Drive mechanism for a needle insertion arrangement

An insertion arrangement for moving an injection needle between a retracted position and an extended position, the insertion arrangement comprising:

• a disposable unit comprising a needle base to which the needle is fixed;
• and
• a drive mechanism comprising:
• a cross beam linearly movable in a distal direction and a proximal direction for moving an injection needle;
• an actuator;
• a slider coupled to the actuator and linearly movable in a transversal direction at right angles relative the distal direction and the proximal direction;
• a cam extending from the cross beam or the slider;
• and
• a guide track in the cross beam or the slider that the cam does not extend from, the guide track adapted to engage the cam, the guide track comprising a sloped section such that the cross beam is moved on movement of the slider, wherein the cam has a first position on the sloped section and a second position on the sloped section such that, as the cam moves from the first position to the second position, the needle moves from a retracted position to an extended position, and wherein the entire sloped section is arranged at a first angle with respect to the transversal direction,
• wherein a needle retainer is adapted to retain the needle base.

An auto-injector comprising:

• an insertion arrangement for moving an injection needle between a retracted position and an extended position, the insertion arrangement comprising:
• a disposable unit comprising a needle base to which the needle is fixed;
• a drive mechanism comprising:
• a cross beam linearly movable in a distal direction and a proximal direction for moving an injection needle;
• an actuator;
• a slider coupled to the actuator and linearly movable in a transversal direction at right angles relative the distal direction and the proximal direction;
• a cam extending from the cross beam or the slider;
• and
• a guide track in the cross beam or the slider that the cam does not extend from, the guide track adapted to engage the cam, the guide track comprising a sloped section such that the cross beam is moved on movement of the slider, wherein the cam has a first position on the sloped section and a second position on the sloped section such that, as the cam moves from the first position to the second position, the needle moves from a retracted position to an extended position, and wherein the entire sloped section is arranged at a first angle with respect to the transversal direction,
• wherein a needle retainer is adapted to retain the needle base;
• and
• wherein the injection needle is configured to couple with a drug container, the drug container carrying a medicament consisting of at least one pharmaceutically active compound.