US 11,850,401 B2
Auto-insert injector
Kevin Swanson, Plymouth, MN (US); and Aaron V. Hua, Maple Grove, MN (US)
Assigned to ANTARES PHARMA, INC., Ewing, NJ (US)
Filed by Antares Pharma, Inc., Ewing, NJ (US)
Filed on Jun. 7, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/435,450.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/682,816, filed on Jun. 8, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0374717 A1, Dec. 12, 2019
Int. Cl. A61M 5/20 (2006.01); A61M 5/32 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/2033 (2013.01) [A61M 5/3202 (2013.01); A61M 2005/206 (2013.01); A61M 2005/208 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An injector comprising:
a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;
a medicament chamber containing a medicament;
a shell positioned within the housing and having a cavity to receive at least a portion of the medicament chamber, the shell moveable with respect to the housing from an initial position to an injecting position, the shell including a flexible arm moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position;
a needle guard including an engagement surface engageable with the flexible arm when the flexible arm is in the engaged position, the needle guard being moveable with respect to the shell when the flexible arm is in the disengaged position, the needle guard moveable between an extended position and a retracted position;
a first member within the housing; and
an actuation assembly coupled to the housing and the shell,
wherein the needle guard moves the first member with respect to the housing as the needle guard moves from the extended position to the retracted position,
wherein the movement of the first member with respect to the housing automatically causes the actuation assembly to move the shell from the initial position to the injecting position,
wherein the actuation assembly moves a plunger with respect to the shell when the shell is in the injecting position and the flexible arm is in the disengaged position,
wherein the first member engages the housing to at least temporarily maintain a position of the first member with respect to the housing,
wherein the needle guard disengages the first member from the housing and moves the first member with respect to the housing as the needle guard moves from the extended position to the retracted position, wherein proximal movement of the needle guard moves the first member proximally with respect to the housing, and wherein the shell moves distally with respect to the housing when the first member moves proximally with respect to the housing.