Lockout mechanism for drug delivery device
A drug delivery device includes a housing, a container at least partially disposed within the housing and configured to contain a medicament, an injection mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing and configured to exert a force to urge the medicament from the container, a drug delivery component at least partially disposed within the housing, and at least one pin positioned adjacent to the housing and preventing activation of the activation mechanism until the at least one pin reaches a desired temperature.
1 . A drug delivery device comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis;
a container at least partially disposed within the housing, the container configured to contain a medicament;
an injection mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing, the injection mechanism configured to exert a force to urge the medicament from the container;
a drug delivery component at least partially disposed within the housing;
a protective cap selectively coupled with the housing adjacent to the drug delivery component; and
a plurality of lock pins positioned next to the housing and the protective cap and preventing relative movement therebetween until the plurality of lock pins reach a desired temperature, the plurality of lock pins each having a first thickness at a temperature below the desired temperature for activation of the injection mechanism and a second thickness at the desired temperature, a change between the first thickness and the second thickness enabling activation of the injection mechanism without displacement of the plurality of lock pins relative to the longitudinal axis.
2 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lock pins includes at least three lock pins annularly spaced about an inner surface of the protective cap.
3 . The drug delivery device of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of lock pins includes at least four lock pins annularly spaced about the inner surface of the protective cap.
4 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a needle shield at least selectively surrounding the drug delivery component, wherein the plurality of lock pins are each connected to an outer surface of the needle shield.
5 . The drug delivery device of claim 4 , wherein the needle shield includes a plurality of locking notches each configured to selectively engage the plurality of lock pins until the plurality of lock pins reach the desired temperature.
6 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lock pins are shape memory alloys.
7 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lock pins are constructed from a bi-metallic material.
8 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lock pins are constructed from a nitinol material.
9 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising a release component coupled with the housing and configured to selectively permit release of the injection mechanism; and at least one release pin positioned adjacent to the housing and the release component and preventing relative movement therebetween until the at least one release pin reaches the desired temperature.
10 . A drug delivery device comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis;
a container at least partially disposed within the housing, the container configured to contain a medicament;
an injection mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing, the injection mechanism configured to exert a force to urge the medicament from the container;
a drug delivery component at least partially disposed within the housing;
a release component coupled with the housing and configured to selectively permit release of the injection mechanism; and
at least one release pin positioned next to the housing and the release component and preventing relative movement therebetween until the at least one release pin reaches a desired temperature, the at least one release pin having a first thickness at a temperature below the desired temperature for activation of the injection mechanism and a second thickness at the desired temperature, a change between the first thickness and the second thickness enabling activation of the injection mechanism without displacement of the at least one release pin relative to the longitudinal axis.
11 . The drug delivery device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one release pin contains shape memory alloys.
12 . The drug delivery device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one release pin is constructed from a bi-metallic material.
13 . The drug delivery device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one release pin is constructed from a nitinol material.
14 . A drug delivery device comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis;
a container at least partially disposed within the housing, the container configured to contain a medicament;
an injection mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing, the injection mechanism configured to exert a force to urge the medicament from the container;
a drug delivery component at least partially disposed within the housing; and
at least one lock out mechanism positioned next to the housing and preventing activation of the injection mechanism until the at least one lock out mechanism reaches a desired temperature, the at least one lock out mechanism having a first thickness at a temperature below the desired temperature for activation of the injection mechanism and a second thickness at the desired temperature, a change between the first thickness and the second thickness enabling activation of the injection mechanism without displacement of the at least one lock out mechanism relative to the longitudinal axis occurring during the change between the first thickness and the second thickness.
15 . The drug delivery device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one lock out mechanism contains a shape memory alloy.