proximal portion of the button; f) pivoting the button about two axle studs rotatably engaged with the rear housing to overcome a torsional bias force maintaining the button in a cocked position; and g) disengaging the catch located on a distal portion of the button that engages the plunger rod driver biased in the distal direction when the button is in the cocked position thereby allowing the plunger rod driver to move distally.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will now be described in more detail and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0020] FIG. 1a is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the medicament delivery device according to the invention in a disassembled state.

[0021] FIG. 1b is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the medicament injection device according to the invention in an assembled state.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trigger and the first biasing member according to the invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of one halve of the outer housing of the rear housing member according to the invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the rear housing member with the outer housing removed.

[0025] FIG. 5a is a perspective cross-section of an embodiment of the rear housing member with half of the outer housing removed, the trigger is in the cocked position, and the button blocker in the blocked position.

[0026] FIG. 5b is a perspective cross-section of an embodiment of the rear housing member with half of the outer housing removed, the trigger is in the cocked position, and the button blocker in the released position.

[0027] FIG. 5c is a perspective cross-section of an embodiment of the rear housing member with half of the outer housing removed, the trigger is in the released position and the button blocker in the released position.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a perspective side view of a resetting orientation of the rear housing member with the front housing member containing a resetting tool according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] As used herein, the term “container” encompasses all types of containers suitable for injectable liquid composition. Concerning the terms “distal” and “proximal” they refer to points that are closer to and further away from the injection site, respectively. So, for example, the needle hider of the reusable auto-injection device described herein is located at the distal end of the injector and the trigger is located at the proximal end.

[0030] In one embodiment a reusable auto-injection device 100 according to the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, comprises a rear housing member 101 made from e.g. thermoplastic, a front housing member 102 and a replaceable container subassembly 103, such as a syringe. The rear housing member 101 can be made up of two halves of outer housing 120 which are secured to each other by means of pins or projections provided at one of the halves and corresponding openings in the other half. Obviously, other solutions are imaginable, such as tongue and groove solutions; snap catch elements; or even permanent securing with welding or gluing.

[0031] The rear and front housings members 101, 102 are connectable to each other by e.g. a twisting coupling or any other connector that secures the two housing members to make a unitary device. Preferably, the front and rear housing members 101, 102 can be connected and disconnected by a 90 degree relative twist of the housing members 101, 102. The replaceable container subassembly 103 may comprise an injection needle (not shown), a medicament container 15, a piston 14, a plunger or piston rod 13 and a needle shield 11 arranged to completely cover and protect users from the injection needle. Obviously, it is also imaginable that the container subassembly 103 lacks a plunger rod 13 and that the rear housing member contains a piston rod that is reusable and resettable.

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the trigger or button 3 of the invention. Reference axes P and L are perpendicular to each other with the P axis defining a pivoting line that runs through axle studs 6 that protrude outwardly at right angles from the longitudinal axis L. The two axle studs are configured to fit into sockets located on the inside surface of each half of the outer housing 120 of the rear housing member 101. FIG. 3 illustrates one half of the outer housing 120 and a socket 121 on an inner surface 122. A similar socket is found on the other half of the outer housing. When connected together the two halves form the outer housing of the rear housing member 101. The sockets and axle studs are configured such that the axle studs freely rotate within the sockets but are axially fixed relative to the outer housing 120. The outer housing 120 has a proximal end 123 and a distal end 124 that receives the front housing member 102 when the injector is assembled for use.

[0033] The trigger 3 has a proximal portion 32 and a distal portion 30, each of which are approximately the same longitudinal length with the midway point defined approximately by the P axis. The distal end of the trigger 3 is shown with two abutment arms 5 with a catch 34 located between the arms and projecting downward toward the centerline of the injection device (see FIG. 5a). Catch 34 has a downwardly projecting bearing surface 35 that is configured to act an axial stop that engages a cutout in the distal end of a plunger rod driver 1. The distal portion 30 also has a slot 33 that is configured to accept arm 9 of biasing member 7, shown as a torsion spring. The other arm 8 of spring 7 abuts a top inner surface 125 of outer housing 120 (see FIG. 3). Slot 33 is configured such that arms 8 and 9 are biased away and apart from each other. Since inner housing surface 125 is fixed, arm 8 is fixed and prevented from moving. This causes arm 9 to exert a downward biasing force on the slot of distal portion 30. Because axle studs 6 are axially fixed in the sockets 121, this biasing force urges the distal portion 30 to pivot about the axle studs 6. If the distal portion 30 is allowed to pivot downward this will cause the proximal portion 32 to pivot upwardly away from the centerline C. As described in more detail below, if there is no structure to oppose the pivoting of the distal portion 30 then the trigger will assume the cocked position where the proximal portion projects outward from the outer surface of outer housing 120 at an angle A (see FIG. 5a).

[0034] The upper surface of the proximal portion 32 defines a finger surface 4 that comprises substantially the entire upper portion of the proximal portion 32. At the bottom surface of proximal portion 32 is a bearing surface 31 that is configured to engage a like bearing surface 42 on button blocker 26 as described in more detail below. FIG. 4 shows the drive mechanism that is contained in the rear housing member 101 with both halves of the outer housing 120 removed and with the trigger mechanism in the cocked position. The bearing surface 31 of the proximal portion 32 of trigger 3 is abutting and engaged with a like bearing surface 42 located on the outer surface of the proximal end of button blocker 26. This engagement of trigger 3 and button blocker 26 is a safety feature that prevents the trigger mechanism from moving from the cocked position to the released position before the injector has been placed against an injection site. The two bearing surfaces 31 and 42 act as a pivotal stop preventing the proximal portion 32 of the trigger 3 from pivoting downward causing the distal portion 30 to move upward in a seesaw motion releasing catch 34 from plunger rod driver 1. The button blocker 26 is urged distally in the blocked position by second biasing member 43, which is shown as a compression spring. In the cocked position the abutment arms are positioned in recesses 40 of the plunger rod driver 1. These recesses allow the distal portion 30 of trigger 3 to pivot downward to achieve the cocked position shown in FIG. 4. Plunger rod driver 1 is shown engaged with piston rod 13 of syringe 15, which is located in the front housing member 102.

[0035] FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate the trigger mechanism in the three possible positions. FIG. 5a is where the trigger 3 is cocked, but cannot be fired because button blocker 26 is in the blocked position where the biasing surfaces 42 and 31 are in contact with one another preventing downward rotation (pivoting) of the proximal portion 32 of trigger 3. In the cocked position trigger 3 is raised above the outer housing 120 by an angle A, which is preferably in the range from about 30 to about 45 degrees. Spring 43 exerts a distal biasing force on button blocker 26 to keep biasing surfaces 42 and 31 in contact and thus providing the safety feature that the trigger mechanism cannot be fired prematurely, i.e., before the needle hider 16 is pressed against an injection site. This raised button 3 provides both a visual and tactile signal to the user that the trigger mechanism is in the cocked position and is ready to perform an injection. Additionally, outer housing 120 can contain a window 17 that allows the user to see indicia (color, numbers or the like) on the plunger rod driver 1 that indicates it is in a cocked or loaded position. The status window 17 is preferably made of a transparent, or at least translucent, plastic material. After firing, i.e., performing the injection, the plunger rod driver will move (slide) to its most distal position and the window will then reveal indicia indicating that the injection is complete.

[0036] FIG. 5b illustrates the trigger mechanism when the needle hider (not shown) has been pushed against an injection site causing the button blocker to move (slide) proximally compressing spring 43. This proximal movement disengages bearing surfaces 31 and 42, thus removing the pivotal stop (i.e., the safety feature) that prevents the proximal portion of the trigger from pivoting downwardly about axle studs 6 and axis P. FIG. 5c illustrates the trigger mechanism in its third or fired position where the user has pushed on finger surface 4 causing button 3 to pivot about axis P reducing the angle A between axes L and C to approximately zero degrees. The button 3 is now essentially flush with outer housing surface 120. As the proximal portion of trigger 3 pivots downward the distal portion pivots upward and disengages catch 34 from cutout 50 in the distal portion of plunger rod driver 1 freeing it to move (slide) distally as a result of the biasing force of the third biasing member 2, shown as a helical coil spring. As spring 2 expands it pushes the plunger rod driver 1 distally until it reaches a predetermined stop. This movement of syringe 15 forward causes the injection needle to move distally out of the distal end of the needle hider to penetrate tissue at the injection site. The plunger rod driver continues to move forward driving plunger rod 13 distally, which in turn moves piston 14 within the syringe barrel to expel the medicament through the injection needle and into the penetrated tissue.

[0037] When the trigger mechanism has fired, as shown in FIG. 5c, abutment arms 5 move out of engagement with recesses 40 as the angled surfaces of recesses 40 push the distal end of the trigger upwards such that they are now are engaged with the outer surface 51 of the plunger rod driver 1. In this position the abutment arms will prevent the trigger 3 from returning to the angled elevated cocked position shown in FIG. 5a. In order to reset the drive mechanism of rear housing member 101 the injector must first be disassembled by disconnecting the rear housing member 101 from the front housing member 102. Once disconnected, a resetting tool, such as needle shield remover 109, is inserted into the distal end 124 of rear housing member 101 and is used to push plunger rod driver 1 proximally. One preferred method is illustrated in FIG. 6 where the needle shield remover 109 being inserted into the distal end of front housing member 102 is used to insert the distal end of needle shield remover 109 into the distal end 108 of rear housing member 101 to push plunger rod driver 1 in the proximal direction.

[0038] As plunger rod driver is pushed proximally, abutment arms 5 will move into the sloped recesses 40 as a result of the pivoting downward biasing force exerted by torsion spring 7 on the distal portion 30 of trigger 3. As the plunger rod driver continues to move proximally by the action of the needle shield remover 109, or the like resetting tool, the distal portion of the trigger 3 will continue to pivot downward until the abutment arms 5 fully engage recesses 40 and the catch 34 locks into cutout 50 acting as a distal stop to prevent the plunger rod driver 1 from moving distally forward. During resetting of the plunger rod driver 1 the axial force exerted by spring 2 is overcome and the spring compresses to a charged state. Because the needle hider 16 is no longer pushed against an injection site and the injector is disassembled there is no axial force in the proximal direction exerted on the distal end of button blocker 26. This allows spring 43 to bias and move the button blocker from the release position to the blocked position. Since the trigger 3 has pivoted about axis P as a result of the torsional force generated by spring 7, the proximal portion of trigger 3 is again elevated above the outer housing surface 120 to angle A. This allows bearing surfaces 42 and 31 to contact each other and resets the safety feature described above and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5a.

[0039] Finally, it is realized, that a medicament injection device according to the invention has a number of advantages over the known prior art devices. Due to the fact that the device has a completely mechanical design, reliability can be ensured at all time without being dependent on batteries or similar. The trigger mechanism can be reset in a simple and reliable manner at the same time the drive mechanism is reloaded by using the front housing and the needle shield remover of the device itself. The needle hider front is biased with a fourth biasing member and always covers the needle such that the needle never will be visible to the patient. Penetration depth can also be set in a very simple and user-friendly manner. By using the needle shield remover as a grip, also users with reduced strength and/or co-ordination will be able to do this. The device is re-usable and the user can change the emptied syringe to add a new prefilled syringe in a simple manner. The device allows for a variable penetration depth and the setting of the dose can be set downwardly and upwardly until a required depth has been set.

[0040] It is to be understood that the embodiments described above and in the drawings are to be regarded only as non-limiting examples of the invention and that they may be modified in many ways within the scope of the claims. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.