Details for Patent: 7,947,017

Title:	Devices, systems and methods for medicament delivery
Abstract:	An apparatus includes a movable member and a valve coupled to the movable member. The movable member is configured to be disposed within a housing of a medical device and has a first end portion and second end portion. A portion of the first end portion is configured to define a portion of a boundary of a gas chamber. The first end portion defines an opening configured to be in fluid communication between the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber. The second end portion is configured to be coupled to a needle configured to deliver a medicament into a body. The valve is configured to selectively allow fluid communication between the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber through the opening defined by the first end portion of the movable member.
Inventor(s):	Edwards; Evan Thomas (Fredericksburg, VA), Edwards; Eric Shawn (Midlothian, VA), Licata; Mark J. (Doswell, VA)
Assignee:	Intelliject, Inc. (Richmond, VA)
Filing Date:	Dec 04, 2006
Application Number:	11/566,422
Claims:	1. An apparatus, comprising: a carrier configured to be disposed within a housing of a medical device, a first end portion of the carrier configured to be coupled to a medicament container, a second end portion of the carrier including a valve actuator, the carrier including an engagement portion configured to directly engage a retraction spring; a movable member configured to move relative to the carrier, the movable member having a first end portion and second end portion, a portion of the first end portion configured to define a portion of a boundary of a gas chamber, the first end portion defining an opening configured to be in fluid communication between the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber, the second end portion configured to be engaged with the medicament container; and a valve coupled to the movable member, the valve configured to allow fluid communication between the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber through the opening defined by the first end portion when the valve is actuated by the valve actuator of the carrier. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movable member includes a sealing portion configured to engage a portion of the housing to fluidically isolate the gas chamber from the area outside the gas chamber. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movable member includes an o-ring configured to engage a portion of the housing to fluidically isolate the gas chamber from the area outside the gas chamber. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve includes a valve body and a biasing member, the valve body configured to move between a first position and a second position, in the first position the valve body is positioned relative to the opening to fluidically isolate the gas chamber from the area outside the gas chamber, in the second position the valve body is positioned such that the gas chamber is in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber, the biasing member configured to bias the valve body in the first position. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve includes a frangible seal. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve includes a movable sealing member disposed about the opening. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the medicament container contains epinephrine. 8. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a gas chamber; a medicament container movably disposed within the housing; a medicament injector configured to be movably disposed within the housing, the medicament injector including a carrier and a movable member, the carrier including a valve actuator, the movable member having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion defining a portion of a boundary of the gas chamber, the first end portion including a seal configured to engage a portion of the housing to fluidically isolate the gas chamber from an area outside the gas chamber, the second end portion being disposed within the medicament container; an injection member configured to be coupled to the carrier, the injection member defining a lumen configured to be in fluid communication with the medicament container, the injection member configured to convey a medicament from the medicament container into a body of a patient, the medicament injector having a first position and a second position, in the first position the injection member is contained within the housing, in the second position a portion of the injection member extends from the housing, the movable member configured to move relative to the carrier between a first movable member position and a second movable member position to expel a medicament contained within the medicament container via the injection member; and a valve disposed on the first end portion of the movable member, the valve having a first configuration and a second configuration, in the first configuration, the gas chamber is fluidically isolated from the area outside the gas chamber, in the second configuration the gas chamber is in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber, the valve actuator is configured to engage the valve when the movable member is in the second movable member position. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the injection member is a needle configured to penetrate the body. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the injection member is a nozzle configured to be positioned adjacent the body. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the movable member defines a passageway configured to be in fluid communication with the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber; and the valve includes a sealing member disposed about an opening of the passageway. 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the movable member defines a passageway configured to be in fluid communication with the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber; and the valve includes a frangible seal disposed about an opening of the passageway. 13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a biasing member configured to engage the medicament injector to bias the medicament injector in the first position. 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the valve actuator is configured to place the valve in its second configuration when the medicament injector is in its second position. 15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the medicament includes epinephrine. 16. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a gas chamber; a movable member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion defining a portion of a boundary of the gas chamber, the second portion configured to be coupled to a needle configured to deliver a medicament, the movable member configured to be disposed within the housing in a first position and a second position, in the first position the needle is disposed within the housing, in the second position a portion of the needle extends outside the housing; and a gas release member having a first configuration and a second configuration, when the gas release member is in the first configuration the gas chamber is fluidically isolated from an area outside the gas chamber, when the gas release member is in the second configuration the gas chamber is in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber, the gas release member configured to be moved from its first configuration to its second configuration when the movable member is in its second position, the gas release member configured to be maintained in its second configuration when the movable member moves back from its second position towards its first position. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the first portion of the movable member defines a passageway configured to place the gas chamber in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber; and the gas release member includes a frangible seal configured to fluidically isolate a portion of the passageway from the gas chamber. 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the first portion of the movable member defines a passageway configured to be in fluid communication with the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber; the gas release member includes a frangible seal configured to fluidically isolate a portion of the passageway from the gas chamber; and the movable member includes a puncturer configured to puncture the frangible member. 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the first portion of the movable member defines a passageway configured to be in fluid communication with the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber; the gas release member is configured to fluidically isolate a portion of the passageway from the gas chamber; and the movable member includes an actuator configured to contact the gas release member to place the gas release member in its second configuration. 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the housing defines a passageway configured to be in fluid communication with the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber; the gas release member includes a seal configured to fluidically isolate a portion of the passageway from the gas chamber; and the movable member includes an actuator configured to move the seal to place the gas release member in its second configuration. 21. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a biasing member configured to bias the movable member towards its first position. 22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the movable member is configured to move relative to the second portion of the movable member. 23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the medicament includes epinephrine, the apparatus further comprising: a medicament container containing the epinephrine, the medicament container coupled to the movable member. 24. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a gas chamber; a movable member configured to move within the housing, the movable member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion defining a portion of a boundary of the gas chamber, the second portion configured to move a plunger within a medicament container to expel a medicament contained within the medicament container when the movable member moves within the housing; and a valve coupled to the first portion of the movable member, the valve fluidically isolating the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber when the movable member moves within the housing to expel the medicament, the valve configured to be placed in an opened configuration such that the gas chamber is in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber after at least a portion of the medicament has been expelled. 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein: the movable member moves within the housing from a first position to a second position to expel the medicament; the first portion of the movable member defines an opening configured to place the gas chamber in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber; and the valve includes a flexible member disposed at least partially about the opening such that when the movable member moves to the second position the flexible member is deformed. 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first portion of the movable member defines an opening configured to place the gas chamber in fluid communication with the area outside the gas chamber; and the valve includes a flexible member disposed within the opening such that as the movable member moves within the housing, an actuator deforms the flexible member. 27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the movable member moves within the housing in a first direction to expel the medicament, the apparatus further comprising: an actuator disposed within the housing, the actuator configured to engage the valve after at least the portion of the medicament has been expelled. 28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the movable member moves within the housing in a first direction to expel the medicament, the apparatus further comprising: a retraction spring configured to bias the movable member towards the second direction. 29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the movable member moves in a first direction from a first position to a second position to expel the medicament, the apparatus further comprising: a carrier movably disposed within the housing, the medicament container coupled to the carrier, the movable member configured to move relative to the carrier when the movable member is moved from the first position to the second position such that an actuation portion of the carrier engages the valve when the movable member is in the second position; and a retraction spring configured to bias the carrier and the movable member towards a second direction. 30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the medicament includes epinephrine, the apparatus further comprising: the medicament container, the second portion of the movable member movably disposed within the medicament container. 31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein: the movable member moves within the housing in a first direction to expel the medicament; and the valve is configured to remain in the opened configuration when the movable member moves in a second direction after at least the portion of the medicament has been expelled. 32. An apparatus, comprising: a carrier configured to be disposed within a housing of a medical device, a first end portion of the carrier configured to be coupled to a medicament container, a second end portion of the carrier including a valve actuator; a movable member configured to move relative to the carrier, the movable member having a first end portion and second end portion, a portion of the first end portion configured to define a portion of a boundary of a gas chamber, the first end portion defining an opening configured to be in fluid communication between the gas chamber and an area outside the gas chamber, the movable member includes a sealing portion configured to engage a portion of the housing to fluidically isolate the gas chamber from the area outside the gas chamber, the second end portion configured to be engaged with the medicament container; and a valve coupled to the movable member, the valve configured to allow fluid communication between the gas chamber and the area outside the gas chamber through the opening defined by the first end portion when the valve is actuated by the valve actuator of the carrier.