Claims for Patent: 8,684,969

Summary for Patent: 8,684,969

Title:	Injection device with torsion spring and rotatable display
Abstract:	The present invention relates to an injection device comprising a torsion spring operatively connected to a dose setting member being adapted to set a dose to be ejected from the injection device. A rotatably mounted display member adapted to display the dose to be ejected in accordance with a setting of the dose setting member is also provided. The rotatably mounted display member is adapted to be rotated over an angle corresponding to at least one revolution of the display member. The display member may be implemented as a dose indicator barrel having numerals arranged along a helical path on an outer surface thereof, or alternatively, as a counting device having two or more display wheels having numerals arranged on an outer surface thereof.
Inventor(s):	Moller; Claus Schmidt (Fredensborg, DK), Markussen; Tom Hede (Bagsvaerd, DK), Enggaard; Christian Peter (Vejby, DK)
Assignee:	Novo Nordisk A/S (Bagsvaerd, DK)
Application Number:	13/626,541
Patent Litigation and PTAB cases:	See patent lawsuits and PTAB cases for patent 8,684,969
Patent Claims:	1. An injection device comprising -p1 a torsion spring (12) operatively connected to a dose setting member (1), the dose setting member (1) being adapted to set a dose to be ejected from the injection device, and a rotatably mounted display member adapted to display the dose to be ejected from the injection device in accordance with a setting of the dose setting member (1), the rotatably mounted display member being rotatable over an angle corresponding to at least one revolution of the display member, wherein the rotatably mounted display comprises a dose indicator barrel; wherein the display member is adapted to be moved between two end positions, said two end positions defining an operation range of the display member, said operation range being associated with a substantially linear working range of the torsion spring; wherein the injection device further comprises: a housing (5), a piston rod (2) having a threaded outer surface with a drive track (7) arranged in a longitudinal direction of said outer surface, wherein the dose setting member (1) is rotatably mounted and defines a passage for the piston rod (2), the dose setting member (1) further having a guiding track (11) arranged on an inner surface thereof, a rotatable drive member (6) being adapted to at least partly engage with at least part of the drive track (7) of the piston rod (2) so as to drive the piston rod, wherein the dose indicator barrel (9) has a part engaging at least part of the guiding track (11) of the dose setting member (1), the dose setting member (1) and the dose indicator barrel (9) being movable in relation to each other, the dose indicator barrel (9) further having a threaded outer surface (8) cooperating with a threaded inner portion (10) of the housing (5) whereby the dose indicator barrel (9) undergoes a combined translational and rotational movement in relation to the housing (5) upon rotation of the dose setting member (1), and wherein the injection device has a threaded portion (3) cooperating with the threaded outer surface of the piston rod (2) so that rotation of the piston rod (2) relative to the housing (5) results in a longitudinal movement of the piston rod (2). 2. An injection device according to claim 1, wherein the drive member (6) is adapted to be connected to the dose setting member (1) via a ratchet (13). 3. An injection device according to claim 1, wherein the torsion spring (12) is arranged between the housing (5) and the dose setting member (1) in such a way that when the dose setting member (1) is rotated around the piston rod (2), the torsion spring (12) is strained. 4. An injection device according to claim 3, wherein the torsion spring (12) is a helical spring which extends coaxially with the piston rod (2). 5. An injection device according to claim 1, further comprising a locking member (4) adapted to fixate the piston rod (2) in such a way that no relative rotation between of the piston rod (2) and the housing (5) is possible when the locking member (4) is in its locking position. 6. An injection device according to claim 5, further comprising a release button adapted to release the locking member (4) from its locking position. 7. An injection device according to claim 6, wherein the release button is positioned in the distal half of the length of the injection device. 8. An injection device according to claim 1, further comprising a stopping member for defining an outer position of the dose indicator barrel (9), the outer position of the dose indicator barrel (9) corresponding to a maximum obtainable dose. 9. An injection device according to claim 1, wherein the dose the dose indicator barrel rotates to a zero position during ejection of a dose. 10. An injection device according to claim 1, further comprising a release button located on the device that when pressed causes the spring to drive a dose from the injection device while simultaneously the dose indicator barrel rotates towards a zero position and wherein upon completion of the dose the indicator barrel is at the zero position and the device can then be reset to inject a new dose and where if the new dose can be reduced by dialing down the dose setting mechanism without expelling medication from the ejection device and wherein the new reduced dose can be ejected by pressing the release button. 11. An injection device comprising a torsion spring (12) operatively connected to a dose setting member (1), the dose setting member (1) being adapted to set a dose to be ejected from the injection device, and a rotatably mounted display member adapted to display the dose to be ejected from the injection device in accordance with a setting of the dose setting member (1), the rotatably mounted display member being rotatable over an angle corresponding to at least one revolution of the display member, wherein the rotatabley mounted display comprises a dose indicator barrel; wherein the display member is adapted to be moved between two end positions, said two end positions defining an operation range of the display member, said operation range being associated with a substantially linear working range of the torsion spring; wherein the injection device further comprises: a housing (5), a piston rod (2) having a threaded outer surface with a track (7) arranged in a longitudinal direction of said outer surface, wherein the dose setting member (1) is rotatably mounted and defines a passage for the piston rod (2), the dose setting member (1) further having a guiding track (11) arranged on an inner surface thereof, a rotatable drive member (6) having a threaded portion cooperating with at least part of the threaded outer surface of the piston rod (2), wherein the dose indicator barrel (9) has a part engaging at least part of the guiding track (11) of the dose setting member (1), the dose setting member (1) and the dose indicator barrel (9) being movable in relation to each other, the dose indicator barrel (9) further having a threaded outer surface (8) cooperating with a threaded inner portion (10) of the housing (5) whereby the dose indicator barrel (9) undergoes a combined translational and rotational movement in relation to the housing (5) upon rotation of the dose setting member (1), and wherein the injection device has a portion at least partly engaging the track (7) of piston rod (2) so that rotation of the drive member (6) relative to the housing (5) results in a longitudinal movement of the piston rod (2). 12. An injection device according to claim 11, further comprising a release button that when pressed causes the spring to eject the drug and when pressed causes the dose indicator barrel to rotate toward a zero position. 13. An injection device according to claim 11, further comprising a button that when pressed causes the spring to eject medication from the device. 14. An injection device according to claim 11, wherein the dose indicator barrel rotates to the zero position when a button is depressed. 15. An injection device comprising: a housing (5) with an inner surface provided with threads (10), a dose setting member (1) adapted to set a dose to be ejected from the injection device, a piston rod (2) having a threaded outer surface with a track (7) arranged in a longitudinal direction of its outer surface, a rotatable drive member (6) that engages with the track (7) or with the threaded outer surface of the piston rod to drive the piston rod (2), a torsion spring (12), operatively connected to the dose setting member and the housing, such that energy is accumulated in the torsion spring (12) upon rotation of the dose setting member (1) to set the dose and the accumulated energy is released to rotate the drive member (6) whereby the piston rod moves in the distal direction of the injection device to eject the set dose automatically, wherein, a rotatably mounted display member is threadedly engaged with the threads (10) of the housing (5) and operatively connected with the dose setting member (1) such that when the dose setting member (1) is rotated in order to set a dose[,] the display member rotates with the dose setting member (1) causing the display member to be axially displaced relative to the housing (5) and is adapted to display the dose to be ejected from the injection device in accordance with a setting of the dose by the dose setting member (1), and the rotatably mounted display member is rotatable over an angle corresponding to at least one revolution, and the display member further returns to return to zero during ejection. 16. An injection device according to claim 15, wherein the display member is adapted to be moved between two end positions, said two end positions defining an operation range of the display member, said operation range being associated with a substantially linear working range of the torsion spring. 17. An injection device according to claim 15, wherein the display member comprises a dose indicator barrel (9) having numerals arranged along a helical path on an outer surface thereof and wherein the angle is greater than one revolution and wherein the injection device further comprises a release button for releasing energy from the spring to drive the piston rod. 18. An injection device according to claim 17, wherein the dose setting member (1) is rotatably mounted and defines a passage for the piston rod (2), the dose setting member (1) further having a guiding track (11) arranged on an inner surface thereof, a rotatable drive member (6) being adapted to at least partly engage with at least part of the drive track (7) of the piston rod (2) so as to drive the piston rod, wherein the dose indicator barrel (9) has a part engaging at least part of the guiding track (11) of the dose setting member (1), the dose setting member (1) and the dose indicator barrel (9) being movable in relation to each other, the dose indicator barrel (9) further having a threaded outer surface (8) cooperating with the threaded inner portion (10) of the housing (5) whereby the dose indicator barrel (9) undergoes a combined translational and rotational movement in relation to the housing (5) upon rotation of the dose setting member (1), and wherein the injection device has a threaded portion (3) cooperating with the threaded outer surface of the piston rod (2) so that rotation of the piston rod (2) relative to the housing (5) results in a longitudinal movement of the piston rod (2). 19. An injection device according to claim 18, wherein the drive member (6) is adapted to be connected to the dose setting member (1) via a ratchet (13). 20. An injection device according to claim 18, wherein the torsion spring (12) is arranged between the housing (5) and the dose setting member (1) in such a way that when the dose setting member (1) is rotated around the piston rod (2), the torsion spring (12) is strained. 21. An injection device according to claim 20, wherein the torsion spring (12) is a helical spring which extends coaxially with the piston rod (2). 22. An injection device according to claim 18, further comprising a locking member (4) adapted to fixate the piston rod (2) in such a way that no relative rotation between of the piston rod (2) and the housing (5) is possible when the locking member (4) is in its locking position. 23. An injection device according to claim 22, further comprising a release button adapted to release the locking member (4) from its locking position. 24. An injection device according to claim 23, wherein the release button is positioned in the distal half of the length of the injection device. 25. An injection device according to claim 24, further comprising a stopping member for defining an outer position of the dose indicator barrel (9), the outer position of the dose indicator barrel (9) corresponding to a maximum obtainable dose. 26. An injection device according to claim 17, wherein the dose setting member (1) is rotatably mounted and defines a passage for the piston rod (2), the dose setting member (1) further having a guiding track (11) arranged on an inner surface thereof, a rotatable drive member (6) having a threaded portion cooperating with at least part of the threaded outer surface of the piston rod (2), wherein the dose indicator barrel (9) has a part engaging at least part of the guiding track (11) of the dose setting member (1), the dose setting member (1) and the dose indicator barrel (9) being movable in relation to each other, the dose indicator barrel (9) further having a threaded outer surface (8) cooperating with the threaded inner portion (10) of the housing (5) whereby the dose indicator barrel (9) undergoes a combined translational and rotational movement in relation to the housing (5) upon rotation of the dose setting member (1), and wherein the injection device has a portion at least partly engaging the track (7) of piston rod (2) so that rotation of the drive member (6) relative to the housing (5) results in a longitudinal movement of the piston rod (2).