Claims for Patent: 9,533,105

Summary for Patent: 9,533,105

Title:	Drive mechanisms suitable for use in drug delivery devices
Abstract:	A drive mechanism suitable for use in drug delivery devices is disclosed. The drive mechanism may be used with injector-type drug delivery devices, such as those permitting a user to set the delivery dose. The drive mechanism may include a housing, a dose dial sleeve, and a drive sleeve. A clutch is configured to permit rotation of the drive sleeve and the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing when the dose dial sleeve and drive sleeve are coupled through the clutch. Conversely, when the dose dial sleeve and drive sleeve are in a de-coupled state, rotation of the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing is permitted and rotation of the drive sleeve with respect to the housing is prevented. In the de-coupled state, axial movement of the drive sleeve transfers force in a longitudinal direction for actuation of a drug delivery device.
Inventor(s):	Veasey; Robert Frederick (Warwickshire, GB), Perkins; Robert (Warwickshire, GB), Plumptre; David Aubrey (Worcestershire, GB)
Assignee:	Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Frankfurt am Main, DE)
Application Number:	14/319,379
Patent Litigation and PTAB cases:	See patent lawsuits and PTAB cases for patent 9,533,105
Patent Claims:	1. A drive mechanism for use in a drug delivery device comprising: a housing comprising a window at a distal end of the housing, where the window has a maximum dose stop; a dose dial sleeve being rotatable with respect to the housing and having a radial stop extending radially outward from an outer surface of the dose dial sleeve, the radial stop configured to engage the maximum dose stop; a drive sleeve; and a piston rod engaged with the drive sleeve. 2. The drive mechanism of claim 1, wherein the window has a raised window portion, wherein the maximum dose stop comprises a part of the raised window portion. 3. The drive mechanism of claim 1, wherein the piston rod is threadedly engaged with the drive sleeve. 4. The drive mechanism of claim 1, wherein the dose dial sleeve is threadedly engaged with the housing. 5. The drive mechanism of claim 1, wherein the drive sleeve is releasably connected to the dose dial sleeve. 6. The drive mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a nut threadedly engaged with the drive sleeve between a first flange and a second flange of the drive sleeve, where the nut has a radial stop configured to engage a radial stop of the second flange. 7. The drive mechanism of claim 6, wherein the first flange is a proximal radially extending flange, wherein the second flange is a distal radially extending flange, wherein the nut is threadedly engaged with the drive sleeve between the distal and proximal radially extending flanges, where the nut has a radial stop on a distal face configured to engage a radial stop on a proximal face of the distal radially extending flange. 8. The drive mechanism of claim 7 where the nut is rotationally fixed relative to the housing and configured to move from a cartridge full position to a final dose dispensed position during operation of the drug delivery device. 9. The drive mechanism of claim 8 where the radial stop on the distal face engages the radial stop on the proximal face of the distal radially extending flange when the nut is in the final dose dispensed position. 10. The drive mechanism of claim 8 where a distal face of the proximal radially extending flange has a radial stop configured to engage a radial stop on a proximal face of the nut when the nut is in the cartridge full position. 11. The drive mechanism of claim 7 where the dose dial sleeve, drive sleeve, and nut are prevented from rotating relative to the housing when the nut is in the final dose dispensed position. 12. The drive mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a dose dial grip rotationally fixed to a distal end of the dose dial sleeve. 13. The drive mechanism of claim 12 where the dose dial grip has a stop configured to engage a zero dose stop on the window after a dose is delivered. 14. The drive mechanism of claim 1 where the radial stop on the dose dial sleeve is located at a proximal end of the dose dial sleeve. 15. The drive mechanism of claim 8 further characterized in that during dose setting the drive sleeve rotates and translates distally relative to the piston rod until either the nut reaches the final dose dispensed position or the maximum dose stop on the window engages the radial stop on the dose dial sleeve. 16. A drive mechanism for use in a drug delivery device comprising: a housing comprising a window at a distal end of the housing, where the window has a maximum dose stop; a dose dial sleeve threaded engaged with the housing and having a radial dose stop configured to engage the maximum dose stop; a drive sleeve releasably connected to the dose dial sleeve; a nut threadedly engaged with the drive sleeve between distal and proximal radially extending flanges, where the nut has a radial stop on a distal face configured to engage a radial stop on a proximal face of the distal radially extending flange, where the nut is rotationally fixed relative to the housing and configured to move from a cartridge full position to a final dose dispensed position during operation of the drug delivery device, wherein during dose setting the drive sleeve and dose dial sleeve rotate and translates distally together relative to the housing until either the nut reaches the final dose dispensed position or the maximum dose stop on the window engages the radial stop on the dose dial sleeve.