Rotating lock reset system and method

Abstract

A system and method for resetting a locking mechanism of a medicament delivery or training device is provided herein. The system and method include a central shaft comprising a slotted ring, a pronged ring, a spring, a spring clamp, an actuator button, and a lock ring. Following the firing of the medicament device, wherein the actuation member has been activated and the lock ring in the unlocked position, the system and method can be initiated to reset the locking mechanism such that the components of the system and the lock ring are reset to the locked position before the actuation member can be actuated for a subsequent injection or training.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for resetting a medicament device locking mechanism from an unlocked position to a locked position, said system comprising:
 a medicament device housing comprising a central shaft, said central shaft comprising at least a first hook at a first end thereof;   a central shaft ring slidably engaged with the central shaft and movable along a longitudinal axis of the central shaft;   a slotted ring slidably engaged with the central shaft and associated with the central shaft ring, said slotted ring comprising at least one guiding channel along its inner surface, said at least one guiding channel formed between at least two raised portions on an inner surface of the slotted ring;   a pronged ring slidably engaged with the central shaft and movable along the longitudinal axis of the central shaft, said pronged ring comprising at least one prong, said at least one prong slidably engaged within a guiding channel of the slotted ring, said pronged ring comprising one or more openings, one or more ridge portions adjacent to said one or more openings, and one or more notches around its circumference;   a spring associated with the pronged ring at a first end of the spring, said spring associated with a spring clamp at a second end of the spring, wherein said spring is arranged to exert a torque upon the pronged ring; and   a lock ring surrounding at least a portion of the first end of the housing, said lock ring comprising one or more spines projecting inwardly, said one or more spines configured to interface with the one or more notches of the pronged ring, the lock ring comprising a locked position and an unlocked position;   wherein upon actuation of the system, the central shaft ring is moved in a longitudinal direction toward the first end of the central shaft, forcing the slotted ring toward the first end of the central shaft such that at least one of the raised portions of the slotted ring depresses the first hook of the central shaft, and the pronged ring is disengaged from the slotted ring such that the first hook engages the ridge portion of the pronged ring; wherein a torsional force from the spring rotates the pronged ring axially relative to the central shaft, rotating the lock ring from the unlocked position to the locked position and rotating the pronged ring such that at least the first hook aligns with an opening of the pronged ring, wherein compression force from the spring forces the at least one prong of the pronged ring to re-engage with the guide channel of the slotted ring to complete the reset of the system from the unlocked position to the locked position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an actuation member associated with the first end of the central shaft, and configured to activate the medicament device upon actuation, wherein said actuation member is actuated by pressing down on the actuation member such that it moves in a longitudinal direction relative to the central shaft toward the second end of the device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein when the lock ring is in the locked position, the actuation member cannot move in a longitudinal direction relative to the central shaft toward the second end of the device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein when the lock ring is in the unlocked position, the actuation member is movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the central shaft toward the second end of the device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the medicament device is a training device for an auto-injector. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the medicament device is an auto-injector. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least a second hook disposed on the central shaft, wherein the second hook interacts with the spring clamp to prevent the spring clamp from moving along the longitudinal axis of the central shaft toward the first end of the central shaft and/or from rotating relative to the central shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the actuation member is reset to a pre-actuated position upon resetting of the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the slotted ring further comprises two or more guiding channels along its inner surface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the two or more guiding channels are disposed at 45 degree increments on the inner surface of the slotted ring. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein prior to reset of the system, the lock ring is rotatable from the lock position to the unlock position such that the actuation member can be activated. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a resetting member, wherein the resetting member comprises a base and an elongated portion, wherein the elongated portion is configured to associate with a second end of the medicament device to initiate movement of the central shaft ring to actuate the system and initiate the resetting of the device. 
     
     
         13 . A method for resetting a medicament device locking mechanism from an unlocked position to a locked position comprising a resetting system, the system comprising (a) a medicament device housing comprising a central shaft having at least a first hook at a first end thereof, (b) a central shaft ring slidably engaged with the central shaft and movable along a longitudinal axis of the central shaft, (c) a slotted ring, said slotted ring being slidably engaged with the central shaft and associated with the central shaft ring, said slotted ring comprising at least one guiding channel along its inner surface, said at least one guiding channel being formed between at least two raised portions on an inner surface of the slotted ring, (d) a pronged ring slidably engaged with and rotatable about the central shaft and movable along the longitudinal axis of the central shaft, said pronged ring comprising at least one prong, said at least one prong slidably engaged within a guiding channel of the slotted ring, said pronged ring comprising one or more openings, one or more ridge portions adjacent to said one or more openings, and one or more notches around its outer circumference, (e) a spring associated with the pronged ring at a first end of the spring, said spring associated with a spring clamp at a second end of the spring, wherein said spring is arranged to exert a torque upon the pronged ring, (f) a lock ring surrounding at least a portion of the first end of the housing, said lock ring comprising one or more spines projecting inwardly, said one or more spines configured to interface with the one or more notches of the pronged ring, the lock ring comprising a locked position and an unlocked position, (g) an actuation member configured to activate the medicament device upon actuation, wherein said actuation member can be actuated when the lock ring is in the locked position; and (h) a resetting member, the resetting member comprising a base and an elongated portion, wherein the elongated portion is configured to associate with a second end of the medicament device to initiate movement of the central shaft ring to actuate the system and initiate the resetting of the device; 
       wherein the method comprises
 inserting the elongated portion of the resetting member into the second end of the medicament device, such that the locking mechanism is reset, the lock ring is rotated to the locked position, and the actuation member is active and movable relative to the central shaft to initiate the medicament device. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the lock ring is rotated 45 degrees from the unlocked position to the locked position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein rotating the lock ring from the locked position to the unlocked position applies a torsional force to load the spring. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the resetting member releases the pronged ring from the slotted ring and unloads the torsional force of the spring, rotating the pronged ring about the central shaft. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein movement of the pronged ring toward the first end of the central shaft loads the compression force of the spring. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein after the pronged ring is rotated about the central shaft such that the first hook of the central shaft is disposed in the pronged ring opening, the compression force of the spring causes the pronged ring to move toward the slotted ring to complete the reset. 
     
     
         19 . A system for resetting a medicament device locking mechanism from an unlocked position to a locked position, said system comprising:
 a medicament device housing comprising a first end and a second end;   an actuation member disposed at the first end of the device;   a lock ring disposed at the first end of the device; and   a resetting member, wherein inserting the resetting member into the second end of the device resets the actuation member and rotates the lock ring from the unlocked position to the locked position.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  further comprising a torsion spring, wherein rotation of the lock ring from the unlocked position to the locked position loads the torsion spring.