Pen needle magazine
Inventors
Srinivasan, Sudarsan • Constantineau, Cole • Bruehwiler, Michel • Montidoro, Tyson • Chagnon, Jeffrey
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11285257-B2
Publication Date
2022-03-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
An attachable needle assembly (2) is disclosed for use on a medication delivery pen (4). The needle assembly (2) includes a housing (8) enclosing a hub (12) that is configured to engage the medication delivery pen (4), a plurality of needles (18) configured to pierce a reservoir septum (6) of the medication delivery pen (4), a selection ring insert (30) that rotates and identifies which needle (24) of the plurality of needles (18) is to be selected, and a selection ring (36) that applies a force to expose the selected needle (24). When the housing (8) is in a first position, the plurality of needles (18) is not exposed, and when the housing (8) is in a second position, one of the plurality of needles (24) is exposed for medicament delivery.
Core Innovation
The invention is an attachable needle assembly for a medication delivery pen. A housing encloses a hub configured to engage the pen, multiple needles configured to pierce its reservoir septum, a rotating selection ring insert that identifies a needle, and a selection ring that applies force to expose the selected needle for medicament delivery.
In the first position, the needles are not exposed; in the second position, the selected needle is exposed. The described arrangement keeps unselected needle tips sealed in the needle assembly septum and uses a follower traveling along curvilinear guide paths to index needles consecutively, with repeated selection of the last needle also described. The background problem is not explicitly described in the provided content.
Claims Coverage
The provided claims include nine independent claims: claims 1, 8, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21. The main inventive features are summarized separately for each independent claim, representing nine inventive features.
Multiple needles pierce the reservoir septum in the first position
Claim 1 covers an attachable needle assembly with a housing, a hub configured to engage the medication delivery pen, multiple needles, a rotating selection ring insert that identifies the selected needle, and a selection ring that applies force to expose it. In the first position, the needles are not exposed and simultaneously pierce the pen's reservoir septum; in the second position, the selected needle is exposed for medicament delivery.
A flange contacts a needle post to expose the selected needle
Claim 8 covers an assembly in which each needle is secured to a respective needle post. The selection ring includes a flange that contacts one of the posts to expose the distal end of the selected needle when the housing is in the second position.
A follower travels along a curvilinear path to rotate the insert
Claim 11 covers a selection ring insert with a follower comprising a protrusion, and a needle guide with a curvilinear path. The follower travels along that path to rotate the selection ring insert and identify the needle to be selected.
The needle assembly septum seals the needles
Claim 14 covers a needle assembly septum that maintains a sterile environment and seals the needles. In the first position, each needle's proximal end penetrates the pen's reservoir septum, while its distal end is disposed in the needle assembly septum.
The housing moves away from the medication delivery pen
Claim 17 covers an assembly in which the housing travels away from the medication delivery pen as it moves from the first position to the second position, where the selected needle is exposed for medicament delivery.
The needles move axially without substantial radial movement or rotation
Claim 18 covers an assembly in which the needles move axially and do not substantially move radially or substantially rotate as the housing moves between the position where the needles are not exposed and the position where the selected needle is exposed.
A cap applies force to the selection ring insert
Claim 19 covers a cap connected to the housing that applies force to the selection ring insert when the housing moves from the second position to the first position.
Operating the assembly by selecting and exposing a needle
Claim 20 covers a method of operating the assembly by connecting the medication delivery pen to its housing, piercing the pen's reservoir septum with multiple needles, rotating the selection ring insert to identify a needle, and applying force with the selection ring to expose it. The housing reaches the second position by traveling away from the pen.
All needles pierce the reservoir septum in the second position
Claim 21 covers an assembly in which the needles are not exposed in the first position and the selected needle is exposed for medicament delivery in the second position. In the second position, each needle is configured to simultaneously pierce the medication delivery pen's reservoir septum.
The independent claims cover the attachable multi-needle assembly and its selection and exposure mechanisms, together with particular needle, septum, housing, and cap arrangements. One independent claim covers a method of operating the assembly.
Stated Advantages
The needle assembly septum maintains a sterile environment and seals the plurality of needles. The described cover and sealing label maintain sterility prior to use.
Documented Applications
The attachable needle assembly is for use on a medication delivery pen and exposes a selected needle for medicament delivery.
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