Patient-fillable and non-invasive hypodermic injection device assembly

A patient-fillable ampule and a non-invasive hypodermic injection device assembly comprising:

• an injection device including a housing having an ampule-receiving chamber, a gas charge, and means for delivering a predetermined amount of gas to said ampule-receiving chamber;
• and
• a patient-fillable ampule therefore comprising:
• an ampule body having a plunger end and an orifice end, said body having a generally elongate cylindrical form with an outer wall of predetermined diameter and an inner wall defining a medication retaining cavity, a flange which is a continuation of said inner wall which is located at said orifice end and extends axially outward therefrom, said flange having an outer wall which is located intermediate said body inner wall and said body outer wall;
• an elongate plunger, one end thereof having a seal-carrying groove formed about the periphery thereof and being received in said medication retaining cavity with a seal received in said groove and the other end thereof formed into a broadened head;
• an orifice-bearing end cap fixed to said orifice end, said end cap having a generally cylindrical form of substantially the same outside diameter as said outer wall predetermined, larger diameter along a first length thereof and a stepped-down, smaller diameter along a second length thereof, said end cap including a medication-receiving portion extending axially from the larger diameter end thereof into said medication retaining cavity, said medication receiving portion having a truncated conical bore therein with the wider end of said bore located in said medication retaining cavity, said end cap having a groove extending about said medication receiving portion at the base of said medication receiving portion, said groove being conformal with said flange on said body;
• a truncated hypodermic needle received in said end cap at the smaller diameter end thereof and having a channel extending therethrough, said channel communicating with the narrower end of said bore;
• and
• attachment means including an elongate ampule sleeve for attaching said ampule to said device which extends about said ampule body along the length thereof, one end of said sleeve being located adjacent said plunger end of said body, the other end of said sleeve being located adjacent said orifice end and being constructed and arranged to grasp said end cap about said stepped-down diameter.