Injection device

A device for dispensing a controlled amount of a fluid from a syringe, the syringe having a plunger extending along a linear axis through a syringe flange and into a syringe barrel. The device includes a housing to accommodate at least a portion of the syringe, and a drive wheel attached to the housing to contact a side of the plunger, the housing to press the drive wheel into the side of the plunger between the syringe flange and an end of the plunger.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to drug delivery devices and more particularly to a device for dispensing a controlled amount of a fluid medication.

Medications such as testosterone esters, methotrexate, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), dental anesthetics, and botulinum toxin are typically administered as a series of doses of predetermined volume using conventional syringes. For example, botulinum toxin injection is widely used for the treatment of facial wrinkles and consists of a series of injections into specific muscles of the face. Injection of the botulinum toxin into the affected muscles inhibits release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction and causes localized relaxation that smoothes the overlying skin and reduces wrinkles. To ensure that facial asymmetry does not result from uneven dosing of the botulinum toxin, administration of accurate injection volumes is important. This accuracy is conventionally achieved by clinicians through practice to develop consistent technique. Further, and considering the high cost of the botulinum toxin (a typical dose of Botox® Cosmetic consisting of 4 units per 0.1 ml costs a patient on average $40-$60), accurate administration of the botulinum toxin provides financial savings to the clinician as waste is reduced.

Injection devices adapted to deliver a controlled dose of a fluid medication may include electro-mechanical components operable to engage a plunger of a syringe or fluid compartment containing the medication. Such components include drive screws and movable drive elements. Typically these devices are bulky and cumbersome to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device and method for dispensing a controlled amount of a fluid medication from a syringe. The present invention also provides a device and method for drawing an amount of fluid back into a syringe barrel from a syringe needle following injection of the fluid medication.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a device for dispensing a controlled amount of a fluid from a syringe having a plunger extending along a linear axis through a syringe flange and into a syringe barrel includes a housing to accommodate at least a portion of the syringe, and a rotary drive attached to the housing to contact a side of the plunger, the housing to press the rotary drive into the side of the plunger between the syringe flange and an end of the plunger.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a device for dispensing a controlled amount of a fluid from a syringe having a plunger extending along a linear axis through a syringe flange and into a syringe barrel includes a housing for accommodating at least a portion of the syringe, a rotary drive coupled to a motor attached to the housing, the rotary drive to engage the plunger proximate a syringe flange and drive the plunger along the linear axis through the syringe barrel, a controller for controlling the operation of the motor, and an actuator for selectively actuating the controller.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a device for dispensing a controlled amount of a fluid from a syringe having a plunger extending along a linear axis through a syringe flange and into a syringe barrel includes a housing to accommodate at least a portion of the syringe, a cutter gear attached to the housing to contact a side of the plunger, the cutter gear having a plurality of teeth and an axis of rotation orthogonal to the linear axis of the syringe, the housing to press the cutter gear teeth into the side of the plunger between the syringe flange and an end of the plunger, a button connected to the housing along a longitudinal axis of the housing opposite the end of the plunger, and a motor mechanically coupled to the cutter gear and a controller electrically coupled to the motor and the button, the controller to enable the motor to rotate the cutter gear responsive to a selection of the button, the controller including a processor to receive user input indicative of a controlled amount of fluid to be dispensed and to operate the motor to drive the cutter gear and thereby dispense the controlled amount of fluid from the syringe.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the device is compact and easy to use in administering a fluid medication from a syringe.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the device is a programmable device operable to receive and execute user-selected commands.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the device is a programmable device operable to dispense a user-selected dose of a fluid medication from a syringe.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the device is a programmable device operable to dispense a user-selected dose of a fluid medication from a syringe at a pre-determined rate.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for dispensing a controlled amount of fluid includes accommodating a syringe containing a volume of fluid in a device having a rotary drive engageable to a syringe plunger proximate a syringe flange, receiving user input indicative of a controlled amount of fluid to be dispensed from the syringe upon user actuation of the device, and driving the rotary drive to dispense the controlled amount of fluid from the syringe upon user actuation of the device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the method for dispensing a controlled amount of fluid includes reversing the rotation of the rotary drive to draw an amount of fluid back into the syringe following driving the rotary drive to dispense the controlled amount of fluid from the syringe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to theFIGS. 1-5, a device generally designated10is shown. The device10is sized and configured to fit comfortably in the hand200of a user administering an injection using a syringe60. The syringe60includes a plunger66extending along a linear axis through a syringe flange64and into a syringe barrel62. The device10has a tapered profile and provides the user with a compact means of dispensing a controlled amount of fluid, such as a dose of a medicine, by injection using the index finger202, the middle finger204, and the thumb206of his or her hand200in a conventional manner.

The device10includes a programmable, computer-controlled device having a housing12. The housing12includes a front section14and a back section16that define an interior chamber of the device10. The interior chamber may accommodate components of the device10. The housing12may include a top section18and a bottom section20. The housing12preferably has an elongated, tapered profile with the top section18having a smaller width than that of the bottom section20to facilitate handling of the device10when in use. A button90coupled to a switch92is disposed at the housing top section18opposite an end68of the plunger66and along a longitudinal axis of the housing12. Selection of the button90enables the user to actuate the device10using his or her thumb206.

The housing12includes an elongated channel40formed along a longitudinal axis thereof and configured to accommodate a portion of the syringe60. The syringe linear axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing12.

The channel40may extend from proximate the housing top section18and terminate at the housing bottom section20to provide an aperture22through which the syringe barrel62extends from the housing12when in use. The channel40is sized to accommodate the syringe60with the syringe plunger66in its extended position in relation to the syringe barrel62. In its extended position, the end68of the plunger66is disposed proximate the housing top section18and opposite the button90. A flange support72formed in a recessed section70of the housing front section14is sized and configured to receive a flange64of the syringe60and to prevent movement of the barrel62relative to the device10during use. The flange support72is formed transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing12.

The housing bottom section20also includes finger rests24and26formed opposite each other and in recessed relation to the aperture22. The finger rests24and26may include a plurality of spaced-apart ribs28formed to provide a gripping surface for the user's index and middle fingers202and204when the device10is in use. Finger rests24and26may be disposed such each of two sides of the syringe60includes one of the finger rests.

In one aspect of the invention, the channel40may include an opening42formed proximate the flange support72. A rotary drive having an axis of rotation orthogonal to the linear axis of the syringe60may be driven by a mechanically coupled electric motor100disposed in the interior chamber of the device10. The rotary drive may comprise a cutter gear80having a plurality of teeth for cutting engagement with the plunger66. The cutter gear80may extend partially through the opening42and contact a side of the plunger66proximate the syringe flange64. Controlled actuation of the rotary drive is operable to rotate the cutter gear80causing the plurality of teeth to cut into the plunger66and displace the plunger66along the linear axis of the syringe to thereby dispense a controlled amount of fluid from the syringe barrel62.

As shown inFIG. 4, when the plunger66is fully inserted into the syringe barrel62and the contents of the syringe barrel62have been dispensed, the end of the plunger68is proximate the flange64and the driver gear80is positioned between the end of the plunger68and the flange64. By way of example, in the case of a conventional 1 cc syringe, the distance between the end of the plunger68and the syringe flange64when the plunger66is in its fully inserted position is approximately 9.75 mm. A cutter gear80having an outside diameter of 6.4 mm may be provided in this case to drive the plunger66.

In other embodiments of the invention, the rotary drive may include a helical gear, a knurled gear, a knurled wheel, a textured wheel, a rubber wheel, a textured roller and a roller. In some embodiments of the invention, the rotary drive may have a frictional surface for engagement with a glass plunger.

A hinged door30may be positioned proximate the housing bottom section20and include an inside surface32having a catch34and a recessed section36. The catch34is sized and positioned such that it contacts a second side of the plunger66to thereby press the plunger66against the rotary drive when the door30is in a closed position. The recessed section36is positioned such that it accommodates a portion of the flange64of the syringe60when the door30is in the closed position. A latch74is releasably engageable with a door catch38to secure the door30in the closed position.

In other embodiments of the invention, the plunger66may be pressed against the rotary drive by a bearing disposed on the door30.

The device10includes a programmable controller electrically coupled to the rotary drive, the button90, and the switch92. The controller is operable to control the operation of the rotary drive in response to commands and signals received from a user. The controller may include a processor, a memory, a wireless transceiver, and I/O devices. The processor may include any type of logic circuit capable of executing instructions. The processor is configured to execute instructions for performing the operations and methods discussed herein. The memory may store information including sequences of executable program instructions that are executed by the processor. The controller may be disposed in the interior chamber of the device10.

In one aspect of the invention, selection of the button90switches the switch92and actuates the controller to enable the motor to rotate the rotary drive. User selection of the button90may occur over a selection period and the controller may rotate the rotary drive a rotational amount independent of the selection period.

In another aspect of the invention, the controller reverses the rotary drive by a second rotational amount responsive to the selection of the button90. The second rotational amount may be independent of the selection period.

The wireless transceiver can be a WiFi transceiver, an infrared transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a WiMax transceiver, a wireless cellular telephony transceiver, or other radio frequency transceiver. The controller may be operable to receive information including user signals from a remote transceiver by means of the wireless transceiver. The remote transceiver may include a local control server, a remote Web application server, or a wireless electronic device such as a smartphone, smart watch, tablet or personal computer.

With reference toFIGS. 6-8, exemplary screen shots of a remote application user interface displayed by a remote receiver such as a tablet show a means by which a user selects the amount of liquid medication to be dispensed with each actuation of the device10. The remote application may be coupled to a memory for storing patient identifying information as well as the date of the patient's last visit, the chemistry last selected, the last dosage selected, and indicia of rotational amounts.

The remote application may provide the user with a menu of chemistries from which to select. In the case where the syringe60being used is a 1 cc syringe, user selection of “Chemistry A” indicates that each of 40 doses to be dispensed will have a volume of 0.025 ml. Following user selection of a desired chemistry and dosage, the remote receiver may send a signal to the controller of the device10following user selection of the “Ready to Connect” button. The controller may provide the remote application with confirmation of receipt of the signal by means of a “Connected” button. The button90may then be selected to operate the device10.

In some embodiments of the invention, the controller of the device10is operable to prevent actuation of the device10when the device10is not connected to the remote application. In other embodiments, the controller of the device10is operable to control the motor100to dispense a selected chemistry at a preset rate. In yet other embodiments, the controller of the device10is operable to control the torque of the motor100.

The controller may implement a method in which a signal is received indicating the amount of liquid to be dispensed from the syringe barrel62with each user actuation of the device10. The controller may also implement a method in which the rotary drive is driven in reverse following the dispensing of a dose in order to draw the plunger66from the syringe barrel62to thereby draw the drop of fluid that may form following the injection back into the needle of the syringe60. The drop of fluid may have a volume between 0.001 ml and 0.005 ml. The controller may include a Wheatstone bridge circuit operable to reverse the polarity of a motor drive voltage. A rotary encoder coupled to the shaft of the motor100may provide information to the controller with respect to the motion of the rotary drive.

Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, the elongated channel is shown as being formed in the front section of the housing of the device but could be formed in the back section. Further, well-known processes, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments. This description provides example embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the preceding description of the embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the invention.

Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternatives constructions and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.