Injection Device

Abstract

The present disclosure refers to an injection device including a housing containing a dose setting mechanism, a cartridge holder containing a cartridge with a medicament, and a heat shrinkable label which includes information and/or symbols about the medicament. The injection device is a disposable injection device with the cartridge holder inseparably locked to the housing. The heat shrinkable label is heat shrunk on the housing and the cartridge holder such that it at least partially covers the housing and the cartridge holder.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An injection device, comprising a housing containing a dose setting mechanism, a cartridge holder containing a cartridge with a medicament, wherein the cartridge holder is inseparably locked to the housing, and a heat shrinkable label comprising information and/or symbols about the medicament, wherein the heat shrinkable label is heat shrunk on the housing and the cartridge holder such that it at least partially covers the housing and the cartridge holder.

17. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label has a form of a jacket at least partially encasing the housing and the cartridge holder.

18. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises at least a transparent or translucent portion, which is positioned on the housing overlapping a window in the housing.

19. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the information and/or the symbols are printed on an inner surface of the heat shrinkable label.

20. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the information and/or the symbols comprises a scale positioned on the cartridge holder and medicament information about the medicament positioned on the housing.

21. The injection device of claim 16, wherein an outer surface of the heat shrinkable label is partially lacquered.

22. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises PET or OPP.

23. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises a layer inhibiting a transmission of actinic light.

24. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises an electronic component and/or maintains the electronic component on the housing and/or on the cartridge holder.

25. The injection device of claim 24, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises a temperature measuring strip.

26. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises at least one weakened line permitting severance and removal of a portion of the heat shrinkable label).

27. The injection device of claim 26, wherein the cartridge holder comprises an interface for attaching a needle on the cartridge holder, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises a first cap portion covering the interface for attaching a needle and wherein the at least one weakened line is positioned permitting severance and removal of the first cap portion.

28. The injection device of claim 27, wherein the dose setting mechanism comprises a dose setting member protruding from the housing, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises a second cap portion covering the dose setting member and wherein the at least one weakened line is positioned permitting severance and removal of the second cap portion.

29. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the heat shrinkable label is glued or welded onto the housing and/or onto the cartridge holder.

30. The injection device of claim 16, wherein the medicament is an insulin or a growth hormone.

31. A method of labeling an injection device, the method comprising: attaching a heat shrinkable label to by heat shrinking the heat shrinkable label on a housing of the injection device and a cartridge holder of the injection device, wherein the heat shrinkable label at least partially covers the housing and the cartridge holder, and wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises information and/or symbols about a medicament stored within the cartridge holder.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising: detecting a temperature of the medicament by using a temperature measuring strip of the heat shrinkable label.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein attaching the heat shrinkable label to the injection device comprises applying an adhesive.

34. A method of dose setting for an injection device, the method comprising: removing a first cap portion of a heat shrinkable label of the injection device, the first cap portion covering an interface for attaching a needle, wherein the heat shrinkable label comprises information and/or symbols about a medicament, and wherein the heat shrinkable label is heat shrunk on a housing of the injection device and a cartridge holder attached to the housing, the heat shrinkable label at least partially covering the housing and the cartridge holder; attaching the needle on a cartridge holder of the injection device, wherein the cartridge holder comprises a cartridge with a medicament, wherein the cartridge holder is inseparably locked to the housing of the injection device; removing a second cap portion of the heat shrinkable label covering a dose setting member of a dose setting mechanism; and setting a dose of the medicament by using the dose setting member of the dose setting mechanism.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein setting the dose of the medicament comprises rotating the dose setting member with respect to the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0096] Non-limiting, exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0097] FIG. 1 schematically shows an injection device according to the prior art;

[0098] FIG. 2 schematically shows the injection device according to the prior art with the cap removed and a dose set; and

[0099] FIG. 3 schematically shows a label to be a heat shrunk onto the injection device according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0100] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a disposable injection device as disclosed in WO 2014/033197 A1 is shown. The device has a distal end (upper end in FIG. 1) and a proximal end (lower end in FIG. 1). The injection device 1 comprises a housing 2 and a cartridge holder 3 which is a firmly connected to the housing 2 or which is an integral part of the housing 2. A cartridge (not shown) containing a medicament is received in the cartridge holder 3. In FIG. 1 a detachable cap 4 covers the cartridge holder 3. The cap 4 is removed in FIG. 2.

[0101] The disposable injection device 1 further comprises a dose setting mechanism provided in the housing 2. A dose setting member 5 of the dose setting mechanism protrudes from the housing 2 such that a user may grip and move the dose setting member 5 relative to the housing 2 during dose setting. FIG. 1 depicts a state with a dose of zero set which dose is visible through the window or aperture 6 in the housing 2, i.e. an at rest state of the device. In contrast to that, in FIG. 2 a larger dose has been set by moving, e.g. rotating, the dose setting member 5 with respect to the housing 2.

[0102] The distal end of the cartridge holder 3 is provided with a threaded interface 7 for attaching a needle arrangement (not shown) to the cartridge holder.

[0103] FIG. 3 depicts a transparent heat shrinkable label 8 in the form of a transparent jacket into which the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3 may be inserted. The heat shrinkable label 8 can be firmly attached to the injection device 1 by heat shrinking the label 8 onto the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3. When applying heat to the label 8, the label shrinks and adapts to the outer contour of the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3. Thus, the label 8 firmly fits over the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3. In addition, the label 8 may be further fixed on the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3 by an adhesive. With the label 8 at least partially covering the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3, it would be required to remove the label 8 prior to forcibly detaching the cartridge holder 3 from the housing 2 or destroying same.

[0104] The heat shrinkable label 8 is made from a material which is sufficiently strong and durable to maintain the label 8 on the disposable injection device 1 for the intended use of the device. Suitable materials include but are not limited to PET or OPP. The heat shrinkable label 8 may consist of a material inhibiting the transmission of actinic light and/or may be provided with a layer inhibiting the transmission of actinic light. The heat shrinkable label 8 consists of a single layer of material which may be printed and/or lacquered. As an alternative, the heat shrinkable label 8 may comprise several layers of material.

[0105] In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 the scale 9 is printed on the inner side of the label 8 such that the scale 9 is visible through the transparent label 8. Further, the transparent label 8 allows a user to read the dose numbers visible through the window or aperture 6 of the housing 2. In addition or as an alternative, a further information and/or symbols, e.g. about the medicament, may be printed on the inner side of the label 8. Still further, the outer side of the label 8 may be at least partially lacquered. A weakened line 10 in the form of a perforation is provided near the distal end and near the proximal end of the label 8, respectively.

[0106] In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the label 8 has a length suitable for covering not only the housing 2 and the cartridge holder 3 but further the dose setting member 5 and the threaded interface 7 when being heat shrunk onto the injection device 1. Thus, the label 8 forms a first cap portion 11 covering the threaded interface 7 and a second cap portion 12 covering the dose setting member 5. The respective weakened lines 10 are designed to permit the severance and removal of the cap portions 11, 12 from the rest of the label 8. In other words, the label 8 further forms a tamper-evident closure for the injection device 1.

[0107] While the embodiment of FIG. 3 has been explained with two weakened lines 10 forming to respective cap portions of the label 8, alternative embodiments may comprise only a single weakened line 10 or a may be devoid of a weakened line 10.

[0108] Although not depicted in FIG. 3, the heat shrinkable label 8 may be used to position, fix and/or maintain component parts in and/or on the disposable injection device 1. Especially, the heat shrinkable label 8 may be used to maintain an electronic component part, e.g. a temperature sensing strip, on the housing 2 or the cartridge holder 3.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0109] 1 injection device

[0110] 2 housing

[0111] 3 cartridge holder

[0112] 4 cap

[0113] 5 dose setting member

[0114] 6 window

[0115] 7 interface

[0116] 8 heat shrinkable label

[0117] 9 scale

[0118] 10 weakened line

[0119] 11 first cap portion

[0120] 12 second cap portion