Pen needle hub injection depth optimization
Inventors
Rini, Christopher • Klug, Richard • Roberts, Bruce • Morel, Didier • Pettis, Ronald
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12023474-B2
Publication Date
2024-07-02
Expiration Date
Abstract
A needle hub (10) for a pen needle is provided with an enlarged surface for contact with the skin of a patient. The enlarged surface is provided with a surface having a dimension and shape to enable a needle or cannula to penetrate the skin to a desired depth and permit substantially the entire exposed length of the needle or cannula to penetrate the skin to the desired depth. The surface of the needle hub can be formed by an inner cone shaped member (26) forming a first contact surface with a surface area of about 1-5 mm2 and an outer ring (28) at a peripheral edge forming a second contact surface with a combined surface area of about 15 to 50 mm2.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a pen needle/needle hub having a post with a skin-contact top wall. The skin contact top wall includes an outer surface that forms a contact surface for contacting a surface of a skin of a patient, and the contact surface is enlarged and geometrically shaped around a cannula.
In described embodiments, the contact surface comprises an annular inner portion surrounding the cannula and an annular outer portion at a peripheral edge of the contact surface. The annular inner portion and the annular outer portion are aligned in a continuous curve, and a continuous convex surface extends between the annular outer portion and the annular inner portion, with the continuous convex surface being concentric with the annular inner portion and the annular outer portion.
The needle hub also includes an inner post extending from an inner surface of the top wall toward the proximal end of the body, and a plurality of ribs extending between the inner post and an inner surface of the post side wall for stabilizing the inner post. The geometrical enlargement of the skin-contact hub face controls needle/cannula insertion depth so that substantially the entire exposed needle length reaches a desired target depth, while distributing pressure across user-applied insertion forces.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim set includes three independent claims. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on a stabilized inner post with ribs and a shaped, annular, continuous-curved, continuous convex, and concentric skin-contact contact surface around a cannula, with a pen needle assembly claim and a hub claim including quantified surface-area limits in one family.
Stabilized inner post with ribs and cannula extending from the post
A needle hub having a body with a distal end; a post extending from the distal end with a post side wall, a top wall comprising an outer surface forming a contact surface for contacting a surface of a skin of a patient, and an inner post extending from an inner surface of the top wall toward the proximal end of the body; a plurality of ribs extending between the inner post and an inner surface of the post side wall for stabilizing the inner post; and a cannula coupled to and extending from the post.
Pen needle assembly combining medication pen body with the stabilized needle hub
A pen needle assembly comprising a pen body having a medication compartment and a distal end; and a needle hub with a body having a proximal end configured for receiving and coupling to the distal end of the pen body and a distal end; a post extending from the distal end of the body including a post side wall, a top wall comprising an outer surface forming a contact surface for contacting a surface of a skin of a patient, and an inner post extending from an inner surface of the top wall toward the proximal end of the body; a plurality of ribs extending between the inner post and an inner surface of the post side wall for stabilizing the inner post; and a cannula coupled to and extending from the post.
Annular continuous-curve contact surface with concentric continuous convex surface
A needle hub having a body with a distal end and a post extending from the distal end with a post side wall, a top wall comprising an outer surface forming a contact surface for contacting a surface of a skin of a patient, and an inner post extending from an inner surface of the top wall toward the proximal end of the body; a plurality of ribs extending between the inner post and an inner surface of the post side wall for stabilizing the inner post; and a cannula coupled to and extending from the post, wherein the contact surface comprises an annular inner portion surrounding the cannula, an annular outer portion at a peripheral edge of the contact surface, with the annular inner portion and the annular outer portion aligned in a continuous curve, and a continuous convex surface extending between the annular outer portion and the annular inner portion that is concentric with the annular inner portion and the annular outer portion.
Across the independent claims, the claims cover a needle hub/post geometry that stabilizes an inner post using ribs and provides a cannula extending from the post, combined with an enlarged annular skin-contact contact surface that is aligned in a continuous curve and includes a continuous convex surface that is concentric with the annular inner and annular outer portions; one claim family further supports quantification of annular contact areas through dependent claims.
Stated Advantages
increase consistency across user-applied insertion forces
aims to reduce shallow/intramuscular penetration
improve comfort/side-effect profile
Documented Applications
subcutaneous injections, including insulin
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