AUTOINJECTOR
An autoinjector includes a case, a needle shroud telescopically coupled to the case, a carrier slidably arranged in the case, a collar rotatably and slidably disposed in the case and coupled to the needle shroud and the carrier, and a trigger button operably coupled to the carrier. The case includes a rib. The needle shroud is movable between a first extended position, a retracted position, and a locked second extended position. The carrier is adapted to hold a medicament container and movable from a first axial position to a second axial position relative to the case. The carrier abuts the rib in the first axial position and the needle shroud is in the first extended position and disengages the rib when the needle shroud is in the retracted position and the trigger button is pressed to advance the carrier to the second axial position.
1 . An autoinjector ( 1 ) comprising:
a case ( 2 ) including a rib ( 2 . 3 );
a needle shroud ( 7 ) telescopically coupled to the case ( 2 ) and movable between a first extended position (FEP), a retracted position (RP) and a locked second extended position (SEP);
a carrier ( 8 ) slidably arranged in the case ( 2 ) and adapted to hold a medicament container, the carrier ( 8 ) movable from a first axial position to a second axial position relative to the case ( 2 );
a collar ( 16 ) rotatably and slidably disposed in the case ( 2 ), the collar ( 16 ) coupled to the needle shroud ( 7 ) and the carrier ( 8 ); and
a trigger button ( 13 ) operably coupled to the carrier ( 8 ),
wherein the carrier ( 8 ) abuts the rib ( 2 . 3 ) in the first axial position and the needle shroud ( 7 ) is in the first extended position (FEP) and disengages the rib ( 2 . 3 ) when the needle shroud ( 7 ) is in the retracted position (RP) and the trigger button ( 13 ) is pressed to advance the carrier ( 8 ) to the second axial position,
wherein the collar ( 16 ) includes a shroud boss ( 18 ) adapted to engage a shroud slot ( 17 ) in the needle shroud ( 7 ) and a carrier boss ( 20 ) adapted to engage a carrier slot ( 19 ) in the carrier ( 8 ),
the autoinjector ( 1 ) further comprising a control spring ( 9 ) biasing the collar ( 16 ) in a distal direction (D) relative to the case ( 2 ),
wherein the collar ( 16 ), dependent on the relative axial and rotational position in relation to the needle shroud ( 7 ) and the carrier ( 8 ), couples the force of the control spring ( 9 ) to either the carrier ( 8 ) or the needle shroud ( 7 ).
2 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plunger ( 12 ) slidably coupled to the carrier ( 8 ); and
a drive spring ( 10 ) biasing the plunger ( 12 ) relative to the carrier ( 8 ).
3 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the carrier ( 8 ) includes a compliant beam ( 8 . 3 ) having a boss ( 8 . 4 ) adapted to engage an opening ( 12 . 1 ) in the plunger ( 12 ) when the carrier ( 8 ) is in the first axial position.
4 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the boss ( 8 . 4 ) is adapted to engage the case ( 2 ) when the carrier ( 8 ) is in the second axial position.
5 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims , wherein the collar ( 16 ) is in a first angular position relative to the case ( 2 ) when the needle shroud ( 7 ) is in the first extended position (EP) and the carrier ( 8 ) is in the first axial position.
6 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the collar ( 16 ) rotates to a second angular position relative to the case ( 2 ) and translates proximally relative to the case ( 2 ) when the needle shroud ( 7 ) moves from the first extended position (EP) to the retracted position (RP).
7 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the collar ( 16 ) translates distally relative to the case ( 2 ) when the needle shroud ( 7 ) is in the retracted position (RP) and the carrier ( 8 ) moves from the first axial position to the second axial position.
8 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claims 2 and 7 , wherein the boss ( 8 . 4 ) disengages the opening ( 12 . 1 ) and abuts the case ( 2 ) when the carrier ( 8 ) is in the second axial position, and wherein the plunger ( 12 ) translates axially relative to the carrier ( 8 ) under the force of the drive spring ( 10 ) advancing the carrier ( 8 ) from the second axial position to a third axial position relative to the case ( 2 ).
9 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the collar ( 16 ) rotates to a third angular position relative to the case ( 2 ) and translates with the needle shroud ( 7 ) distally relative to the case ( 2 ) when the carrier ( 8 ) is in the third axial position.
10 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the collar ( 16 ) rotates to a fourth angular position relative to the case ( 2 ) when the needle shroud ( 7 ) is in the locked second extended position (SEP).
11 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and 10 , wherein the carrier boss ( 20 ) is adapted to abut a surface ( 19 . 6 ) in the carrier slot ( 19 ) when the collar ( 16 ) is in the fourth angular position and the needle shroud ( 7 ) is in the locked second extended position (SEP).
12 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 4 and 11 , wherein the engagement of the carrier boss ( 20 ) and the carrier slot notch and the engagement of the carrier ( 8 ) to the case ( 2 ) substantially fixes the collar ( 16 ) in an axial position relative to the case ( 2 ).
13 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to any of the preceding claims , wherein the carrier ( 8 ) includes a compliant beam ( 8 . 2 ) adapted to engage the rib ( 2 . 3 ) when the carrier ( 8 ) is in the first and second axial positions.
14 . The autoinjector ( 1 ) according to claim 13 , wherein the needle shroud ( 7 ) includes a ramp ( 7 . 1 ) adapted to engage and deflect the compliant beam ( 8 . 2 ) as the needle shroud ( 7 ) translates from the first extended position (FEP) to the retracted position (RP).