Medicine injection device with a pain reduction member

Abstract

The injection device comprises a medicine container, means for injecting medicine from the medicine container to a patient through a needle, a skin contact surface crossable by the needle and having protrusions which are pressed around the injection site when the injection device is applied on the patient's skin for the injection, the protrusions being arranged so as to reduce the pain caused by the penetration of the needle, and a sensor for detecting contact of the patient's skin with the skin contact surface, wherein a predetermined force of application of the injection device on the patient's skin is required for the sensor to detect the patient's skin. According to another aspect of the invention, the protrusions include first and second protrusions, wherein the first protrusions come into contact with the patient's skin as the device is applied with a first force and the second protrusions come into contact with the patient's skin as the device is applied with a second force, the second force being greater than the first force.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An injection device comprising:
 a medicine container;
 means for injecting medicine from the medicine container to a patient through a needle; 
 a skin contact surface crossable by the needle, said skin contact surface having protrusions which are pressed around the injection site when the injection device is applied on the patient's skin for the injection, said protrusions being arranged so as to reduce the pain caused by the penetration 
   of the needle, and
 a sensor for detecting contact of the patient's skin with the skin contact surface; wherein a predetermined force of application of the injection device on the patient's skin is required for the sensor to detect the patient's skin. 
   
     
     
         31 . The injection device according to  claim 30 , wherein the predetermined force of application of the injection device on the patient's skin is higher than the weight of the injection device. 
     
     
         32 . The injection device according to  claim 30 , wherein the sensor is a capacitive or mechanical sensor. 
     
     
         33 . The injection device according to  claim 30 , wherein said protrusions comprise a set of first protrusions and a set of second protrusions, wherein the first protrusions come into contact with the patient's skin as the device is applied with a first force and the second protrusions come into contact with the patient's skin as the device is applied with a second force, the second force being greater than the first force. 
     
     
         34 . The injection device according to  claim 33 , wherein the second protrusions have a smaller dimension, in the direction of the needle, than the first protrusions. 
     
     
         35 . The injection device according to  claim 33 , wherein the second protrusions have sharper tips than the first protrusions. 
     
     
         36 . The injection device according to  claim 33 , wherein the first and second protrusions are arranged on the skin contact surface in a mixed manner. 
     
     
         37 . The injection device according to  claim 33 , wherein the first protrusions are arranged on first circles, the second protrusions are arranged on second circles, concentric with the first circles, and the first and second circles are arranged in an alternating manner. 
     
     
         38 . The injection device according to  claim 33 , wherein the protrusions are in the form of spikes. 
     
     
         39 . The injection device according to  claim 30 , comprising a member removably mounted on a housing of the injection device, said member defining the skin contact surface and its protrusions and comprising another through hole in a region facing the sensor. 
     
     
         40 . The injection device according to  claim 39 , wherein the member is elastically mounted on said housing. 
     
     
         41 . The injection device according to  claim 39 , wherein the member is transparent. 
     
     
         42 . The injection device according to  claim 39 , wherein the member is in the form of a plate. 
     
     
         43 . The injection device according to  claim 30 , wherein the skin contact surface further comprises feet which are arranged to rest on a flat surface, together with at least some of the protrusions, when the injection device is placed on said flat surface. 
     
     
         44 . The device according to  claim 30 , wherein the protrusions have a height within 1.8 mm and 3.3 mm, a base diameter within 0.9 mm and 1.8 mm and a tip radius within 0.2 mm and 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         45 . The device according to  claim 44 , wherein the first protrusions have a height of about 3 mm, a base diameter of about 1.6 mm and a tip radius of about 0.5 mm and the second protrusions have a height of about 2 mm, a base diameter of about 1 mm and a tip radius of about 0.3 mm. 
     
     
         46 . A method for injecting medicine to a patient using the device according to  claim 30 - 45 .