Devices, systems and methods for medicament delivery

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a medicament container, an actuator, and a biasing member. The actuator is configured to move the medicament container within the housing when the actuator is moved from a first configuration to a second configuration. The actuator includes a gas container and a puncturer. When the actuator is in the first configuration, a portion of the puncturer is disposed apart from the gas container. When the actuator is in the second configuration, the portion of the puncturer is disposed within the gas container. The gas container has a longitudinal axis offset from a longitudinal axis of the medicament container. The biasing member is configured to bias the actuator toward the second configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 removing an actuation lock from a medical injector, the actuation lock preventing movement of a base of the medical injector when the actuation lock is coupled to the medical injector, the base movably coupled to a distal end portion of a housing of the medical injector;   placing an end surface of the base of the medical injector into contact with a target location of a body, a needle of the medical injector configured to move between a first needle position and a second needle position, the needle disposed within the housing when the needle is in the first needle position, the needle disposed through the base such that a distal tip of the needle extends a distance of between 0.25 millimeters and 20 millimeters when the needle is in the second needle position; and   actuating the medical injector by moving the base relative to the housing, thereby enabling an actuation member within the housing to produce a force to (A) move the needle from the first needle position to the second needle position and (B) expel a dose of epinephrine from the medical injector when the needle is in the second needle position, the needle being stationary relative to the housing when the base is moving relative to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing includes a medicament container configured to contain the dose of epinephrine, the medicament container coupled to the needle; and   a portion of the force is exerted on a plunger within the medicament container to fluidically couple a proximal tip of the needle to the medicament container after the needle is in the second needle position.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation member includes a gas container storing a compressed gas, the actuating the medical injector causes the release of at least a portion of the compressed gas from the gas container. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing of the actuation lock includes removing the actuation lock in a direction nonparallel to a longitudinal axis of the needle. 
     
     
         5 . A method, comprising:
 moving an actuator from a first actuator position to a second actuator position, the actuator being coupled to a housing, the housing including a plurality of walls that at least partially surround a medicament container;   moving a plunger coupled to the actuator in response to the movement of the actuator, the plunger having an end portion disposed within the medicament container to move in a distal direction with the movement of the plunger; and   limiting movement of the plunger in the distal direction with a medicament container interface coupled to the medicament container, the medicament container interface extending distally beyond a proximal end of the medicament container.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the limiting movement of the medicament container further comprises limiting movement of the medicament container interface with a stop member disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , Wherein moving the plunger further comprises moving the end portion of the plunger past a status window of the housing 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , Wherein moving the actuator further comprises producing a force via an energy storage member disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a medicament container disposed within the housing;   an actuator coupled the housing, the actuator configured to move between a first actuator position and a second actuator position;   a plunger having an end portion disposed within the medicament container to move within the medicament container from a first plunger position to a second plunger position in response to the movement of the actuator;   a medicament container interface disposed within the housing, the medicament container interface coupled to the medicament container and having a portion extending distally beyond a proximal end of the medicament container and extending radially beyond an outer surface of the medicament container, the medicament container interface including an end stop surface configured to limit movement of the plunger in a distal direction; and   a stop member disposed within the housing distally from the end stop surface, the stop member configured to interfere with the medicament container interface to limit movement of the medicament container interface within the housing.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the medicament container is configured to move within the housing, the apparatus further comprising:
 a biasing member configured to urge the medicament container in a proximal direction.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a spring stop within the housing,   the biasing member is a spring, a distal end portion of the spring engaging the spring stop.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the medicament container includes a single dose of a medicament; and   the end portion of the plunger includes a resilient member configured to expel the medicament when the end portion of the plunger moves from the first plunger position to the second plunger position.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the medicament includes epinephrine. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the housing defines a status window; and   contents of the medicament container are viewable through the status window when the end portion of the plunger is in the first plunger position.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an indicator configured to move with the plunger within the housing between a first indicator position and a second indicator position, the indicator being viewable through the status window when the end portion of the plunger is in the second plunger position and the indicator is in the second indicator position.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the indicator exposes a colored portion to provide a visual indication when the indicator is in the second indicator position. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the medicament container is in fluid communication with a needle, a portion of the needle being disposed through an opening defined by a distal end portion of the housing and outside of the distal end portion of the housing, the apparatus further comprising:
 a needle sheath covering the needle, the needle sheath configured to maintain sterility of the needle.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a central portion of the plunger is configured to move within the medicament container interface when the end portion of the plunger is moved within the medicament container from the first plunger position to the second plunger position, the central portion proximal to the end portion of the plunger. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an energy storage member configured to produce a force in response to the movement of the actuator;   the energy storage member being operably coupled to the plunger such that the force is exerted on the end portion of the plunger to move from the first plunger position to the second plunger position.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the energy storage member is configured to produce a pressurized gas, the apparatus further comprising:
 a valve configured to release the pressurized gas, the end stop surface of the medicament container interface configured to engage the valve after a portion of a medicament has been delivered from the medicament container.