Abstract:
An injection device uses telescoping and/or nested components and other features to make the overall device compact in size. The device is configured to have a storage position and an extended position, such that its needle is positioned within the housing of the device in a storage position, with the needle extending beyond the device housing when needed for an injection. The telescoping plunger mechanism has a storage position and an extended position for use. The device includes a needle depth cover, which extends from the device housing for use, and guides the user as to the correct depth for the needle to penetrate the user&#39;s skin. A switch allows different depth settings, for example allowing a deeper penetration for injection into a leg, and shallower penetration for injection into an arm.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/358,645, filed Jul. 6, 2016 
     
    
     FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    None 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present application relates to the field of injection devices such as syringes, as used for injections of medications. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The injection device described herein uses telescoping and/or nested components and other features in order to make the overall device compact in size. The compact design allows the device to be easily carried or worn by a person, such as in the form of a bracelet or pendant. The device is configured to have a storage position and an extended position, such that its needle is positioned within the housing of the device in a storage position, with the needle extending beyond the device housing when needed for an injection. The telescoping plunger mechanism also has a storage position and an extended position for use. The device includes a needle depth cover, which extends from the device housing for use, and guides the user as to the correct depth for the needle to penetrate the user&#39;s skin. A switch allows different depth settings, for example allowing a deeper penetration for injection into a leg, and shallower penetration for injection into an arm. 
         [0005]    In an embodiment of the injection device, there is: a main case containing a syringe body; a two-piece telescoping plunger movably engaged within the syringe body, the telescoping plunger including a plunger body and a plunger extension; a tubular needle movably engaged with the syringe body; a medicine volume chamber within the syringe body. The device may expand from a storage position to a deployment position, thereby expanding the telescoping plunger and being capable of delivering the medicine volume chamber&#39;s contents through the tubular needle to a body by depressing the telescoping plunger. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment of the injection device, there is an injection device, comprising: a syringe body; a two-piece telescoping plunger movably engaged within the syringe body, the telescoping plunger including a plunger body and a plunger extension; a tubular needle movably engaged with the syringe body; a medicine volume chamber within the syringe body; whereby said device may expand from a storage position to a deployment position, thereby expanding the telescoping plunger and being capable of delivering the medicine volume chamber&#39;s contents through the tubular needle to a body by depressing the telescoping plunger. 
         [0007]    An embodiment of the device may further include a retractable needle depth cover movably engaged with the main case and that surrounds the tubular needle when the tubular needle is in a storage position. 
         [0008]    An embodiment of the device may further include a retractable needle depth cover that retracts to a pre-set depth as the tubular needle enters into the body, thereby limiting the needle&#39;s penetrative depth into the body, and in which the pre-set depth is controlled by a switch. 
         [0009]    An embodiment of the device may further include a pull plug removably engaged with the needle&#39;s sharp end, with the pull plug also removably engaged with the main case when the injection device is in the storage position. Removing the pull plug may extend the needle into a deployed position and thereby engage at least one set of needle barbs with at least one set of plug barbs. 
         [0010]    An embodiment of the device may further include a switch to control the movement of the device from the storage position to the deployed position. 
         [0011]    An embodiment of the device may further include a spring to expand the plunger body relative to the plunger extension. 
         [0012]    An embodiment of the device may further include the plunger body and the plunger extension engaged with one another by at least one longitudinal finger and at least one recess when the plunger is in its expanded position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the present device 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the present device 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a front elevation view of an embodiment of the present device 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a left side elevation view of an embodiment of the present device 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present device 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present device 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present device in its storage position 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present device in its deployed position 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present device in its deployed position 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present device in its deployed position with its needle depth cover compressed, as during an injection 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present device in its deployed position with its needle depth cover compressed, as during an injection 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present device in its deployed position  FIG. 13  shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present device in its deployed position 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  shows an enlarged view of the needle in its deployed position 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  shows a cross-sectional view of the syringe plunger in its storage position 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  shows a cross-sectional view of the syringe plunger in its extended position 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    In the preferred embodiment, the medicine contained in the device is epinephrine, as used for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis and/or anaphylactic shock. Those who are afflicted with severe, life-threatening allergies are advised to carry a kit with them at all times that contains a supply of epinephrine and means for injecting said medicine. However, such kits typically are bulky in size, primarily due to the elongated shape of a syringe. The present injection device includes numerous features that allow it to have a compact storage size, while expanding into a deployment position for injection use. Of course, the present injection device is not limited to delivering epinephrine, but can be used for any suitable injectable medicine. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment of the device, and in reference to  FIG. 1 , there is a main case  7 . Main case  7  is approximately tubular in shape, with most other components housed within it. Moving inward, needle depth cover  3  is slideably arranged within main case  7 , as will be further detailed. For spatial reference throughout this specification, “upper” refers to the plunger end of the overall device, and “lower” refers to the opposing needle end of the device, with “upward” and “downward” similarly referenced. 
         [0030]    A needle depth cover return spring  22  is positioned to extend needle depth cover  3  for use, with the lower end of the spring configured to abut the end of depth cover  3 . The upper end of spring  22  abuts a flange  1 A on a syringe barrel body  1 , with a portion of spring  22  surrounding the lower portion of syringe barrel body  1 . This spring positioning can be seen in section B-B,  FIG. 5 , and section A-A,  FIG. 6 . Tabs  3   b  on depth cover  3  engage with main case  7 , providing a limit to the travel of the cover  3  relative to case  7 . 
         [0031]    Telescopic syringe plunger body  2 , telescopic syringe plunger extension  9 , and syringe plunger top  17 , together form the full plunger assembly. Retainer  11  engages with barrel body  1  to contain plunger body  2 . In  FIG. 2-7 , the device is shown in its storage position, where syringe plunger extension  9  is positioned inside of syringe plunger body  2 , in a telescopic, or nested configuration. That is, the plunger is comprised of concentric tubular sections designed to slide into one another. In deploying the overall device to its extended position for use in injection, syringe plunger extension  9  slides relative to syringe plunger body  2 , forming an extended, depressable plunger, as will be further explained. 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the plunger assembly includes the concentric tubular sections of extension  9  and plunger body  2 . The primary purpose of such an assembly is to create a plunger which in a storage position is more compact (that is, shorter in overall length) than the length required by the plunger for use in delivering medicine through a needle, as when the device is in an extended position and deployed for use. When switch  12  (as seen in  FIG. 1 ) is moved and allows the device to extend, plunger extension  9  is released with plunger spring  25  causing extension  9  to move upward relative to plunger body  2 . Herein, switch  12  includes an element which interlocks with a barb-type element on extension  9 , thereby releasing extension  9  under the force of spring  25 . Longitudinal fingers  9   a , which remain compressed in the storage position, are released outward when spring  25  pushes plunger extension  9  into its final position. Fingers  9   a  engage in recesses  2   a  in plunger body  2 , thus locking extension  9  in an extended position relative to plunger body  2 . Thus, a full length plunger has been configured. 
         [0033]    Again in reference to  FIG. 1 , there is a needle  8 , which is a hypodermic type for injection of medicine into a body. As seen in the cross sectional views of  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , which depict the device in its storage position, needle  8  passes through the medicine volume chamber  5 . Thus, a mid-portion of the length of needle  8  is positioned within chamber  5 , with an upper portion of needle  8  above chamber  5 , and a lower portion of needle  8  positioned below chamber  5 . As needle  8  is a tubular hypodermic type, this results in the inner passage of needle  8  containing medicine when the device is in its storage position. 
         [0034]    In the storage position, the upper portion of needle  8  rests in the inner bore of telescopic syringe plunger extension  9 , and above chamber  5 . Needle  8  is in a retracted, nested position inside telescopic syringe plunger extension  9 , with the medicine volume contained in the undeployed storage position. The clearance between needle and plunger extension  9  is such that a small amount of medicine from chamber  5  may be present inside the bore of extension  9  and on the outside of needle  8 . Needle  8  contains at least one needle bore opening  32 , as shown in  FIG. 14 , which allow medicine to enter the inner bore of needle  8 . 
         [0035]    Needle barbs  30  are included on the outer diameter of the upper end of needle  8 . When the device deploys from its storage position to its extended position, needle  8  slides downward, with the needle&#39;s upper end traveling downward, and needle barbs  30  mate with catch plug barbs  15   a , where catch plug barbs  15   a  are contained in the inner bore of catch plug  15 . Catch plug  15  is positioned directly below chamber  5 . Thus, as the device is deployed, needle  8  moves downward with the upper end of needle  8  exiting the inside bore of extension  9 , until needle barbs  30  (on the OD of the upper end of needle  8 ) engage with plug barbs  15   a , and needle  8  is therefore positioned entirely below chamber  5 .  FIG. 14  shows an enlarged view of the interlocking barbs of the needle  8  and bushing  13 . Bushing  13  is positioned directly below catch plug  15 , and together with guide seal  14  align and secure needle  8  within syringe body  1 . 
         [0036]    As the device is deployed, depth cover spring  22 , which is in compression when the device is in its storage position, extends depth cover  3  downward, as seen in the deployed view of the device in  FIG. 9 . Pull plug  18  includes a plug stop  18   a , which is removably affixed in cover hole  3   a  of needle depth cover  3 . Plug  18  may be made from a variety of pliable materials, such as various rubber and plastic compounds. Plug stop  18   a  is removably affixed to the sharp end portion of needle  8 , such that when the device deploys and depth cover  3  extends downward, needle  8  travels downward within the overall device, in particular relative to the inside bore of extension  9 . Thus, the frictional fit between plug stop  18   a  and needle  8  is what creates the downward travel of the needle during deployment, providing the required force to engage the interlocking barbs at the top end of the needle. 
         [0037]    Creating needle travel as part of device deployment is one of several purposes of needle depth cover  3 . A second purpose is that of a depth gauge, such that a user knows how deeply the needle should be inserted into a body. When the device is deployed and ready for injection, the lower end of needle  8  is approximately flush with the front surface of needle depth cover  3 . As the needle is inserted into a body, the body presses against the front surface of needle depth cover  3 , pushing depth cover  3  upward and compressing spring  22 . The needle is inserted to the depth at which need depth cover  3  can no longer be compressed, as determined by the arm/leg depth settings, which will be further explained. 
         [0038]    An additional purpose of the needle depth cover  3  is creating a guard around needle  8 . When an injection is complete, and the needle is removed from a body, spring  22  causes needle depth cover  3  to again extend downward, covering needle  8 , thus providing shielding and protection of the sharp needle end. 
         [0039]    Plug loops  18   b  also serve as part of the deployment mechanism. As seen in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , loops  18   b  wrap around the device in a low-profile manner when the device is in its storage position. For deployment, loops  18   b  peel off the device so that that a user&#39;s fingers can grasp the loops. As previously described, plug stop  18   a  serves in part to pull needle  8  downward within the device as the device moves to its extended position. A user then pulls pull plug  18  off of needle  8 ; this removal action creates additional tensile force on the needle, which may further seat needle barbs  30  into plug barbs  15   a . Pull plug  15  also, of course, shields the lower end of needle  8  during storage. 
         [0040]    As seen in  FIG. 1 , switch  12  serves to unlock the device and release it from its storage position to its extended position. Switch  12  is a mechanical type, and includes tab  12   a  and flange  12   b . Window  23  allows the user to see an indication of the device&#39;s position. As the switch is moved from lock position to “arm” or “leg” position, with visual indicators included for such purpose, tab  12   a  and flange  12   b  rotate such that they disengage from their mating surface of tab  3   a  on depth cover  3 . The “leg” position of switch  12  allows the needle depth cover  3  to retract further during the insertion of a needle into a body, compared to the arm setting. Thus, the user is guided to a deeper needle penetration for leg use. Of course, the arm and leg depth settings are just examples of depth guides. For instance, depth guides could also be correlated according to use of not just of an injection location, but of the age/size of a user, such as child or adult. 
         [0041]    The overall injection device may be configured to be worn by a person, in forms such as but not limited to a wristband, pendant, etc. The length of a traditional syringe makes it impractical to be a worn device, but the compact form of the present device allows practical wearability.  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  show sleeve  20 , which houses the overall injection device, and includes slots  20   a , into which a wristband or other band can mount. Thus the overall device can be worn as wristband, pendant, etc., and therefore easily carried by those who require immediate access to medicine at all times. The device may include case cap  21  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Cap  21  is removably attached to syringe plunger top  17 , with the enclosed space between creating space for medicine in pill form  10 , where the pills may be antihistamines or any other desired drug. This integration allows for the inclusion of a plurality of drug delivery types/forms in a single device. 
         [0042]    The following summarizes the overall device in use. The device is removed from sleeve  20 . Switch  12  is moved from the position locking the overall device, to a position that causes the device to deploy (such as an “arm” or “leg” setting), with switch mechanisms allowing springs  28  and  22  to expand the device. Needle  8  travels downward, with the user also pulling on pull plug  18 , causing needle barbs  30  to mate with catch plug barbs  15   a . Syringe plunger extension  9  travels upward, with longitudinal fingers  9   a  fitting into recesses  2   a , thereby forming a full-length plunger. Needle depth cover  3  moves downward under the force of spring  22 . Pull plug  18 , which engages the sharp end of needle  8 , is removed by the user from depth cover  3  and needle  8 , revealing the sharp end of needle  8 . The device is now ready for injection. The user places the front of needle depth cover  8  against a body and presses downward, until the needle depth cover can depress no further, marking that the needle has entered the body to the correct depth. Plunger  2  is then depressed, forcing medicine through needle  8  and into the body. When the injection is complete, the device is removed from the body, causing depth cover  3  to return to its fully extended position, and thereby shielding the sharp end of needle  8 . 
         [0043]    Although the present system has been described with respect to one or more embodiments, it will be understood that other embodiments of the present system may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present system. Hence, the present system is deemed limited only by claims and the reasonable interpretation thereof.