Medicament delivery device

Abstract

A medicament delivery device is presented having a housing that is arranged to accommodate a medicament container, a drive mechanism capable of, upon activation, act on said medicament container, a communication unit arranged in the housing, a switch operably connectable to the drive mechanism and connected to the communication unit for activating the communication unit when the switch is operated, wherein the switch is operated by the drive mechanism at the end of a dose delivery sequence.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A medicament delivery device comprising:
 a housing, which housing is arranged to accommodate a medicament container, 
 a drive mechanism that engages the medicament container when the drive mechanism is activated, where the drive mechanism comprises an actuator having a cut-out located in a distal end wall, a switching element and a force element, where the force element directly engages an inside surface of a distal end of the switching element and where a conductive lead extends through the cut-out, 
 a communication unit operatively connected to the housing and electrically connected to the conductive lead, and 
 a switch comprising a contact surface on the lead that is located inside of the actuator and a conductive surface of the distal end of the switching element, where the switch is in an open position before and partially during activation of the drive mechanism and is in a closed position when the conductive surface of the distal end of the switching element moves axially and distally relative to the actuator coming into contact with the contact surface of the lead, where the communication unit is activated when the switch is closed. 
 
     
     
       2. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein said force element is a drive spring arranged to act on and move a plunger rod of said drive mechanism in a proximal direction. 
     
     
       3. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 2 , wherein said drive spring is arranged to act on a plunger rod driver of the drive mechanism, such that the plunger rod driver is moved in a proximal direction acting on the switching element at the end of the dose delivery sequence. 
     
     
       4. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein said communication unit is arranged to communicate directly with a user. 
     
     
       5. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 4 , wherein the communication unit provides the user with an audible or visual signal. 
     
     
       6. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 4 , wherein said communication unit is arranged to communicate with wireless networks and/or mobile communication networks, comprising transmitting and receiving data. 
     
     
       7. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 4 , wherein said communication unit is operably connected to a number of sensors in said medicament delivery device. 
     
     
       8. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 7 , wherein said communication unit is arranged to obtain information regarding patient adherence. 
     
     
       9. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 4 , wherein said communication unit comprises a data storage module. 
     
     
       10. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 4 , wherein said communication unit is configured to automatically connect to an emergency call center. 
     
     
       11. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 10 , wherein said communication unit comprises a loud-speaker and a microphone for enabling speech information between user and emergency call center. 
     
     
       12. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 10 , wherein said communication unit further comprises a positioning function, capable of obtaining the geographical position when the switch is activated, and being capable of transmitting said geographical position to the emergency call center. 
     
     
       13. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication unit communicates with a smart device. 
     
     
       14. The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is integrated in the medicament delivery device or arranged as a separate unit connectable to the medicament delivery device. 
     
     
       15. A medicament delivery device comprising:
 a housing; 
 a drive mechanism positioned with the housing, where the drive mechanism comprises a plunger rod driver, an actuator and an elongated plunger rod having a distally directed end surface, where the plunger rod driver moves axially in a proximal direction relative to the housing; 
 a switch having a closed position and an open position; 
 a communication unit operably connected to the housing and in electrical communication with the switch, where the switch activates the communication unit when the switch is in the closed position; 
 a switching element directly in contact with the distally directed end surface of the elongated plunger rod and having an electrically conductive surface, where the switching element is axially fixed to the plunger rod driver, moves in a proximal direction, and is released from the plunger rod driver when an end of dose delivery sequence is reached causing the switch to move axially in a proximal direction relative to both the housing and the switching element such that the switch moves from the open position to the closed position and the electrically conductive surface of the switching element contacts a corresponding conductive surface on the switch. 
 
     
     
       16. The medicament delivery device of  claim 15 , where the corresponding conductive surface is in electrical communication with the switch. 
     
     
       17. The medicament delivery device of  claim 15 , further comprising a compression spring which upon activation of the medicament delivery device causes the plunger rod to move proximally. 
     
     
       18. A medicament delivery device comprising:
 a housing comprising an open distal end, which housing is arranged to accommodate a medicament container,   a drive mechanism that engages the medicament container when the drive mechanism is activated, where the drive mechanism comprises an actuator having a tubular portion located in a distal end of the actuator, a U-shaped switching element slidably positioned within the tubular portion and a force element positioned between proximally extending elongated arms of the switching element, where the force element directly engages an inside surface of a distal end of the switching element,   a communication unit operatively positioned within the housing and electrically connected to a switch comprising:   a contact surface on one end of a conductive lead that extends through a cut-out in a distal end wall of the tubular portion; and   a contact element positioned on a flexible tongue that is electrically connected to the communication unit;   wherein the switch is in an open position before and partially during activation of the drive mechanism and the switch is in a closed position when the force element moves the distal end of the switching element axially and distally relative to the actuator such that the distal end of the switching element engages with and pushes the flexible tongue causing the contact surface to come into contact with the contact element, where the communication unit is activated when the switch is closed.