Automatic injector with needle cover

Abstract

An auto-injector automatically dispenses a predetermined dose of medicament upon activation. The auto-injector includes a needle cover operative to engage an injection site and activate the injector. The needle cover is configured to move from a locked retracted position prior to a medicament dispensing operation to a locked extended position after the medicament dispensing operation. The non-removable needle cover prevents contact with the needle both before and after the medicament dispensing operation.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An auto-injector comprising:
 a housing;   a cartridge container disposed within the housing;   a cartridge received within the cartridge container, the cartridge having at least one opening therein and containing a medicament, the medicament rearwardly confined by a plunger, the cartridge including a needle assembly to dispense the medicament there through, the needle assembly having a needle;   an actuation assembly having a stored energy source capable of being released to drive the plunger within the cartridge to dispense the medicament through the needle assembly; and   a needle cover received within the housing, the needle cover having an opening formed therein to permit passage of the needle there through during a medicament dispensing operation, the needle cover having a first locked position wherein the needle cover is in a locked retracted position prior to activation of the auto-injector, the needle cover having a second locked position wherein the needle cover is in a locked extended position after the medicament dispensing operation, the needle cover surrounding the needle on all sides outside of the housing to prevent contact with the needle before activation of the auto-injector and after the medicament dispensing operation.   
     
     
         2 . The auto-injector of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge further comprises a needle sheath disposed about the needle, the needle sheath being compressed between the cartridge container and the cartridge during the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         3 . The auto-injector of  claim 1  further comprising a locking mechanism for holding the needle cover in the first locked position and in the second locked position, the locking mechanism located within the housing to protect against tampering and dirt ingress. 
     
     
         4 . The auto-injector of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge container is constructed such that needles of varying lengths and cartridges of varying lengths and diameters can be accommodated within the cartridge container. 
     
     
         5 . The auto-injector of  claim 1  wherein the needle cover is operable to be pressed against the injection site to start the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         6 . The auto-injector of  claim 1  wherein the needle cover is colored orange. 
     
     
         7 . The auto-injector of  claim 1  wherein the needle cover has indicia printed thereon to indicate the location of the opening formed in the needle cover. 
     
     
         8 . The auto-injector of  claim 7  wherein the indicia comprises the words “needle end.” 
     
     
         9 . The auto-injector of  claim 1  wherein the needle cover has indicia printed thereon to indicate that the auto-injector has been used. 
     
     
         10 . The auto-injector of  claim 9  wherein the indicia comprises the word “used.” 
     
     
         11 . The auto-injector of  claim 9  wherein the indicia is not visible to a user until immediately after the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         12 . An auto-injector comprising:
 a housing having a needle end and an opposite open end, the housing having a longitudinal axis extending from the needle end to the opposite open end;   a cartridge container disposed within the housing;   a cartridge received within the cartridge container, the cartridge having at least one opening therein and containing a medicament, the medicament rearwardly confined by a plunger, the cartridge including a needle assembly to dispense the medicament there through, the needle assembly having a needle;   an actuation assembly having a stored energy source capable of being released to drive the plunger within the cartridge to dispense the medicament through the needle assembly, the actuation assembly positioned in the housing and recessed from the open end;   a release pin removably attached to the actuation assembly at the open end of the housing to prevent inadvertent activation of the auto-injector while the release pin is attached to the actuation assembly, removal of the release pin allowing the auto-injector to be activated from the needle end of the housing; and   a non-removable needle cover received within the housing, the needle cover having an end surface extending transversely to the longitudinal axis, the end surface having a hole formed therein sized to permit passage of the needle there through during a medicament dispensing operation, the end surface preventing a human finger from entering the needle cover and contacting the needle before and after the medicament dispensing operation, the needle cover having a first locked position wherein the needle cover is in a locked retracted position prior to activation of the auto-injector, the needle cover having a second locked position wherein the needle cover is in a locked extended position after the medicament dispensing operation.   
     
     
         13 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a first locking assembly that holds the needle cover in the first locked position, the first locking assembly connected to the cartridge container or the housing and including at least one locking tooth that releasably engages the needle cover; and 
 a second locking assembly that holds the needle cover in the second locked position; wherein: 
 each locking tooth is pivotally connected to the cartridge container; 
 each locking tooth includes a locking surface constructed and arranged to contact a surface on the needle cover; 
 the locking surface contacts the surface on the needle cover to prevent movement of the needle cover such that the needle cover is maintained in the first locked position prior to activation of the auto-injector; and 
 each locking tooth further includes a spring assembly constructed and arranged to bias the locking surface into contact with the surface on the needle cover. 
 
     
     
         14 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the end surface is operable to be pressed against the injection site to start the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         15 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the cartridge further comprises a needle sheath disposed about the needle, the needle sheath being compressed between the cartridge container and the cartridge during the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         16 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the stored energy source is a spring. 
     
     
         17 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the needle cover is of a first color and the release pin is of a second color different than the first color. 
     
     
         18 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the needle cover is colored orange. 
     
     
         19 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the release pin is colored blue. 
     
     
         20 . The auto-injector of  claim 12  wherein the needle cover has indicia printed thereon to indicate the location of the needle end. 
     
     
         21 . An auto-injector comprising:
 a housing having a needle end and an opposite open end;   a cartridge container disposed within the housing;   a cartridge received within the cartridge container, the cartridge having at least one opening therein and containing a medicament, the medicament rearwardly confined by a plunger, the cartridge including a needle assembly to dispense the medicament there through, the needle assembly having a needle;   an actuation assembly having a stored energy source capable of being released to drive the plunger within the cartridge to dispense the medicament through the needle, the actuation assembly positioned in the housing and recessed from the open end;   a release pin removably attached to the actuation assembly at the open end of the housing to prevent inadvertent activation of the auto-injector while the release pin is attached to the actuation assembly, removal of the release pin allowing the auto-injector to be activated, the release pin blue in color; and   a needle cover received within the housing, the needle cover having an enclosed end surface for placement against an injection site prior to activation of the auto-injector, the end surface having a hole formed therein to permit passage of the needle there through during a medicament dispensing operation, the needle cover having a locked retracted position prior to activation of the auto-injector and a locked extended position after the medicament dispensing operation, the needle cover orange in color.   
     
     
         22 . The auto-injector of  claim 21  wherein the needle cover has indicia printed thereon to indicate the location of the needle end. 
     
     
         23 . The auto-injector of  claim 22  wherein the indicia comprises the words “needle end.” 
     
     
         24 . The auto-injector of  claim 21  wherein the needle cover has indicia printed thereon to indicate that the auto-injector has been used. 
     
     
         25 . The auto-injector of  claim 24  wherein the indicia comprises the word “used.” 
     
     
         26 . The auto-injector of  claim 24  wherein the indicia is not visible to a user until immediately after the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         27 . The auto-injector of  claim 21  wherein the cartridge further comprises a needle sheath disposed about the needle, the needle sheath being compressed between the cartridge container and the cartridge during the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         28 . The auto-injector of  claim 21  wherein the hole in the end surface is sized to prevent a human finger from entering the needle cover and contacting the needle before and after the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         29 . The auto-injector of  claim 21  wherein the needle cover surrounds the needle on all sides outside of the housing to prevent contact with the needle before and after the medicament dispensing operation. 
     
     
         30 . The auto-injector of  claim 21  wherein the end surface is operable to be pressed against the injection site to start the medicament dispensing operation.