NZ799587B2 - Auto-injector - Google Patents

Abstract

injection device includes a needle movable between an retracted and deployed configuration by a motor, a vial in fluid communication with the needle, a piston movable within the vial from a first to a second position. The injection device also contains a light emitting device on a first side of the vial configured to emit a light beam and a light detecting device on a second side of the vial opposite the first side configured to detect the light beam. A controller is coupled to the motor and configured to cause the motor to deploy the needle and, upon receiving a signal from the light detecting device indicating that the piston has moved to the second position and is interrupting the light beam from the light emitting device, retract the needle. The current injection device allows for automatic needle retraction without further input from the user and ensures the recipient of the injection receives the full dosage required.

Claims (14)

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. An ion , comprising: a needle movable from a retracted configuration to a deployed configuration; a vial configured to be in fluid communication with the needle; a piston configured to move within the vial from a first position to a second position; a light emitting device positioned on a first side of the vial and configured to emit a light beam; a light ing device oned on a second side of the vial opposite the first side that is configured to detect the light beam; a motor configured to cause the needle to move from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration and to cause retraction of the needle; and a controller coupled to the motor, wherein the controller is configured to: cause the motor to move the needle from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration; receive a signal from the light detecting device indicating that the piston has moved to the second position and is interrupting the light beam; and cause, in response to the signal, the motor to retract the needle.

2. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the light beam is detectable by the light ing device when the piston is in the first position and the light beam is interrupted by the piston when the piston is in the second position.

3. The injection device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the light beam is configured to pass through the vial and a medicament ned within the vial when the piston is in the first position, and wherein the light beam is ured to be interrupted by the piston when the piston is in the second position.

4. The injection device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the light beam is a beam of infrared light.

5. The injection device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

6. The injection device of one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller is further configured to: after receiving the signal, pause for a ermined delay period before causing the motor to retract the needle.

7. The injection device of claim 6, wherein the ermined delay period is between 0.1 and 60 seconds.

8. The injection device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine whether a current of the motor exceeds a predetermined current threshold; and cause the motor to retract the needle after determining that the t exceeds the predetermined current threshold.

9. A controller for an injection device, the injection device comprising: a needle movable from a retracted configuration to a deployed configuration; a vial configured to be in fluid communication with the needle; a piston configured to move within the vial; a light emitting device positioned on a first side of the vial and ured to emit a light beam; a light detecting device positioned on a second side of the vial te the first side and configured to detect the light beam h the vial; a motor ured to cause the needle to move from the retracted configuration to the deployed configuration and to cause retraction of the needle; and wherein the controller is coupled to the motor and is configured to: cause the motor to move the needle from the retracted configuration to the ed configuration; receive a signal from the light detecting device indicating that the light beam is not detected; and cause, in response to the signal, the motor to retract the needle.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to cause the motor to maintain the needle in the deployed configuration when the light beam passes through the vial and a ment contained within the vial.

11. The controller of claim 9, wherein the piston of the injection device is configured to move from a first end of the vial to a second end of the vial and through a path of the light beam.

12. The controller of claim 11, wherein the light beam is able by the light detecting device when the piston is at the first end and the light beam is interrupted by the piston when the piston is at the second end.

13. The injection device of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the light emitting device is offset ve to the light detecting device according to a refraction index of the vial.

14. The injection device of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the light emitting device is offset relative to the light detecting device according to a refraction index of a medicament in the vial. SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) atian “$355 ‘ E Tauch g Sensar SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) ‘ESGZ SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)