Details for Patent: 8,313,466

Title:	Devices, systems and methods for medicament delivery
Abstract:	An apparatus includes a housing, a medicament container and an actuator. The actuator includes a release member and an energy storage member having a first position and a second position. In the first position, the energy storage member has a first potential energy. In the second position the energy storage member has a second potential energy. The energy storage member is configured to convert a portion of the first potential energy into kinetic energy when moved from the first position to the second position to move the medicament container within the housing. The energy storage member has a longitudinal axis offset from a longitudinal axis of the medicament container. The release member is configured to selectively deploy the energy storage member from its first position to its second position.
Inventor(s):	Edwards; Evan T (Richmond, VA), Edwards; Eric S (Richmond, VA), Licata; Mark J (Doswell, VA)
Assignee:	Intelliject, Inc. (Richmond, VA)
Filing Date:	Sep 07, 2011
Application Number:	13/226,867
Claims:	1. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a volume, a medicament container movably disposed within the volume, the medicament container coupled to a needle; an energy storage member disposed within the volume, the energy storage member configured to produce a force to move the medicament container to an injection position in which a portion of the needle is disposed through a distal end surface of the housing; a release member disposed within the volume, the release member configured to actuate the energy storage member; and an actuation member, a first portion of the actuation member engaged with the release member such that the release member actuates the energy storage member when the actuation member is moved, a second portion of the actuation member disposed through the distal end surface of the housing such that the actuation member can be manipulated to move the actuation member. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a safety lock movably coupled to the distal end portion of the housing, the safety lock configured to engage the second portion of the actuation member to limit movement of the actuation member. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a safety lock movably coupled to the distal end portion of the housing, the safety lock including a protrusion configured to engage the second portion of the actuation member to limit movement of the actuation member; and a needle guard having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the needle guard configured to be disposed through the first opening and about the needle, the second portion of the needle guard configured to engage the safety lock. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the release member is configured to contact the energy storage member. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the actuation member is configured to move in a first direction from a first position to a second position; and the medicament container is configured to move in a second direction opposite the first direction when the medicament container is moving toward the injection position. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy storage member is a spring configured to produce the force when the spring is actuated by the release member. 7. An apparatus, comprising: a housing having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; a medicament container having a distal end portion configured to be coupled to a needle, the medicament container configured to move within the housing between a first position and a second position, the needle disposed within the housing when the medicament container is in the first position, at least a portion of the needle extends from the distal end portion of the housing when the medicament container is in the second position; an energy storage member configured to produce a force to move the medicament container between the first position and the second position when the energy storage member is actuated; a release member disposed within the housing, the release member configured to actuate the energy storage member; and an actuator configured to engage the release member when the actuator is moved from a first actuator position to a second actuator position such that the release member actuates the energy storage member, a first portion of the actuator disposed within the housing, a second portion of the actuation member disposed outside of the distal end portion of the housing. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a longitudinal axis of the medicament container is offset from a longitudinal axis of the energy storage member. 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the energy storage member is a gas container configured to contain a pressurized gas, the apparatus further comprising: a puncturer configured to penetrate a portion of the gas container when the gas container is actuated. 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the energy storage member is a spring. 11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: the medicament container moves in a first direction when moved from the first position to the second position; and the actuator moves in a second direction when moved from the first actuator position to the second actuator position, the second direction substantially opposite the first direction. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the release member is configured to deform when the actuation member is moved. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a side wall dividing the volume into the a portion and a second portion, the medicament container disposed within the first portion of the volume, the energy storage member disposed within second portion of the volume. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the medicament container includes epinephrine. 15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the distal end portion of the housing includes a distal end surface that defines a first opening and a second opening, the portion of the needle disposed through the first opening when the medicament container is in the second position, a third portion of the actuator disposed through the second opening. 16. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a safety lock movably coupled to the distal end portion of the housing, the safety lock configured to engage the second portion of the actuator to limit movement of the actuator. 17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the medicament container includes epinephrine. 18. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a volume, a first portion of the volume offset from a second portion of the volume, a distal end portion of the housing defining a first passageway, and a second passageway; a medicament container movably disposed within the first portion of the volume, the medicament container coupled to a needle; an energy storage member disposed within second portion of the volume, the energy storage member configured to produce a force to move the medicament container to an injection position in which a portion of the needle is disposed through the first passageway; a release member disposed within the volume, the release member configured to actuate the energy storage member; and an actuation member configured to actuate the energy storage member when the actuation member is moved from a first position to a second position, a first portion of the actuation member disposed within the volume when the actuation member is in the first position, a second portion of the actuation member disposed through the second passageway when the actuation member is in the first position. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a longitudinal axis of the medicament container is offset from a longitudinal axis of the energy storage member. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein: the actuation member is configured to move in a first direction from the first position to the second position; and the medicament container is configured to move in a second direction opposite the first direction when the medicament container is moving toward the injection position. 21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a portion of the release member is configured to deform when the actuation member is moved. 22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the medicament container includes epinephrine.