Injection device with a cap for removing a needle shield cap from a product container, and method for assembling such an injection device

Inventors

KLÖTZLI, Urs • Loretz, Benjamin • Fontanellaz, Thomas • Heiniger, Lukas • Geissbuehler, Stefan

Assignees

Ypsomed AG

Abstract

Injection devices include a cap for removing a needle shield cap from a product container, and methods for assembling such injection devices, involve providing a cap that includes an engagement element for use in removing the needle shield cap from the product container when the cap is removed from the injection device.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an injection device, including an autoinjector or a manual injection device, having a housing for receiving a product container. The product container includes an injection needle fixedly connected thereto and a needle shield cap detachably arranged on the product container, wherein the needle shield cap encloses the injection needle and seals the injection needle from the environment in a sterile manner. A cap is detachably connected to a distal end of the housing, and the cap comprises an engagement element for removing the needle shield cap from the product container when the cap is removed from the injection device.

The engagement element is deformable such that it moves from a spaced-apart position to an engagement position during cap removal. In the spaced-apart position the engagement element is radially spaced from the needle shield cap, and the movement to the engagement position is driven by a sleeve element having a recess with a distal edge and a proximal edge, wherein the proximal edge of the recess moves the engagement element by deforming it.

In the spaced-apart position the engagement element extends from an interior of the sleeve element through the recess and rests on the distal edge of the recess at an exterior of the sleeve element. During cap removal the engagement element is deformed, and the proximal edge of the recess drives deformation of the engagement element into an engagement position such that the engagement element engages the needle shield cap and removes it from the product container. A holding element on the cap can retain the needle shield cap in the cap, and the engagement element can be hook-shaped with a long leg and a short leg that deform during the removal.

Claims Coverage

The document contains three independent claims that cover an injection device and two independent method claims for assembling and/or preparing the injection device. Across the independent claims, three inventive-feature clusters recur: a deformable engagement element that moves between spaced-apart and engagement positions, a sleeve element with a recess defined by distal and proximal edges that drives deformation, and the association of the engagement element with a detachable cap that removes a needle shield cap while maintaining a sterile sealing arrangement.

Across the independent claims, the core coverage is a detachable distal cap that removes a needle shield cap using a deformable engagement element that transitions between a radially spaced-apart position and an engagement position. The sleeve element recess, defined by distal and proximal edges, provides the mechanism for resting of the engagement element on the distal edge and deformation-driven movement by the proximal edge, while method claims additionally specify assembly/preparation by distal shifting and by connecting the engagement element to a sleeve element with a recess and a protruding needle protection sleeve.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications