Dual-function spring

Abstract

An injection device for dispensing a product, the injection device including a moveable element which is moved for a dispensing operation, a spring, a product container holder and a product container, wherein the spring pushes against the moveable element to move the moveable element to an initial position after the dispensing operation has ended and against the product container to seat the product container in the product container holder.

1 . An injection device for dispensing a product, the injection device comprising
 a. a housing;   b. a product container holder connectable to the housing, said holder being configured for accommodating a product container, wherein said product container holder is sleeve-shaped and comprises an opening through which the product container can be inserted into the interior of the product container holder,   wherein at a side the product container holder comprises a region through which it can be seen from an outside into an interior of the product container holder;   c. a plunger rod accommodated for displacement relative to the product container; and   d. a spring element configured to act on said product container accommodated in said product container holder to push the product container into a fixed seating within the product container holder.   
     
     
         2 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the spring element is made of a resilient material. 
     
     
         3 . The injection device according to  claim 2 , wherein the spring element is an integral part of a structure or element adjoining the spring element. 
     
     
         4 . The injection device according to  claim 2 , wherein the spring element is a helical spring, which is formed from a wire-like material made of metal, metallic alloys, plastics or other appropriate materials. 
     
     
         5 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a locating element having an internal thread adapted to locate an external thread of the plunger rod, the locating element being secured so that the locating element is not able to rotate and is not able to move axially relative to the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The injection device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a coupling sleeve connected to the locating element so that the coupling sleeve can rotate but is not able to move axially relative to the locating element, wherein the plunger rod is locked to prevent from rotating relative to the coupling sleeve but the plunger rod is able to move axially relative to the coupling sleeve, when the plunger rod is rotated relative to the locating element. 
     
     
         7 . The injection device according to  claim 6 , wherein the plunger rod comprises on its external face a thread which is interrupted by two grooves extending in the axial direction lying opposite one another on its circumference and wherein the coupling sleeve comprising two projections directed radially inwardly lying opposite one another and which are adapted to project into the grooves of the plunger rod. 
     
     
         8 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plunger rod comprises a freely rotatable but axially fixed flange on an end of the plunger rod. 
     
     
         9 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the product container holder comprises a cam extending radially outwardly and being located at a proximal end face of the product container holder, the cam being designed so that it can be connected in a positive fit to a distal end face of a sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the product container holder has a conical shape, so that the product container can be pushed into it to obtain a fixed seating. 
     
     
         11 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising the product container, wherein the product container is an ampoule or capped vial. 
     
     
         12 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , adapted to administer an injection manually by the user. 
     
     
         13 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , the injection device being disposable. 
     
     
         14 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient material is a plastic formed as resilient arms secured by integral forming with the plunger rod or a flange connected to the plunger rod. 
     
     
         15 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient material is a plastic formed as resilient arms secured by integral forming with at least one of the plunger rod or a flange connected to the plunger rod and between the plunger rod and flange. 
     
     
         16 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient material is a plastic or elastomer and pushes the flange away from the plunger rod in a distal direction by a predefined distance. 
     
     
         17 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient material is an injection molded elastomer. 
     
     
         18 . The injection device of  claim 17 , wherein the injection molded elastomer is formed as resilient arms. 
     
     
         19 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein the spring element pushes the product container into the fixed seating with a spring force applied without excessive strain on or breaking of the spring element.