Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROTECTIVE CONTAINER FOR DRUG INJECTOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a protective container for a drug injector.
More
specifically, the present invention relates to a protective container for a
drug injector, such
as an EpiPen, which is strong and rigid and made of light weight material with
a releasable
cap member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U. S. Patent 4,303,171 of December 1, 1981 to Schremmer discloses a closure
member for an open-ended container. The closure member includes a finger-
grippable
guide which pry from the top thereof, such that flexing of the guide is
suffcient to
break the seal of the closure magainst the inside wall of the container,
allowing the
2 0 closure member to be removed therefrom.
U.S. Patent 5,749,496 of May 12, 1998 to DeJonge Sr. et al. discloses a cap
closure which includes a non-removable cap that rotates between a closed and
open
position. To open the cap, two opposing squeeze points on the cap must be
inwardly
pressed to displace protrusions located on the cap from a track on the neck of
the
container normally keeping the cap in place.
U.S. Patent 4,394,922 of July 26, 1983 to Wimmer discloses a rubber stopper
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device for containers having a plastic pull ring. The ring is raised to an
erect position to
allow a fingex of the user, with a pulling action, to remove the stopper from
the container.
Currently, auto drug injectors, such as the EpiPen, are housed in a plastic
container. The containers are easily breakable which could result in the auto
drug injector
no longer being sterile. Further if the casing or container is damaged, the
safety cap of the
Epl1'e could become dislodged which could result in either an untimely
discharge of the
EpiPen or the inability of the EpiPen to discharge when required. This is
particularly
true in the case of children who must carry such a device with them at all
times; the
1 o currently available container is vulnerable to the normal activities of an
active child.
There is a need for a durable EpiPen container with a cap which would be
easily
ranovable by a child but at the same time would not be readily removed
unintentionally.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the preset invention there is provided a device for
containing
a drug injector comprising an elongate container adapted to receive a drug
injector, the
container having a closed end and an opposed open end, and a generally
flexible sealing
2 o means, the sealing means including a releasable cap adapted for a tight
fit over the open
end of the container, the cap having a bulb portion wherein compression of the
bulb
portion permits removal of the cap.
Preferably, the container is made from a rigid material, such as a plastic
material.
Most desirably, the container is made from a polycarbonate resin, which
preferably
includes a UV stabilizer. Additionally, the plastic material could include a
heat and cold
resistant material.
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Most preferably the releasable cap portion is made from a flexible material,
and
desirably includes a bulb portion.
In another aspect of the present invention the flexible material includes a
rubberized
plastic. Most desirably, the releasable cap is made from polyvinyl chloride.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the releasable cap is
removable
from a sealing position when placed upon the container through manually
squeezing the cap
thereby applying inward pressure on the upper and medial portions of the cap.
Preferably, the container is about 15 cm in length and has a diameter of about
2.5 cm.
Directional references employed through this specification and claims, such as
"upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", etc. are for convenience of description
only. Such terms
do not limit the scope of this invention, as it will be understood that the
invention may be
positioned in any orientation for use.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now be made to
the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is an elevational view of the container and cap of the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the container and cap taken along the
line 2-2 of
Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the container taken along line 3-3 of
Figure 1.
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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided
a re-usable protective container for a drug injector. As illustrated in Figure
1, reference
numeral 10 generally designates an auto drag injector container of the present
invention
with the releasable cap being generally designated by reference numeral 12.
The auto drug
injector, for example an EpiPedl'M itself is shown in dotted lines and
designated generally
by reference numeral 14.
1 o As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container 10 is a generally tubular
member
having a closed bottom 16 and an open top (not shown), and is of a size
suffcient to hold
and retain an auto drug injector device. The container 10 is of a cylindrical
configuration.
Most desirably, the dimensions c~f the tube include an out~de diameter of
approximately
1 " or 2. 5 cm and a length of approximately 6" or 15 cm. These sizes may
change
depending on the proposed application or use of the container.
Preferably, the container 10 is comprised of a durable plastics material which
is
strong, rigid and lightweight, such as polycarbonate resin. Particularly
preferred materials
are those which provide heat-resistance, cold resistance and LN protection. In
a
2 o particularly preferred embodiment, the container is comprised of a
polycarbonate resin,
which has a LTV stabilizer incorporated into it, such as Resin Makrolon 3103~,
by Dow
Plastics. Other conventional materials may be used which possess suitable UV
stabilizers.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the releasable cap 12 is of a unitary
configuration
having opposed ends, including a closed end, and a generally circular open
end, the open
end, when in use, being adapted to fit snugly over the open top of the
container 10. The
releasable cap 12 has a bulbous or nipple like upper portion 20, a tapering
concave narrow
medial portion 22 and an elongate lower portion 24, which fits snugly over the
open end
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of the container 10.
Preferably, the cap 12 is comprised of a pliable, rubber or rubberized
plastics
material, such as a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other suitable material.
To position the cap 12 onto the container, the lower portion 24 of the cap 12
is
fitted over the open end of the contains. The cap 12 is then pushed downwardly
onto the
container 10 urttil the top op~ end of the container reaches the lower part of
the concave
medial portion 22.
As the releasable cap 12 is placed onto the top open end of the container 10,
and
a seal is formed between the cap and container, the air inside the cap is
forced into the
interior of the container thereby creating a higher pressure within the
container 10 once
the lower portion of the cap is placed over and top open end. This allows for
a snug or
tight fit between the cap and container.
To remove the cap and access the interior of the container 10, the releasable
cap
12 is removed by squeezing or compressing the upper portion 20 of the cap 12.
2 0 When the upper portion 20 and or the medial portion 22 of the cap 12 are
compressed, this allows for a combination of two factors which allow for the
easy removal
of the cap 12. First, the compression of the upper portion 20 provides
temporary
deformation of the cap 12 at all three portions of the cap thereby creating a
slight gap or
space between the container and lower portion 24 of the cap. Secondly, the
deformation
of the upper portion 20 forces the air within the cap 12 to be forced into the
interior of
the container 10. This provides a higher pressure within the container which
provides
additional air pressure against the cap thereby facilitating the removal of
the cap 12.
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Alt~ve~ly, the cap 12 may be compressed at the upper portion 20 and or medial
portion 22 to provide a vacuum within the cap when prior to placing the cap 12
onto the
container 10. This compression would provide a slight vacuum within the
container and
provide for a lower air or negative air pressure within the device once placed
upon the
container 10 and pressure is released from the bulb portion of the cap 12. To
remove the
cap 12, the releasable cap 12 is compressed at the upper and or medial
portions providing
deformation of the three portions of the cap creating a slight gap or space
between the
lower portion 24 of the cap 12 and the container 10. Additionally, compression
of the cap
12 forces the air into the container creating an increased air pressure within
the container
10 and providing air pressure against the cap 12 to facilitate separation of
the cap
1 Z from the outside container walls.
Although embodiments of the invention have been dabove, it is not
limited thereto and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
numerous
modifications form part of the present invention insofar as they do not depart
from the
spirit, nature and scope of the claimed and described invention.
