US 12,350,469 B2
Impact testing apparatuses and methods for drug delivery devices
Julian Jazayeri, Woodland Hills, CA (US); Sean Fitzgibbon, Camarillo, CA (US); Joshua Tamsky, Thousand Oaks, CA (US); and Christopher R. Folk, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to AMGEN INC., Thousand Oaks, CA (US)
Filed by AMGEN INC., Thousand Oaks, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/588,264.
Application 18/588,264 is a continuation of application No. 18/071,861, filed on Nov. 30, 2022, granted, now 11,938,304.
Application 18/071,861 is a continuation of application No. 16/306,379, granted, now 11,541,176, issued on Jan. 3, 2023, previously published as PCT/US2017/031544, filed on May 8, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/345,608, filed on Jun. 3, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0197996 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 5/20 (2006.01); A61M 5/142 (2006.01); G01L 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/2033 (2013.01) [G01L 5/0052 (2013.01); A61M 2005/14288 (2013.01); A61M 2205/332 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3331 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A testing apparatus for simulating operation of a drug delivery device having a container containing a fluid and a plunger, the plunger having a distally facing end surface and a proximally facing end surface each being disposed within the container, the testing apparatus comprising:
a guide sleeve configured to receive a syringe, the syringe having a proximal end, a distal end, and a plunger;
an impactor configured to simulate a plunger rod of the drug delivery device, wherein at least a distal end of the impactor is configured to fit within the container of the drug delivery device;
an energy source configured to reduce a distance between the impactor and the plunger such that the distal end of the impactor contacts the proximally facing end surface of the plunger; and
a monitoring system configured to measure at least one characteristic of at least one impact caused by the impactor.