Injection Device with Ergonomic Housing Form Factor

Abstract

An injection device comprises a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The housing has a hand grip portion with a non-rotationally symmetric cross section about the longitudinal axis of the device at the proximal end of the housing.

1 . An injection device, comprising:
 a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;   a movable sleeve;   an injection component including a discharge nozzle,   wherein the movable sleeve extends from the distal end of the housing beyond the discharge nozzle in a pre-injection position to cover the discharge nozzle,   wherein the movable sleeve retracts relative to the distal end of the housing along the longitudinal axis when the movable sleeve is pressed against skin of a patient so as to expose the discharge nozzle in an injection position,   wherein the housing has a portion with a non-rotationally symmetric cross section about the longitudinal axis at the proximal end of the housing,
 wherein the non-rotationally symmetric cross section, at one or more locations along the longitudinal axis, has a flatter section and a partial circular or elliptical section about its circumference, and 
 wherein a proportion of the flatter section decreases along a distal direction that extends from the proximal towards the distal end such that the proportion of the partial circular or elliptical section of the circumference of the non-rotationally symmetric cross section increases along the distal direction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-rotationally symmetric cross section of the housing comprises a hand grip portion shaped to fit within a user's hand. 
     
     
         3 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein an opposing side of the housing to the hand grip portion forms the flatter section for receiving fingers of the user's hand when the injection device is being held in the user's hand. 
     
     
         4 . The injection device of  claim 2 , further comprising a thumb rest portion shaped to receive a thumb of the user's hand. 
     
     
         5 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the injection component is moveable within the housing between the pre-injection position and the injection position. 
     
     
         6 . The injection device of  claim 5 , comprising a drive mechanism and a trigger, wherein the injection component is moveable automatically upon activation of the drive mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The injection device of  claim 6 , wherein the trigger is located at the proximal end of the housing and is activatable by being pushed inwards into the housing in a direction substantially along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The injection device of  claim 6 , wherein the trigger is located on a side of the housing and is activatable by being pushed in part inwards into the housing in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The injection device of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger is located on or adjacent an asymmetric portion of the non-rotationally symmetric cross section. 
     
     
         10 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the injection component is configured to dispense fluid out of the discharge nozzle when in the injection position. 
     
     
         11 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the injection component is configured to dispense fluid out of the discharge nozzle only when in the injection position. 
     
     
         12 . The injection device of  claim 10 , wherein the injection component is configured to move from its injection position to a retracted position after the fluid has been dispensed. 
     
     
         13 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-rotationally symmetric cross section at one or more locations along the longitudinal axis has a linear section on its circumference. 
     
     
         14 . The injection device of  claim 13 , wherein the linear section is tangential to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a planar section at the proximal end which is angled at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 . The injection device of  claim 2 , further comprising a viewing window on a side of the injection device which does not form part of the hand grip portion, wherein the viewing window enables a user to view the injection component and its contents. 
     
     
         17 . An injection device, comprising:
 a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end;   a movable sleeve; and   an injection component including a discharge nozzle,   wherein the movable sleeve extends from the distal end of the housing beyond the discharge nozzle in a pre-injection position,   wherein the movable sleeve retracts relative to the distal end of the housing along the longitudinal axis when the movable sleeve is pressed against skin of a patient so as to expose the discharge nozzle in an injection position,   wherein the distal end defines a skin-contacting portion having a cross-section that is substantially circular, and the proximal end defines a proximal cross section including a first, substantially circular portion truncated by a second, substantially flattened portion.   
     
     
         18 . The injection device of  claim 17 , wherein the proximal end further defines a thumb rest portion including a curved corner that extends into the second, substantially flattened portion of the proximal cross section. 
     
     
         19 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises one or more of the following pharmacological products: SIMPONI, STELARA, TREMFAYA, and EPREX and is configured for subcutaneous injection of the pharmacological product via the discharge nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the injection device comprises one or more of the following: antibodies, etanercept, abatacept, anakinra, epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, epoetin beta-methoxy polyethylene glycol, peginesatide, hormones, antitoxins, substances for the control of pain, substances for the control of thrombosis, substances for the control or elimination of infection, peptides, proteins, human insulin or a human insulin analogue or derivative, polysaccharide, DNA, RNA, enzymes, oligonucleotides, antiallergics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, erythropoietin, or vaccines. 
     
     
         21 . The injection device of  claim 17 , wherein the device is comprises one or more of the following pharmacological products: SIMPONI, STELARA, TREMFAYA, and EPREX and is configured for subcutaneous injection of the pharmacological product via the discharge nozzle. 
     
     
         22 . The injection device of  claim 17 , wherein the injection device is comprises one or more of the following: antibodies, etanercept, abatacept, anakinra, epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, epoetin beta-methoxy polyethylene glycol, peginesatide, hormones, antitoxins, substances for the control of pain, substances for the control of thrombosis, substances for the control or elimination of infection, peptides, proteins, human insulin or a human insulin analogue or derivative, polysaccharide, DNA, RNA, enzymes, oligonucleotides, antiallergics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, erythropoietin, or vaccines.