Patent Description:
Conventionally, a syringe pump-type drug solution administration device has been known that administers a drug solution filled in a drug solution container into a living body by a pressing action of a plunger. A drug solution administration device of this type includes a cylindrical drug solution container and a plunger mechanism for expelling the drug solution in the drug solution container (see, for example, document <CIT>). The drug solution container and the plunger mechanism are housed in a housing and supported by the housing.

Document <CIT> pertains to Syringe Interfaces and adapters for use with medical injectors. Here, a syringe having a flange at its end opposite a needle end is inserted into a housing. The flange serves to position the syringe by being accommodated in a receiving groove provided in a housing of the injector. Document <CIT> is considered closest prior art and pertains to an add-on for self-injectors. Here, a syringe having a flange at its end opposite a needle end is put into a housing and secured by means of fasteners.

In the abovementioned drug solution administration device, when the plunger advances in the drug solution container to deliver the drug solution, thrust is generated with the forward movement of the plunger, so that an excessive pressing force may be applied to the plunger and the drug solution container. As a result, the plunger and the drug solution container deform so as to bend with respect to the direction of forward movement of the plunger (the longitudinal direction of the plunger and the drug solution container), which may entail a problem that smooth delivery of the drug solution is inhibited.

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a drug solution administration device capable of preventing deformation resulting in bending of a plunger and a drug solution container during delivery of a drug solution. The object of the invention is achieved by a drug solution administration device according to claim <NUM>. Advantageous embodiments are carried out according to the dependent claims.

The drug solution administration device according to the present invention includes: a drug solution container that has a main body having a cylindrical shape and filled with a drug solution; a housing that holds the drug solution container; a plunger that expels the drug solution in the drug solution container; and a fixing member that fixes the drug solution container to the housing, wherein the housing includes a support part having a support surface that supports a bottom surface of the main body of the drug solution container, and the fixing member includes a guide part mounted along the main body of the drug solution container from a side opposite to the bottom surface of the main body of the drug solution container in a circumferential direction, and an engagement part engageable with the support part of the housing.

The drug solution administration device according to the present invention can prevent deformation resulting in bending of the plunger and the drug solution container during delivery of the drug solution.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description is not intended to limit the technical scopes and meanings of terms set forth in the claims of the present application. Further, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of description, and may differ from the actual ratios.

<FIG> are diagrams for describing a drug solution administration system <NUM>, a drug solution administration device <NUM>, and an administration instrument <NUM> according to the embodiment. An arrow X in each drawing indicates the "longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction of a drug solution container <NUM>)" of the drug solution administration device <NUM>, an arrow Y indicates the "width direction (depth direction)" of the drug solution administration device <NUM>, and an arrow Z indicates the "height direction" of the drug solution administration device <NUM>.

The drug solution administration system <NUM> is used to administer a drug solution into a living body. As shown in <FIG>, the drug solution administration system <NUM> includes the drug solution administration device <NUM> and the administration instrument <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the drug solution administration device <NUM> and the administration instrument <NUM> are of a patch type that is attached to the body surface (skin) H of a user when used. The body part of the user to which the drug solution administration device <NUM> and the administration instrument <NUM> are attached is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the abdomen and the thigh.

The drug solution administration system <NUM> can continuously administer a drug solution (not shown) filled in the drug solution container <NUM> included in the drug solution administration device <NUM> into a living body for relatively a long period of time (for example, several minutes to several hours) by a pressing action of a later-described plunger <NUM>. Note that the drug solution administration system <NUM> may administer the drug solution at intervals into the living body.

As shown in <FIG>, the drug solution administration device <NUM> includes the drug solution container <NUM> having a cylindrical (barrel-shaped) main body <NUM> filled with a drug solution, a housing <NUM> for holding the drug solution container <NUM>, a plunger <NUM> for expelling the drug solution in the drug solution container <NUM>, and a fixing member <NUM> for fixing the drug solution container <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the housing <NUM> has a box-shaped housing body 120a having a housing space <NUM> formed therein, and a chassis <NUM> (corresponding to a "support part") that is housed in the housing space <NUM> of the housing body 120a and can be fixed to the housing body 120a.

As shown in <FIG>, a window 123a is formed in an upper surface <NUM> of the housing body 120a to allow the inside of the housing space <NUM> to be visible from the outside of the housing <NUM>. The window 123a is formed by providing a transparent or semitransparent portion on a part of the housing body 120a.

A base end opening <NUM> for inserting the chassis <NUM> into the housing space <NUM> of the housing body 120a is formed on the base end side of the housing body 120a in the longitudinal direction. The base end opening <NUM> of the housing body 120a is closed by a lid member (not shown) with the chassis <NUM> housed in the housing space <NUM>.

A bottom surface <NUM> of the housing body 120a is provided with a sheet-shaped adhesive part (not shown) that can adhere to the body surface H of the user. In an initial state before the drug solution administration device <NUM> is attached to the user, a releasable protective sheet is attached to an adhesive surface of the adhesive part.

As shown in <FIG>, the chassis <NUM> holds the drug solution container <NUM>, the plunger <NUM>, a drive mechanism <NUM> for driving the forward movement of the plunger <NUM>, a control unit <NUM>, and a power supply unit <NUM>.

A main body <NUM> of the plunger <NUM> is inserted into an inner cavity 111a of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> (see <FIG>). A gasket <NUM> is provided at the tip of the main body <NUM> of the plunger <NUM>. The gasket <NUM> can be made of, for example, a resin material such as a rubber material or an elastomer. The outer periphery of the gasket <NUM> is in liquid-tight contact with the inner peripheral surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>, whereby the base end side of the gasket <NUM> is liquid-tightly sealed.

A flange <NUM> that is wider than the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> in the radial direction is formed at the base end of the drug solution container <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The drug solution container <NUM> is a so-called prefilled type drug solution container. Therefore, the drug solution is filled in advance in the inner cavity 111a of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>. Examples of the drug solution include protein preparations, narcotic analgesics, and diuretics.

A sealing member (not shown) for preventing the drug solution from leaking is disposed at a tip opening (discharge port) of the drug solution container <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the drug solution container <NUM> is disposed such that the tip opening projects from the housing body 120a to the outside. In addition, a mounting part <NUM> that is to be connected to a tube <NUM> (see <FIG>) described later is attached to a portion of the drug solution container <NUM> that protrudes from the housing body 120a.

As shown in <FIG>, the chassis <NUM> includes a support surface 127d that supports the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> (the outer peripheral surface of a certain range located on the chassis <NUM> side in the circumferential direction). Further, as shown in <FIG>, the chassis <NUM> has a flange support part 127b that supports the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>. The flange support part 127b includes a groove 127c into which the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> can be inserted.

As shown in <FIG>, the back surface of the chassis <NUM> (the surface reverse to the surface having the support surface 127d on which the drug solution container <NUM> and the like are placed) has holes 127e into which tabs 152a and 152b of the fixing member <NUM> described later can be fitted.

The control unit <NUM> controls the operation of the drug solution administration device <NUM> for delivering the drug solution. The control unit <NUM> can be achieved by, for example, a known microcomputer (electronic circuit element) mounted with a CPU, a RAM, a ROM and the like.

The power supply unit <NUM> can be composed of, for example, a known battery.

As shown in <FIG>, the drive mechanism <NUM> includes a motor <NUM> that receives a drive current from the power supply unit <NUM> to generate a rotational drive force, a reduction mechanism <NUM> that includes a gear that transmits the rotational drive force of the motor <NUM>, and the like, and a feed screw <NUM> connected to the reduction mechanism <NUM>.

The feed screw <NUM> is connected to a base end connection part <NUM> disposed near the base end of the plunger <NUM>. The feed screw <NUM> converts the rotary motion transmitted from the reduction mechanism <NUM> into a linear motion, and advances the plunger <NUM> in the longitudinal direction (X direction). The plunger <NUM> expels the drug solution from the inner cavity 111a of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> to the tube <NUM> (see <FIG>) due to the movement toward the tip of the drug solution container <NUM>.

Next, the fixing member <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the fixing member <NUM> includes a guide part <NUM> and an engagement part <NUM>. The guide part <NUM> is mounted along the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> from the side reverse to the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> in the circumferential direction (from an upper surface side reverse to the surface of the drug solution container <NUM> facing the chassis <NUM>). The engagement part <NUM> is engageable with the chassis <NUM>.

The guide part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> has a curved shape so as to be attached along the outer peripheral surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>. Further, the guide part <NUM> has a protrusion <NUM> protruding in a predetermined direction.

The engagement part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> has a first tab 152a and a second tab 152b. As shown in <FIG>, the first tab 152a and the second tab 152b are configured to be engageable with the holes 127e formed in the chassis <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, while the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> is inserted in the groove 127c of the flange support part 127b of the chassis <NUM>, the guide part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> is mounted on the tip side of the flange <NUM> so as to hold the flange <NUM> with the flange support part 127b (with the surrounding inner wall of the groove 127c).

Next, a procedure for mounting the fixing member <NUM> will be described.

First, as shown in <FIG>, the components other than the drug solution container <NUM> is attached to the chassis <NUM>.

Next, as shown in <FIG>, the drug solution container <NUM> is attached to the chassis <NUM>. At this time, the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> is placed on the support surface 127d of the chassis <NUM>. Then, as shown in <FIG>, the fixing member <NUM> is mounted to the chassis <NUM>. As indicated by an arrow A in <FIG>, the fixing member <NUM> is mounted to the chassis <NUM> from the side opposite to the side where the bottom surface of the drug solution container <NUM> is placed.

When the fixing member <NUM> is mounted, the guide part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> is mounted along the outer surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Further, the guide part <NUM> is mounted on the tip side of the flange <NUM>. The protrusion <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> is mounted so as to cover the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> from the upper surface side.

As shown in <FIG>, the fixing member <NUM> is fixed to the chassis <NUM> by engagement between the tabs 152a and 152b and the holes 127e formed in the chassis <NUM>. The drug solution container <NUM> is fixed to the chassis <NUM> by means of the fixing member <NUM>.

While the drug solution administration device <NUM> is delivering the drug solution, the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> is supported by the chassis <NUM>, and the upper surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> is fixed by the fixing member <NUM>. Therefore, even when the plunger <NUM> and the drug solution container <NUM> are excessively pressed because of thrust generated due to the forward movement of the plunger <NUM> within the drug solution container <NUM>, the drug solution administration device <NUM> can press the plunger <NUM> and the drug solution container <NUM> in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the drug solution container <NUM> (direction orthogonal to the direction of the forward movement of the plunger <NUM>). Therefore, the drug solution administration device <NUM> can adequately prevent the drug solution container <NUM> and the plunger <NUM> from bending in an inverted V shape.

As shown in <FIG>, the administration instrument <NUM> is connectable to the drug solution administration device <NUM>.

The administration instrument <NUM> includes a connector <NUM>, a needle tube <NUM> that is inserted into a living body, a puncture part (cannula housing) <NUM>, a tube <NUM>, and a puncture assistance tool <NUM> that assists the puncture of the living body with the needle tube <NUM>.

The connector <NUM> is connectable to the drug solution administration device <NUM> via a mounting part <NUM> fixed to the connector <NUM>. The mounting part <NUM> can be connected to the drug solution administration device <NUM> by being externally fitted to the mounting part <NUM> (see <FIG>) which is provided near the tip of the drug solution container <NUM> and protrudes to the outside of the housing <NUM>.

The mounting part <NUM> has inside a connecting needle (not shown) capable of piercing a sealing member (not shown) provided at the tip of the drug solution container <NUM>. The tube <NUM> communicates with the inner cavity 111a of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> via the connecting needle.

A flow path (not shown) that connects the tube <NUM> and the inner cavity of the needle tube <NUM> is formed inside the puncture part <NUM>. The drug solution delivered to the puncture part <NUM> via the tube <NUM> is administered into the living body through the flow path formed inside the puncture part <NUM> and the needle tube <NUM>.

When the drug solution is delivered to the user, the puncture assistance tool <NUM> is attached to the puncture part <NUM>. The puncture assistance tool <NUM> holds an introducer needle (inner needle) <NUM>. The introducer needle <NUM> projects from the tip of the needle tube <NUM> when the puncture assistance tool <NUM> is attached to the puncture part <NUM>. The user can insert the needle tube <NUM> into the living body, while preventing the needle tube <NUM> from having any troubles such as breakage, by piercing the living body with the needle tube <NUM> with the introducer needle <NUM> inserted into the needle tube <NUM>.

The puncture assistance tool <NUM> is removed from the puncture part <NUM> after the needle tube <NUM> is inserted into the living body. The introducer needle <NUM> is withdrawn from the inner cavity of the needle tube <NUM> when the puncture assistance tool <NUM> is removed from the puncture part <NUM>.

After the needle tube <NUM> is inserted into the living body, the puncture assistance tool <NUM> is removed, and the puncture part <NUM> is left on the body surface H of the user with the needle tube <NUM> left in the living body. In this state, the plunger <NUM> of the drug solution administration device <NUM> advances in the drug solution container <NUM>, so that the drug solution filled in the drug solution container <NUM> is delivered to the inner cavity of the needle tube <NUM> through the tube <NUM> and the flow path of the puncture part <NUM>.

The introducer needle <NUM> can be, for example, a metal needle. Further, the needle tube <NUM> can be composed of, for example, a tubular member (cannula) made of resin.

Similar to the drug solution administration device <NUM>, the administration instrument <NUM> is of a patch type that is attached to the body surface H of the user when used. The contact surface (bottom surface) <NUM> of the puncture part <NUM> of the administration instrument <NUM> is provided with a sheet-shaped adhesive part (not shown) that can adhere to the body surface. In an initial state before the administration instrument <NUM> is attached to the user, a releasable protective sheet is attached to an adhesive surface of the adhesive part.

As described above, the drug solution administration device <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes the drug solution container <NUM> having the cylindrical main body <NUM> filled with a drug solution, the housing <NUM> for holding the drug solution container <NUM>, the plunger <NUM> for expelling the drug solution in the drug solution container <NUM>, and the fixing member <NUM> for fixing the drug solution container <NUM> to the housing <NUM>. The housing <NUM> includes the chassis <NUM> having the support surface 127d that supports the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>. The fixing member <NUM> includes the guide part <NUM> that is mounted along the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> from the side reverse to the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> in the circumferential direction, and the engagement part <NUM> that is engageable with the chassis <NUM> of the housing <NUM>.

The drug solution administration device <NUM> configured as described above delivers the drug solution, while the bottom surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> is supported by the chassis <NUM>, and the upper surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> is fixed by the fixing member <NUM>. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deformation resulting in bending of the plunger <NUM> and the drug solution container <NUM> during delivery of the drug solution.

Further, in the drug solution administration device <NUM>, the guide part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> has a curved shape so as to be attached along the outer peripheral surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>. Therefore, the fixing member <NUM> can rigidly fix the outer peripheral surface of the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> by the guide part <NUM>.

Further, in the drug solution administration device <NUM>, the chassis <NUM> included in the housing <NUM> has the holes 127e, and the engagement part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> has the tabs 152a and 152b that can be fitted into the holes 127e. Therefore, the fixing member <NUM> can be easily and reliably fixed to the chassis <NUM> by means of the tabs 152a and 152b.

Further, in the drug solution administration device <NUM>, the flange <NUM> that is wider than the main body <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> in the radial direction is formed at the base end of the drug solution container <NUM>. The chassis <NUM> included in the housing <NUM> has the flange support part 127b that supports the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM>. Further, the guide part <NUM> of the fixing member <NUM> is mounted on the tip side of the flange <NUM> so as to hold the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> with the flange support part 127b. Due to the flange <NUM> of the drug solution container <NUM> being held between the fixing member <NUM> and the flange support part 127b as described above, the fixing member <NUM> can more reliably fix the drug solution container <NUM> to the chassis <NUM>.

While the drug solution administration device according to the present invention has been described above by way of the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to each of the described configurations, and can be appropriately modified on the basis of the description of the claims. i.e. the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A drug solution administration device (<NUM>) comprising:
a drug solution container (<NUM>) that has a main body (<NUM>) having a cylindrical shape and filled with a drug solution;
a housing (<NUM>) that holds the drug solution container (<NUM>);
a plunger (<NUM>) that expels the drug solution in the drug solution container (<NUM>); and
a fixing member (<NUM>) that fixes the drug solution container (<NUM>) to the housing (<NUM>),
wherein the housing (<NUM>) includes a support part (<NUM>) having a support surface that supports a bottom surface of the main body (<NUM>) of the drug solution container (<NUM>), and
the fixing member (<NUM>) includes a guide part (<NUM>) mounted along the main body (<NUM>) of the drug solution container (<NUM>) from a side opposite to the bottom surface of the main body (<NUM>) of the drug solution container (<NUM>) in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical main body, and an engagement part (<NUM>) engageable with the support part (<NUM>) of the housing (<NUM>),
the drug solution container (<NUM>) has, at a base end, a flange (<NUM>) wider than the main body (<NUM>) of the drug solution container (<NUM>) in a radial direction,
characterized in that
the housing (<NUM>) has a flange support part (127b) that supports the flange (<NUM>), and
the guide part (<NUM>) of the fixing member (<NUM>) is disposed on a tip side of the flange (<NUM>) so as to hold the flange (<NUM>) with the flange support part (127b).