US 12,246,161 B2
Shell for a portable electromechanical apparatus for drug infusion
Claudio Cane', Rivoli (IT); Mario Cane', Rivoli (IT); and Paolo Cane', Rivoli (IT)
Assigned to CANE' S.P.A., Rivoli (IT)
Appl. No. 17/417,820
Filed by CANE' S.P.A., Rivoli (IT)
PCT Filed Dec. 24, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/061336
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/141412, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 102018000021493 (IT), filed on Dec. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072221 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61M 5/142 (2006.01); A61M 5/145 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/14236 (2013.01) [A61M 5/14546 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A portable electromechanical apparatus for drug infusion through a syringe (SR) provided with a corresponding slidable plunger (SF), said apparatus comprising:
an electromechanical driving unit including an electric geared motor (43) and a rod (29) for exerting an axial thrust onto a slidable plunger of a syringe when engaged to the apparatus;
a shell (11) comprising an outer monolithic casing (13) and a support structure (15), said casing (13) being made entirely of plastic and having a continuous and endless ring shape, said support structure being housed within the casing (13);
wherein said support structure (15) is made entirely of metal; and
wherein said casing (13) comprises a coupling ferrule (23) incorporated in a body of the casing (13) for firmly connecting a syringe (SR) to the shell of the portable electromechanical apparatus, said coupling ferrule (23) defining a bayonet-like coupling for a syringe (SR);
wherein said shell includes a guide member (27) and said rod (29) is longitudinally slidable within said guide member (27);
wherein said rod (29) has an axial cavity (49) with an open base (51) receiving a rotatable screw (53) engaged with a corresponding thread of an internally threaded nut or bushing (55) housed within said axial cavity (49) at said open base (51) of said rod (29);
wherein said electric geared motor (43) has a driving shaft (57) with a pinion (59) having teeth engaged with a toothed gear wheel (61) fixed to a base of said rotatable screw (53);
wherein said electric geared motor (43) being able to rotate said pinion (59) in opposite directions of rotation such that engagement of the pinion (59) and the toothed gear wheel (61) causes rotation of the screw (53) and, in turn, sliding of the rod (29) back and forth through the guide member (27);
wherein said support structure (15) comprises a base plate (31) and a frame (33) fixed to the plate (31);
wherein a seat (37) housing said driving shaft (57), said pinion (59), and said toothed gear wheel (61) is defined between the base plate (31) and the frame (33); and
wherein the base plate (31) is flat and rests against a plurality of rest elements (41) incorporated in the body of the casing (13) and extending longitudinally and transversely within a chamber (17) defined within the casing (13) of the shell (11);
whereby stress exerted by the screw (53) during a drug infusion is discharged against said rest elements (41).