Track and locking mechanisms for injection device
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12017051-B2
Publication Date
2024-06-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
An injection device includes a lower housing, a needle guard and an upper housing. With the upper housing in a pre-use position and the needle guard in a first position, an abutment body of an arm of the upper housing abuts a catch of the lower housing, preventing the upper housing from moving distally relative to the lower housing toward a dispensed position. Proximal movement of the needle guard from the first position to a second position thereof causes proximal movement of a camming ramp of a leg of the needle guard with respect to the catch and the abutment body such that the camming ramp engages the arm, thereby deflecting the abutment body radially outwardly by a distance sufficient to allow the abutment body to pass radially outside of the catch, and, in turn, permits the distal movement of the upper housing into the dispensed position of the upper housing.
Core Innovation
The injection device is configured to administer medication using a syringe coaxially supported by a lower housing. The syringe retains the medication and includes a needle that protrudes from a distal end of the lower housing when the syringe is installed. The lower housing includes a catch that extends at least partially radially outwardly and has a proximally facing surface.
A needle guard is provided in coaxial sliding engagement with the lower housing and is longitudinally movable relative to the lower housing in a proximal direction from a first position to a second position. In the first position, a distal end of the needle guard extends distally beyond the distal end of the lower housing and conceals a distal tip of the needle when the syringe is installed. In the second position, the distal end of the needle guard exposes the distal tip of the needle via a distal guard portion defining a distally facing needle opening, with a leg, a rim extending radially outwardly, and a camming ramp extending radially outwardly positioned distally from the rim.
An upper housing is in coaxial sliding engagement with the lower housing and is longitudinally movable relative to the lower housing in a distal direction from a pre-use position to a dispensed position. The upper housing includes an arm with an abutment body that comprises a distally facing abutment surface. In the pre-use position with the needle guard in the first position, the distally facing abutment surface abuts the proximally facing surface of the catch to prevent distal movement of the upper housing toward the dispensed position, and the camming ramp of the needle guard is located distally of the catch. Proximal movement of the needle guard to the second position causes proximal movement of the camming ramp such that the camming ramp engages the arm and the abutment body deflects radially outwardly by a distance sufficient for the abutment body to pass radially outside of the catch, permitting distal movement of the upper housing into the dispensed position.
The device further provides post-use behavior using additional needle-guard travel and locking interactions. Biasing and locking behavior can prevent reuse after injection, including re-concealment governed by biasing from a spring and positional blocking via abutting surface relationships and structural ramp or flap/bridge geometry in alternate embodiments. Visual indicator exposure is described as part of the post-injection state, including an annular ring associated with the needle guard in defined positions, and additional ramps or geometry are described to manage post-injection locking and retraction prevention.
Claims Coverage
The document identifies one independent claim (clm-00001). The main inventive features relate to coordinated relative motion among a lower housing catch, an upper housing arm with an abutment body, and a longitudinally slidable needle guard having a rim and a camming ramp that enables a blocked-to-dispensed transition while controlling needle-tip concealment and exposure.
Coaxially supported syringe in lower housing with radially outward catch
A lower housing configured to coaxially support a syringe retaining medication, with a needle protruding from the distal end when installed, where the lower housing includes a catch extending at least partially radially outwardly and having a proximally facing surface.
Longitudinally slidable needle guard concealing and exposing the needle tip
A needle guard in coaxial sliding engagement with the lower housing, longitudinally movable relative to the lower housing from a first position to a second position, with the distal end extending distally beyond the lower housing to conceal the distal tip in the first position and exposing the distal tip in the second position, wherein the needle guard includes a distal guard portion defining a distally facing needle opening, a leg extending proximally and longitudinally, a rim extending radially outwardly from the leg, and a camming ramp extending radially outwardly positioned distally from the rim.
Upper housing arm blocked by catch in pre-use and released by camming ramp deflection
An upper housing comprising an arm with an abutment body having a distally facing abutment surface, coaxially sliding with and longitudinally movable relative to the lower housing from a pre-use position to a dispensed position, where in the pre-use position with the needle guard in the first position the distally facing abutment surface abuts the proximally facing surface of the catch to prevent distal movement, and proximal movement of the needle guard to the second position causes the camming ramp to engage the arm and deflect the abutment body radially outwardly to allow the abutment body to pass radially outside of the catch and permit distal movement into the dispensed position.
Across the single independent claim, the inventive coverage is centered on using the needle guard’s camming ramp in combination with the upper housing arm’s abutment body and the lower housing catch to transition from a blocked pre-use state to an unblocked dispensed state, while the needle guard simultaneously conceals and then exposes the distal tip of the needle.
Stated Advantages
Prevents distal movement of the upper housing toward the dispensed position in the pre-use position when the needle guard is in the first position.
Permits distal movement of the upper housing into the dispensed position by deflecting the arm radially outwardly so the abutment body passes radially outside the catch.
Conceals the distal tip of the needle when the syringe is installed and the needle guard is in the first position, and exposes the distal tip when the needle guard is in the second position.
Prevents reuse after injection by biasing/locking behavior and additional locking ramps or flap/bridge geometry in alternate embodiments.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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