Patent EA-003077-B1 (EA)
Title: Injector device and method for its operation
Inventor: HJERTMAN BIRGER
IPC: A61M5/00
Filed: 2000-05-11
Abstract: 1. Injector device for containers having an opening with or for an injection needle, the container optionally being of syringe type with a barrel of axially roughly constant cross-section, the opening for the needle being arranged at the barrel front and at least one movable wall, optionally with a piston rod connected thereto, inserted in the barrel, the injector for the containers comprising a) a housing, b) a seat or carrier, arranged for reception of the needle or container and for allowing movement thereof, in relation to the housing, in the axial direction between a rear, needle-covering, position and a forward, needle-exposing, position, c) a penetration arrangement operable to move the needle from the rear position to the forward position, d) optionally a return arrangement operable at least to move the needle in the rearward direction, e) an injection arrangement operable at least to expel container content through the needle and f) at least one control button arranged on the housing and operable to at least initiate operation of the penetration arrangement and/or the injection arrangement, characterized in that the improvement comprising a separate or integral transmission, incorporating and connecting the penetration arrangement and the injection arrangement to the button, allowing manual energy applied on the button to be transmitted to the penetration arrangement and/or the injection arrangement for operation thereof and a switch system permitting phase shift of the manual energy applied to the button first to operate the penetration arrangement and then operate the injection arrangement. 2. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the penetration arrangement is arranged to act directly on the needle, the container or the carrier. 3. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the button is arranged for movement with at least a component perpendicular to the needle axis. 4. The injector of claim 3, characterized in that the button is arranged for guided translational movement. 5. The injector of claim 3, characterized in that the button is arranged for at least partial rotational movement around a rotation axis. 6. The injector of claim 5, characterized in that the rotation axis is oriented substantially along the housing width direction, as defined. 7. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the button is located lateral to the needle axis. 8. The injector of claim 7, characterized in that the button is located at least partially between the container axial ends. 9. The injector of claim 3, characterized in that the transmission comprises a redirect arrangement for redirecting the force applied to the button into an axial movement for the needle and/or movable wall. 10. The injector of claim 9, characterized in that the redirect system is mechanical. 11. The injector of claim 10, characterized in that the redirect system comprises any element selected from a wire, a belt, a link system or a lever arrangement. 12. The injector of claim 10, characterized in that the redirect system includes a wheel, preferably a toothed wheel. 13. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the transmission comprises force transforming parts. 14. The injector of claim 13, characterized in that the force transforming parts provided a higher gear ratio in the injection arrangement compared to the gear ratio in the penetration arrangement. 15. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the switch system enables phase shift at a predetermined axial location between needle and housing. 16. The injector of claim 15, characterized in that the location is at or close to the needle forward position for the needle. 17. The injector of claim 15, characterized in that the switch system incorporates a lock for the needle in said location. 18. The injector of claim 15, characterized in a structure, with substantially fixed location with respect to the housing, arranged to redirect, unlock or enable the force applied to the button for operation of the injection arrangement. 19. The injector of claim 15, characterized in that at said location the phase shift is enabled within the movement range of the transmission. 20. The injector of claim 19, characterized in that the switch system incorporates a pawl and ratchet type mechanism. 21. The injector of claim 15, characterized in that the force is applied at a constant location in the housing, the penetration movement bringing an operative part of the injection arrangement into said location. 22. The injector of claim 21, characterized in that the operative part is a plunger arrangement for a syringe type container. 23. The injector of claim 21, characterized in that at least one wheel applying the force at the constant location. 24. The injector of claim 22, characterized in that a change in gear ratio takes place at the phase shift. 25. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that a lock arranged to hold, at least temporary, the needle in the forward position. 26. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that a reconnect system allowing repeated operation of the button. 27. The injector of claim 26, characterized in that the reconnect system transmits force when the button is moved in one direction but is idle when the button is moved in the other direction. 28. The injector of claim 26, characterized in that the reconnect system allows reversible phase action. 29. The injector of claim 26, characterized in that the penetration movement is reversible. 30. The injector of claim 26, characterized in that the reconnect system allows pumping action on the button for intermittent operation of the injection arrangement. 31. The injector of claim 30, characterized in that a one-way arrangement for the movable wall of a syringe type container, preventing rearward movement of the movable wall. 32. The injector of claim 26, characterized in that the reconnect system includes at least one wheel with movable axis for engagement release. 33. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the button is biased towards one end position, preferably a distal position with respect to the housing. 34. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that a return arrangement is present. 35. The injector of claim 34, characterized in that needle return takes by use of stored energy, preferably in a counterspring compressed during penetration movement. 36. The injector of claim 35, characterized in that return is triggered by action on the button. 37. The injector of claim 35, characterized in that return is triggered automatically at a predetermined point in the injection procedure. 38. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the injector comprises a dose setting mechanism. 39. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the seat or carrier is arranged to allow movement of a syringe type container rearwards towards the housing under forward displacement of the movable wall relative the container barrel. 40. The injector of claim 39, characterized in that the displacement of the movable wall is adapted to provide movable wall break-loose, deaeration, preejection or preparation mixing. 41. The injector of claim 39, characterized in a lever for movement of the container. 42. The injector of claim 40, characterized in that the lever includes a hinged door. 43. The injector of claim 41, characterized in that the lever is force amplifying. 44. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the housing maximum height, as defined, to maximum width, as defined, ratio is larger than 1, preferably larger than 1.5. 45. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the housing maximum length, as defined, to maximum height, as defined, ratio is less than 4, preferably less than 3. 46. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the container is a dual or multiple chamber type container. 47. The injector of claim 46, characterized in that the container attachment to the housing comprises a screw thread, the length of which is adapted to the necessary movable wall displacement for unification of chamber contents. 48. The injector of claim 1, characterized in that the needle is arranged movable in relation to the container. 49. The injector of claim 48, characterized in that the container is nonmovably arranged in the housing. 50. The injector of any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container is of syringe type with attached needle for common axial movement. 51. Injector device for containers having an opening with or for an injection needle, the container optionally being of syringe type with a barrel of axially roughly constant cross-section, the opening for the needle being arranged at the barrel front and at least one movable wall, optionally with a piston rod connected thereto, inserted in the barrel, the injector for the containers comprising a) a housing, b) a seat or carrier, arranged for reception of the needle or container and for allowing movement thereof, in relation to the housing, in the axial direction between a rear, needle-covering, position and a forward, needle-exposing, position, c) a penetration arrangement operable to move the needle from the rear position to the forward position, d) optionally a return arrangement operable at least to move the needle in the rearward direction, e) an injection arrangement operable at least to expel container content through the needle and f) at least one control button arranged on the housing and operable to at least initiate operation of the penetration arrangement and/or the injection arrangement, characterized in the improvement comprising that the button is arranged on the housing so as to allow a rotational or translational movement with respect to the housing, said movement having at least a movement component perpendicular to the needle axis, a separate or integral transmission, incorporating and connecting at least the penetration arrangement to the button, allowing manual energy applied on the button dur