Container for medicament automatic injector and automatic injector adapted therefor

An automatic injector package comprising:

• an automatic injector including:
• a housing;
• a cartridge assembly located in said housing;
• a needle assembly operatively associated with said cartridge assembly;
• and
• an actuation assembly located in said housing, said actuation assembly including a stored energy source and a drive assembly driven by said stored energy source, said drive assembly being operatively associated with said cartridge assembly and said needle assembly to expel a medicament from the cartridge and through said needle assembly upon activation of the automatic injector;
• a container constructed and arranged to receive the automatic injector therein before and after use, the automatic injector having an exposed needle after said use, said container having at least a portion thereof formed from a light permeable material, the container comprising a needle retainer disposed within the container for retaining the automatic injector in said container by engaging an exposed needle of said automatic injector after use, said needle retainer comprising a resilient member and raised central portions on top and bottom surfaces thereof;
• and
• indicia provided on at least one of said housing and said container, said indicia being visible by a user when the automatic injector has been placed into said container after use, said indicia pointing to an indicating portion that indicates that the automatic injector has been used.

A container for receiving therein an automatic injector, the container comprising:

• an open end;
• one or more interior walls forming a hollow interior sized and configured to receive an automatic injector through the open end;
• a closed end opposite the open end;
• a cap constructed and arranged to releasably engage the open end so as to releasably close the open end, wherein the interior walls, the closed end, and the cap releasably engaging, the open end completely enclose an automatic injector within the hollow interior between the cap and the closed end;
• a needle retainer mounted within the container proximate the closed end;
• and
• a shield mounted within the container between the needle retainer and the closed end of the container, the shield operative to prevent penetration there through by an exposed needle of an automatic injector.

A method of constructing a container for carrying and storing an automatic injector before and after use of the injector, the method comprising:

• forming an elongated body having an open end and a closed end opposite the open end, the elongated body having one or more interior walls forming a hollow interior sized and configured to receive an automatic injector through the open end;
• forming a cap sized and configured to engage the open end to open and close the open end, wherein the interior walls, the closed end, and the cap closing the open end completely enclose an automatic injector within the hollow interior between the cap and the closed end;
• forming a retainer sized to fit within and laterally across the hollow interior;
• forming the retainer from a resilient material operative to cushion an automatic injector stored within the hollow interior prior to use of the automatic injector and to receive and retain there through an exposed needle of the automatic injector after use of the automatic injector;
• engaging the retainer with the one or more interior walls proximate the closed end;
• and
• mounting a shield within the container between the retainer and the closed end of the container, the shield operative to prevent penetration there through by an exposed needle of an automatic injector.

A container for receiving therein an automatic injector, the container comprising:

• an open end;
• one or more interior walls forming a hollow interior sized and configured to receive an automatic injector through the open end;
• a closed end opposite the open end;
• a cap constructed and arranged to releasably engage the open end so as to releasably close the open end, wherein the interior walls, the closed end, and the cap releasably closing the open end completely enclose the automatic injector within the hollow interior between the cap and the closed end;
• and
• a needle retainer mounted within the container proximate the closed end but not contacting the closed end, the needle retainer formed of a resilient material operative to cushion an automatic injector stored within the container prior to use of the automatic injector and to retain an exposed needle of the automatic injector after use of the automatic injector when penetrated by the exposed needle,
• wherein:
• the exposed needle becomes bent and crippled upon the automatic injector's return to the container after said use.

A container for receiving therein an automatic injector. the container comprising:

• an open end;
• one or more interior walls forming a hollow interior sized and configured to receive an automatic injector through the open end;
• a closed end opposite the open end;
• a car constructed and arranged to releasably engage the open end so as to releasably close the open end, wherein the interior walls, the closed end, and the cap releasably closing the open end completely enclose the automatic injector within the hollow interior between the cap and the closed end;
• and
• a needle retainer mounted within the container proximate the closed end but not contacting the closed end, the needle retainer formed of a resilient material operative to cushion an automatic injector stored within the container prior to use of the automatic injector and to retain an exposed needle of the automatic injector after use of the automatic injector when penetrated by the exposed needle, wherein
• the exposed needle becomes bent and crippled upon the automatic injector's return to the container after said use:
• the container further comprising;
• a clip constructed and arranged to attach to an exterior surface of the container.

A method of constructing a container for carrying and storing an automatic injector before and after use of the injector, the method comprising:

• forming an elongated body having an open end and a closed end opposite the open end, the elongated body having one or more interior walls forming a hollow interior sized and configured to receive an automatic injector completely therein through the open end;
• forming a cap sized and configured to engage the open end to open and close the open end;
• forming a retainer sized to fit within and laterally across the hollow interior;
• forming the retainer from a resilient material operative to cushion an automatic injector stored within the hollow interior prior to use of the automatic injector and to receive and retain there through an exposed needle of the automatic injector after use of the automatic injector;
• forming a plurality of protuberances on the retainer;
• and
• engaging the retainer with the one or more interior walls proximate the closed end.