Injection Device with a Vibration Generator

Abstract

An injection device is presented. The injection device comprises a housing configured to receive a syringe which has a barrel and a plunger received in the barrel. The injection device further comprises a vibration generator operable to vibrate at least one of the barrel and plunger when said syringe is received in the housing. Methods of dispensing medicament from an injection device are also presented.

1 . An injection device comprising:
 a housing configured to receive a syringe having a barrel and a plunger received in the barrel;   a medicament dispensing mechanism configured to move the plunger relative to the barrel to dispense medicament contained in the barrel when the syringe is received in the housing; and,   a vibration generator configured to be engaged with the plunger when the syringe is received in the housing such that the vibration generator is operable to vibrate the plunger while the plunger is moving relative to the barrel to dispense the medicament.   
     
     
         2 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plunger comprises a piston and a plunger rod, and wherein the vibration generator is operable to vibrate at least one of the piston or the plunger rod. 
     
     
         3 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibration generator is configured to move together with the plunger while the plunger is moving relative to the barrel to dispense the medicament. 
     
     
         4 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibration generator comprises a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrel has an eigenfrequency, and wherein the vibration generator is operable to vibrate the plunger at a frequency different to the eigenfrequency. 
     
     
         6 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibration generator is operable to vibrate the plunger at a frequency in a range of 100 to 3000 Hz. 
     
     
         7 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator that can be actuated by a user to operate the vibration generator. 
     
     
         8 . The injection device according to  claim 7 , wherein an actuation of the actuator operates the medicament dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage configured to power the vibration generator. 
     
     
         10 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cap configured to cover a needle of the syringe when the syringe is received in the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing entirely contains the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is received in the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The injection device according to  claim 11 , wherein an entire axial length of the barrel of the syringe is contained within the housing when the syringe is received in the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibration generator is received in the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising the syringe received in the housing, wherein the barrel of the syringe contains the medicament. 
     
     
         15 . The injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection device is an auto-injector. 
     
     
         16 . A method of dispensing medicament from an injection device, the injection device comprising
 a housing configured to receive a syringe having a barrel and a plunger received in the barrel;   a medicament dispensing mechanism configured to move the plunger relative to the barrel to dispense medicament contained in the barrel when the syringe is received in the housing; and   a vibration generator configured to be engaged with the plunger when the syringe is received in the housing; the method comprising:
 exerting a force on the plunger to move the plunger relative to the barrel; and 
   vibrating the plunger with the vibration generator while the plunger is moving relative to the barrel.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the plunger comprises a piston and a plunger rod and wherein the vibration generator is operable to vibrate at least one of the piston or the plunger rod 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the vibration generator is configured to move together with the plunger during dispensing of the medicament. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the vibration generator is operable to vibrate the at least one of the barrel and plunger at a frequency in a range of 100 to 3000 Hz. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the injection device further comprises an actuator configured to be actuated by a user to operate the vibration generator.