Claims for Patent: 10,201,663

Summary for Patent: 10,201,663

Title:	Assembly for a drug delivery device
Abstract:	An assembly for a drug delivery device is provided, the assembly having an actuator which is configured to perform a setting movement in a proximal direction in order to set a dose of a drug, and which is configured to perform a dispense movement in a distal direction in order to dispense a dose of a drug. The assembly further having a stop mechanism acting after a maximum amount of a drug has been delivered, which is configured to axially constrain the setting movement of the actuator such that the setting of a dose is inhibited, wherein a limited axial movement of the actuator is allowed.
Inventor(s):	Plumptre; David Aubrey (Worcestershire, GB), Veasey; Robert Frederick (Warwickshire, GB)
Assignee:	Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH (Frankfurt am Main, DE)
Application Number:	14/770,852
Patent Claims:	1. An assembly for a drug delivery device, comprising: an actuator which is configured to perform a setting movement in a proximal direction in order to set a dose of a drug, and which is configured to perform a dispense movement in a distal direction in order to dispense a dose of a drug; a piston rod comprising a last dose stop that protrudes radially outward from an outer surface of the piston rod and has a distally facing stop surface; and a drive member which is configured to be moved along the piston rod in a proximal direction during dose setting and is configured to drive the piston rod in a distal direction during the dispensing of a dose, where the drive member further comprises two identical stop elements each protruding radially inward from an internal surface of the drive member and oppositely disposed, where each stop element has a proximally facing stop surface and transverse facing stop surface, wherein the proximally facing stop surface prevents setting of a dose after a maximum amount of a drug has been delivered by abutting the distally facing surface of the last dose stop to axially constrain the setting movement of the actuator such that the setting of a dose is inhibited, wherein a limited axial movement of the actuator is allowed, wherein the transverse facing stop surface prevents rotation of the piston rod during dose setting by abutting a guiding feature on the piston rod, where the guiding feature enables rotation of the piston rod during the dispensing of a dose. 2. An assembly for a drug delivery device, comprising an actuator which is configured to perform a setting movement in a proximal direction in order to set a dose of a drug, and which is configured to perform a dispense movement in a distal direction in order to dispense a dose of a drug, a stop mechanism acting after a maximum amount of a drug has been delivered, and which is configured to axially constrain the setting movement of the actuator such that the setting of a dose is inhibited, wherein a limited axial movement of the actuator is allowed, a piston rod wherein the piston rod comprises a last dose stop, and wherein the stop mechanism comprises a stop element, the stop element comprising a protrusion, wherein a movement of the actuator in a proximal direction is inhibited when the protrusion abuts the last dose stop; a drive member which is configured to be moved along the piston rod in a proximal direction in order to set a dose, wherein the drive member is configured to drive the piston rod towards a dispensing end of the device during the dispensing of a dose, the drive member being coupled to the actuator such that a movement of the drive member causes a movement of the actuator and vice versa, wherein the stop element is arranged at an internal surface of the drive member, wherein the piston rod comprises a guiding feature, wherein the guiding feature comprises a plurality of splines that are arranged at a distance above one another in an axial direction, wherein the guiding feature and the protrusion of the stop element are configured to interact such that a rotation of the piston rod is inhibited during the setting of a dose and a rotation of the piston rod is enabled during the dispensing of a dose, wherein during the setting of a dose the protrusion of the stop element abuts two splines of the guiding feature, where the two splines are arranged above one another in an axial direction and the distance between the two splines is less than an axial extension of the protrusion of the stop element, and wherein the guiding feature also comprises two further splines wherein the distance between the two further splines is greater than the axial extension of the protrusion of the stop element. 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the last dose stop has the form of a pocket which at least partially encompasses the stop element. 4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the guiding feature and the stop element abut each other during the setting of a dose. 5. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the guiding feature and the stop element are configured to move past one another during the dispensing of a dose. 6. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the guiding feature comprises three rows of splines, which are equally distributed around an outer circumference of the piston rod. 7. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the stop element is in contact with at least one spline of the guiding feature during the dose setting movement of the drive member. 8. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the drive member performs an axial, non rotational movement during the setting and dispensing of a dose. 9. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the axial movement of the drive member during the dispensing of a dose is larger than the axial movement of the piston rod during the dispensing of a dose. 10. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein a movement of the piston rod is inhibited during the setting of a dose. 11. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein a movement of the drive member in a distal direction towards a dispensing end of the device causes the piston rod to rotate and move axially towards a distal end of the device. 12. An assembly for a drug delivery device, comprising: an actuator which is configured to perform a setting movement in a proximal direction in order to set a dose of a drug, and which is configured to perform a dispense movement in a distal direction in order to dispense a dose of a drug; a piston rod comprising a last dose stop that protrudes radially outward from an outer surface of the piston rod and has a distally facing stop surface; and a drive member which is configured to be moved along the piston rod in a proximal direction during dose setting and is configured to drive the piston rod in a distal direction during the dispensing of a dose, where the drive member further comprises a stop element protruding radially inward from an internal surface of the drive member, where the stop element has a proximally facing stop surface and a transverse facing stop surface, wherein the proximally facing stop surface prevents setting of a dose after a maximum amount of a drug has been delivered by abutting the distally facing surface of the last dose stop to axially constrain the setting movement of the actuator such that the setting of a dose is inhibited, wherein a limited axial movement of the actuator is allowed, wherein the transverse facing stop surface prevents rotation of the piston rod during dose setting by abutting a guiding feature on the piston rod, where the guiding feature enables rotation of the piston rod during the dispensing of a dose.