INDICATION MECHANISM FOR AN AUTOMATIC APPLICATOR, PARTICULARLY FOR INSULIN

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns an indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, particularly for insulin or other liquid preparations, particularly for multiple injection administration of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container, for example for the self-application of insulin by diabetes patients. An indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, having an assembly of at least two barrels movably coupled to each other has an indication barrel mounted on the driving barrel contains only marking on its external surface and is co-axially connected to the pull-push control nut.

Claims

1. An applicator for administration of set doses of medicine comprising: a housing comprising a driving barrel connected to a mechanism for medicine dose setting, wherein the mechanism for medicine dose setting comprises a plunger, wherein at least a portion of the plunger is surrounded by a rotatable clutch comprising a longitudinal sleeve, wherein the rotatable clutch is coupled to a turning knob, wherein the turning knob is rotatable and substantially axially immovable, wherein at least a portion of the rotatable clutch is surrounded by the helical driving spring and the rotatable clutch extends above the helical driving spring, wherein the helical driving spring is connected to a driving barrel, wherein the driving barrel is rotatable and turned clockwise for increase setting, wherein the rotatable driving barrel surrounds at least a portion of the helical driving spring, wherein the mechanism for medicine dose setting comprises an actuating element used in conjunction with the helical spring, wherein the helical driving spring extends above the driving barrel and is connected to a spring-block member, wherein the spring-block member is connected to the housing and comprises a hollow, a partition and an aperture, wherein the aperture of the spring-block member is at least partially separated from the hollow of the spring-block member by the partition, wherein the hollow of the spring-block member receives at least a portion of the helical driving spring, wherein the rotatable clutch passes through the aperture of the spring-block member and extends above the spring-block member, wherein the partition of the spring-block member separates at least partially the helical driving spring and the rotatable clutch, wherein the rotatable clutch, the helical driving spring, the driving barrel, the plunger, the turning knob, and the housing are arranged coaxially.

2. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein below the spring-block member there is a first section where the housing covers at least a portion of the driving barrel, the helical driving spring and the rotatable clutch.

3. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein below the spring-block member there is a second section where the housing covers at least a portion of a ratchet mechanism and the rotatable clutch.

4. The Applicator according to claim 2, wherein above the first section there is a third section where the turning knob covers at least a portion of the housing, the housing covers at least a portion of the spring-block member, the spring-block member covers at least a portion of the helical driving spring, the helical driving spring covers at least a portion of the partition of the spring-block member, the partition of the spring-block member covers at least a portion of the rotatable clutch.

5. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable clutch is coupled to a ratchet mechanism.

6. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable clutch is substantially axially locked to the driving barrel.

7. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an inspection window.

8. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the driving barrel comprises at least one external longitudinal groove.

9. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable clutch extends above the housing.

10. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the driving barrel is coupled to a ratchet mechanism.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0032] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 presents the front axonometric view of the assembled indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, with parts of the housings removed;

[0034] FIG. 2 presents the longitudinal half-section of the indication mechanism;

[0035] FIG. 2A presents the cross-section A-A of the indication mechanism for an automatic applicator;

[0036] FIG. 2B presents the cross-section B-B of the indication mechanism for an automatic applicator;

[0037] FIG. 2C presents the longitudinal section C-C of the indication mechanism for an automatic applicator;

[0038] FIG. 3 presents the cross-section of the indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, displaced by the angle of 45 deg. from the position shown in the longitudinal section C-C;

[0039] FIG. 4 presents the side axonometric exploded view of the indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, with parts of the housings removed; and

[0040] FIG. 5 presents the automatic applicator with the indication mechanism according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

[0042] As shown in the FIG. 1 the indication mechanism for an automatic applicator for liquid pharmaceutical preparations, particularly for insulin, more particularly for multiple injection administration of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container, comprises an assembly of at least two barrels movably coupled to each other, wherein the indication barrel 2 mounted on the driving barrel 1 contains only marking 2.1 (FIG. 2) on its external surface and is co-axially connected to the pull-push control nut 3. The whole mechanism is placed in the housing 4. As presented in the FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the indication barrel 2 is mounted slidingly, co-axially and lengthwise on the driving barrel 1 by means of a splined coupling here comprising the grooves 1.2 of the driving barrel 1 and the keys 2.2 of the indication barrel 2, wherein the keys 2.2 are bayonet keys.

[0043] The indication barrel 2 is mounted slidingly between its two end positions defining the working range of the indication barrel 2. The driving barrel 1 is mounted rotatably. The pull-push control nut 3 is mounted rotatably on the driving barrel 1 by means of a thread coupling here comprising the thread groove 1.1 of the driving barrel 1 and the internal thread rib 3.2 of the control nut 3, advantageously having non self-locking thread. The pull-push control nut 3 is mounted slidingly, co-axially and lengthwise in the applicator housing 4 by means of a splined coupling, advantageously the splined coupling comprising the grooves 4.1 of the housing 4 and the keys 3.1 of the control nut 3.

[0044] The indication barrel 2 is mounted lengthwise to the pull-push control nut 3 by means of a catch unit, advantageously a circumferential catch unit comprising the indication barrel catch 2.3 of the indication barrel 2 and the control nut catch 3.3 of the control nut 3. The indication barrel 2 is mounted on the driving barrel 1 with its external surface situated at the defined distance from the internal surface of the applicator housing 4, wherein the housing 4 comprises the inspection window 4.2. The indication marking 2.1 on the external surface of the indication barrel 2 is here in the form of indication numerals deposited spirally. The driving barrel 1 is connected to a driving element in the form of resilient means, here in the form of the helical spring 5 (FIG. 5).

[0045] As shown in the FIG. 5, the driving barrel 1 is connected to a mechanism for medicine dose setting in the form of the assembly comprising the turning knob 8, the clutch 6, the resilient element, here the helical spring 5, the spring element block 7, the plunger 11, the ratchet mechanism 12, the nut 13, the plunger blocking sleeve 14, the plunger block 10, the trigger 9 and the container housing 15.

[0046] The indication mechanism for an automatic applicator for liquid pharmaceutical preparations, particularly for insulin, more particularly for multiple injection application of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container, operates as follows.

[0047] When a dose is to be set, the driving barrel 1 is turned clockwise, looking in the direction of the needle, (increase setting) or anti-clockwise (correction setting), wherein the control nut 3 is displaced along the driving barrel 1 by means of the thread coupling comprising the internal thread rib 3.2 of the control nut 3 moving in the thread groove 1.1 cut in the external wall of the cylindrical driving barrel 1. The pull-push control nut 3 is secured against rotation by means of the keys 3.1, which are displaced co-axially in the corresponding grooves 4.1 made in the internal cylindrical wall of the housing 4. Such connection enables preserving increased clearance between the external cylinder of the control nut 3 and the internal cylindrical wall of the housing 4, which contributes to the elimination of friction between these two cylindrical parts, which is much smaller owing to the co-axial sliding movement of the keys 3.1 in grooves 4.1, keeping the indication mechanism in the central point of rotation by means of the forces indicated by arrows in FIG. 2B.

[0048] The control nut 3 while moving along the housing 4 pulls behind it (during the increase setting) or pushes in the opposite direction (during the correction setting) the indication barrel 2 by means of the control nut catch 3.3 of the control nut 3 connected for rotation to the corresponding indication barrel catch 2.3 of the indication barrel 2. The indication barrel 2 performs resultant motion, as it is pulled or pushed by the control nut 3 in the co-axial direction and simultaneously rotates together with the driving barrel 1 as it is coupled to it by means of its keys 2.2 and the grooves 1.2 on the external wall of the cylindrical driving barrel 1. Such connection enables preserving increased clearance between the external cylinder of the driving barrel 1 and the internal cylindrical wall of the indication barrel 2, which contributes to the elimination of friction between these two cylindrical parts, which is much smaller owing to the co-axial sliding movement of the keys 2.2 in grooves 1.2, keeping the indication mechanism in the central point of rotation by means of the forces indicated by arrows in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. The resultant motion of the indication barrel 2 is a spiral movement against the inspection window 4.2 in the housing 4, which allows any number of complete rotations of the indication barrel 2 against the housing 4 within the range of the displacement of the indication barrel 2 against the driving barrel 1.

[0049] It is to be stressed that the direction of rotation can be changed so, that increase setting is obtained by turning the driving barrel 1 in the anti-clockwise direction. In such configuration the decrease setting can be obtained by turning the driving barrel 1 in the clockwise direction.

[0050] The construction of the present indication mechanism for an automatic applicator is based on the principle of collaboration cylinders joined by the splined couplings in such way, that there is no friction between the cylindrical surfaces of the elements. Owing to this, the forces from other, driving and/or resilient elements can be smaller, which lead to more uniform operation of an applicator during the processes of dose setting and dose administration. Ideal axial alignment of collaborating elements, ensured by means of splined couplings, positively affects the precision of medicine administration, which eliminates formation of reflux while dose setting, decreasing the actually administrated dose, and allowing the administrated dose to be exactly as set.

[0051] Another aspect of the present disclosure is the triple coupling of the indication elements of an automatic applicator, i.e. mutual cooperation of the indication barrel 2 with the driving barrel 2 and the control nut 3, in the way allowing for the precise and controlled decreasing of the incorrectly set dose, preserving an automatic administration of the medicine without any stress, ensuring long term usage of the automatic applicator, particularly for insulin, more particularly for multiple injection administration of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container