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 medical device sub-assembly, comprising:
 a syringe holder comprising a protrusion extending radially outward from an outer wall of the syringe holder; and   a housing having a longitudinal axis and comprising a recess positioned on an inside surface of the housing and configured to accept the protrusion before insertion of a syringe into the syringe holder, thereby securing the syringe holder in a first axial position relative to the housing,   wherein when the syringe is inserted into a distal end of the housing and into the syringe holder, the syringe holder and the syringe are moved proximally to a second axial position.   
     
     
         12 : The sub-assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the syringe holder further comprises:
 a tubular wall defining a hollow cylinder, where the tubular wall is parallel to the longitudinal axis;   a proximal end having a C-shaped cross section;   a slot extending from the proximal end; and   a C-shaped supporting collar located at a terminal end of the proximal end.   
     
     
         13 : The sub-assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the syringe holder further comprises a distal end that defines a supporting collar that is part of the tubular wall. 
     
     
         14 : The sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the syringe holder further comprises an outer periphery that is radially supported by a contact surface on an inside surface of the housing when the syringe holder and the syringe are moved proximally to the second axial position 
     
     
         15 : The sub-assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the contact surface prevents the C-shaped proximal supporting collar flexing radially outward. 
     
     
         16 : The sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a proximal end of the syringe holder is C-shaped and is configured to flex radially outward from a first position to a second position when a tubular needle shield attached to the syringe is moved axially inside and relative to the syringe holder such that the proximal end relaxes and supports a neck of the syringe after the tubular needle shield has moved proximally past the proximal end. 
     
     
         17 : The sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the syringe holder further comprises a fastener for securing the syringe holder to the housing when the syringe holder is in the second axial position. 
     
     
         18 : The sub-assembly of  claim 17 , wherein fastener is a snap-fit. 
     
     
         19 : The sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the syringe holder further comprising more than one protrusion extending radially outward from an outer wall of the syringe holder and the housing having more than one recess, where each recess is shaped as a groove and corresponds and cooperates to one of the protrusions. 
     
     
         20 : A method of forming a syringe and syringe holder assembly and securing the assembly in a medical delivery device, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a syringe holder comprising a proximal supporting collar positioned around an inner periphery of a wall of the syringe holder;   supporting the syringe holder in a first axial position within a housing of a medical delivery device;   longitudinally inserting a proximal end of a syringe into a distal end of the syringe holder;   sliding the syringe axially toward a proximal end of the syringe holder until the proximal end of the syringe contacts the proximal supporting collar;   pushing the syringe axially in a proximal direction such that the proximal supporting collar is flexed from a first position to a second position as the syringe is pushed relative to the proximal supporting collar;   stopping the pushing of the syringe when a neck of the syringe is in contact with the proximal supporting collar such that the neck of the syringe is supported by the proximal supporting collar and the syringe and syringe holder assembly is formed; and   moving the syringe holder from the first axial position to a second axial position while supporting the neck of the syringe with the proximal supporting collar to secure the syringe and syringe holder assembly in the second axial position within the housing,   wherein at least one contact surface on an inside surface of the housing prevents the proximal supporting collar from flexing to the second position, thereby restraining the syringe within the syringe holder.   
     
     
         21 : The method of  claim 20 , wherein the movement from the first axial position to the second axial position is in the proximal direction. 
     
     
         22 : The method of  claim 20  further comprising contacting a flange of the syringe with a distal supporting collar of the syringe holder. 
     
     
         23 : The method of  claim 20 , wherein the supporting of the syringe holder comprises inserting a protrusion that extends radially outward from an outer wall of the syringe holder into a recess positioned on an inside surface of the housing. 
     
     
         24 : The method of  claim 23  further comprising sliding the protrusion within the recess when the syringe holder is moved from the first axial position to the second axial position. 
     
     
         25 : The method of  claim 20 , wherein the syringe and the syringe holder move together when the syringe holder is moved from the first axial position to the second axial position.