Multi-cartridge medication injection device

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container mounted to said housing and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• a tubular element disposed in said housing, said tubular element including an internally threaded surface;
• a drive stem telescopingly extending through said inner diameter surface and including a first axial end engageable with said piston, a second and opposite axial end comprising an enlarged diameter portion, and an externally threaded surface between said first end and said second end, said externally threaded surface in engagement with said internally threaded surface of said tubular element;
• a nut secured to said drive stem for restraining rotation of said drive stem upon rotation of said tubular element, said drive stem being axially movable with respect to said tubular element upon rotation of said tubular element, wherein relative rotation between said tubular element and said drive stem controls the amount of telescopic extension of said drive stem from said tubular element to establish a set dosage of injectable product to be delivered, wherein said amount of telescopic extension of said drive stem from said tubular element is at a maximum upon said enlarged diameter portion of said drive stem engaging said internally threaded surface of said tubular element;
• and
• a drive assembly coupled to said drive stem for axially moving said drive stem to drive said piston.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container mounted to an end of said housing and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• a drive stem disposed in said housing and drivingly coupled to said piston;
• a drive assembly coupled to said drive stem for moving said drive stem to drive said piston within said container;
• a rotatable piece secured to said drive stem for rotation with said drive stem;
• a locking sleeve disposed about said drive stem and coupled to said rotatable piece to restrict rotation of said rotatable piece, said rotatable piece and said locking sleeve being in engagement with one another while said container is mounted to said housing to prevent rotation of said rotatable piece and said drive stem;
• and
• a disengaging mechanism coupled to at least one of said rotatable piece and said locking sleeve for automatically disengaging said locking sleeve from said rotatable piece upon removal of said container from said housing, thereby permitting said rotatable piece and said drive stem to be rotated with respect to said housing.

An apparatus for effecting delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a cartridge received in said housing for containing and sealing an injectable product therein, said cartridge including an exit end and a piston axially movable in said cartridge to define an axis of ejection of the injectable product from said cartridge;
• a manually adjustable dosage metering mechanism rotatably disposed in said housing for enabling a user to selectively set a dosage of the injectable product to be delivered without effecting delivery of the injectable product from said cartridge, said dosage metering mechanism including a dial having a first stop member, wherein said housing includes a second stop member, said first stop member engageable with said second stop member to limit rotation of said dial to less than 360.degree. to thereby establish a-maximum dosage setting;
• and
• a delivery mechanism for engaging and axially advancing said piston a distance sufficient to cause said set dosage to be delivered out of said cartridge, said delivery mechanism including a hand operated actuator.

A medication dispensing device for effecting the simultaneous delivery of two injectable products, comprising:

• a housing;
• a first cartridge received in said housing and containing and sealing a first injectable product therein, said first cartridge having a first exit end and including a first piston therein;
• a second cartridge received in said housing and containing and sealing a second injectable product therein, said second cartridge having a second exit end and including a second piston therein;
• a first dosage metering mechanism disposed in said housing and including a first dosage adjuster coupled to a first plunger-engageable member such that adjustment of said first dosage adjuster establishes a first set dosage of injectable product to be delivered;
• a second dosage metering mechanism disposed in said housing and including a second dosage adjuster coupled to a second plunger-engageable member such that upon adjustment of said second dosage adjuster such that adjustment of said second dosage adjuster establishes a second distance with respect to said housing to establish a second set dosage of injectable product to be delivered;
• a manifold secured to said first and second exit of said first and second cartridges, respectively, for enabling the mixing of said first and second set dosages of said first and second injectable products within said manifold upon delivery from said respective cartridges into said manifold, said manifold being in fluid communication with said first and second cartridges and containing a common exit for enabling the mixed injectable product to be delivered to a user;
• and
• a drive mechanism coupled to said first and second plunger-engageable members for simultaneously axially advancing said first and second members a distance sufficient to engage and axially advance said first and second pistons, respectively, to effect simultaneous delivery of said first and second set dosages into said manifold and out through said common exit, said drive mechanism moveable to axially retract said first and second plunger-engagement members away from said respective first and second pistons after said delivery of said mixed injectable product.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container mounted within said housing and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• a drive stem disposed in said housing and drivingly coupled to said piston;
• a drive assembly mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing between a dose-setting position and an injection position for moving said drive stem to drive said piston within said container, said drive assembly including a first ratchet element;
• and
• a dose setting assembly including a second ratchet element coupled to said first ratchet element to establish a set dosage of injectable product to be delivered, said dose setting assembly including an indicator element being movable from a zero dose reference position against a biasing force to a specific dose reference position upon the setting of a desired dose to be delivered, said first ratchet element being in engagement with said second ratchet element to maintain said indicator element in said specific dose position while said drive assembly is in said dose-setting position, said first ratchet element being movable out of engagement with said second ratchet element upon movement of said drive assembly from said dose-setting position to said injection position, thereby enabling said indicator element to be automatically biased by said biasing force back to its zero dose reference position.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container mounted to said housing and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• an internally threaded nut disposed in said housing and rotatable with respect to said housing, and an externally threaded leadscrew disposed in said nut and drivingly coupled to said plunger;
• means secured to said leadscrew for restraining said leadscrew against rotation upon rotation of said nut so that rotation of said nut causes translation of said leadscrew;
• a drive assembly mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing between a pre-injection position and a post-injection position for moving said leadscrew to drive said piston within said container, said drive assembly including a clutch element secured to said nut for rotation therewith, said clutch element including a first ratchet element, said clutch element, nut, and leadscrew being axially movable between said pre-injection position and said post-injection position;
• and
• a dose setting assembly coupled to said drive assembly and comprising a rotatable element having a dose setting knob and a rotatable second ratchet element engageable with said first ratchet element while said drive assembly is in said pre-injection position so that rotation of said knob results in rotation of said nut, said rotatable element being rotatable against the force of a spring from an initial radial position to a selective final radial position for selectively advancing said leadscrew to set the dosage of injectable product to be delivered, said first ratchet element being spaced from said second ratchet element while said drive assembly is in said post-injection position, whereby said spring biases said rotatable element from said final radial position to said initial radial position upon movement of said drive assembly from said pre-injection position to said post-injection position.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container mounted to said housing and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• piston-engagement means disposed in said housing for drivingly engaging said piston;
• drive means mounted to said housing for moving said piston-engagement means between a pre-injection axial position and a post-injection axial position, with respect to said housing, to drive said piston within said container, said drive means including a first ratchet element, and a nut means coupled to said piston-engagement means for rotation with respect to said piston-engagement means, wherein relative rotation between said nut means and said piston-engagement means controls the amount of telescopic extension of said piston-engagement means from said nut means to establish a set dosage of injectable product to be delivered, said piston-engagement means being axially movable with said nut means between said pre-injection position and said post-injection position;
• and
• dose setting means for setting a dosage of injectable product to be delivered, said dose setting means coupled to said drive means and comprising a rotatable element including a dose setting knob and a second ratchet element engageable with said first element while said drive means is in said pre-injection position, wherein said dose setting knob is coupled to said nut means while said piston-engagement means is in said pre-injection position so that rotation of said knob with respect to said housing results in rotation of said nut means, said rotatable element being rotatable against the force of a spring means from an initial radial position to a selective final radial position for selectively advancing said piston-engagement means to set the dosage of injectable product to be delivered, said first ratchet element being spaced from said second ratchet element while said piston-engagement means is in said post-injection position, whereby said spring means biases said rotatable element from said final radial position to said initial radial position upon movement of said piston-engagement means from said pre-injection position to said post-injection position.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container received in said housing and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• a drive stem disposed in said housing and drivingly coupled to said piston;
• and
• a drive assembly mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing for moving said drive stem to drive said piston within said container;
• wherein a locking mechanism is engageable with said drive stem and configured to restrict rotation of said drive stem with respect to said housing, said locking mechanism being in engagement with said drive stem while said container is securely mounted in said housing to prevent rotation of said drive stem with respect to said housing, said locking mechanism being automatically disengaged from said drive stem upon removal of said container from said housing, thereby permitting said drive stem to be rotated with respect to said housing.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a removable cartridge retainer received in said distal end of said housing;
• a replaceable cartridge received in said cartridge retainer and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit, said cartridge retainer being removable to enable said cartridge to be replaced with another cartridge;
• a drive stem disposed in said housing and drivingly coupled to said piston;
• a dosage metering mechanism disposed in said housing to establish a first set dosage of the first injectable product to be delivered;
• and
• a drive assembly mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing for moving said drive stem to drive said piston within said cartridge;
• wherein an automatic lockout mechanism is engageable with said drive stem and configured to prevent axial movement of said drive stem toward said proximal end of said housing independent of said dosage metering mechanism and said drive assembly, said lockout mechanism being in engagement with said drive stem while said cartridge retainer is securely mounted in said housing to prevent said independent axial movement of said drive stem with respect to said housing, said lockout mechanism being automatically disengaged from said drive stem upon removal of said cartridge retainer from said housing, thereby permitting said drive stem to be axially moved toward the proximal end of said housing independent of said dosage metering mechanism and drive assembly.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a removable cartridge retainer received in said housing;
• a replaceable cartridge received in said cartridge retainer and including a piston, an exit, and an injectable product between said piston and said exit, said cartridge retainer being removable to enable said cartridge to be replaced with another cartridge;
• a drive stem disposed in said housing and drivingly coupled to said piston;
• a drive assembly mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing for moving said drive stem to drive said piston with said cartridge;
• a hand-operated actuator for moving said drive assembly between a pre-injection position and a post-injection position;
• and
• means for locking said cartridge retainer to said housing while said drive assembly is in one of said pre-injection and post-injection positions.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a cartridge retainer received in said housing;
• a cartridge received in said cartridge retainer and including a piston, an exit and an injectable product between said piston and said exit;
• a drive stem disposed in said housing and drivingly coupled to said piston;
• and
• a drive assembly mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing for moving said drive stem to drive said piston within said cartridge;
• a hand-operated actuator for moving said drive assembly between a pre-injection position and a post-injection position;
• wherein a rotatable piece is secured to said drive stem for rotation therewith, and a locking sleeve is disposed about said drive stem and configured to restrict rotation of said rotatable piece with respect to said housing, said rotatable piece and said locking sleeve being biased in unlocked relationship with one another, said rotatable piece and said locking sleeve being forced into locked engagement with one another while said retainer is mounted to said housing to prevent rotation of said rotatable piece and said drive stem with respect to said housing, said rotatable piece and said locking sleeve being automatically disengaged from one another upon removal of said retainer from said housing, thereby permitting said rotatable piece and said drive stem to be rotated with respect to said housing.

An apparatus for the delivery of an injectable product, comprising:

• a housing;
• a container received in said housing and including a plunger, an exit and an injectable product between said plunger and said exit;
• plunger-engagement means disposed in said housing for drivingly engaging said plunger;
• and
• drive means mounted to said housing and axially movable in said housing for moving said plunger-engagement means to drive said plunger within said container,
• wherein a rotatable piece is secured to said drive stem for rotation therewith, and a locking means is disposed about said drive stem and configured to restrict rotation of said rotatable piece with respect to said housing, said rotatable piece and said locking means biased in unlocked relationship with one another, said rotatable piece and said locking means being forced into locked engagement with one another while said container is mounted to said housing to prevent rotation of said rotatable piece and said plunger-engagement means with respect to said housing, said rotatable piece and said locking means being automatically disengaged from one another upon removal of said container from said housing, thereby permitting said rotatable piece and said plunger-engagement means to be rotated with respect to said housing.

A method of delivering a selected dosage of injectable product, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving a hand-operated actuator to a pre-injection position;
• rotating a knob extending from an injector housing to set a dosage of injectable product to be delivered out of a container mounted to an end of the housing, wherein the injectable product is in the container between a piston and an exit end of the container, wherein movement of the piston toward the exit end defines an axis of ejection of the injectable product from the container;
• and
• continuously moving the actuator in a direction transverse to the axis of ejection from the pre-injection position to a post-injection position to move the piston and effect delivery of the injectable product.

A method of delivering a selected dosage of mixed injectable product, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving a hand-operated actuator to a pre-injection position;
• rotating a first knob of a first dosage metering mechanism disposed in an injector housing to set a first set dosage of first injectable product to be delivered out of a first container mounted in the housing, wherein the first injectable product is in the first container between a first piston and a first exit end of the first container, wherein the first piston is movable toward the first exit end along a first axis of ejection of the first injectable product from the first container;
• rotating a second knob of a second dosage metering mechanism disposed in the injector housing to set a second set dosage of second injectable product to be delivered out of a second container mounted in the housing, wherein the second injectable product is in the second container between a second piston and a second exit end of the second container, wherein the second plunger is movable toward the second exit end along a second axis of ejection of the second injectable product from the second container, the second axis being generally parallel to the first axis;
• and
• moving the actuator in a direction transverse to the first and second axes of ejection to a post-injection position to simultaneously axially advance first and second piston-engagement members in the housing to axially advance the first and second pistons, respectively, to effect simultaneous delivery of the first and second set dosages into a manifold attached to the first and second exit ends of the first and second containers and out through a needle extending from the manifold.

A method of delivering a selected dosage of injectable product, wherein the injectable product is in a cartridge between a piston and an exit end of the cartridge, the cartridge being replaceable and received in a removable cartridge retainer, the cartridge retainer being received in an injector housing and removable to enable the cartridge to be replaced with another cartridge, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving a hand-operated mechanism to a pre-injection position, thereby automatically locking the cartridge retainer to the housing;
• actuating a dosage metering mechanism disposed in the injector housing to set a dosage of injectable product to be delivered out of the cartridge;
• and
• moving the hand-operated mechanism from the pre-injection position to a post-injection position to effect delivery of the injectable product, thereby automatically unlocking the cartridge retainer from the housing to permit the cartridge retainer to be removed from the housing.

A method of delivering a selected dosage of injectable product, the method comprising the steps of:

• rotating a cartridge retainer into a locked position with respect to an injector housing, thereby automatically causing a piston-engagement stem within the housing to become locked against rotation with respect to the housing;
• setting a dosage of injectable product to be delivered out of a cartridge of liquid medication housed in the cartridge retainer and containing the liquid medication between a movable piston and an exit;
• moving a hand-operated actuator to effect nonrotating axial advancement of the piston-engagement stem to effect delivery of the set dosage of injectable product out of the exit end;
• removing the cartridge retainer and cartridge from the housing thereby automatically enabling the piston-engagement stem to be rotatable with respect to the housing;
• and
• causing the piston-engagement stem to rotate with respect to the housing and simultaneously axially move toward an opposite end of the housing.