Re-loadable auto injector

Abstract

A reloadable auto injector wherein a syringe assembly is movably positioned between a first position in which the needle is accommodated inside a housing and a second position in which the needle protrudes outside the housing. The assembly comprises a syringe, a plunger rod and a plunger rod driver configured to apply a force to the plunger rod to advance the plunger rod in the syringe for delivering at least one dose of medicament. A syringe driver is configured to apply a force to the assembly thereby moving the assembly from the first position to the second position. A reload handle may be connected to the assembly so that user operation of the reload handle retracts the assembly to the first position and simultaneously reload the syringe driver to thereby ready the auto injector for delivering a further dose of medicament. The plunger rod driver is not re-activated.

1 - 68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A reloadable auto injector comprising:
 a housing;   a syringe assembly comprising
 a syringe with a needle, the syringe assembly being movably positioned in the housing between a first position in which position the needle is accommodated inside the housing and a second position in which position the needle protrudes outside the housing, 
 a plunger rod driver configured to apply a force to a plunger rod to advance the plunger rod in the syringe for delivering at least one dose of medicament, 
 a syringe driver configured to apply a force to the syringe assembly thereby moving the syringe from the first position to the second position; and 
   a reload handle configured to reload the auto injector for injecting a further dose of medicament,   wherein the reload handle is connected to the syringe assembly so that operation of the reload handle is configured to retract the syringe assembly to the first position and to simultaneously reload the syringe driver.   
     
     
         70 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 ,
 wherein the syringe driver and the plunger rod drive are separate driver means,   wherein the syringe driver comprises a resilient device,   the auto injector further comprising a syringe lock configured to lock the syringe in the first position and a skin sensor configured to release the syringe lock upon engagement with skin of a user, wherein the skin sensor is activated by pressing the skin sensor onto the skin,   wherein the activation of the skin sensor is configured to cause an upward movement of the skin sensor, whereby a skin sensor angled surface is configured to engage with a syringe lock angled surface to translate lateral motion of the skin sensor into angular motion of the syringe lock, and   wherein the syringe assembly rests on a ledge of the syringe lock to lock the syringe in the first position such that the angular motion of the syringe lock releases the syringe assembly.   
     
     
         71 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 70 ,
 wherein the syringe assembly comprises a syringe assembly tab, the syringe assembly tab configured to move in a syringe lock guide slot from a released position adjacent to the ledge to a syringe lock end stop, and   wherein the syringe assembly is moved from the first position to the second position when the syringe assembly tab travels in the syringe lock guide slot from the released position to the syringe lock end stop.   
     
     
         72 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 71 , wherein a forward motion of the syringe assembly in the second position is restricted by the syringe assembly tab engaging the syringe lock end stop. 
     
     
         73 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein a skin sensor driver, upon removal of the auto injector from the skin, is configured to push the skin sensor forward to shield the needle after each delivery cycle,
 wherein the skin sensor has a locked forward position and an unlocked forward position, and   wherein the skin sensor is in the unlocked in the forward position upon operation of the reload handle.   
     
     
         74 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the syringe assembly comprises a syringe tube co-axially encompassing the syringe and a plunger rod tube co-axially encompassing the plunger rod,
 wherein the syringe tube and the plunger rod tube are interconnected via syringe tube connectors engageable with plunger rod connectors, and   wherein the plunger rod driver is fixedly connected at an end to a back end of the plunger rod tube.   
     
     
         75 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the plunger rod is locked while the syringe assembly is moved from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         76 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the plunger rod is configured to release when the syringe assembly is in the second position thereby activating the plunger rod driver to move the plunger rod forward. 
     
     
         77 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the plunger rod driver is configured to move the plunger rod a first distance upon a first activation of the plunger rod driver, and a second distance upon a second activation of the plunger rod driver, and
 wherein the second activation of the plunger rod driver follows a reload of the auto injector and a repeated movement of the syringe assembly from the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         78 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , having sequential control of needle insertion and dose injection, the auto injector further comprising:
 a plunger rod tube having at least one locking member configured to interact with a plunger rod stop to normally lock the plunger rod to the plunger rod tube,   wherein the housing is configured to unlock the locking member and release the plunger rod from the plunger rod tube when the syringe assembly is advanced to the second position, thereby activating the plunger rod driver to advance the plunger rod in the syringe to deliver the at least one dose of medicament,   wherein the locking member comprises
 at least one deflectable member, wherein the housing is configured to allow for the at least one deflectable member to deflect away from the plunger rod when the syringe and the plunger rod tube is advanced to the second position, 
   wherein the plunger rod tube and the syringe are interconnected so that the plunger rod tube cannot move with respect to the syringe,   wherein the housing has an opening configured to align with the at least one deflectable member when the plunger rod tube is advanced to the second position,   wherein the at least one deflectable member is configured to deflect upon being aligned with a window in the housing,   wherein the plunger rod driver includes a plunger rod spring,   wherein the plunger rod spring in an end is fixedly connected to the plunger rod tube, and   wherein the plunger rod driver applies the driving force directly onto the plunger rod.   
     
     
         79 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 78 , wherein the housing further accommodates a syringe tube for holding the syringe and wherein the syringe includes a syringe flange locked between the syringe tube and the plunger rod tube,
 wherein the plunger rod driver is provided inside the plunger rod tube,   wherein the syringe driver is provided outside the plunger rod tube,   wherein an inner surface of the housing prevents the at least one deflectable member from deflecting,   wherein, upon release of the plunger rod, the plunger rod driver advances the plunger rod within the syringe in that the plunger rod stop is able to pass the at least one deflectable member,   wherein the plunger rod stop has an angled surface normally pressing against an angular surface of the at least one deflectable member,   wherein the at least one deflectable member is hinged to the plunger rod tube in a downward position with respect to the movement of the plunger rod,   wherein the plunger rod tube comprises a first and a second locking members of the at least one locking member, the first and the second locking members configured to engage with a first and a second plunger rod stop, and   wherein the housing comprises at least a first and a second opening configured to align with the first and the second locking members, respectively, when the syringe is in the second position.   
     
     
         80 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the auto injector is configured to deliver at least two separate doses of medicament. 
     
     
         81 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the operation of the reload handle includes a rotational movement. 
     
     
         82 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the reload handle is configured for a rotational movement,
 the auto injector further comprising an intermediate component transferring the rotational movement of the reload handle to a translational movement of the syringe assembly,   wherein the intermediate component has a tab configured to move along an inclined surface of the reload handle upon the operation of the reload handle,   wherein a completed operation of the reload handle forces the tab over an inclined surface top and into a second reload handle slot,   wherein the syringe assembly is configured to rest on a syringe lock ledge when the intermediate component tab reaches the second reload handle slot,   wherein the second reload handle slot has an inclined surface to allow for continuous reloading to the auto injector,   wherein the second reload handle slot is configured to allow only longitudinal movement, thereby preventing further reload of the auto injector.   
     
     
         83 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 70 , wherein the reload operation is configured to reverse the operation of the auto injector, and
 wherein the reload operation is configured to reverse the syringe driver, the syringe lock, and the skin sensor.   
     
     
         84 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 70 , wherein the housing further comprises an inspection window for indicating a “ready” state and a “done” state, wherein the “ready” state indicates a first rotational position of the syringe lock in which position the syringe assembly is locked in the first position. 
     
     
         85 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 70 , wherein the skin sensor extends over the length of the needle when the syringe assembly is in the first position. 
     
     
         86 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 70 , wherein the skin sensor is configured to extend over the length of the needle immediately after the dose of medicament has been delivered. 
     
     
         87 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the syringe assembly further comprises an anti-tamper component, wherein the anti-tamper component comprises a protection mechanism to ensure that a backward movement of the plunger rod is prevented. 
     
     
         88 . The reloadable auto injector according to  claim 69 , wherein the auto injector is reusable and the syringe assembly is replaceable. 
     
     
         89 . A reloadable auto injector with a housing for accommodation structures, the structures comprising:
 a skin sensor;   a syringe assembly comprising
 a syringe with a needle, 
 a plunger rod driver configured to apply a force to a plunger rod to advance the plunger rod in the syringe for delivering at least one dose of medicament, 
 a syringe driver configured to apply a force to the syringe assembly thereby moving the syringe from a first position to a second position; 
   a reload handle configured to reload the auto injector to deliver a further dose of medicament,   wherein the reload handle is connected to the syringe assembly and the skin sensor so that an operation of the reload handle is configured to retract the syringe assembly to the first position and to simultaneously reload the syringe driver and release the skin sensor; and   a syringe lock configured to lock the syringe assembly in the first position and the skin sensor configured to release the syringe lock upon engagement with the skin of a user,   wherein the operation is configured to retract the syringe assembly to the first position, relock the syringe lock, and place the skin sensor in an unlocked position.