Liquid medication injection device

Provided is a liquid medicine injection device having a needle holder slid immediately by using the elasticity of a spring such that a needle installed at the needle holder may be instantly inserted into a patient.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to liquid medicine injection devices.

BACKGROUND ART

Liquid medicine injection devices such as insulin injection devices are used to inject liquid medicines into the bodies of patients, which are used by professional medical staff such as nurses or doctors but are mostly used by ordinary persons such as caretakers or patients themselves. Since the liquid medicines injected through the liquid medicine injection devices are often required to be taken by the patients for a long period of time, the patients may suffer the pain of the needles of the liquid medicine injection devices being inserted many times.

A liquid medicine injection device has a needle for discharging liquid medicine, and the needle should be inserted into the body of the patient, and in this process, the patient may inevitably suffer the pain due to the insertion of the needle. In addition, the pain due to the insertion of the needle may cause the patient to have fear of the liquid medicine injection device and thus the objection to the liquid medicine injection device.

Provided is a liquid medicine injection device that may minimize the pain and fear due to the insertion of a needle.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid medicine injection device includes: a casing: a button exposed outside the casing; a needle holder located in the casing and coupled to a needle; a spring located in the casing and interposed between the button and the needle holder; and a guiding member located in the casing to support the needle holder.

The needle holder may be provided to rotate by an operation of the button, and the needle holder may include: a first support supported by the guiding member in a first state; and a guiding groove provided to be adjacent to the first support and to pass the guiding member therethrough in a second state where the needle holder is rotated from the first state.

The first support may include: a support groove formed at a surface facing an insertion direction of the needle and connected to the guiding groove; and a support stopper located between the support groove and the guiding groove to provide a resistance to the rotation of the needle holder.

The guiding member may include a second support provided to support the first support in the first state.

The second support may include a first support portion located downstream with respect to a rotation direction of the needle holder and a second support portion located upstream with respect to the rotation direction of the needle holder, and the first support portion may be located more adjacent to the button than the second support portion.

The button may be provided to slide in a direction facing the needle holder, and the liquid medicine injection device may further include a stopper located adjacent to the guiding member and provided to control the sliding of the button.

The button may include a first coupling portion protruding toward the needle holder, and the needle holder may include a second coupling portion provided to couple to the first coupling portion.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid medicine injection device includes: a casing including a base: a button exposed outside the casing; a needle holder located in the casing; and a spring located in the casing and interposed between the button and the needle holder, wherein the needle holder is provided to be located spaced apart from the base of the casing in a first state, and the needle holder is provided to be driven toward the base by the elasticity of the spring while being transformed into a second state where the needle holder is rotated from the first state.

The liquid medicine injection device may further include a guiding member provided to support the needle holder to be spaced apart from the base in the first state and to guide the needle holder in the second state.

The needle holder may include: a first support supported by the guiding member in the first state; and a guiding groove provided to be adjacent to the first support and to pass the guiding member therethrough in the second state where the needle holder is rotated from the first state.

The guiding member may include a second support provided to support the first support in the first state.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF DISCLOSURE

According to the embodiments of the present disclosure described above, since the needle holder may be immediately slid by using the elasticity of the spring, the needle installed at the needle holder may be instantly inserted into the patient.

Due to the instant insertion of the needle, the pain of the patient may be minimized and the patient's fear for the needle may be reduced.

Accordingly, the objection to the liquid medicine injection device by the patient having to be provided with the liquid medicine for a long period of time may be reduced, and the liquid medicine may be smoothly injected into the patient, thus contributing to the health and/or treatment of the patient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure may include various embodiments and modifications, and certain embodiments thereof are illustrated in the drawings and will be described herein in detail. The effects and features of the present disclosure and the accomplishing methods thereof will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below, and may be embodied in various modes.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, like reference numerals will denote like elements, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

It will be understood that the terms “comprise”, “include”, and “have” used herein specify the presence of stated features or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features or components.

It will be understood that when a layer, region, or component is referred to as being “formed on” another layer, region, or component, it may be directly or indirectly formed on the other layer, region, or component. That is, for example, intervening layers, regions, or components may be present.

When a certain embodiment may be implemented differently, a particular process order may be performed differently from the described order. For example, two consecutively described processes may be performed substantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to the described order.

Sizes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience of description. In other words, since sizes and thicknesses of components in the drawings are arbitrarily illustrated for convenience of description, the following embodiments are not limited thereto.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a liquid medicine injection device according to an embodiment.

A liquid medicine injection device100according to an embodiment may include a button120exposed at one side thereof and a needle cover assembly190provided at the other side thereof.

The button120may be provided and exposed to a user such that the button120may be pressed and/or rotated by the user. The needle cover assembly190may be provided to protect a needle and may be separated when the user uses the liquid medicine injection device100.

The above-described liquid medicine injection device may be more particularly configured as illustrated inFIG. 2.

A liquid medicine injection device according to an embodiment may include a casing, and the casing may include a first casing110and a second casing150coupled to each other.

The first casing110may be exposed to the user even after the liquid medicine injection device is installed at the body of the user, and an opening111may be formed at a portion of the first casing110. The button120may pass through the opening111, and the button120may be exposed to the user.

The button120, a spring130, a needle holder140, a pump160, and a liquid medicine storage unit170may be located between the first casing110and the second casing150coupled to each other, that is, inside the casing.

Although not illustrated, the liquid medicine storage unit170may include a storage tank for storing liquid medicine and a piston for discharging the liquid medicine; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and the liquid medicine storage unit170may include only the storage tank. The liquid medicine may be a liquid including medicine such as insulin.

The liquid medicine storage unit170may be connected to the pump160through a liquid connection member such as a tube. The pump160may be configured to pump the liquid medicine toward the needle holder140and may pump a certain amount of liquid medicine according to a pumping cycle. The pump160may be electrically connected to a separate power supply and a controller (not illustrated) to suck the liquid medicine from the liquid medicine storage unit170and discharge the sucked liquid medicine to the needle holder140.

The pump160may include any types of pumps having a liquid medicine suction force and a liquid medicine discharge force by electricity. For example, the pump160may include any types of pumps such as a mechanical displacement type micropump and an electromagnetic motion type micropump. The mechanical displacement type micropump may be a pump that uses solid or fluid motion such as a gear or diaphragm to generate a pressure difference to induce fluid flow, examples of which may include a diaphragm displacement pump, a fluid displacement pump, and a rotary pump. The electromagnetic motion type micropump may be a pump that uses electric or magnetic energy for fluid movement, examples of which may include an electro-hydrodynamic pump (EHD), an electro-osmotic pump, a magneto-hydrodynamic pump, and an electro-wetting pump.

The pump160may be connected to the needle holder140through a tube TU and a connector CN. The tube TU connected to the pump160may be connected to the connector CN and it may be connected to a needle ND while being supported by the needle holder140. Thus, the liquid medicine discharged from the pump160may be discharged through the needle ND through the tube TU and the connector CN. For this purpose, the needle holder140may be coupled to the needle ND.

The needle holder140may be arranged to face the button120, and the spring130may be interposed between the needle holder140and the button120. The button120, the spring130, and the needle holder140may be arranged along an axis AX. The axis AX may be parallel to a Z axis in the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 2, the liquid medicine storage unit170and the pump160are schematically illustrated and are not limited to the illustrated shapes and/or arrangements.

FIGS. 3 and 4are respectively a perspective view and a bottom perspective view of the button120according to an embodiment.

The button120may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and may be provided to rotate on the axis AX along a rotation direction R1. A rotation groove122may be formed at a surface121of the button120in a Z-axis direction such that the user may easily rotate the button120. The user may easily rotate the button120by inserting a nail or a coin into the rotation groove122.

The button120may have a cylindrical side surface123, and a ring member OR may be inserted near the top of the side surface123. An O-ring may be used as the ring member OR to prevent the liquid medicine from leaking between the button120and the opening111of the first casing110. Alternatively, the ring member OR may provide a certain resistance to the pressure when the button120is pressed by the user and/or prevent the button120from protruding easily after being pressed.

As illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, a fastening opening127may be formed at the side surface123. At least one pair of fastening openings127may be provided at mutually symmetrical portions of the side surface123. The fastening opening127may be located at a substantially central portion of the side surface123in the Z-axis direction, and thus, a fastening rod123amay be formed at an edge of the fastening opening127. The fastening opening127may be fastened to a stopper (which will be described below), and in this case, the fastening rod123amay be caught by the stopper to prevent the button120from being detached. The fastening opening127may be formed to extend in an X-Y plane direction along an outer circumferential surface of the side surface123such that the button120may rotate along the rotation direction R1while being fastened to the stopper.

A first groove128amay be formed at a portion of the side surface123adjacent to the fastening opening127. The first groove128amay be located on both sides of each fastening opening127to provide a certain elasticity when the fastening opening127is fastened to the stopper.

A second groove128bmay be further formed at the side surface123, and when the button120is coupled to the needle holder140, the connector CN may penetrate the side surface123through the second groove128b.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, a first coupling portion125may be provided at an inner surface of the button120, for example, at a surface facing the needle holder140. The first coupling portion125may be coupled to a second coupling portion of the needle holder140(which will be described below). The first coupling portion125may include a first coupling protrusion125aand a second coupling protrusion125bthat protrude toward the needle holder140and face each other while being spaced apart from each other, and a gap125cmay be provided between the first coupling protrusion125aand the second coupling protrusion125b. The first coupling portion125may not be fixedly fastened to the second coupling portion (which will be described below and may be any type that may engage with the second coupling portion when the user presses the button120and may transmit the rotational force of the button120to the needle holder140when the user rotates the button120.

FIGS. 5 to 7are respectively a perspective view, a side view, and a bottom view of the needle holder140according to an embodiment.

The needle holder140according to an embodiment may have a substantially disk-shaped body141to rotate easily along the rotation direction R1. As described above, the connector CN connected to the pump160may be coupled to the body141.

The needle ND may be coupled to the body141in a direction opposite to the button120, and the needle ND may be connected to the connector CN to communicate with the tube TU. As illustrated inFIG. 7, the needle ND may be located at the center of a bottom surface149of the body141.

On the opposite side of a portion of the body141coupled to the connector CN, a support145may be erected in the Z-axis direction. The support145may be formed in a circumferential direction along an edge of the body141. The support145may prevent the needle holder140from being tilted to one side by the tension of the tube TU and may guide the needle holder140to move linearly along an insertion direction K of the needle ND.

A second coupling portion142may be provided at a surface of the body141facing the button120.

The second coupling portion142may be coupled to the first coupling portion125. The second coupling portion142may include a first coupling protrusion142aand a second coupling protrusion142bthat protrude toward the button120while being spaced apart from each other. The first coupling protrusion142aand the second coupling protrusion142bmay be any type that may engage with the first coupling portion125when the user presses the button120and may transmit the rotational force of the button120to the needle holder140when the user rotates the button120, For example, when the first coupling portion125and the second coupling portion142are coupled to each other, the gap125cbetween the first coupling protrusion125aand the second coupling protrusion125bof the first coupling portion125may be inserted between the first coupling protrusion142aand the second coupling protrusion142bof the second coupling portion142. Accordingly, the first coupling portion125and the second coupling portion142may be engaged with each other.

The first coupling portion125may be inserted into one end of the spring130illustrated inFIG. 2and the second coupling portion142may be inserted into the other end of the spring130, so that the spring130may be fixed between the button120and the needle holder140. The spring130may be coupled between the button120and the needle holder140in a compressed state to some degree; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and the spring130may be interposed between the button120and the needle holder140in a normal state that is an uncompressed state in a state where the user does not press the button120.

The needle holder140may include a first support146and a guiding groove144.

The first support146may be supported by a guiding member155(seeFIG. 8) (which will be described below) in a first state before the needle holder140rotates and may be located spaced apart from a base151of the second casing150by a certain distance. That is, in the first state, the needle holder140may float to some degree from the base151in the Z-axis direction.

The guiding groove144may be located adjacent to the first support146. As illustrated inFIGS. 5 to 7, the guiding groove144may be located adjacent to the first support146in the opposite direction to the rotation direction R1. The guiding groove144may be formed at the body141in a cut shape with a certain width. The guiding groove144may be provided to penetrate the body141in the needle (ND) insertion direction K, for example, in the Z-axis direction of the drawings. The guiding groove144may be provided to pass the guiding member155(which will be described below) therethrough in a second state where the needle holder140is rotated. That is, in the second state, the guiding member155may be inserted into the guiding groove144, and in this case, the needle holder140may be slid by the spring130along the needle (ND) insertion direction K.

The first support146may include a support groove146aformed in the shape of a groove having a certain depth in the Z-axis direction on the surface of the body141facing the insertion direction K. The support groove146amay be connected to the guiding groove144, and a support stopper146bmay be located between the support groove146aand the guiding groove144. The support stopper146bmay have the shape of a protrusion protruding in a direction opposite to the direction in which the support groove146ais formed. The guiding member described below may be supported at the support groove146ain the first state, and when the needle holder140is transformed from the first state to the second state, that is, when the needle holder140rotates along the rotation direction R1, the support stopper146bmay provide a certain degree of resistance to the rotation. Thus, when the user rotates the button120with a force greater than the resistance, the needle holder140may rotate along the rotation direction R1.

FIGS. 8 and 9are respectively a perspective view and a plan view of the second casing150according to an embodiment, andFIG. 10is a partial perspective view illustrating a portion of the second casing150.

The second casing150coupled to the first casing110may include a base151. The base151may be a portion of the second casing150. The base151may be formed separately from the second casing150and coupled to the bottom of the second casing150.

A needle through-hole153may be formed at a substantially central portion of the base151to pass the needle ND therethrough.

A substantially cylindrical guide wall152may be formed around the needle through-hole153. The guide wall152may be provided to protrude in the Z-axis direction from the base151toward the first casing110.

As illustrated inFIG. 9, a planar outer diameter of the guide wall152may be smaller than an inner diameter of the side surface123of the button120. Accordingly, when the button120is pressed, the side surface123of the button120may be located outside the guide wall152and thus the button120may slide linearly along the guide wall152toward the needle holder140, that is, along the needle insertion direction K.

As illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 10, a portion of the guide wall152may have formed therein a cut groove152hcut from the base151to the opposite end thereof. The connector CN of the needle holder140may pass through the cut groove152h.

A guiding member155may be provided on an inner surface of the guide wall152. The guiding member155may be formed to extend in the needle insertion direction K, for example, along the Z-axis direction inFIG. 8, and may be formed in a rail shape. The guiding member155may be inserted into the guiding groove144in the second state described above, and the needle holder140may be slid in the insertion direction K along the guiding member155.

A second support154provided to support the first support146in the first state described above may be formed at one end of the guiding member155, that is, at the end of the guiding member155facing the first casing110. As illustrated inFIG. 10, the second support154may include a first support portion154aand a second support portion154b. The first support portion154aand the second support portion154bmay be connected to each other. The first support portion154amay be located downstream with respect to the rotation direction of the needle holder140, and the second support portion154bmay be located upstream with respect to the rotation direction of the needle holder140. In this case, since the first support portion154ais located more adjacent to the button120than the second support portion154b, when the needle holder140rotates along the rotation direction R1, a certain degree of resistance may be provided to the rotation. Thus, when the user rotates the button120with a force greater than the resistance, the needle holder140may rotate along the rotation direction R1.

A stopper157may be formed on an outer surface of the guide wall152. The stopper157may be a protrusion protruding in the X-axis direction from the outer surface of the guide wall152. As illustrated inFIG. 10, the stopper157may extend in the X-Y plane direction along an outer circumferential surface of the guide wall152.

The stopper157may be provided to control the sliding of the button120in the Z-axis direction and may include a first stopper157aand a second stopper157bthat are spaced apart in parallel along the Z-axis direction. The first stopper157aand the second stopper157bmay be inserted into the fastening opening127of the button120illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, and the fastening rod123amay be caught by the first stopper157aand the second stopper157bto prevent the button120from being detached in the direction opposite to the insertion direction K. The first stopper157amay be fastened to the fastening opening127in a state before the button120is pressed, and the second stopper157bmay be fastened to the fastening opening127in a state where the button120is pressed.

In the liquid medicine injection device100according to an embodiment configured as described above, when the user presses the button120in a state where the outer surface of the second casing150is located at a region where the user will use the liquid medicine injection device100, the button120and the needle holder140may be coupled to each other, and when the user rotates the button120, the needle holder140may be slid in the needle (ND) insertion direction K by the elasticity of the spring130to instantly insert the needle ND. In this case, the spring130may be sufficiently compressed according to the pressing of the button120, and the effect of the instant insertion of the needle ND by the elasticity of the spring130may be increased. The instant insertion of the needle ND may minimize the pain and fear of the patient.

According to an embodiment, for example, as illustrated inFIG. 11A, in a first state where the needle holder140is not rotated, the needle holder140may be spaced apart from the base151of the second casing150. In this state, the needle ND may not be inserted into the body of the patient. In the first state, the first support146of the needle holder140may contact and support the second support154of the guiding member155. In this case, according to an embodiment, the first support146and the second support154may engage with each other and thus the support groove146aand the first support portion154amay contact each other and the support stopper146band the second support portion154bmay contact each other. Thus, in the first state, the needle holder140may be more stably supported by the end of the guiding member155.

When the user rotates the button120and thus the needle holder140rotates along the rotation direction R1, the support stopper146band the first support portion154amay move relatively in directions intersecting each other and thus a resistance to the rotation may be provided to the needle holder140. When the user rotates the button120with a force exceeding the resistance and thus a rotational force exceeding the resistance is applied to the needle holder140, the support stopper146bmay pass over the first support portion154aand thus the guiding member155may enter the guiding groove144.

The guiding groove144and the guiding member155may have a first width W1and a second width W2in the X-axis direction, respectively. The first width W1may exceed the second width W2such that the guiding member155may be smoothly inserted into the guiding groove144.

Thus, as illustrated inFIG. 11B, when the user rotates the button120and thus it becomes a second state where the needle holder140is completely rotated, the needle holder140may be driven toward the base151of the second casing150by being slid along the guiding member155in a state where the guiding member155is inserted into the guiding groove144and thus the needle ND may inserted into the body of the patient.

According to the present disclosure, since the compressed force of the spring may be instantly emitted to drive the needle holder toward the base, the needle coupled to the needle holder may be instantly inserted into the body of the patient.

In order to provide a resistance to the rotation of the needle holder and induce the user to apply a rotational force exceeding the resistance to the button, the liquid medicine injection device according to the above embodiment may include the first support146of the needle holder and the second support154of the guiding member155; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is, it may not be necessary to provide a resistance to the rotation of the needle holder, and the present disclosure may also include any other configuration in which the needle holder may be instantly inserted into the body of the patient by rapidly sliding the needle holder by using the elastic force of the spring according to the rotation of the needle holder by the user.

A liquid medicine injection device according to another embodiment may further include a needle cover assembly in order to protect a needle before the user uses the needle.

FIG. 12is a perspective view of the needle cover assembly190according to an embodiment.

The needle cover assembly190may include a cover plate191. The cover plate191may be provided as a flat plate and one end thereof may be formed as a handle191aand thus the user may use the handle191ato detach the needle cover assembly190from the casing.

The needle cover assembly190may include a needle cover192. The needle cover192may be inserted into the needle through-hole153provided at the base151of the second casing150. Although not illustrated, the needle cover192may include a closed space, and a tip portion of the needle may be inserted into the closed space. The closed space may include a portion formed of a material through which air passes but liquid does not pass, or a portion capable of varying in volume, thus preventing the liquid medicine from being discharged outside in a priming operation of the user to remove the air from the inside of the needle and/or the inside of the tube.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, this is merely an example and those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments may be derived therefrom. Thus, the spirit and scope of the present disclosure should be defined by the appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to various liquid medicine injection devices, such as insulin injection devices, used to inject liquid medicines into the bodies of patients.