Patent ID: 8409145

Claim:
A device for inserting an infusion device through skin for subcutaneous infusion, comprising: a sleeve having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being configured to engage skin; a shuttle having an upper side and a lower side, the shuttle comprising a receptacle on its lower side for accommodating an infusion device, at least a first movement-restraining arm, and a least a first hub-retaining arm, and an internal cavity configured to receive a hub, the internal cavity comprising a horizontal cross-sectional area, the shuttle being movable between a retracted position and an advanced position, the first movement-restraining arm engaging the upper surface of the sleeve when the shuttle is in the retracted position to inhibit movement of the shuttle toward the advanced position; at least a first biasing member operatively connected to the shuttle to urge the shuttle toward the advanced position; the hub positioned above the upper side of the shuttle, the hub having an upper side and a lower side, and a horizontal cross-sectional area that is constant in a first position and a second position, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the hub being smaller than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the internal cavity of the shuttle, the hub being movable between the first position and the second position with respect to the shuttle, the first hub-retaining arm of the shuttle inhibiting movement of the hub away from the shuttle when the hub is in the first position and the shuttle is in the retracted position; a needle having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being fixedly attached to the lower side of the hub, the lower end being configured to pierce skin, the lower end of the needle extending below the lower surface of the sleeve when the shuttle is in the advanced position and the hub is in the first position, the lower end of the needle being positioned above the lower surface of the sleeve when the hub is in the second position; at least a second biasing member operatively connected to the hub to urge the hub upwardly from the shuttle away from the lower surface of the sleeve; an actuator being movably attached to the sleeve such that, when the first movement-restraining arm is engaged with the upper surface, advancement of the actuator toward the sleeve permits disengagement of the first movement-restraining arm of the shuttle from the upper surface of the sleeve; wherein disengagement of the first movement-restraining arm of the shuttle from the upper surface of the sleeve allows the first biasing member to move the shuttle from the retracted position to the advanced position; and wherein movement of the shuttle from the retracted position to the advanced position allows the first hub-retaining arm of the shuttle to release the hub such that the second biasing member moves the hub from the first position to the second position; wherein the device is configured to be used only once.