Container for an injectable medicament

Abstract

A container for an injectable medicament can include an elongated body having a tubular-shaped sidewall extending along a longitudinal axis and having a distal end and a proximal end. The container can include an outlet at the distal end. The container can include a bung arranged inside the elongated body, sealingly engaged with the sidewall and slidable along the longitudinal axis relative to the sidewall. The container can include an interior volume to receive the injectable medicament and being confined by the sidewall, the outlet, and the bung. The container can include a measuring arrangement arranged in or on the bung. The measuring arrangement can include a signal generator configured to emit an electromagnetic measurement signal into or through the interior volume and a signal receiver configured to detect a feedback signal being indicative of an interaction of the measurement signal with at least one of the sidewall, the outlet or the interior volume.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A drug delivery device comprising:
 a medicament container containing a medicament;   a bung configured to slide within the medicament container for dispensing the medicament, the bung comprising a recess defined by a sidewall that extends from a distal surface of the bung to a proximal surface of the recess;   a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal in a distal direction within the medicament container such that the first signal reflects off of at least one surface of the medicament container;   a receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the first signal after the first signal has reflected off of the at least one surface of the medicament container; and   a processor configured to determine an axial position of the bung based on the reflected portion of the first signal,   wherein at least one of the transmitter or the receiver is disposed in the recess of the bung.   
     
     
         17 . The drug delivery device of  claim 16 , wherein an axial length of the recess is at least 30% of an overall axial length of the bung. 
     
     
         18 . The drug delivery device of  claim 16 , wherein the proximal surface of the recess comprises a distally-extending protrusion. 
     
     
         19 . The drug delivery device of  claim 18 , wherein the distally-extending protrusion is configured to shield or screen the receiver from the transmitter. 
     
     
         20 . The drug delivery device of  claim 18 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed in the recess of the bung. 
     
     
         21 . The drug delivery device of  claim 16 , wherein the recess is a first recess, the sidewall is a first sidewall, and the distal surface of the bung comprises a second recess defined by a second sidewall that extends from the distal surface of the bung to a proximal surface of the second recess. 
     
     
         22 . The drug delivery device of  claim 21 , wherein an axial length of the first recess is different from an axial length of the second recess. 
     
     
         23 . The drug delivery device of  claim 16 , wherein the distal surface of the bung is in contact with the medicament and the proximal surface of the bung is configured to receive a force from a piston rod of the drug delivery device. 
     
     
         24 . The drug delivery device of  claim 16 , wherein a neck portion of the medicament container is configured to engage a shoulder portion of a container holder of the drug delivery device to limit distal movement of the medicament container relative to the container holder. 
     
     
         25 . The drug delivery device of  claim 16 , wherein a dose dial of the drug delivery device is rotatable relative to a longitudinal axis of the drug delivery device to set a dosage of the medicament. 
     
     
         26 . A bung for a medicament container, the bung comprising:
 a recess defined by a sidewall that extends from a distal surface of the bung to a proximal surface of the recess;   a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal in a distal direction within the medicament container such that the first signal reflects off of at least one surface of the medicament container; and   a receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the first signal after the first signal reflects off of the at least one surface of the medicament container,   wherein at least one of the transmitter or the receiver is disposed in the recess of the bung.   
     
     
         27 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein an axial length of the recess is between 30% and 80% of an overall axial length of the bung. 
     
     
         28 . The bung of  claim 27 , wherein the axial length of the recess is between 50% and 60% of the overall axial length of the bung. 
     
     
         29 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein the transmitter is axially offset from the receiver. 
     
     
         30 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the transmitter or the receiver is flush with the distal surface of the bung. 
     
     
         31 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the transmitter or the receiver is disposed at the proximal surface of the recess of the bung. 
     
     
         32 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the recess has a diameter that varies along an axial direction of the bung. 
     
     
         33 . The bung of  claim 32 , wherein the diameter of the recess decreases along a proximal direction of the bung. 
     
     
         34 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein the recess is a first recess, the sidewall is a first sidewall, and the distal surface of the bung comprises a second recess defined by a second sidewall that extends from the distal surface of the bung to a proximal surface of the second recess. 
     
     
         35 . The bung of  claim 26 , wherein the proximal surface of the recess comprises a distally-extending protrusion configured to shield or screen the receiver from the transmitter.