Auto-Injector Device

Abstract

An injection device comprises an injector body having at least one indicator aperture; a medicament reservoir disposed within the injector body; a piston; and one or more status indicators. A movement of the piston expels a medicament out of the medicament reservoir, and operates to move at least one of the one or more status indicators relative to a corresponding indicator aperture.

1 . An injection device comprising:
 an injector body;   a medicament reservoir disposed within the injector body; and   a piston configured to move through the injector body to expel a medicament out of the medicament reservoir and to sequentially activate a plurality of status indicators.   
     
     
         2 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the injector body has a longitudinal axis, and at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is configured to be pushed radially out of the injector body as the piston moves axially through the injector body. 
     
     
         3 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is positioned such that the at least one status indicator is to be moved when all or substantially all of the medicament has been propelled out of the medicament reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is positioned to indicate that a predetermined amount of the piston movement is complete. 
     
     
         5 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the piston comprises:
 a stopper disposed in the medicament reservoir to expel the medicament;   a piston shaft extending out of the medicament reservoir; and   a piston head configured to push the one or more status indicators out of the injector body.   
     
     
         6 . The injection device of  claim 5 , wherein the piston further comprises an actuating member that extends axially from the piston head, and wherein the actuating member is arranged to be outside of the medicament reservoir as the piston moves axially through the injector body. 
     
     
         7 . The injection device of  claim 6 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is axially aligned with the medicament reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators comprises:
 a finger element that is pivotably mounted to extend radially into the injector body in a first position and to extend parallel to an internal surface of the injector body in a second position; and   an elevated portion that projects from the finger element so as to pass through an indicator aperture defined in the injector body when the finger element is in the second position,   wherein a movement of the piston pushes the finger element from the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         9 . The injection device of  claim 8 , wherein the finger element is defined by one or more cuts through an inner sleeve that is disposed internally within the injector body, with an uncut portion of the inner sleeve joining the finger element to a cylindrical body of the inner sleeve as a hinge. 
     
     
         10 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein each status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is defined by a flexible sheet that is deformed to provide the status indicator as an inner bulge that is directed radially inward into an interior region of the injector body in a first position of the status indicator, and wherein axial movement of the piston pushes the flexible sheet to invert the inner bulge into an outer bulge that passes through a respective indicator aperture of the injector body in a second position of the status indicator. 
     
     
         11 . The injection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a medicament that is contained within the medicament reservoir and arranged to be expelled by movement of the piston. 
     
     
         12 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is configured to produce an auditory signal or a vibration when pushed through the at least one indicator aperture. 
     
     
         13 . An auto-injector comprising:
 an injector body;   a medicament reservoir disposed within the injector body; and   a piston configured to move through the injector body to expel a medicament out of the medicament reservoir and to sequentially activate a plurality of status indicators.   
     
     
         14 . The auto-injector of  claim 13 , wherein the injector body has a longitudinal axis, and at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is configured to be pushed radially out of the injector body as the piston moves axially through the injector body. 
     
     
         15 . The injection device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is positioned such that the at least one status indicator is to be moved when all or substantially all of the medicament has been propelled out of the medicament reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . The injection device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators is positioned to indicate that a predetermined amount of the piston movement is complete. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating an injection device, the injection device comprising an injector body, a medicament reservoir disposed within the injector body, a piston, and a plurality of status indicators, the method comprising:
 moving the piston through the injector body to expel a medicament out of a medicament reservoir in an injector body and sequentially activating the plurality of status indicators.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the injector body has a longitudinal axis, the method further comprising pushing at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators radially out of the injector body as the piston moves axially through the injector body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising moving at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators when all or substantially all of the medicament has been propelled out of the medicament reservoir. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising indicating, by at least one status indicator of the plurality of status indicators, that a predetermined amount of the piston movement is complete.