WO2017138819A1

WO2017138819A1 - An apparatus for dispensing a medicament

Info

Publication number: WO2017138819A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2016/050011
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Fowler; Carlo BENEDICT; Gavin Tetley; Raj VEERLA
Original assignee: Medical Plastics Limited
Priority date: 2016-02-11
Filing date: 2016-02-11
Publication date: 2017-08-17

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing a medicament comprising, a housing having a first end and a second end and having a reservoir being arranged to hold a medicament; a rotatable means to enable a user to select a dose size of a medicament; a medicament expelling means; and an activation member at the first end of the housing, the member adapted to be moved by a user between an initial position and an actuated position; the apparatus is formed such that when in use a user can select the dose size of a medicament using the rotatable means and when the activation member is moved to the actuated position it causes an audible sound and also causes the expelling means to expel the medicament from the second end of the housing.

Description

TITLE

An apparatus for dispensing a medicament.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention generally relates to an apparatus for dispensing a medicament. More particularly but not exclusively the invention relates to an apparatus which dispenses medicaments to infants and animals.

BACKGROUND The use of disposable pen type dispensers which deliver medicine have been known for some time. A known problem of these dispensers is that they can pose a danger to the human or animal that they are used on if the incorrect dosage is given. Another problem with some of these devices is that they are difficult to use and are prone to breaking and leaking.

It is an object of a preferred form of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing at least one of the above problems. While this is an object of a preferred embodiment, it should not be seen as a limitation on the scope of the invention as claimed. The object of the invention per se is simply to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein; this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

The term "comprising" and derivatives thereof, eg "comprises", if and when used herein in relation to a combination of features should not be taken as excluding the possibility that the combination may have further unspecified features. For example, a statement that an arrangement "comprises" certain parts does not mean that it cannot also, optionally, have additional parts. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for dispensing a medicament comprising:

· a housing having a first end and a second end and having a reservoir being arranged to hold a medicament;

• a rotatable means to enable a user to select a dose size of a medicament;

• a medicament expelling means; and

• an activation member at the first end of the housing, the member adapted to be moved by a user between an initial position and an actuated position;

the apparatus is formed such that when in use a user can select the dose size of a medicament using the rotatable means and when the activation member is moved to the actuated position it causes an audible sound and also causes the expelling means to expel the medicament from the second end of the housing.

Preferably the apparatus is in the form of a pen.

Preferably the expelling means is a screw like plunger.

Preferably the audible sound is a clicking noise.

Preferably the activation member is covered by a soft plastic cap. Preferably the apparatus has a nozzle which engages with the second end of the housing, the nozzle having at least one aperture adapted such that a medicament can be expelled through it.

Preferably the apparatus has a nozzle which engages with the second end of the housing, the nozzle having a needle adapted such that a medicament can be expelled through it. Preferably the apparatus has a two part child proof screw cap which releasably engages with the second end of the housing or the nozzle.

Preferably the means to enable a user to select the dose size of the medicament comprises a rotatable barrel with the dosage marked on the outside of it and wherein a user can rotate the barrel to a desired dosage.

Preferably the barrel is housed within the housing and the housing has an aperture on it which enables a user to see the dosages marked on the barrel.

Preferably the barrel extends out of the first end of the housing when it is rotated clockwise.

Preferably the barrel has a safety means which prevents the medicament being expelled from the housing if the barrel is rotated in an anticlockwise direction.

Preferably the apparatus has a removable disc member covering second end of the housing, the member being adapted to prevent medicament from dripping or leaking from it when the member is covering the end.

Preferably wherein the apparatus is made substantially from medical grade plastic.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided the previously described apparatus when used with a medicament to treat a non-human animal.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided the previously described apparatus having a mobile phone application associated with it, the mobile phone application being adapted to:

• provide medication reminders; and/or

· provide information about the medicament which is being used in the apparatus; and/or

• advertise products; and/or • scan QR codes; and/or

• allow users to make and personalise an avatar for themselves or their pet; and/or

• collect, send and receive data associated with the medicament or apparatus being used.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the entirety of this disclosure, which includes the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for dispensing a medicament;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a front exploded view of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the apparatus shown in figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows an apparatus 1 for dispensing a medicament. References throughout the specification to a medicament relates to any substance (e.g. liquid, gel etc) used for the medical treatment of a human or an animal. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apparatus 1 can be used to treat a wide range of human and animal diseases. Preferably the apparatus 1 will be used on infants and on animals (e.g. pets). The apparatus 1 is a portable disposable pen-like device which can dispense a medicament through a number of different routes such as transdermal, oral or intravenous etc.

The apparatus 1 has a housing 2 and a nozzle 3 which are preferably made from medical grade plastic but can also be made from any other suitable materials. The housing 2 and nozzle 3 are both cylindrical in shape with hollow interiors however it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that they can come in different shapes and sizes. In some embodiments (not shown) the housing 2 can cover the nozzle 3. The apparatus 1 has an outer childproof cap 4 (e.g. a pressure screw cap) at one end and a soft trigger 5 and barrel knob 6 at the other end. Figures 2 and 3 show the apparatus 1 in more detail. As can be seen the child proof cap 4 fits over and engages with an inner child proof cap 7. The cap 7 is threaded internally so it can screw onto the threaded outside of the nozzle 3. The nozzle 3 fits over part of the housing 2 and as such one end of the nozzle 3 in combination with the housing 2 creates a reservoir for a medicament. The nozzle 3 has an aperture or apertures (not visible) at one end which are adapted so that a medicament can be squirted from them. In some embodiments (not shown) the nozzle 3 can have a needle adapted to administer a medicament. The apparatus also has a disc 8 which is adapted to prevent fluid (e.g. medicament) from dripping from the aperture(s) in the nozzle 3. Housed within the housing 2 is a screw like plunger 9 which has a seal 10 preferably made from rubber at one end. Also located within the housing 2 is a one way ratchet 1 1. The purpose of the ratchet 11 is to ensure that the plunger 9 can only rotate in one direction (e.g. clockwise). If the plunger 9 is rotated in the wrong direction (e.g. anti clockwise) the ratchet 11 will disengage the interference connection that exists between the housing 2 and plunger 9. In the event that the ratchet 11 breaks the plunger 9 disengages and the apparatus 1 becomes unusable. Below the outer housing is a lens clip 12. The lens clip 12 has a window 13 in it. Also shown is an aperture 14 in the housing 2, the aperture 14 receives the window 13 of the lens clip 12. Below the lenses clip 12 is a barrel 15. The barrel 15 has markings or dosages 16 on it so that a user can look through the window 13 in the lens cap 12 and see the dosages 16 of the medicament. The barrel 15 also has an aperture 17 at one end and has is internally traded to receive the screw plunger 9 which screws into it. The back end of the plunger 9 when rotated extends from the barrel 15. The other end of the barrel 15 receives a clicker 18 and the barrel knob 6 also fits over the end of the barrel 15. The barrel knobs function is to hold the clicker 18 and barrel 15 together and is also used to used to adjust the dosage of the medicament when it is rotated in a clockwise direction. When the barrel knob 6 is rotated clockwise the barrel 15 extends out from the housing 2. The clicker 18 produces an audible clicking sound when the medicament has been dispensed. The soft trigger 5 is a soft plastic covering for the clicker 18. Figure 4 shows the apparatus 1 when the various parts are connected together. As can been seen the medicament is located in a reservoir 19 which is located within housing 2 and the end of the nozzle 3.

Figures 5 and 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus 2 wherein the apparatus 1 has a different child proof cap 20. As can be seen the cap 20 has the shape of a paw print projecting from it. It will be appreciated that the cap 20 can have different images or come in different shapes or sizes.

In some embodiments the apparatus 1 has a mobile phone application (not shown) associated with it. The mobile phone application provides added features to the end user to enhance their experience. For example the application can provide medication reminders having a snooze feature, a medication frequency feature, provide information about the dosage in mi's or CC's and a feature which has the ability to scan QR codes. In some embodiments the application can also provide the history of medication consumed in relation to a pet or animal, and also gives the user the ability to create a personalised pet avatar showing the pets name, breed, weight, photos, customised alarm and/or additional features requested by the pet's owner. The application can also promote products through advertisements giving the user the ability to purchase the product through the advertisement in the application (e.g. a buy now icon would redirect the user to a website where the item can be purchased). Those skilled in art will appreciate that the apparatus 1 can have wireless communication means (e.g. software and hardware) such that it can communicate to the mobile phone application e.g. collect and send and receive data etc. The different types of software and hardware required for this would be clear to a person skilled in the art.

In some embodiments any data collected from the application could be given or sold to companies in the medical/veterinarian industries or Government departments.

This use of the application creates a feedback loop to a pharmaceutical company so that they can collect data to promote further products and allows them to acquire instant feedback into their product(s). The data collection would include such details as the breed of pet or animal the product was used on, product consumption details, market consumption details etc and the data collected can be used by for example veterinarians and insurance companies to ensure that the patient or pet is regularly medicated. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the application can include other features not listed above and the data collected can also include other types of data not mentioned above.

In use (e.g. after getting a reminder on their mobile phone application) a user would remove the child proof cap and look through window in the lens cap to see the dosage marked on the barrel, the user would then twist the barrel knob and rotate it clockwise until the correct dosage was shown. The user would then make the nozzle end of the apparatus contact the skin of the subject (human or animal) to be treated and press the soft trigger which would make an audible clicking sound and would also result in the medicament being dispensed from the nozzle end onto the subject's skin. It will be appreciated that the various parts of the apparatus 1 can be made in a number of different ways however the parts would be preferably made from plastic injection moulding. The parts of the apparatus 1 are all preferably made from medical grade and chemical resistant polymers. It will also be appreciated that the apparatus 1 can come in different shapes, sizes and colours and can have different images on the apparatus 1 e.g. pictures of dogs, cats or infants etc.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functioning of various embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail so long as the functioning of the invention is not adversely affected. For example the particular elements of the apparatus and mobile phone application may vary dependent on the particular application for which it is used without variation in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In addition, although the preferred embodiments described herein are directed to an apparatus for dispensing a medicament, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

An apparatus for dispensing a medicament comprising:

• a housing having a first end and a second end and having a reservoir being arranged to hold a medicament;

• a rotatable means to enable a user to select a dose size of a medicament;

• a medicament expelling means; and

An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is in the form of a pen.

An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the expelling means is a screw like plunger.

An apparatus according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the audible sound is a clicking noise.

An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the activation member is covered by a soft plastic cap.

An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus has a nozzle which engages with the second end of the housing, the nozzle having at least one aperture adapted such that a medicament can be expelled through it.

An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the apparatus has a nozzle which engages with the second end of the housing, the nozzle having a needle adapted such that a medicament can be expelled through it.

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus has a two part child proof screw cap which releasably engages with the second end of the housing or the nozzle.

9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means to enable a user to select the dose size of the medicament comprises a rotatable barrel with the dosage marked on the outside of it and wherein a user can rotate the barrel to a desired dosage.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the barrel is housed within the housing and the housing has an aperture on it which enables a user to see the dosages marked on the barrel.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the barrel extends out of the first end of the housing when it is rotated clockwise.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, 10 or 1 1 , wherein the barrel has a safety means which prevents the medicament being expelled from the housing if the barrel is rotated in an anticlockwise direction.

13. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus has a removable disc member covering second end of the housing, the member being adapted to prevent medicament from dripping or leaking from it when the member is covering the end.

14. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is made substantially from medical grade plastic.

15. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, when used with a medicament to treat a non-human animal.

16. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, having a mobile phone application associated with it, the mobile phone application being adapted to:

· provide medication reminders; and/or provide information about the medicament which is being used in the apparatus; and/or

advertise products; and/or

scan QR codes; and/or

allow users to make and personalise an avatar for themselves or their pet; and/or

collect, send and receive data associated with the medicament or apparatus being used.