US 12,214,176 B2
Auto-injector
Simon Francis Brereton, Cambridge (GB); Thomas Kemp, Ashwell (GB); Rosie Burnell, Cambridge (GB); and Matthew Ekman, Cheshire (GB)
Assigned to Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH, Frankfurt am Main (DE)
Filed by Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH, Frankfurt am Main (DE)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/755,787.
Application 18/755,787 is a continuation of application No. 18/487,215, filed on Oct. 16, 2023.
Application 18/487,215 is a continuation of application No. 17/126,962, filed on Dec. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,819,670, issued on Nov. 21, 2023.
Application 17/126,962 is a continuation of application No. 15/897,872, filed on Feb. 15, 2018, granted, now 10,894,132, issued on Jan. 19, 2021.
Application 15/897,872 is a continuation of application No. 13/983,809, granted, now 9,925,344, issued on Mar. 27, 2018, previously published as PCT/EP2012/052647, filed on Feb. 16, 2012.
Claims priority of application No. 11155040 (EP), filed on Feb. 18, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2024/0342386 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. A61M 5/315 (2006.01); A61M 5/20 (2006.01); A61M 5/32 (2006.01); A61M 5/46 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/3157 (2013.01) [A61M 5/20 (2013.01); A61M 5/2033 (2013.01); A61M 5/3158 (2013.01); A61M 5/326 (2013.01); A61M 5/46 (2013.01); A61M 2005/206 (2013.01); A61M 2005/208 (2013.01); A61M 2205/581 (2013.01); A61M 2205/582 (2013.01); A61M 2205/583 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An auto-injector comprising:
a housing configured to allow a syringe containing a medicament to be disposed within the housing;
a plunger rod disposed within the housing, the plunger rod comprising
a flange;
a proximal portion extending from a proximal surface of the flange and being substantially symmetric about a plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plunger rod,
a first distal portion extending distally from a distal surface of the flange and having (i) a first inner surface located outward of the plane by a first distance and (ii) a first outer surface; and
a second distal portion extending distally from the distal surface of the flange and having (i) a second inner surface located outward of the plane by a second distance that is substantially equal to the first distance and (ii) a second outer surface, the first and second distal portions being spaced apart from one another and the plane;
a compression spring having a proximal end disposed around the first and second distal portions of the plunger rod and engaging the distal surface of the flange, the compression spring arranged to bias the plunger rod in a proximal direction relative to the housing;
a sleeve slidably disposed within the housing and configured to releasably engage the first and second distal portions of the plunger rod for releasably holding the plunger rod in a distal position relative to the housing prior to the first and second distal portions of the plunger rod disengaging from the sleeve by an inward deflection; and
a button disposed at a distal end of the housing, the button comprising a proximally-extending protrusion configured to allow the plunger rod to be released from being held in the distal position relative to the housing such that the plunger rod moves in the proximal direction relative to the housing and dispenses the medicament from the syringe when the syringe is disposed in the housing.
 
9. An auto-injector comprising:
a housing configured to allow a syringe containing a medicament to be disposed within the housing;
a plunger rod disposed within the housing, the plunger rod comprising
a flange;
a proximal portion extending from a proximal surface of the flange and being substantially centered about a first plane; and
a distal portion extending distally from a distal surface of the flange and having an inner surface located outward of the first plane by a first distance measured perpendicular from the first plane, the distal portion at least partially defining an axially-extending opening that (i) extends from the distal surface of the flange to a distal end of the plunger rod and (ii) is substantially centered about the first plane;
a sleeve configured to releasably hold the plunger rod in a distal position relative to the housing prior to the distal portion of the plunger rod disengaging from the sleeve by an inward deflection;
a compression spring having a proximal end disposed around the distal portion of the plunger rod and engaging the distal surface of the flange, the compression spring arranged to bias the plunger rod in a proximal direction relative to the housing; and
a button disposed at a distal end of the housing, the button comprising a proximally-extending protrusion configured to allow the plunger rod to be released from being held in a distal position relative to the housing such that the plunger rod moves in the proximal direction relative to the housing and dispenses the medicament from the syringe when the syringe is disposed in the housing.
 
22. An auto-injector comprising:
a housing configured to allow a syringe containing a medicament to be disposed within the housing;
a plunger rod disposed within the housing, the plunger rod comprising
a flange;
a proximal portion extending from a proximal surface of the flange and being substantially symmetric about a plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plunger rod,
a first distal portion extending distally from a distal surface of the flange and having (i) a first inner surface located outward of the plane by a first distance and (ii) a first outer surface; and
a second distal portion extending distally from the distal surface of the flange and having (i) a second inner surface located outward of the plane by a second distance that is substantially equal to the first distance and (ii) a second outer surface, the first and second distal portions being spaced apart from one another and the plane;
a compression spring having a proximal end disposed around the first and second distal portions of the plunger rod and engaging the distal surface of the flange, the compression spring arranged to bias the plunger rod in a proximal direction relative to the housing;
a sleeve slidably disposed within the housing and configured to releasably engage the first and second distal portions of the plunger rod for releasably holding the plunger rod in a distal position relative to the housing prior to an inward deflection which releases the first and second distal portions of the plunger rod from being engaged to the sleeve; and
a button disposed at a distal end of the housing, the button comprising a proximally-extending protrusion configured to allow the plunger rod to be released from being held in the distal position relative to the housing such that the plunger rod moves in the proximal direction relative to the housing and dispenses the medicament from the syringe when the syringe is disposed in the housing.
 
26. An auto-injector comprising:
a housing configured to allow a syringe containing a medicament to be disposed within the housing;
a plunger rod disposed within the housing, the plunger rod comprising
a flange;
a proximal portion extending from a proximal surface of the flange and being substantially centered about a first plane; and
a distal portion extending distally from a distal surface of the flange and having an inner surface located outward of the first plane by a first distance measured perpendicular from the first plane, the distal portion at least partially defining an axially-extending opening that (i) extends from the distal surface of the flange to a distal end of the plunger rod and (ii) is substantially centered about the first plane;
a sleeve configured to releasably hold the plunger rod in a distal position relative to the housing prior to an inward deflection which releases the distal portion of the plunger rod from being engaged to the sleeve;
a compression spring having a proximal end disposed around the distal portion of the plunger rod and engaging the distal surface of the flange, the compression spring arranged to bias the plunger rod in a proximal direction relative to the housing; and
a button disposed at a distal end of the housing, the button comprising a proximally-extending protrusion configured to allow the inward deflection to release the distal portion of the plunger rod from being engaged to the sleeve such that the plunger rod moves in the proximal direction relative to the housing and dispenses the medicament from the syringe when the syringe is disposed in the housing.