# US 10,869,968 B2 · Drug delivery device and retaining member for a drug delivery device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,968 B2 - Document ID: US10869968B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/567,212 - Filed: 2016-04-20 - Published: 2018-05-10 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-23 - Assignees: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Alex Meier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869968B2 ## CPC - A61M 5/31576: {Constructional features; Drive mechanisms or modes for piston rods} - A61M 5/31551: {including axial movement of dose setting member} - A61M 5/5066: {Means for preventing re-use by disconnection of piston and piston-rod} - 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 drug delivery device includes a housing, a mechanical assembly which is at least partially accommodated in the housing and a retaining member for retaining the mechanical assembly in the housing wherein the retaining member is engaged with the housing such that the device is configured to be damaged when the mechanical assembly or parts thereof are forcefully separated from the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drug delivery device comprising: a housing; a mechanical assembly at least partially accommodated in the housing; and a retaining member for retaining the mechanical assembly in the housing, the retaining member being axially and rotationally fixed to the housing such that axial and rotational movements of the retaining member relative to the housing are prevented, wherein the retaining member is engaged with the housing, wherein a connection strength of the retaining member with the housing is larger than a connection strength of the retaining member with the mechanical assembly such that the retaining member is configured to be disengaged from the mechanical assembly when the mechanical assembly or parts thereof are forcefully separated from the housing, the disengagement of the retaining member from the mechanical assembly leading to a damage of the mechanical assembly and/or the retaining member such that the drug delivery device is configured to be damaged when the mechanical assembly or parts thereof are forcefully separated from the housing, wherein the retaining member is threadedly engaged with the mechanical assembly and comprises an inner thread for engagement with an outer thread of the mechanical assembly, wherein the mechanical assembly comprises an indicator member for displaying a size of a dose of a drug to be dispensed, and wherein the retaining member is engaged with the indicator member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, wherein the retaining member is configured to prevent a reuse of the drug delivery device, wherein the disengagement of the retaining member from the mechanical assembly hampers or prevents a reassembly of the mechanical assembly with the housing of the drug delivery device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, wherein: the retaining member comprises a first engagement device, and the housing comprises a second engagement device, and the first and second engagement devices are configured to engage with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drug delivery device of claim 3, wherein the first engagement device comprises a ridge and the second engagement device comprises a groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The drug delivery device of claim 3, wherein the first engagement device extends along a circumference of the retaining member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The drug delivery device of claim 3, wherein the first engagement device extends along at least half of a circumference of the retaining member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The drug delivery device of claim 3, wherein the first engagement device comprises a plurality of separate parts located at different angular positions around a longitudinal axis of the retaining member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, wherein the retaining member is engaged with the housing by a tongue-and-groove connection. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, wherein the retaining member is configured to remain in the housing when the mechanical assembly or parts thereof are forcefully separated from the housing due to the connection strength of the retaining member with the housing being larger than the connection strength of the retaining member with the mechanical assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device is a pen-type injection device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a piston rod threadedly connected to the housing, wherein the mechanical assembly is configured to drive the piston rod to expel a drug from a drug reservoir mounted in the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The drug delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a drug reservoir containing the drug, the drug having at least one pharmaceutically active compound. ### Claim 13 A retaining member for a drug delivery device, the retaining member comprising: a first engagement device for engagement with a second engagement device of a sleeve-shaped housing of the drug delivery device to axially and rotationally fix the retaining member to the housing of the drug delivery device such that axial and rotational movements of the retaining member relative to the housing are prevented, wherein the first engagement device extends along at least half of a circumference of the retaining member, and an alignment member configured to engage the housing of the drug delivery device to rotationally align the retaining member with the housing, wherein the retaining member is designed to be fixed in a proximal part of the housing of the drug delivery device for retaining a mechanical assembly of the drug delivery device in the housing of the drug delivery device, wherein the retaining member is a nut comprising an inner thread for threaded engagement with a part of the mechanical assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The retaining member of claim 13, wherein the alignment member comprises a ridge engageable with a groove of the drug delivery device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The retaining member of claim 13, wherein the first engagement device extends along a circumference of the retaining member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The retaining member of claim 14, wherein the ridge extends in an axial direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The retaining member of claim 13, wherein the alignment member is one of a plurality of axially extending alignment members configured to engage the housing of the drug delivery device to rotationally align the retaining member with the housing.