Patent ID: 8048035

Claim:
An auto-injector comprising: a housing; a cartridge container disposed within the housing; a cartridge received within the cartridge container, the cartridge having comprising: at least one opening; a medicament; a needle assembly to dispense the medicament there through, the needle assembly having a needle; and a needle sheath disposed about the needle, the needle sheath being compressed between the cartridge container and the cartridge during the medicament dispensing operation; an actuation assembly having a stored energy source capable of driving the needle to permit injection of the medicament into a user; and a needle cover received within the housing, the needle cover having an opening formed therein to permit passage of the needle there through during a medicament dispensing operation, the needle cover surrounding the needle on all sides outside of the housing to prevent contact with the needle before activation of the auto-injector and after the medicament dispensing operation.