# US 9,753,015 B2 · Characterization and/or detection of structural characteristics associated with syringes and/or automatic injection devices based on acoustics

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- Number: US 9,753,015 B2
- Document ID: US9753015B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/434,050
- Filed: 2013-10-11
- Published: 2015-09-10
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-12
- Assignees: AbbVie Inc.
- Applicants: AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd.
- Inventors: Jose L. Bardina; Jovo Dragicevic; Jose M. Rodriguez; Lewis H. Sita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753015B2

## CPC

- G01N 29/12: by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves {(measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00)}
- A61M 5/178: Syringes
- A61M 5/5086: {for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile}
- G01H 1/00: Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector (G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence)
- G01M 7/022: {Vibration control arrangements, e.g. for generating random vibrations}
- G01M 7/025: {Measuring arrangements}
- G01M 7/027: {Specimen mounting arrangements, e.g. table head adapters}
- G01N 29/045: {by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks (measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00)}
- A61M 5/20: Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically (A61M5/142 takes precedence)
- A61M 2209/02: Equipment for testing the apparatus
- G01H 17/00: Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
- G01N 2291/0289: Internal structure, e.g. defects, grain size, texture
- G01N 2291/2698: Other discrete objects, e.g. bricks
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

System and methods for characterizing and/or detecting structural characteristics of syringes (e.g., bare syringes or syringes included in automatic injection devices) using acoustic vibrations. A transducer is positioned proximate to a syringe so that the transducer vibrates at one or more frequencies and a response of the syringe to the vibrations can be received via the receiver. The response of syringe can be processed to determine a structural characteristic of the syringe.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A syringe structural characterization system comprising:
a transducer to output a first signal proximate to a syringe pre-filled with a fluid and incorporated in a housing substantially surrounding the syringe;
a receiver to receive a response of the syringe to the first signal; and
a processing device configured to control the transducer and the receiver to determine a structural characteristic of the syringe based on the response received by the receiver;
wherein at least one of the transducer and the receiver are configured to physically contact the syringe.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of claim 1, wherein the transducer is configured to vibrate at one or more frequencies and the receiver is configured to detect a syringe response to vibrations of the transducer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of any one of claim 1, further comprising:
an adjustable stage operatively coupled to the transducer to position the transducer in proximity to the syringe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of any one of claim 1, further comprising:
an adjustable stage operatively coupled to the receiver to position the receiver in proximity to the syringe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of any one of claim 1, wherein the receiver is an acoustic sensor configured to measure the response.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of any one of claim 1, wherein the transducer and the receiver are positioned at a substantially similar location along a longitudinal axis of the syringe and radially offset from each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The syringe structural characterization system of claim 6, wherein the transducer and the syringe are radially offset by about one hundred eighty degrees.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of any one of claim 1, wherein the syringe is incorporated in an automatic injection device, the automatic injection device including the housing and the housing including openings through which the transducer and the receiver pass to position the transducer and the receiver in proximity to the syringe.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The syringe structural characterization system of any one of claim 1, wherein the structural characteristic is at least one of a crack and a scratch and the structural characteristic is detected based on a comparison between response parameters of the syringe and parameter limits corresponding to a characterization of one or more control syringes having like syringe attributes as the syringe.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The syringe structural characterization system of claim 9, wherein the response parameters include at least one of a peak amplitude of the response, a frequency at which the peak amplitude occurs, and a bandwidth of the response.

### Claim 11

A system for characterizing a syringe based on structural characteristics of the syringe comprising:
a transducer configured to vibrate at one or more frequencies;
a receiver to detect a syringe response to vibrations of the transducer, the syringe pre-filled with a fluid and incorporated in a housing substantially surrounding the syringe; and
a syringe characterization unit configured to characterize the response detected by the receiver;
wherein at least one of the transducer and the receiver are configured to physically contact the syringe.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the syringe characterization unit identifies response parameters for the response and characterizes the response by generating a signature based on the response parameters.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the response parameters include at least one of a peak amplitude of the response, a frequency at which the peak amplitude occurs, and a bandwidth of the response.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the signature comprises at least one of an upper limit associated with a peak amplitude, a lower limit associated with a peak amplitude, an upper limit associated with a frequency at which a peak amplitude occurs, a lower limit associated with a frequency at which a peak amplitude occurs, an upper limit associated with a bandwidth of the response, and a lower limit associated with a bandwidth of the response.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by a processing device causes the processing device to:
control a transducer to vibrate at one or more frequencies;
receive a response of a syringe pre-filled with a fluid to vibrations of the transducer, the syringe incorporated in a housing surrounding the syringe, and at least one of the transducer and the receiver are configured to physically contact the syringe; and
process the response to determine a structural characteristic of the syringe based on the response received the receiver.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device causes the processing device to compute a signature corresponding to the response of the syringe, the signature characterizing the syringe.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the syringe is incorporated in an automatic injection device, the automatic injection device including the housing, and the housing including openings through which the transducer and the receiver pass to position the transducer and the receiver in proximity to the syringe.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory medium of claim 15, wherein the structural characteristic is at least one of a crack and a scratch and execution of the instructions by the processing device causes the processing device to detected the structural characteristic based on a comparison between response parameters of the syringe and parameter limits corresponding to a characterization of one or more control syringes having like syringe attributes as the syringe.

### Claim 19

A method of detecting a structural characteristic of a syringe comprising:
inducing vibrations in one or more syringes;
measuring a response of a syringe pre-filled with a syringe to the vibrations, the syringe is incorporated in a housing substantially surrounding the syringe;
positioning the transducer proximate to the syringe to induce vibrations in the syringe; and
positioning the receiver proximate to the syringe to receive the response of the syringe to the vibrations;
wherein at least one the transducer and the receiver are configured to physically contact the syringe.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising processing the response to identify response parameters including at least one of a peak amplitude of the response, a frequency at which the peak amplitude occurs, and a bandwidth of the response.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising characterizing the syringe based on the response parameters.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein characterizing the syringe comprising generating at least one upper limit and at least one lower limit for at least one of the peak amplitude, the frequency at which the peak amplitude occurs, and the bandwidth of the response.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one upper limit and at least one lower limit are based on a statistical analysis of the response parameters for a plurality of syringes.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising detecting a structural characteristic of the syringe based on the response parameters.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the detecting the structural characteristic comprises comparing at least one of the response parameters to a predetermined limit.