U.S. patent application number 12/014739 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-08 for drug delivery system for administering an adjustable preset dose.
This patent application is currently assigned to Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America. Invention is credited to Michael W. Horvath, David F. Jensen, Gregory D. Malone, Joseph P. Rossi, Mark R. Sponsel.
Application Number | 20080108952 12/014739 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32850016 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080108952 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Horvath; Michael W. ; et
al. |
May 8, 2008 |
DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR ADMINISTERING AN ADJUSTABLE PRESET
DOSE
Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for
setting a dose of a drug in a syringe having a plunger, comprising
an outer housing and an inner housing adapted for encircling the
syringe, such that the inner housing is positioned within the outer
housing to set the dose of the drug. In an embodiment, the
apparatus further comprises a dosage indicator disposed on the
inner housing and the outer housing further comprises an opening
for viewing the dosage indicator.
Inventors: |
Horvath; Michael W.;
(Cottage Grove, MN) ; Jensen; David F.;
(Sunnyvale, CA) ; Sponsel; Mark R.; (San Jose,
CA) ; Rossi; Joseph P.; (Union City, CA) ;
Malone; Gregory D.; (Encinitas, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDERMOTT, WILL & EMERY
4370 LA JOLLA VILLAGE DRIVE, SUITE 700
SAN DIEGO
CA
92122
US
|
Assignee: |
Valeant Pharmaceuticals North
America
Aliso Viejo
CA
|
Family ID: |
32850016 |
Appl. No.: |
12/014739 |
Filed: |
January 15, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10367626 |
Feb 14, 2003 |
7329241 |
|
|
12014739 |
Jan 15, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/208 ;
604/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 2005/3154 20130101;
A61M 5/31548 20130101; A61M 2005/312 20130101; A61M 2205/583
20130101; A61M 5/3156 20130101; A61M 5/3158 20130101; A61M
2005/3125 20130101; A61M 5/31551 20130101; A61M 5/31563 20130101;
A61M 5/31505 20130101; A61M 5/31538 20130101; A61P 25/12 20180101;
A61M 5/31555 20130101; A61M 5/31591 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/208 ;
604/207 |
International
Class: |
A61M 5/00 20060101
A61M005/00 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for setting a dose of a drug in a syringe having a
plunger, the apparatus comprising: an outer housing; an inner
housing adapted for encircling the syringe; and wherein the inner
housing is positioned within the outer housing to set the dose of
the drug.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner housing further
comprises a dosage indicator.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the outer housing further
comprises an opening for viewing the dosage indicator.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a locking assembly
connected to the inner housing and the outer housing for fixing the
relative positions of the inner housing and the outer housing;
wherein the dosage indicator is viewable through an opening in the
outer housing.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dosage indicator
disposed on the outer housing.
6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the dosage indicator provides
a predetermined number of dosages of the drug in increments ranging
from approximately 0.25 ml to approximately 10 ml.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the dosage indicator provides
a predetermined number of dosages of the drug in increments ranging
from approximately 0.5 mg to approximately 10 mg.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a limiter attached
to the inner housing for fixing at least one distance that the
plunger can move within the syringe.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a limiter attached
to the outer housing for fixing at least one distance that the
plunger can move within the syringe.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plunger is substantially
cylindrical in shape.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a grip connected
to the outer housing.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the grip is employed to
adjust the amount of the dosage of the drug.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the grip is employed to
deliver the dosage to a patient.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a grip connected
to the inner housing.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the grip is employed to
adjust the amount of the dosage of the drug.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the grip is employed to
deliver the dosage to a patient.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a removable
covering attached to the syringe.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer housing comprises
two portions that are substantially cylindrical in shape.
19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: threadings
disposed on the exterior of the inner housing; and threadings
disposed on the interior of the outer housing; wherein the
threadings on the inner and outer housing are slidably disposed
within each other and the relative axial positions of the inner and
outer housings are adjustable by rotation of the outer housing
relative to the inner housing.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the threadings on the inner
and outer housings are predetermined such that a desired
predetermined dosage corresponds to a predetermined amount of
rotation of the outer housing relative to the inner housing.
21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking assembly
attached to the inner housing and the syringe for fixing the
relative positions of the syringe and the inner housing.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking assembly
connected to the inner housing and the outer housing for fixing the
relative positions of the inner housing and the outer housing.
23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises an
anti-seizure medication.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the anti-seizure medication
consists essentially of diazepam.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No.
10/367,626, filed Feb. 14, 2003, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to systems for delivering a
dosage of a drug to a patient.
[0003] Drugs are often intended to be administered to a patient by
an at home health care provider. Because of various factors,
however, different amounts of the drug must be administered to
different patients. Such factors can include, for example, the size
and weight of the patient, the age of the patient, the sex of the
patient, whether the patient is a child or an adult, etc.
Currently, in order to administer the proper dose to the patient,
drug delivery devices typically require that the device is
manufactured such that the entire volume is metered to deliver the
desired dose of the drug, or the at home health care provider must
adjust the volume to be delivered, thereby adjusting the dose
themselves. Both of these options, however, have certain inherent
drawbacks.
[0004] In the former case, the manufacturer is required to make
several versions of a device, with each version including a
different volume (usually incremental) of the drug. Further,
because several different versions of the device are required, both
the distributor of the drug and the pharmacist are required to use
more "shelf space" by keeping an inventory of the various devices
containing different amounts of the drug.
[0005] In the latter case, it is more likely (as compared to a
pharmacist) that the at home health care provider might make an
error in setting the proper dosage. This could be especially
important if the patient requires an immediate injection of the
drug (due to a medical emergency).
[0006] A cross section view of an example of a conventional syringe
10 is shown in FIG. 1. The syringe 10 typically comprises a barrel
12 having a proximal end designed for receiving a plunger 18 and a
distal end designed for attaching an applicator tip to expel the
drug into the patient. Before administration of a medicine, the
drug formulation is metered into the barrel 12 of the syringe 10 to
a predetermined volume. Next, the plunger 18 is inserted into the
proximal end of the barrel 12. The drug can then be expelled by
pushing the plunger 18 toward the distal end of the barrel 12.
[0007] As shown in FIG. 1, the proximal end of the barrel 12 can
further comprise a flange 16, and the distal end of the barrel 12
can further comprise a syringe tip 14. Typically, the plunger 18
further comprises a shaft having a disk-shaped flange 22 located on
its proximal end and a stopper 20, usually made of a rubber
material, attached to its distal end. The shaft and the disk-shaped
flange 22 are often formed from a single piece of material such as
either glass or plastic. The stopper 20 is usually attached to the
shaft of the plunger 18 by providing a threaded tip (not shown) to
the end of the shaft for screwing into the stopper 20.
[0008] There is a need for drug delivery systems for the treatment
of patients who experience epileptic seizures. Typically, patients
who suffer increased and intermittent seizure activity due to
epilepsy are treated via a rectal drug delivery device that
administers a pre-set dose of a drug such as diazepam in a gel
form. As discussed above, however, there is a need for a system
that employs a conventional syringe for delivering an adjustable
pre-set dosage of a drug.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] One embodiment of the present invention provides an
apparatus for setting a dose of a drug in a syringe having a
plunger, comprising an outer housing and an inner housing adapted
for encircling the syringe, such that the inner housing is
positioned within the outer housing to set the dose of the drug. In
an embodiment, a dosage indicator disposed on the inner housing and
the outer housing further comprises an opening for viewing the
dosage indicator.
[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, a locking
assembly is connected to the inner housing and the outer housing
for fixing the relative positions of the inner housing and the
outer housing such that the dosage indicator is viewable through
the opening in the outer housing.
[0011] In a further embodiment, a dosage indicator is disposed on
the outer housing and provides a predetermined number of dosages of
the drug in increments ranging from approximately 0.25 ml to
approximately 5 ml. In another embodiment, a dosage indicator
provides a predetermined number of dosages of the drug in
increments ranging from approximately 0.5 mg to approximately 10
mg.
[0012] In an embodiment, a limiter attached to either the inner or
the outer housing for fixing at least one distance that the plunger
can move within the syringe. In another embodiment, the plunger is
substantially cylindrical in shape.
[0013] In yet another embodiment, a grip connected to either or
both the inner and outer housing to adjust the amount of and/or
deliver the dosage to a patient. In another embodiment, a nozzle is
attached to the inner housing for the dispensing of the drug and
has a material disposed on the exterior of the nozzle. In one
embodiment, the material comprises a lubricious material, such as a
polymer material containing polytetrafluoroethylene. In an
embodiment, a removable covering is attached to either the nozzle
or the syringe.
[0014] In an embodiment, the outer housing comprises two portions
that are substantially cylindrical in shape. In another embodiment,
threadings are disposed on the exterior of the inner housing and
the interior of the outer housing, such that the threadings on the
inner and outer housing are slidably disposed within each other and
the relative axial positions of the inner and outer housings are
adjustable by rotation of the outer housing relative to the inner
housing. In one embodiment, the threadings on the inner and outer
housings are predetermined such that a desired predetermined dosage
corresponds to a predetermined amount of rotation of the outer
housing relative to the inner housing.
[0015] In yet another embodiment, locking assemblies are attached
to the inner housing, the outer housing and/or the syringe for
fixing the relative positions of the syringe and the inner housing.
In one embodiment, the drug comprises an anti-seizure medication
such as diazepam.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1, described above, is a cross section view of a
conventional syringe.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross section view of a simplified embodiment of
the drug delivery system of the present invention.
[0018] FIGS. 3(A)-(C) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrating various dosage amounts.
[0019] FIGS. 4(A)-(B) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrating a locking assembly.
[0020] FIGS. 5(A)-(B) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrating the administration of a dose.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross section view of the embodiment of FIG. 2
comprising an apparatus to further secure the plunger.
[0022] FIGS. 7(A)-(C) show perspective views of the plunger limiter
in various embodiments of the drug delivery system of the present
invention.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the plunger
and outer housing of the drug delivery system of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 9(A) is a perspective view and FIG. 9(B) is a cross
section view of another embodiment of the drug delivery system of
the present invention.
[0025] FIGS. 10(A)-(C) are perspective views of another embodiment
of the drug delivery system of the present invention.
[0026] FIGS. 11(A)-(B) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIGS. 10(A)-(C) the drug delivery system of the present
invention.
[0027] FIGS. 12(A)-(B) shows a cap assembly for use with an
optional tip in an embodiment of the drug delivery system 5 of the
present invention.
[0028] FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of the drug deliver system
of the present invention that provides options to further aide the
delivery of a drug.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] Reference is now made to FIGS. 2-13, which illustrate
pictorially various embodiments of the invention.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a cross section view of a simplified embodiment
of the drug delivery system of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 2, in one embodiment the drug delivery system comprises an
inner housing 200 and an outer housing 202 for use with a
conventional syringe 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Generally, the
drug delivery system of the present invention limits the axial
movement of the plunger 18 of the syringe 10, thereby fixing the
dose of the drug that can be administered. To accomplish this, in
one example, the syringe 10 is inserted into the inner housing 200,
which is inserted into the outer housing 202. In this embodiment
the inner housing 200 and the outer housing 202 can be concentric
tubes whereby the inner housing 200 is slidably disposed within the
outer housing 202. The outer housing 202 is designed to limit the
axial motion of the plunger by stopping the disk-shaped flange 22
on the proximal end of the plunger 18, thereby setting the amount
of drug that can be delivered.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, a mechanism can be added to secure the
position of the syringe 10. During assembly the syringe 10 filled
with a drug formulation is disposed within the inner housing 200,
which is inserted into the outer housing 202. The outer housing 202
comprises a plunger limiter 306. The flange 206 acts as a limit for
the distance that the plunger 18 can be pushed into the barrel 12.
The drug delivery system is then ready to be packed for delivery to
a distributor or a dispenser, such as a pharmacist. In order to
adjust the proper volume of the drug, the pharmacist can manipulate
the outer housing 202 relative to the inner housing 200 by grasping
the inner housing 200 and sliding the outer housing 202 up and
down.
[0032] FIGS. 3(A)-(C) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrating various dosage amounts. In particular, three
example settings of the drug delivery system of the present
invention are illustrated in FIGS. 3(A)-(C). As shown in FIGS.
3(A)-(C), the setting of the inner housing 200 in relation to the
outer housing 202 represent a "maximum", an "intermediate" and a
"minimum" amount of drug that is to be administered to the patient.
In FIG. 3(A), because the outer housing 202 is covering most of the
inner housing 200 in an axial direction, the plunger 18 is allowed
to fully depress into the barrel 12 of the syringe 10, thus
delivering a maximum amount of the drug. In FIG. 3(C), because the
outer housing 202 is covering the least of the inner housing 200 in
an axial direction, the plunger 18 is only slightly allowed to
depress into the barrel 12 of the syringe 10, thus delivering a
minimum amount of the drug. In FIG. 3(B), the outer housing 202 is
shown covering an intermediate portion [compared to FIGS. 3(A) and
3(C)] of the inner housing 200 in an axial direction. Therefore,
because the plunger 18 is allowed to partially depress into the
barrel 12 of the syringe 10, an intermediate amount of the drug can
be delivered.
[0033] FIGS. 4(A)-(B) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrating a locking assembly. As shown in FIGS. 4(A)-(B),
once the volume of the drug is set for the drug delivery system,
the position of the outer housing 202 relative to the inner housing
200 can be fixed by an intermediary with a locking assembly 408. In
one embodiment, the locking assembly comprises a plastic or metal
rod that is inserted through both the inner housing 200 and the
outer housing 202. The intermediary can then repackage the drug
delivery system for distribution to the end user.
[0034] FIGS. 5(A)-(B) are cross section views of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 illustrating the administration of a dose. As shown in FIGS.
5(A)-(B), once the dosage of the device has been properly set, the
end user can administer the drug by depressing the plunger 18 until
the disk-shaped flange 22 on the plunger 18 reaches the plunger
flange 206 on the outer housing 202.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a cross section view of the embodiment of FIG. 2
that comprises an apparatus to further secure the plunger. FIGS.
7(A)-(C) show perspective views of the plunger limiter in various
embodiments of the drug delivery system of the present invention.
In particular, it is desirable to prevent the plunger 18 from being
removed from the barrel 12 either accidentally or by tampering. In
this embodiment, the possibility of tampering or accidental removal
can be reduced by adding a plunger limiter, either to the inner
housing 200 or the outer housing 202, or to both housings 200, 202.
In this embodiment, the plunger 18 is of conventional design and
therefore, comprises an "plus-sign" shape when viewed from a top
cross section view. FIG. 7(A) shows a cross section view of the
plunger limiter 700. As shown in FIG. 7(A), the plunger limiter 700
comprises a "plus-sign" shaped aperture 701 that is designed to
loosely fit the cross section shape of a conventional plunger
18.
[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross section view of an embodiment
where the outer housing 202 comprises a plunger limiter 604 located
on the proximal end of the outer housing 202. In the embodiment of
FIG. 6, because there is not a plunger flange 206, the plunger
limiter 604 acts as a bi-directional limiter for the position of
the plunger 18.
[0037] As discussed above, while a conventional plunger has a
"plus-sign" shape, other embodiments of the plunger limiter and
plunger may be employed. For example, FIG. 7(B) shows an embodiment
of the plunger limiter 702 that has a circular opening 703. In this
embodiment, the shaft of the plunger 18 will also be a circular
shape to allow the plunger 18 to travel easily through the circular
opening 703 located within the barrel 12. In another example, FIG.
7(C) shows an embodiment of the plunger limiter 704 that has a
square shaped opening 706. In this embodiment, the shaft of the
plunger 18 will also be a square shape that is designed to fit
within the square shaped opening 706. Other shapes are possible for
the opening in the plunger limiter of the present invention.
[0038] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a plunger
and outer housing of the drug delivery system of the present
invention. FIG. 8 shows an embodiment a plunger 800 that is
generally cylindrical in shape. In this embodiment, the plunger 800
is comprised of two portions, a proximal portion 802 and a distal
portion 804. In this embodiment, the proximal portion 802 is
generally cylindrical in shape and the distal portion 804 is
generally tapered in shape. In this example, the distal portion
804, which is further connected to a conventional stopper 20 and
the proximal portion 802 is connected to a disk-shaped flange 22.
The plunger limiter 702 is the same as that described above in FIG.
7(B). In this embodiment, the circular opening 703 is designed with
a smaller diameter than the diameter of the distal portion 804 of
the plunger 800. Thus, when the plunger 800 is pulled out of the
drug delivery system, the tapering of the distal portion 804 near
the stopper 20 helps to prevent the accidental removal of the
plunger 800.
[0039] FIG. 9(A) is a perspective view and FIG. 9(B) is a cross
section view of another embodiment of the drug delivery system of
the present invention. In this embodiment, as compared with the
embodiment of FIG. 2 where the two housings 200, 202 do not slide,
the relative axial positions of inner housing 904 and outer housing
900 can be adjusted. In this embodiment, the outer housing 900
comprises two "clam shell" portions. Each portion 901, 903 is
cylindrical in shape and, in one embodiment, 901, 903 are one
continuous structure joined at seam 905. After assembly, the two
housings 900, 904 are joined to form a hollow cylinder similar to
the outer housing 202 described above for the embodiment of FIG. 2.
Located on the interior of each portion 901, 903 of the outer
housing 900 are a series of semicircular grooves 902. Thus, when
the two portions 901, 903 are assembled to form a cylindrical shape
the grooves 902 comprise a circular shape on the interior of the
outer housing 900.
[0040] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the inner housing 904
further comprises a positioning flange 906. The positioning flange
906 is a cylindrical shaped rim connected to the proximal end of
the inner housing 904 and is designed to fit into any one of the
grooves 902 of the outer housing 902. Each one of the grooves
corresponds to a separate incremental volume of the drug. In one
example, the axial position of the outer housing 900 relative to
the inner housing 904 can be set to one of five distances that
correspond to one of five different volumes of the drug that can be
administered. In addition, after the positioning flange 906 is
locked into one of the grooves 902, the dosage is set.
[0041] To make the presetting of the dose easier for the
intermediary, a dose indicator 914 is located within the interior
of the outer housing 902 that specifies each groove as to the
volume of the drug it represents. In addition, a corresponding dose
indicator 914 is located on the exterior of the inner housing 904.
After assembly, the dosage setting can then be confirmed by the
pharmacist through an opening 912 in the outer housing 900. In
order to keep the opening 912 aligned with dose indicator 914, a
key 916 on the positioning flange 906 is disposed within a matching
recess 918 on the interior of the outer housing 900.
[0042] In another embodiment, the volume of the drug can be
indicated and set by one or more lines (or other appropriate
markings) located on the distal end of the inner housing 904 (not
shown in FIG. 8). During assembly, an intermediary can locate the
inner housing 904 within the outer housing 900 such that a line
indicating the proper dosage is visible adjacent to the distal end
of outer housing 900. In this embodiment, the dose indicator 914
and opening 912 are not necessary features.
[0043] FIGS. 10(A)-(C) are perspective views and FIGS. 11(A)-(B)
are cross section views of another embodiment of the drug delivery
system of the present invention. In this embodiment, the drug
delivery system comprises an inner housing 1000 and an outer
housing 1002. In addition, the inner housing 1000 further comprises
outer threading 1004 disposed on the exterior of the inner housing
1000. The outer housing 1002 further comprises two "clam shell"
portions 1003, 1005, and an inner threading 1006 disposed on the
interior of the outer housing 1002. In this embodiment, the outer
threading 1004 comprises a "male" spiraling rim that protrudes from
the inner housing 1000, and the inner threading 1006 comprises a
"female" spiraling groove that corresponds to the "male" spiraling
rim of the inner housing 1000. When the two portions 1003, 1005 of
the outer housing 1002 are assembled, the outer threading 1004 of
the inner housing 1000 is aligned within the inner threading 1006
of the outer housing 1002.
[0044] In this embodiment, the relative axial positions of the
inner housing 1000 and the outer housing 1002 can be adjusted by
rotating the outer housing 1002 relative to the inner housing 1000.
In addition, a dose indicator 1012 is located on the exterior of
the inner housing 1000, and a corresponding opening 1014 is located
through the outer housing 1002 so that, after assembly, the
pharmacist can visually confirm the dosage setting through the
opening 1014 in the outer housing 1002.
[0045] In addition, the outer threading 1004 and the inner
threading 1006 can be designed so that a certain number of complete
rotations of the outer housing 1002 will correspond to a desired
dosage of the drug. The system is designed to dispense a drug in
variable pre-set volumes in increments of approximately 0.25 ml to
approximately 10 ml. Further, the system is designed to dispense a
drug in increments of weight ranging from approximately 0.5 mg to
approximately 10 mg. In one example, the device is designed to
deliver several pre-set volumes of a drug in the amounts of
approximately 2.5 ml, 5 ml, 7.5 ml and 10 ml. In this example,
setting the device for the 7.5 ml volume requires a single full
rotation of the outer housing 1002, while the 5 ml volume requires
two rotations and the 2.5 ml volume requires three rotations.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 10, in another embodiment, the drug
delivery system can further comprise a locking assembly comprising
a fastener 1016 that is semicircular in shape and having two
protrusions 1017. During assembly, after the pharmacist chooses the
proper dosage by rotating the outer housing 1002, the system can be
locked by placing the fastener 1016 around a groove 1019 on the
outer housing 1002 and pushing in so that the protrusions 1017 on
the fastener fit around the dose indicator 1012. After the
intermediary has set the dosage, a prescription label can be
applied to the exterior of the outer housing 1002 that covers and
effectively seals the fastener 1016 in position.
[0047] FIGS. 12(A)-(B) show cross section views of an embodiment
similar to that of the drug delivery system of FIG. 2, but
comprising a cap assembly 1200 to further protect the device from
both accidental discharge or tampering. As shown in FIG. 12, the
cap assembly 1200 comprises a cylindrical shaped pin 1202 having a
disk 1206 located on one end. The cap assembly also comprises a
stopper 1204 disposed around the pin 1202. In one embodiment, the
disk 1206 further comprises one or more ridges 1208. Typically, the
pin 1202, the disk 1206 and the stopper 1204 can comprise a
metallic or plastic material.
[0048] For use during shipping, a manufacturer inserts the cap
assembly 1200 into a standard syringe 10 as shown in FIG. 12.
During insertion of the cap assembly 1200, the ridges 1208 aid in
grasping and inserting the assembly 1200 into the syringe 1200.
After insertion, the pin 1202 is located within the syringe tip 14
on the syringe 10.
[0049] FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of the drug deliver system
of the present invention that provides options to further aide the
delivery of a drug. In this embodiment, finger grips 1300 comprise
two elongated flanges and are connected to the outer housing 202.
The finger grips 1300 provide extra support for an end user to
grasp when administering a drug. This advantage can be particularly
important when rectally delivering a drug to an incapacitated
patient, such as one who is undergoing a seizure.
[0050] Additionally, to ease the intermediary's efforts in setting
the dosage, grips 1302 and 1304 can be located on the distal end of
either the inner housing 200 or the outer housing 202, or both. In
this embodiment, the grips 1302 and 1304 can be used to help change
the relative positions of the inner housing 200 and outer housing
202 as described above in the embodiment of FIG. 4. Or, the grips
1302 and 1304 can be used to rotate the outer housing 202 relative
to the inner housing 200 as described above for the embodiment of
FIG. 10.
[0051] The systems and methods of the present invention may be
embodied in other specific forms without departing from the
teachings or essential characteristics of the invention. The
described embodiments are therefore to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the
invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the
foregoing description, and all changes which come within the
meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be
embraced therein.
* * * * *