# US 10,478,560 B2 · Prefilled syringe injector

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- Number: US 10,478,560 B2
- Document ID: US10478560B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/493,494
- Filed: 2017-04-21
- Published: 2017-08-03
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2005-01-24
- Assignees: Antares Pharma, Inc.
- Applicants: Antares Pharma, Inc.
- Inventors: Paul R. Lesch
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478560B2

## CPC

- A61M 5/2033: {Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion (multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287)}
- A61M 5/178: Syringes
- A61M 5/28: Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle
- A61M 5/30: Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
- A61M 5/3202: {Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps (A61M5/50 takes precedence; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001)}
- A61M 5/46: having means for controlling depth of insertion
- A61M 5/484: {Regulating injection pressure}
- A61M 5/206: {with automatic needle insertion}
- A61M 2005/2013: {triggering of discharging means by contact of injector with patient body}
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

A jet injector that includes a prefilled syringe. The syringe includes a fluid chamber that contains a medicament. The syringe also has an injection-assisting needle, and a plunger is movable within the fluid chamber. A housing is configured for allowing insertion of the needle to a penetration depth. An energy source is configured for biasing the plunger to produce an injecting pressure in the medicament in the fluid chamber of between about 80 and 1000 p.s.i. to jet inject the medicament from the fluid chamber through the needle to an injection site.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An injector, comprising:
a prefilled syringe comprising:
a container portion defining a chamber containing a medicament,
a needle disposed at a distal end of the chamber, the needle having an injection tip configured for piercing an insertion location, and defining a fluid pathway in fluid communication with the chamber, and
a plunger movable within the chamber,
a housing that houses the prefilled syringe;
a syringe support supportively mounting the prefilled syringe to the housing; and
an energy source configured for biasing the plunger with a force selected to produce an injecting pressure in the medicament in the chamber during the injection of the medicament to inject the medicament from the chamber through the needle to an injection site,
wherein a penetration depth and injecting pressure are sufficient to substantially prevent backflow of the injected medicament, and
wherein the prefilled syringe is associated with the housing in a fixed position before and during activation of the energy source for firing of the injector.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the energy source and prefilled syringe are configured such that the injecting pressure remains at up to about 350 p.s.i. during the injection of the medicament.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The injector of claim 2, wherein the energy source is configured to produce the injecting pressure that remains at least at about 90 p.s.i. during the injection of the medicament.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the penetration depth is between about 0.5 mm and 5 mm below the surface at the insertion location.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured for allowing insertion of the needle to subcutaneous depth.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the energy source comprises a spring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The injector of claim 6, further comprising a ram that is biased by the spring against the plunger to produce the injection pressure, wherein the ram comprises a bell portion on which the spring is seated, and the bell portion defines a hollow interior configured for receiving the prefilled syringe when the injector is fired, such that the spring surrounds the prefilled syringe.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the chamber contains about between 0.02 mL and 4 mL of the medicament.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a retractable guard that is movable between: a protecting position in which the needle is disposed within the guard; and an injecting position in which the tip of the needle is exposed for insertion to the insertion point.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The injector of claim 9, further comprising a trigger mechanism operably associated with the energy source for activating the energy source to inject the medicament,
wherein the trigger mechanism is configured for activating the energy source after the retractable guard is retracted from the protecting position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The injector of claim 10, wherein the retractable guard is operably associated with the trigger mechanism to cause the trigger mechanism to activate the energy source when the retractable guard is retracted to the injecting position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the prefilled syringe has a distal portion in which the needle is located, and a proximal portion opposite the distal portion, and
wherein the syringe support axially supports the proximal portion of the pre-filled syringe during the injection of the medicament, such that the distal portion of the prefilled syringe is substantially unsupported in an axial direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The injector of claim 12, wherein the injecting pressure and penetration depth are sufficient such that the injection site is subcutaneous.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the energy source is configured to produce an injecting pressure in the medicament in the chamber that substantially remains below 500 p.s.i. during injection of the medicament.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the penetration depth is between about 1 mm and 4 mm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, wherein the penetration depth is up to about 3 mm below the surface of at the insertion location.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The injector of claim 1, further comprising a syringe cushion associated with the syringe support and prefilled syringe, the syringe cushion comprising a resilient sleeve portion configured to provide shock absorption during firing of the injector.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The injector of claim 17, wherein the syringe includes a flange and the syringe cushion supports the flange.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The injector of claim 17, wherein the syringe cushion comprises an elastomeric material to compensate for shape irregularities of the pre-filled syringe.