Details for Patent: 9,446,195

Title:	Injection device with cammed ram assembly
Abstract:	An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can provide an injector including a trigger mechanism, an energy source, and a user-operable firing-initiation member. The trigger member can include a trigger member having a retainer portion, and a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize a medicament container for expelling a medicament therefrom and a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition. The energy source can be associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament, and the user-operable firing-initiation member can be operable for causing an axial rotation between the trigger engagement member and the retainer portion from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition in which the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to fire the ram.
Inventor(s):	Kramer; Thomas E. (Coon Rapids, MN), Rust; Matthew H. (Hudson, WI), Goudreau; Paul M. (St. Paul, MN), Hoeft; Peter A. (Seattle, WA), Sund; Julius C. (Plymouth, MN), Sadowski; Peter L. (Woodbury, MN)
Assignee:	Antares Pharma, Inc. (Ewing, NJ)
Filing Date:	Jun 28, 2013
Application Number:	13/930,166
Claims:	1. An injector, comprising: a trigger mechanism including: a trigger member having a retainer portion, and a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize a medicament container for expelling a medicament therefrom, the ram assembly further having a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition; an energy source associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament; and a user-operable firing-initiation member operable for causing an axial rotation between the trigger engagement member and the retainer portion from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition in which the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to fire the ram. 2. The injector of claim 1, wherein the ram assembly is of unitary construction. 3. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a container support that is configured for holding the medicament container during injection, and wherein the ram assembly is configured to engage the container support to lock-out the injector after dispensing of the medicament. 4. The injector of claim 3, wherein proximal movement of the user-operable firing-initiation member is blocked by the ram assembly when the injector is locked-out. 5. The injector of claim 1, wherein the firing initiation member comprises a skin-contacting member, the skin contacting member comprising a needle guard that is retractable and is configured to expose a needle connected to the medicament container upon the proximal movement of the skin-contacting member. 6. The injector of claim 5, wherein the needle is in fluid communication with the medicament container for injecting the medicament expelled therefrom during the firing. 7. The injector of claim 5, wherein the skin contacting member comprises a first cam, and the ram assembly comprises a second cam, the first cam being operatively associated with the second cam for camming the second cam upon the axial movement to rotate the ram assembly with respect to the retainer portion so as to position the ram assembly in the firing condition. 8. The injector of claim 1, wherein the energy source is configured to pressurize the medicament to between about 90 p.s.i. and about 500 p.s.i. 9. The injector of claim 8, wherein the energy source and the needle are configured for jet injecting the medicament through the needle. 10. The injector of claim 8, wherein the energy source and needle are configured for injecting the medicament at an average velocity of at least about 1,000 cm/sec within the needle. 11. The injector of claim 8, wherein the energy source and needle are configured to result in a medicament flow rate of about 0.2 mL/sec to about 0.75 mL/sec. 12. The injector of claim 1, further comprising an injection housing, wherein: the trigger engagement member and the ram are in fixed association, such that rotation of the trigger engagement member rotates the ram; and the ram assembly is associated with the firing-initiation member such that operation of the firing-initiation member rotates the ram assembly within the housing to the firing condition. 13. The injector of claim 12, wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a ram holding member that axially retains the ram assembly in a proximal position against action of the energy source in the pre-firing position, the retainer portion retaining the trigger engagement member engaged and held against firing by the ram holding member. 14. The injector of claim 13, wherein in the firing condition, the ram is disengaged from the retainer portion, and the energy source overcomes an engagement between the trigger engagement member and the ram holding member. 15. The injector of claim 13, wherein the ram holding member includes a projection that includes a bulge and a groove engaged with the trigger engagement member, and the retainer portion retains the engagement of the trigger engagement member with the bulge and groove in the pre-firing condition. 16. The injector of claim 1, wherein a pre-firing color gamut is visible from the exterior of the injector in the pre-firing condition, the injector further comprising: a housing including a window; and an indicator having an indicator color that is absent from the pre-firing color gamut, which color is hidden from view within the housing in the pre-fired condition, wherein in the fired condition, the indicator color is visible through the window from an exterior of the injector for indicating the fired condition. 17. The injector of claim 16, wherein the ram assembly includes the indicator. 18. The injector of claim 17, wherein the ram assembly entirely occludes the window in the fired condition. 19. An injector, comprising: a trigger mechanism including: a trigger member having a retainer portion, and a ram assembly having a ram configured to pressurize a medicament container for expelling a medicament therefrom and at least one first camming surface, the ram assembly further having a trigger engagement member configured to engage the retainer portion of the trigger member in a pre-firing condition; an energy source associated with the ram for powering the ram to expel the medicament; and a needle guard including a user-operable firing-initiation member having at least one second camming surface configured to operatively associate with the at least one first camming surface so as to cause an axial rotation between the trigger engagement member and the retainer portion from the pre-firing condition to a firing condition in which the trigger engagement member is released from the retainer portion to allow the energy source to fire the ram. 20. The injector of claim 19, further comprising a container support, and wherein the ram assembly is configured to engage the container support to lock-out the injector after dispensing of the medicament.