Protective case for an auto-injector

Inventors

Kapas, Elijah • KANE, MATTHEW • Cullinane, Conor

Abstract

The application describes a protective case for an auto-injector. The medicament contained within these auto-injectors can be susceptible to degradation due to exposure to extreme temperatures and light. Thus, one embodiment of the protective case reduces the rate of heat transfer between the internal storage compartment of the case and the external atmosphere by including particularly configured vacuum chambers. Additionally, as auto-injectors become smaller, portability can be desirable. Thus, another embodiment of the protective case includes low-profile cases that allow the user to keep the auto-injector with them, e.g., by attaching the case to a common everyday item.

Core Innovation

A protective auto-injector case is configured to form a close-fitting receiving portion for an auto-injector device such that an interface maintains constant and direct contact with at least a portion of the auto-injector when disposed in the receiving portion. The case securely supports and releasably receives the portion of the auto-injector device and fixedly holds the auto-injector device within the receiving portion. The protective case has a low-profile rigid form with an aspect ratio (width to height) of at least 1 and includes an attachment device directly coupled to the protective case.

The disclosed protective case thermally isolates a medicament dose from ambient conditions by forming vacuum-sealed chambers using an upper portion and a lower portion with overlapping sidewall flanges and sealed joints. The case further reduces heat transfer using internal insulation barriers formed by TP/TPE/foam layers and by reflective and/or polished vacuum-chamber surfaces. The vacuum sealed chamber and the insulation barrier arrangement are combined to limit heat transfer between the medicament and ambient conditions.

Portability and handling are addressed by providing low-profile case embodiments that are attachable to everyday objects using straps, clips, tethers, necklaces, pins, clamps, mounts, and/or adhesive layer attachment configurations. The external case includes ergonomic and textured external coatings and labeling. The case embodiments also provide rigidity and flexibility material options and can include damping via an insulating cradle or stabilizers to reduce vibration and relative motion, with optional configurations that hold one or multiple auto-injectors and provide optional power/IoT monitoring for temperature and location with remote monitoring alerts.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim set covers apparatus, method, and system for associating an auto-injector device with a user using a low-profile rigid protective case with an aspect ratio constraint and a directly coupled attachment device. Across the independent claims, three main inventive features are present: the close-fitting receiving portion with a constant direct-contact interface, the low-profile rigid aspect ratio of at least 1, and direct coupling of the attachment device to the protective case (with the system claim also requiring the auto-injector aspect ratio).

The independent claims focus on associating an auto-injector with a user by using a low-profile rigid protective case that fixedly holds the auto-injector using an interface maintaining constant direct contact, imposing an aspect ratio (width to height) of at least 1, and coupling an attachment device directly to the case (with the system claim additionally requiring the auto-injector itself to have the aspect ratio constraint).

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications