Compression seal for use with a liquid component storage vial of an auto-injector
Inventors
Standley, Adam • Constantineau, Cole • Stepanian, Christopher • Buchine, Brent • Chagnon, Jeffrey Thomas
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11116903-B2
Publication Date
2021-09-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
Contemplated herein is a medication mixing device which can include a housing having therein a first chamber containing a first medicament component and a second chamber provided containing a second medicament component provided with a sealing structure selectively isolating the first chamber from the second chamber. The sealing structure can include a first sealing component having a first sealing interface and a second sealing component having a second sealing interface wherein a first compression force can be applied to the first and second sealing components causes the sealing interfaces to form a seal. The first compression force can then be configured to allow the first sealing component and the second sealing component to maintain at least one degree of freedom with respect to one another.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a medication mixing device for separating and later mixing medicament components, the device including a housing with a first chamber and a second chamber disposed within the housing. The first chamber contains a first medicament component and has an outlet, while the second chamber contains a second medicament component outside the first chamber and has an inlet. The first and second chambers are isolatable by a sealing structure that isolates the first chamber from the second chamber.
The sealing structure includes a first sealing component with a first sealing interface and a second sealing component with a second sealing interface that opposes the first sealing interface. A compression force applied to the first and second sealing components causes the first and second sealing interfaces to form a seal. At least one tab interfacing with the first chamber is configured to maintain the compression force between the first sealing component and the second sealing component.
The seal is configured to maintain at least one degree of freedom between the first and second sealing components so that the valve seal can change between a closed and open configuration. This maintained degree of freedom enables selective alignment and misalignment of apertures and fluid communication paths, including selective alignment of an outlet of the first chamber with an inlet of the second chamber. The degree of freedom may be an axial-rotation degree of freedom and/or a planar-translation degree of freedom.
An alternative embodiment describes reducing and/or eliminating a sealing compressive force using integrated vial sleeve and vial portions and a valve assembly. In the alternative, a valve assembly with a tab and/or spring lip engagement is configured to interact with the integrated vial sleeve/vial portion to manage the valve seal behavior while preserving selective fluid communication through opening and closing configurations.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims. Both independent claims share a valve-seal concept in which a compression force is used to form a seal while preserving at least one degree of freedom to allow the seal to change between closed and open fluid communication configurations, enabling alignment between apertures and an inlet/outlet.
Medication mixing device with first and second chambers and sealing structure maintained by tabs
A medication mixing device comprising a housing, a first chamber having an outlet within the housing and containing a first medicament component, and a second chamber having an inlet within the housing and containing a second medicament component outside the first chamber; a sealing structure isolating the first chamber from the second chamber, including a first sealing component having a first sealing interface and a second sealing component having a second sealing interface opposing the first sealing interface, wherein a compression force applied to the first and second sealing components causes the first and second sealing interfaces to form a seal; and at least one tab interfacing with the first chamber and configured to maintain the compression force between the first sealing component and the second sealing component.
Valve seal between chambers enabling change between closed and open configuration
A medication mixing device comprising a housing, a first chamber disposed within the housing, a second chamber disposed within the housing, and a valve seal disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the valve seal includes a first seal component disposed about an aperture in the first chamber and a second seal component in direct contact with the first seal component providing an inlet for selective fluid communication to the second chamber; and a pair of tabs interfacing with the first chamber and configured to provide a compression force about the first sealing component and the second sealing component to form a seal, wherein the formed seal maintains at least one degree of freedom between the first and second seal components enabling the valve seal to change between a closed and open configuration.
Overall, the independent claims cover a medication mixing device with a sealing structure or valve seal that is formed by applying a compression force to sealing components, where tabs maintain the compression force. Both claims further require maintaining at least one degree of freedom between seal components so that the seal can change between closed and open configurations through selective alignment of apertures and fluid communication paths.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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