U.S. patent application number 10/307302 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-12 for medicament cartridge.
This patent application is currently assigned to DCA Design International Limited. Invention is credited to Adams, Lee Simon, Langley, Christopher Nigel, Woolston, Robert.
Application Number | 20030109835 10/307302 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9927095 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030109835 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Woolston, Robert ; et
al. |
June 12, 2003 |
Medicament cartridge
Abstract
Many of those having diabetes take a combination of slow and
fast acting types of insulin. It is important that the different
forms of medicament do not become confused and that the patient
does not receive the incorrect medicament. In combination a
medicament delivery apparatus and a medicament cartridge are
provided, the medicament delivery apparatus including at least one
switch and the medicament cartridge comprising a cartridge housing
within which a medicament is provided, a displaceable piston
located internally at one end of the housing and a raised ring of
material about an external periphery of the medicament cartridge,
the ring of material being of sufficient dimensions, in use, to
trip the at least one switch of the medicament delivery
apparatus.
Inventors: |
Woolston, Robert; (Warwick,
GB) ; Langley, Christopher Nigel; (Warwickshire,
GB) ; Adams, Lee Simon; (Warwick, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
DCA Design International
Limited
Warwick
GB
|
Family ID: |
9927095 |
Appl. No.: |
10/307302 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/232 ;
604/403 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 2205/6081 20130101;
A61J 1/062 20130101; A61M 2205/584 20130101; A61M 2205/50 20130101;
A61M 5/24 20130101; A61M 2205/6045 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/232 ;
604/403 |
International
Class: |
A61B 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 6, 2001 |
GB |
0129187.1 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1 In combination a medicament delivery apparatus and a medicament
cartridge, the medicament delivery apparatus including at least one
switch and the medicament cartridge comprising a cartridge housing
within which a medicament is provided, a displaceable piston
located internally at one end of the housing and a raised ring of
material about an external periphery of the medicament cartridge,
the ring of material being of sufficient dimensions, in use, to
trip the at least one switch of the medicament delivery
apparatus.
2 The combination of claim 1, in which a location of the raised
ring of material along a longitudinal axis of the cartridge housing
provides an indication of the medicament contained within the
medicament cartridge.
3 The combination of claim 1, in which the raised ring of material
may be colour coded to provide an indication of the medicament
contained within the medicament cartridge.
4 The combination of claim 1, in which the raised ring of material
is defined by a first inner surface that conforms to a peripheral
surface of the cartridge and a second outer surface.
5 The combination of claim 4, in which the second outer surface
provides a smooth rounded surface.
6 The combination of claim 4, in which a shape of the outer surface
of the raised ring of material provides an indication of the
medicament contained within the medicament cartridge.
7 The combination of claim 1, in which the medication delivery
apparatus further comprises a display, the processor causing the
display to show information relating to the medicament cartridge
within the medication delivery apparatus.
8 The combination of claim 1, in which unless the at least one
switch is tripped the medication delivery apparatus will not
function.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a medicament cartridge,
having particular, but not exclusive application for use with a
medication delivery apparatus. The invention provides a medication
cartridge that may be dedicated to a particular medication delivery
apparatus. A medication delivery apparatus may take the form of,
for example, an injector pen or an infuser apparatus.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] It is known that a person providing themselves, or others,
with a medicament regimen may require more than one medicament as
part of that regimen. For example many of those having diabetes
take a combination of slow and fast acting types of insulin. It is
important that the different forms of medicament do not become
confused and that the patient does not receive the incorrect
medicament.
[0003] By providing a cartridge that can be dedicated to a
particular form of medicament, this problem may be eliminated or at
least substantially reduced. For example, such a cartridge may only
be accepted by a certain medication delivery apparatus or might not
permit the proper functioning of certain medication delivery
apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to the present invention, in combination a
medicament delivery apparatus and a medicament cartridge are
provided, the medicament delivery apparatus including at least one
switch and the medicament cartridge comprising a cartridge housing
within which a medicament is provided, a displaceable piston
located internally at one end of the housing and a raised ring of
material about an external periphery of the medicament cartridge,
the ring of material being of sufficient dimensions, in use, to
trip the at least one switch of the medicament delivery
apparatus.
[0005] Preferably a location of the raised ring of material along a
longitudinal axis of the cartridge housing provides an indication
of the medicament contained within the medicament cartridge.
[0006] Preferably the raised ring of material may be colour coded
to provide an indication of the medicament contained within the
medicament cartridge.
[0007] Preferably the raised ring of material is defined by a first
inner surface that conforms to a peripheral surface of the
cartridge and a second outer surface. More preferably, the second
outer surface provides a smooth rounded surface. Advantageously, a
shape of the outer surface of the raised ring of material provides
an indication of the medicament contained within the medicament
cartridge.
[0008] Preferably the medication delivery apparatus further
comprises a display, the processor causing the display to show
information relating to the medicament cartridge within the
medication delivery apparatus.
[0009] Preferably unless the at least one switch is tripped the
medication delivery apparatus will not function.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a medicament cartridge in accordance with the
first aspect of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows schematically a part of a first medication
delivery apparatus for use with a medicament cartridge in
accordance with the first aspect of the invention; and
[0013] FIG. 3 shows schematically a part of a second medication
delivery apparatus for use with a medicament cartridge in
accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Referred to FIG. 1, there may be seen a medicament cartridge
2 in accordance with the present invention.
[0015] The medicament cartridge comprises a cartridge housing 4
having an open neck at a first end. The open neck is provided with
an external flange. A flexible fluid impermeable membrane 6 is
sealingly secured across the neck by a cap 8 secured against the
flange. The metal cap 8 has a central opening through which the
membrane 6 is exposed. In use, a needle of a needle unit penetrates
the membrane 6.
[0016] The medicament is contained within a chamber defined by the
cartridge housing 4, the flexible membrane 6 at the first end of
the cartridge housing and a displaceable piston 14 (shown in ghost)
located at a second end of the cartridge housing 4. Movement of the
piston 14 towards the first end of the cartridge housing 4 causes
the medicament to be dispensed through the needle unit.
[0017] The medicament cartridge of the present invention is
additionally provided with a raised ring 10 of material about an
external periphery of the cartridge housing 4. The raised ring 10
of material may be formed of any suitable material by any suitable
method.
[0018] In the illustrated embodiment, the raised ring 10 of
material is defined by a first inner surface that conforms to a
peripheral surface of the cartridge housing 4 and a second outer
surface 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the raised ring 10 is of
generally rectangular section. The second outer surface 12 is shown
as a smooth rounded surface. The raised ring 10 may be formed as a
moulding of a plastics material about the cartridge housing 4. This
may occur prior to filling or loading of the medicament cartridge
with medicament. In such a case the location of the raised ring 10
may be used during the filling or loading operation to ensure that
the medicament cartridge receives the correct medicament.
[0019] Since location of the ring 10 is determined during
manufacture, and as such is a highly repeatable operation, the
location of the raised ring 10 may be used as an indication of the
medicament contained within the medicament cartridge.
[0020] Thus, a medicament delivery apparatus (FIG. 2) may be
provided with processor 22 and a switch 20. When the switch 20 is
tripped this allows the medicament delivery apparatus to function.
If the switch 20 is not tripped, either because there is no raised
ring 10 present, or is present at an incorrect location along a
longitudinal axis of the medicament cartridge inserted, such a
medicament delivery apparatus will not operate.
[0021] Alternatively, a medication delivery apparatus may comprise
a processor 34 and a plurality of switches 30,32, tripping of a
particular switch indicating the presence of a medicament cartridge
containing a particular medicament within the medication delivery
apparatus. The medication delivery apparatus may further comprise a
display 36, the processor 34 causing the display to show
information relating to the medicament cartridge within the
medication delivery apparatus, for example whether the medicament
is a fast acting or slow acting form of medicament. This has the
advantage that it provides a user with an additional opportunity to
check that the correct medicament is to be dispensed. Optionally,
the processor 34 may actuate a drive mechanism 38 to express
medicament from the cartridge 2.
[0022] It will be understood that quite small differences in
location may be enough to enable a medication delivery apparatus to
distinguish between medicament cartridges having different
contents. However, such differences may not be readily apparent to
all users of the cartridges, for example those with impaired
vision. For this reason, the raised ring 10 may also be formed of a
material of a particular colour to indicate a particular medicament
within a medicament cartridge. Alternatively, or additionally, the
raised 10 may also be formed in a particular shape to indicate a
particular medicament within a medicament cartridge. This may be of
particular advantage to those having more seriously impaired
vision.
* * * * *