Medical delivery device with axially expandable drive ribbon

A medication delivery device for use with a container having a container body holding a medication and defining an outlet, the container includes a piston disposed within the container body wherein advancement of the piston within the container body expels the medication through the outlet, the delivery device comprising:

• a housing adapted to couple with the container;
• and
• a drive assembly coupled with the housing and adapted to advance the piston within the container, wherein the drive assembly comprises:
• a drive ribbon having a distal edge section and a proximal edge section, the drive ribbon being movable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration about a drive axis, wherein a retracted portion of the drive ribbon in the retracted configuration defines a spiral and an extended portion of the drive ribbon in the extended configuration defines a helix;
• and
• a thrust member engaged with the drive ribbon and rotatable relative to the drive ribbon and the housing, wherein, in response to the rotation of the thrust member, the drive ribbon is movable between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration without any rotation relative to the housing or the container,
• wherein the thrust member includes a helical thread engageable with the drive ribbon, the device further comprising a rotational restraint member rotationally fixed relative to the housing and engaged with the drive ribbon to prevent relative rotation between the extended portion of the drive ribbon and the rotational restraint member.

A medication delivery device for use with a container having a container body holding a medication and defining an outlet, the container includes a piston disposed within the container body wherein advancement of the piston within the container body expels the medication through the outlet, the delivery device comprising:

• a housing adapted to couple with the container;
• and
• a drive assembly coupled with the housing and adapted to advance the piston within the container, wherein the drive assembly comprises:
• a drive ribbon having a distal edge section and a proximal edge section, the drive ribbon being movable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration about a drive axis, wherein a retracted portion of the drive ribbon in the retracted configuration defines a spiral and an extended portion of the drive ribbon in the extended configuration defines a helix;
• and
• a thrust member engaged with the drive ribbon and rotatable relative to the drive ribbon and the housing, wherein, in response to the rotation of the thrust member, the drive ribbon is movable between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration without any rotation relative to the housing or the container,
• wherein, in response to the rotation of the thrust member, the thrust member is movable axially in a proximal direction and a distal end of the drive ribbon remains axially stationary, and wherein, to advance the piston within the container body, the thrust member and the extended portion of the drive ribbon are axially moved in a distal direction.

A medication delivery device comprising:

• a housing;
• a drive assembly coupled with the housing;
• and
• a container having a container body holding a medication and defining an outlet, wherein the container is removably coupled to the housing, the container includes a piston disposed within the container body wherein advancement of the piston within the container body expels the medication through the outlet,
• wherein the container body comprises a drive ribbon having a distal edge section and a proximal edge section, the drive ribbon having a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, wherein a retracted portion of the drive ribbon in the retracted configuration defines a spiral and an extended portion of the drive ribbon in the extended configuration defines a helix, wherein upon actuation of the drive assembly the drive ribbon is configured to be movable from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration to advance said piston within the container body, wherein the movement of the drive ribbon from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration defines a drive axis, wherein a radially outward facing surface of the drive ribbon comprises a plurality of regularly spaced surface projections, each of the surface projections bounded by intersecting first and second grooves.

A medication delivery device, comprising:

• a drive module including a module housing, a motor disposed within the module housing, and a drive gear operably coupled to a shaft of the motor;
• a cassette including a cassette housing configured to couple to the module housing, the cassette including a container body holding a medication and defining an outlet, the cassette including a piston disposed within the container body;
• a drive ribbon having a helical portion that is axially extendable to advance the piston within the container body to expel the medication through the outlet;
• and
• a thrust member including a driven gear element operably coupled with the drive gear, the thrust member engaged with the drive ribbon and movable to axially extend or retract the helical portion of the drive ribbon without rotation of the helical portion relative to the container body.