Automatic injection device having a magnetic drive system

Abstract

An automatic injection device has an insertion needle configured to be inserted into a patient and a drug container which contains a pharmaceutical product. The drug container includes a plunger. The automatic injection device also has a fluid path which fluidly connects the drug container to the insertion needle. The automatic injection device further has a drive system configured to cause linear movement of the plunger to force the pharmaceutical product into the fluid path. The drive system has a driving element and a movable element. The automatic injection device additionally has electronics configured to provide a signal to the drive system to move the plunger. The movable element has an outer magnet at least partially surrounding the drug container and an inner magnet inside the drug container.

1 . A cartridge for an automatic injection device, comprising:
 a space for receiving a drug container which contains a pharmaceutical product; and   a drive system comprising a driving element and a movable element, the movable element including an outer magnet which is configured to be moved linearly in the space for receiving the drug container by the driving element,   wherein the cartridge is configured to be inserted into a housing of the automatic injection device.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the outer magnet is ring-shaped and includes a through-hole for receiving the drug container. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the outer magnet is diametrically magnetized. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the movable element further includes an outer collar which includes a through-hole which receives the outer magnet. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising electronics configured to provide a signal to the drive system to move the outer magnet. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the movable element further includes an inner magnet configured to be inserted into the drug container. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the inner magnet is disc-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the driving element includes a shaft and a connector, and the outer magnet is configured to be moved linearly along the outside of the drug container by movement of the connector along the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 8 , wherein an outer collar is connected to the shaft of the driving element by the connector. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 9 , wherein the connector includes a through-hole which includes an axis which is parallel to an axis of the through-hole of the outer collar. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the driving element is a motor. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the outer magnet is an electromagnet which is controllable by the driving element.