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Device for controlled delivery of an injectable liquidRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, Expansible Chamber Type, Elongated Flexible Chamber Wall Progressively Deformed, Deformation By Rolling Or Sliding Engagement Member, Plural Spaced Engagement Members Or Member PortionsDevice for controlled delivery of an injectable liquid description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070065319, Device for controlled delivery of an injectable liquid. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/650,521, filed on Aug. 28, 2003, which claims priority to German Application No. 102 40 166.7, filed on Aug. 30, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to devices for delivering, dispensing, injecting, administering or infusion substances, and to methods of making and using such devices. More particularly, it relates to a device for the controlled delivery of an injectable liquid, in one embodiment, from a preferably substantially cylindrical liquid container. More particularly, the present invention relates to an injection device for administering a liquid containing a therapeutic or medical active agent, for example insulin for the treatment of diabetes, from a syringe body. [0003] Injection devices of the aforementioned type are known for example from WO 95/09021. A syringe body for storing the liquid to be administered is sealed off at a rear end by a piston which can be slid axially in the syringe body, the liquid being delivered from an outlet at the front end of the syringe body when the piston is advanced towards the outlet. While in conventional injection devices comprising syringe bodies, the overall length must correspond to at least twice the maximum stroke of the piston which can be slid in the syringe body, the overall length can be reduced in injection devices of the aforementioned type by axially deviating a piston rod behind the syringe body, which drives the piston, away from its longitudinal axis. This is in particular advantageous in portable injection devices for autotherapy. [0004] WO 95/09021 discloses a substantially incompressible, flexible piston rod which is tightly guided in a guide in order to prevent the piston rod from bending laterally away from its longitudinal axis. The piston is advanced by controlled rotation of a threaded rod, the rotational movement being converted into an advancing movement by means of a rotationally fixed but longitudinally slidable nut which engages with the outer thread of the threaded rod and is connected to the rear end of the flexible piston rod. This mechanism is hardly suitable for hand-operated injection devices without an energy supply of their own. In addition, the drive mechanism is comparatively elaborate. [0005] An injection device operating according to the aforementioned basic principle is disclosed in WO 98/57688. When an operating button is depressed, a downward movement of a first gear rack is converted into an upward movement of a second gear rack which is coupled to a flexible piston rod. By rotating a dosage setting wheel, a stopper is adjusted within an adjustment range defined by maximum end positions, in order to set the dosage to be administered. The second gear rack can be maximally slid only by the distance pre-set by the stopper. Furthermore, a first spring is provided to reset the operating button, and a second spring which is provided in a dosage setting mechanism. The two springs are not coupled to the drive mechanism, in order to reset the latter and advance the piston for delivering liquid from the syringe body. Although the mechanism disclosed in WO 98/57688 can be operated by hand, it has a comparatively elaborate design. SUMMARY [0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a generic device comprising a simpler mechanism which is hand-operable. [0007] This object is addressed by a device for the controlled delivery of an injectable liquid from a liquid container which is sealed off at a rear end by a piston which can be slid axially in said container in order to deliver the liquid from an outlet at a front end of the container, the device comprising, in one embodiment, a flexible force transferring means which is axially deviated, behind the container, away from the longitudinal axis of the container; a drive mechanism which is coupled to said flexible force transferring means, in order to axially advance the piston for delivering the liquid; and a restoring means, wherein said restoring means applies a restoring force to said drive mechanism and resets it for delivering liquid from the container, in order to advance the piston via the flexible force transferring means. [0008] In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a device for the controlled delivery of an injectable liquid from a liquid container wherein: a flexible force transferring means transfers a drive force of a rotatable drive wheel onto a piston which can be slid axially in the device, a restoring force of a spring is applied to the drive wheel to move the piston, and a locking means locks the drive wheel against rotation and releases the drive wheel for rotation. In one embodiment, the amount of liquid expelled may be indicated by audible clicks and, in one embodiment, the drive wheel moves incrementally when the locking means releases the drive wheel. [0009] In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a device for the controlled delivery of an injectable liquid from a liquid container wherein: a flexible force transferring means transfers the drive force of a drive wheel onto a piston which can be slid axially in the device, a preferably permanently acting restoring force of a spiral spring is applied to the drive wheel in order to advance the piston and expel the liquid, and a locking means locks the drive wheel against rotation and releases the drive wheel to expel the liquid. In one embodiment, the amount of liquid expelled can be indicated by audible clicks and, in one embodiment, the drive wheel moves only incrementally when the locking mechanism releases the drive wheel. [0010] In accordance with the invention, the drive mechanism serving to advance the piston is coupled to a restoring means which resets it for delivering liquid from the container, in order to advance the piston via the flexible force transferring means. The restoring means is characterized by a restoring force which applies a restoring force to the drive mechanism. Thus, in accordance with the invention, a separate drive motor for advancing the piston is not required, nor is a complicated mechanism, for example a gear mechanism, to convert a drive force of the drive motor into an advancement of the piston. [0011] For delivering liquid, it is only necessary in accordance with the invention to release the restoring force of the restoring means, which can be achieved by a simple release mechanism. [0012] In one embodiment, the restoring force is preferably characterized by a preferential direction in which it resets the drive mechanism into an end position in which the restoring force is negligible and the drive mechanism no longer continues driving. The end position of the restoring means preferably corresponds to a front end position of the piston, where the piston is situated substantially at the front end of the liquid container. [0013] In the direction opposite to the aforementioned preferential direction, by contrast, the drive mechanism is not driven by the restoring means. This ensures that, once the restoring force has been released, the piston is driven towards the outlet of the liquid container. [0014] Another advantage is that restoring means can be realized simply, for example by means of pressure or tension springs or coil springs for generating a rotational restoring force. In principle, the restoring force can also be generated in other ways, for example electrically, magnetically or pneumatically. [0015] In some preferred embodiments, the restoring force is permanently applied to the drive mechanism, in which case only a simple release mechanism is provided to release the restoring force for advancing the piston in the liquid container. [0016] In some preferred embodiments, an adjustable, mechanical locking means is provided, for a controlled release of the restoring force and to lock against angular adjustment of the drive wheel, except when the locking means releases the rotational movement of the drive wheel. Mechanical locking means can advantageously be realized in a simple way by means of blocking pins, teeth or comparable latching protrusion and latching recesses. The present invention is not, however, in principle restricted to mechanical locking means. Rather, the restoring force can also be released and/or blocked by electrical, magnetic or pneumatic means. [0017] One simple embodiment results if the locking means is configured as a simple rocking lever which is moved to a releasing position, in which the drive mechanism is released, by advancing an operating button, and can be reset into a locking position, in which the drive mechanism is locked, by a second restoring means. The rocking lever, or elements cooperating with it, comprises a mechanical blocking means, for example a blocking projection, which cooperates with a corresponding mechanical blocking means, for example a teeth on a lateral facing area of the drive wheel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] Embodiments of the present invention, including preferred embodiments, will now be described by way of example and by referring to the accompanying drawings. [0019] FIG. 1 depicts an injection device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, with the upper half-casing removed, in a perspective top view; [0020] FIG. 2 depicts the device in accordance with FIG. 1, with the upper half-casing removed, in a top view; Continue reading about Device for controlled delivery of an injectable liquid... Full patent description for Device for controlled delivery of an injectable liquid Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Device for controlled delivery of an injectable liquid patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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