US 9,474,859 B2 · Auto-injector

Abstract

The invention refers to a shuttering mechanism for controlling translation of a longitudinally moveable component within an elongate housing, the shuttering mechanism comprising at least one set of castellations on the housing and at least one resilient arm associated with the longitudinally moveable component, the resilient arm having a dog resiliently biased towards the castellations so as to engage between or behind the castellations and block the translation, wherein a respective shutter arm is arranged alongside the set of castellations, the shutter arm having a number of consecutive ramped protrusions spaced from each other, wherein the castellations and the ramped protrusions have the same pitch, wherein a profiled surface is formed by the castellations and the ramped protrusions, wherein the shutter arm is moveable in longitudinal direction with respect to the set of castellations, wherein the shutter arm has at least one locking position with its ramped protrusions essentially in phase with the castellations thus allowing the dog of the resilient arm to catch between or behind the castellations and wherein the shutter arm has at least one unlocking position with its ramped protrusions out of phase with the castellations in such a manner that the ramped protrusions prevent the dog from engaging with the castellations or disengage them thus allowing translation of the longitudinally moveable component.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A shuttering mechanism for controlling translation of a longitudinally moveable component within an elongate housing, the shuttering mechanism comprising:

a plurality of castellations longitudinally disposed on the housing;
and
at least one resilient arm associated with the longitudinally moveable component, the resilient arm having a dog resiliently biased towards the castellations, the dog adapted to engage between or behind the castellations and block the translation of the longitudinally moveable component,
wherein a respective shutter arm is arranged alongside the plurality of castellations, the shutter arm having a plurality of consecutive ramped protrusions spaced from each other,
wherein the castellations and the ramped protrusions have the same pitch,
wherein a profiled surface is formed by the castellations and the ramped protrusions,
wherein the shutter arm is moveable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the plurality of castellations, and
wherein the shutter arm has at least one locking position with its ramped protrusions essentially in phase with the castellations thus allowing the dog of the resilient arm to catch between or behind the castellations and wherein the shutter arm has at least one unlocking position with its ramped protrusions out of phase with the castellations in such a manner that the ramped protrusions prevent the dog from engaging with the castellations or disengage them thus allowing translation of the longitudinally moveable component.

5 more elements

An auto-injector for administering a dose of a liquid medicament, the auto-injector having a distal end and a proximal end with an orifice intended to be applied against an injection site, the auto-injector comprising:

an elongate housing arranged to contain a syringe with a hollow needle and a stopper for sealing the syringe and displacing the medicament, wherein the syringe is slidably arranged with respect to the housing,
a drive mechanism capable of, upon activation:
pushing the needle from a retracted position into an advanced position through the orifice and past the proximal end, and
operating the syringe to supply the dose of medicament,
a plunger for transmitting power from the drive mechanism to the syringe and/or stopper, and
a shuttering mechanism arranged to lock the drive mechanism in a compressed state prior to manual operation and capable of, upon manual operation, releasing the drive mechanism for injection,
wherein the shuttering mechanism comprises a plurality of castellations longitudinally disposed on the housing, and at least one plunger arm attached to the plunger, the plunger arm having a dog resiliently biased towards the castellations, the dog adapted so as to engage between or behind the castellations and block the translation of the plunger,
wherein a respective shutter arm is arranged alongside the plurality of castellations, the shutter arm having a number plurality of consecutive ramped protrusions spaced from each other, wherein the shutter arm is moveable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the plurality of castellations,
wherein the shutter arm has at least one locking position with its ramped protrusions essentially in phase with the castellations thus allowing the dog of the plunger arm to catch between or behind the castellations and
wherein the shutter arm has at least one unlocking position with its ramped protrusions out of phase with the castellations in such a manner that the ramped protrusions prevent the dog from engaging with the castellations or disengage them thus allowing translation of the plunger.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Auto-injector

Life of this patent

Auto-injector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15