US 12,220,563 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 Mar. 20, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/611,151.
Application 18/611,151 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 2024/0226450 A1, Jul. 11, 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 5/31501 (2013.01) [A61M 5/20 (2013.01); A61M 5/2033 (2013.01); A61M 5/3157 (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 case having a sidewall defining an opening that extends through the sidewall;
a syringe carrier slidably arranged within the case and configured to hold a syringe such that when the syringe is in the syringe carrier a proximal end of the syringe is supported by the syringe carrier, the syringe carrier and the syringe being configured to slide relative to the case from a distal syringe position in which a needle of the syringe does not extend proximally beyond a proximal end of the case to a proximal syringe position in which the needle extends proximally beyond the proximal end of the case;
an indicator configured to move relative to the syringe from a distal indicator position in which the indicator is distal to the opening of the case to a proximal indicator position in which the indicator is visible through the opening, the auto-injector being configured such that movement of the indicator from the distal indicator position to the proximal indicator position is indicative of a use of the auto-injector;
a plunger rod slidably arranged within the case for dispensing a medicament of the syringe through the needle;
a drive spring surrounding a distal portion of the plunger rod and having a proximal end configured to engage the plunger rod for moving the plunger rod in a proximal direction relative to the case to dispense the medicament;
a second spring having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the drive spring; and
a sleeve slidably arranged within the case such that at least a portion of the sleeve is outward of the syringe carrier and inward of the sidewall of the case.
 
15. An auto-injector comprising:
a case having a sidewall defining an opening that extends through the sidewall;
a syringe carrier slidably arranged within the case and configured to hold a syringe such that when the syringe is in the syringe carrier a proximal end of the syringe is supported by the syringe carrier, the syringe carrier and the syringe being configured to slide relative to the case from a distal syringe position in which a needle of the syringe does not extend proximally beyond a proximal end of the case to a proximal syringe position in which the needle extends proximally beyond the proximal end of the case;
an indicator configured to move relative to the syringe from a distal indicator position in which the indicator is distal to the opening of the case to a proximal indicator position in which the indicator is visible through the opening of the case;
a first spring surrounding a distal portion of the indicator and configured to apply a proximally-directed biasing force to the indicator; and
a second spring having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the first spring, at least a portion of the second spring axially overlapping the first spring during one or more states of the auto-injector.
 
24. An auto-injector comprising:
a housing having a sidewall defining an opening that extends through the sidewall;
a carrier slidably arranged within the housing and configured to receive a syringe such that when the syringe is in the carrier (i) the syringe is in contact with a sidewall of the carrier, (ii) a proximal end of the syringe is engaged to an inward protrusion of the carrier, (iii) a proximal side of a distal flange of the syringe is spaced apart from a distal end of the sidewall of the carrier, and (iv) a distal portion of the carrier extends distally beyond the distal flange of the syringe,
wherein an inner diameter of the sidewall of the carrier is substantially equal to an outer diameter of a barrel of the syringe, and the carrier and the syringe are configured to slide relative to the housing from a distal syringe position in which a needle of the syringe does not extend proximally beyond a proximal end of the housing to a proximal syringe position in which the needle extends proximally beyond the proximal end of the housing; and
an indicator configured to move relative to the syringe from a distal indicator position in which the indicator is distal to the opening of the housing to a proximal indicator position in which the indicator is visible through the opening, the auto-injector being configured such that movement of the indicator from the distal indicator position to the proximal indicator position is indicative of a use of the auto-injector.
 
28. A method comprising:
sliding a syringe carrier of an auto-injector and a syringe disposed in the syringe carrier relative to a case of the auto-injector from a distal syringe position in which a needle of the syringe does not extend proximally beyond a proximal end of the case to a proximal syringe position in which the needle extends proximally beyond the proximal end of the case; and
after moving the syringe carrier and the syringe relative to the case, moving an indicator of the auto-injector relative to the syringe from a distal indicator position in which the indicator is distal to an opening in a sidewall of the case to a proximal indicator position in which the indicator is visible through the opening,
wherein the syringe is in contact with a sidewall of the syringe carrier, a proximal end of the syringe is engaged to an inward protrusion of the syringe carrier, a proximal side of a distal flange of the syringe is spaced apart from the sidewall of the syringe carrier, and at least a portion of the syringe carrier extends distally beyond the distal flange of the syringe.