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Last Updated: March 29, 2024

Claims for Patent: 8,475,414


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Summary for Patent: 8,475,414
Title:Medication delivery device and method for operating a medication delivery device
Abstract: A medication delivery device (1) comprises a housing (4) having a proximal end (P) and a distal end (D), a cartridge (3) for holding a medication (M), the cartridge (3) having an outlet (2), a moveable piston (5) being retained within the cartridge (3), a drive member (17) moveable in a proximal direction with respect to the housing (4) for setting a dose of medication (M) to be delivered and in the distal direction with respect to the housing (4) for delivering the dose and a piston rod (10) adapted to drive the piston (5) in a distal direction with respect to the cartridge (3) for delivering the dose. The drive member (17) is releasably coupled to the piston rod (10). The medication delivery device (1) further comprises a resilient member (21) which is arranged to move the drive member (17) in the proximal direction with respect to the housing (4) after dose delivery, thereby reducing pressure of the piston rod (10) on the piston (5).
Inventor(s): Boyd; Malcolm (Leamington, GB), Veasey; Robert (Warwickshire, GB), Plumptre; David (Worcestershire, GB)
Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Frankfurt am Main, DE)
Application Number:12/326,133
Patent Claims: 1. A medication delivery device comprising a housing having a proximal end (P) and a distal end (D), a cartridge for holding a medication (M), the cartridge having an outlet, a moveable piston being retained within the cartridge, a drive member moveable in a proximal direction with respect to the housing for a dose of medication (M) to be delivered and in a distal direction with respect to the housing for delivering the dose and a piston rod adapted to drive the piston in the distal direction with respect to the cartridge for delivering the dose, the drive member being releasably coupled to the piston rod characterized in that the medication delivery device (1) further comprises a resilient member which is arranged to move the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing after dose delivery, thereby reducing pressure of the piston rod on the piston.

2. A medication delivery device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the resilient member is arranged to move the drive member and thereby the piston rod in the proximal direction with respect to the housing after dose delivery such that the piston rod is moved away from the piston by a distance in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 mm.

3. A medication delivery device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive member is releasably coupled to the piston rod such that the piston rod follows movement of the drive member in the distal direction with respect to the housing for delivering the dose and does not follow movement of the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing for setting the dose.

4. A medication delivery device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive member comprises a first rack and the piston rod is coupled to the first rack via a pinion, wherein the pinion is engaged with a second rack and the second rack is connected to the housing.

5. A medication delivery device according to claim 4, characterized in that the second rack is formed unitarily with the housing or is secured against rotational and/or axial movement with respect to the housing.

6. A medication delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive member comprises a first supporting element and the piston rod is coupled to the first supporting element via a lever, wherein the lever is engaged with a second supporting element and the second supporting element is connected to the housing.

7. A medication delivery device according to claim 6, characterized in that the second supporting element is formed unitarily with the housing or is secured against rotational and/or axial movement with respect to the housing.

8. A medication delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resilient member is formed integrally with the housing or integrally with an insert of the housing.

9. A medication delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resilient member is arranged to mechanically interact with the drive member at a distal end of the drive member.

10. A medication delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resilient member and the drive member are arranged for a force in the distal direction to be exerted on the resilient member during dose delivery such that the resilient member is biased in such a way that after dose delivery and after removing the force in the distal direction, the biased resilient member moves the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing.

11. A method for operating the medication delivery device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein after having set a dose of medication (M) by moving the drive member in the proximal direction and after having moved the drive member in the distal direction for delivering the dose by exerting a force acting on the drive member in the distal direction, wherein the force in the distal direction causes the piston rod to move in the distal direction with respect to the housing and the resilient member to be biased, the method comprises the steps of waiting for a preset period of time, and thereafter removing the force in the distal direction from the drive member with the drive member being moved in the proximal direction with respect to the housing by mechanical interaction of the biased resilient member and the drive member, which mechanical interaction causes movement of the piston rod in the proximal direction with respect to the housing.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the piston is elastically deformed during movement of the piston rod in the distal direction and wherein the piston starts to resume its undeformed shape by relaxing in the distal direction during the preset period thereby expelling medication (M) from the cartridge.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the piston continues to resume its undeformed shape by relaxing in the proximal direction after the piston rod has been moved in the proximal direction.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the preset period of time is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 15 seconds.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein a restriction member limits that movement of the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing, which is caused by the resilient member.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the distance the drive member is moved in the proximal direction with respect to the housing after dose delivery caused by the resilient member is smaller than the distance the drive member is movable in the proximal direction for setting the dose of medication (M) to be delivered.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein a restriction member limits that movement of the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing, which is caused by the resilient member.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein the distance the drive member is moved in the proximal direction with respect to the housing after dose delivery caused by the resilient member is smaller than the distance the drive member is movable in the proximal direction for setting the dose of medication (M) to be delivered.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein the preset period of time is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 15 seconds.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein a restriction member limits that movement of the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing, which is caused by the resilient member.

21. A method according to claim 12, wherein the distance the drive member is moved in the proximal direction with respect to the housing after dose delivery caused by the resilient member is smaller than the distance the drive member is movable in the proximal direction for setting the dose of medication (M) to be delivered.

22. A method according to claim 11, wherein the preset period of time is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 15 seconds.

23. A method according to claim 11, wherein a restriction member limits that movement of the drive member in the proximal direction with respect to the housing, which is caused by the resilient member.

24. A method according to claim 11, wherein the distance the drive member is moved in the proximal direction with respect to the housing after dose delivery caused by the resilient member is smaller than the distance the drive member is movable in the proximal direction for setting the dose of medication (M) to be delivered.

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