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Publication Number
US-11666711-B2
Publication Date
2023-06-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A pen needle assembly apparatus (60) includes a housing (30), a movable support (40) for supporting a pen needle (18), an ejector (80) for ejecting a used pen needle from the support, and an actuator (56). The support (40) is rotated relative to the housing (30) to index the pen needles to a position where the pen needle can be accessed and coupled to a delivery device (10). The used pen needle (18) is returned to the well (42) in the support and the support rotated toward the ejector (80) where the used pen needle is ejected to a compartment (50) in the housing for disposal. A cover (60) on the housing includes at least one opening (65) for accessing the pen needle when the support is rotated to position a pen needle relative to the opening in the cover.
Core Innovation
The pen needle assembly apparatus includes a housing with an inner cavity and a support having a plurality of wells, each configured for receiving a pen needle. A cover is coupled to the housing and has an opening for accessing at least one of the pen needles, and an actuator moves the support to a position where the pen needles are sequentially indexed to an accessing position through the opening in the cover.
The apparatus includes a tray for receiving an inner shield of the pen needle, where the tray has an extractor for gripping the inner shield during removal of the inner shield from the pen needle and directing the inner shield into the tray. After use, the support receives a used pen needle in a well, and the used pen needle is uncoupled from the delivery pen and returned to the respective well.
The apparatus further includes an ejector for ejecting the used pen needle from the open top end of a respective well into a compartment of the housing by rotation of the support relative to the ejector and housing. The claims describe the ejecting path relative to a cover recess or passage that is aligned with the ejector, and describe extractor and ejector structures for transferring inner shields and used pen needles into internal storage.
Claims Coverage
The provided material includes three independent claims. Across these independent claims, the coverage centers on sequential indexing of pen needles by moving a support with an actuator, controlled access through a cover opening, internal retention and handling of an inner shield via a tray extractor, and internal disposal of a used pen needle into a housing compartment via an ejector operated by relative motion of the support.
Sequential indexing of pen needles to a cover opening position
A housing having an inner cavity, a top end, and a bottom end, and a support having a plurality of wells, each configured for receiving a pen needle; a cover coupled to the housing and having an opening for accessing at least one of the pen needles; an actuator connected for moving the support to a position where the pen needles are sequentially indexed to a position for accessing the pen needle.
Tray extractor for inner shield removal and directing into the tray
A tray for receiving an inner shield of the pen needle, the tray having an extractor for gripping the inner shield during removal of the inner shield from the pen needle and directing the inner shield into the tray.
Rotatable support with wells having open top end and open bottom end for receiving pen needles
A housing having top end; a rotatable support positioned in the housing, the support having a plurality of wells with a dimension for receiving a pen needle, the plurality of wells each having an open top end, an open bottom end, and a side wall, wherein when a pen needle is received in a respective well a distal part of the pen needle extends through the open bottom end; a cover coupled to the top end of the housing, the cover having at least one opening for accessing a pen needle, wherein the support is rotated to sequentially index each the pen needle to a position for accessing the pen needle through the opening in the cover, and wherein the wells can receive a used pen needle after use.
Ejector pushing on the distal part into a housing compartment by rotation
An ejector for pushing on the distal part of the used pen needle for ejecting a used pen needle from the open top end of a respective well into a compartment of the housing by rotation of the support relative to the ejector and housing.
Coupling a pen needle to a delivery pen and uncoupling with tray inner-shield extraction and ejecting used pen needle
Providing a pen needle apparatus having a housing, a rotatable support, an actuator, a tray for receiving an inner shield of the pen needle, and a pen needle ejector, the support having a plurality of wells receiving a pen needle; rotating the support to a position to access a pen needle and coupling the delivery pen to the pen needle; inserting the pen needle into the tray, wherein the tray has an extractor for gripping the inner shield during removal of the inner shield from the pen needle and directing the inner shield into the tray; removing the inner shield from the pen needle; returning the used pen needle to the respective well in the support and uncoupling the used pen needle from the delivery pen; and rotating the support to a position where the used pen needle is ejected from the well by the ejector into a compartment in the housing.
The independent claim set provides coverage for a pen needle assembly apparatus where a housing, cover opening, and actuator-driven movable support sequentially index pen needles for access; where a tray extractor grips and directs an inner shield into the tray; and where used pen needles are ejected into an internal housing compartment by an ejector operated via rotation of the support, with the method claim further tying together coupling, inner shield handling, uncoupling, returning to a well, and ejecting into the compartment.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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