Auto-injection device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an autoinjector device ( 10 ) for use in combination with a syringe ( 30 ), said syringe comprising a movable plunger; a needle; and a tubular needle shield ( 34 ). The claimed autoinjector device ( 10 ) comprises: an elongated housing having a proximal ( 11 ) and a distal end ( 12 ); a drive mechanism; a syringe holder ( 40 ) in order to support the fragile syringe and to prevent damage to the syringe. The invention furthermore relates to a method for assembly of the autoinjector device according to the invention.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A syringe carrier comprising:
 an elongate body comprising a collar at a distal end of the elongate body, the collar configured to allow a syringe to be inserted proximally through the collar, the elongate body defining a recess configured to receive a barrel of the syringe, the elongate body defining a slot extending distally from a proximal end of the elongate body, a proximal end region of the elongate body comprising at least one inwardly extending projection configured to be disposed in a gap formed between a rigid needle shield of the syringe and the barrel of the syringe and configured to contact a proximal end of the barrel of the syringe to restrict proximal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier when the syringe is disposed in the syringe carrier, and   wherein first and second radial protrusions extend radially outward from the collar, and each of the first and second radial protrusions comprises elongate ribs that extend parallel to one another.   
     
     
         12 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the elongate ribs of each of the first and second radial protrusions extend in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the elongate ribs of each of the first and second radial protrusions extend parallel to a longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the elongate ribs of each of the first and second radial protrusions extends in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier, and at least one of the elongate ribs of each of the first and second radial protrusions extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         15 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the elongate ribs of each of the first and second radial protrusions comprise two elongate ribs. 
     
     
         16 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the elongate ribs of each of the first and second radial protrusions are spaced apart to define a recessed region therebetween. 
     
     
         17 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein a proximal surface of the proximal end region of the elongate body is c-shaped. 
     
     
         18 . The syringe carrier of  claim 17 , wherein the proximal surface of the proximal end region of the elongate body abuts the rigid needle shield. 
     
     
         19 . The syringe carrier of  claim 18 , wherein the proximal surface of the proximal end region of the elongate body is a planar surface. 
     
     
         20 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the slot extends from the proximal end of the elongate body approximately to the collar. 
     
     
         21 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid needle shield has an outer diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the barrel of the syringe. 
     
     
         22 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the slot allows visual access to the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is in the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         23 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the slot is formed in a portion of the elongate body proximal to the collar, and the portion of the elongate body forming the slot is adapted to flex radially inward over the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is inserted proximally through the collar of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         24 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the elongate body defines an aperture opposite the slot and proximal to the collar, and the elongate body comprises a first projection that extends along an edge of the slot and a second projection that extends along an edge of the aperture. 
     
     
         25 . The syringe carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the syringe comprises a finger flange having a first portion that extends radially outward a first distance in a first direction and a second portion that extends radially outward a second distance in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the first distance being greater than the second distance, wherein the first radial protrusion aligns with the first portion of the finger flange when the syringe is inserted in the syringe carrier, and a circumferential region of the syringe carrier between the first and second radial protrusions is free of radial protrusions. 
     
     
         26 . An assembly comprising:
 a syringe comprising a barrel, a neck extending proximally from the barrel, a finger flange extending from a distal end portion of the barrel, a needle extending proximally from the neck, and a rigid needle shield covering the needle; and   a syringe carrier comprising an elongate body comprising a collar at a distal end of the elongate body, the collar configured to allow the syringe to be inserted proximally through the collar, the elongate body defining a recess configured to receive the barrel of the syringe, the elongate body defining a slot extending distally from a proximal end of the elongate body, a proximal end region of the elongate body comprising at least one inwardly extending projection configured to be disposed in a gap formed between the rigid needle shield of the syringe and the barrel of the syringe and configured to contact a proximal end of the barrel of the syringe to restrict proximal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier when the syringe is disposed in the syringe carrier,   wherein first and second radial protrusions extend radially outward from the collar, and each of the first and second radial protrusions comprises elongate ribs that extend parallel to one another.   
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the syringe contains medicament. 
     
     
         28 . An autoinjector comprising:
 a housing; and   a syringe carrier configured to be disposed in the housing, the syringe carrier comprising an elongate body comprising a collar at a distal end of the elongate body, the collar configured to allow a syringe to be inserted proximally through the collar, the elongate body defining a recess configured to receive a barrel of the syringe, the elongate body defining a slot extending distally from a proximal end of the elongate body, a proximal end region of the elongate body comprising at least one inwardly extending projection configured to be disposed in a gap formed between a rigid needle shield of the syringe and the barrel of the syringe and configured to contact the syringe to restrict proximal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier when the syringe is disposed in the syringe carrier, and   wherein first and second radial protrusions extend radially outward from the collar, and each of the first and second radial protrusions comprises elongate ribs that extend parallel to one another.   
     
     
         29 . A syringe carrier comprising:
 an elongate body comprising a collar at a distal end of the elongate body, the collar configured to allow a syringe to be inserted proximally through the collar, the elongate body defining a recess configured to receive a barrel of the syringe, the elongate body defining a slot extending distally from a proximal end of the elongate body, a proximal end region of the elongate body comprising at least one inwardly extending projection configured to be disposed in a gap formed between a rigid needle shield of the syringe and the barrel of the syringe and configured to contact a proximal end of the barrel of the syringe to restrict proximal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier when the syringe is disposed in the syringe carrier, and   wherein first and second radial protrusions extend radially outward from the collar, each of the first and second radial protrusions comprises an elongate rib that extends in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier, and an outer diameter formed by the elongate ribs of the first and second radial protrusions forms a maximum outer diameter of the syringe carrier.   
     
     
         30 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein each of the first and second radial protrusions further comprises a second elongate rib that extends in the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         31 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein each of the first and second radial protrusions further comprises a second elongate rib that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         32 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein each of the first and second radial protrusions further comprises second and third elongate ribs that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         33 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein a proximal surface of the proximal end region of the elongate body is c-shaped. 
     
     
         34 . The syringe carrier of  claim 33 , wherein the proximal surface of the proximal end region of the elongate body is planar and abuts the rigid needle shield. 
     
     
         35 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein the syringe comprises a finger flange having a first portion that extends radially outward a first distance in a first direction and a second portion that extends radially outward a second distance in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the first distance being greater than the second distance, wherein the first radial protrusion aligns with the first portion of the finger flange when the syringe is inserted in the syringe carrier, and a circumferential region of the syringe carrier between the first and second radial protrusions is free of radial protrusions. 
     
     
         36 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein the slot extends from the proximal end of the elongate body approximately to the collar. 
     
     
         37 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein the slot allows visual access to the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is in the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         38 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein the slot is formed in a portion of the elongate body proximal to the collar, and the portion of the elongate body forming the slot is adapted to flex radially inward over the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is inserted proximally through the collar of the syringe carrier. 
     
     
         39 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein the elongate body defines an aperture opposite the slot and proximal to the collar, and the elongate body comprises a first projection that extends along an edge of the slot and a second projection that extends along an edge of the aperture. 
     
     
         40 . The syringe carrier of  claim 29 , wherein the elongate rib of each of the first and second radial protrusions extends radially beyond a finger flange of the syringe.