Injection needle cap removal tools and injection testing systems

Abstract

To provide cap removal tools and injector testing systems.SOLUTION: Disclosed example cap removal tools comprise: a cap removal adapter having a cap removal aperture; and a base. The base comprises: first alignment features configured to align the cap removal tool with an actuator of the autoinjector testing system; and second alignment features configured to removably attach the cap removal adapter to the base and align the cap removal adapter with the actuator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 564,223, entitled "INJECTION NEEDLE CAP REMOVAL TOOLS AND INJECTION TESTING SYSTEMS," filed March 12, 2024. The entire contents of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 564,223 are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to testing of injection devices, and more particularly to a needle decap tool and syringe testing system. [Background technology]

[0003] The injection testing system can test one or more aspects of an injection device, including an auto-injector, for aspects such as cap removal force, plunger actuation force, injection depth, injection time, needle retraction, and / or dosage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A needle de-capping tool and syringe testing system is disclosed substantially as shown in and described in connection with at least one of the drawings, as more fully set forth in the claims.

[0005] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters represent like parts throughout. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary injection test system for performing testing of an injection device, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0007] [Figure 2]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary injection test system including a needle cap removal tool, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0008] [Figure 3A] 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the positioning plate and cap removal tool of FIG. 2.

[0009] [Figure 3B] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the positioning plate and cap removal tool of FIG. 2.

[0010] [Figure 4A] FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the base of the exemplary cap removal tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B. [Figure 4B] FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the base of the exemplary cap removal tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0011] [Figure 5A] FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the exemplary cap removal tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B with a cap removal adapter attached. [Figure 5B] FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the exemplary cap removal tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B with a cap removal adapter attached.

[0012] [Figure 6] FIG. 3C is a front view of the exemplary positioning plate and cap removal tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B, further including an alignment tool inserted into the cap removal tool to position the cap removal tool relative to the positioning plate.

[0013] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the exemplary alignment tool of FIG. 6.

[0014] [Figure 8A] FIG. 3C is an exploded view of the exemplary decap tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B with a syringe alignment plate attached.

[0015] [Figure 8B] 8B is a perspective view of the exemplary cap removal tool and syringe alignment plate of FIG. 8A holding an exemplary syringe in position for actuation. FIG.

[0016] [Figure 9] 3C is a flowchart illustrating an example method for aligning the uncapping tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B to perform uncapping force measurements.

[0017] [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for aligning the decapping tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B to perform injection measurements using a syringe alignment plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Where appropriate, like or identical reference numbers are used to refer to like or identical components.

[0019] Some syringes, such as automatic syringes (auto-injectors), include a safety cap or similar cover to prevent accidental exposure of the syringe needle during syringe actuation. The force required to remove the cap may need to meet certain requirements, such as upper and / or lower limits on the removal force. Conventional syringe testing systems measure the cap removal force by using a grip to grasp the cap and then moving the grip to separate the cap from the syringe body. Some conventional syringe testing systems use a customized block that conforms to the overall contour of the cap to hold the cap during cap removal force measurements. However, the gripping force applied by conventional syringe testing systems can cause distortion in the cap, which changes the force required to remove the cap. The disclosed exemplary syringe testing system includes a cap removal tool that improves the accuracy and repeatability of cap removal force measurements. In some examples, the cap removal tool includes a cap removal surface that holds the cap while reducing or eliminating distortion as the cap is separated from the syringe body. Some disclosed examples further include alignment tools and procedures for precisely aligning the cap removal tool with the load string.

[0020] An exemplary disclosed decapping tool can be used with an automatic injector testing system and can include an decapping adapter having a decapping opening and a base, the base including a first alignment feature configured to align the decapping tool with an actuator of the automatic injector testing system, and a second alignment feature configured to removably attach the decapping adapter to the base and align the decapping adapter with the actuator.

[0021] In some exemplary cap removal tools, the base includes a seat and a flange, and the cap removal adapter is configured to abut the flange such that the cap removal adapter is spaced from the seat. In some exemplary cap removal tools, the flange has a first width, and the cap removal opening has a second width that is smaller than the first width. Some exemplary cap removal tools further include an alignment tool configured to mate with the base and transmit force from the actuator to the base. In some exemplary cap removal tools, the base includes an alignment slot configured to receive a protrusion of the alignment tool.

[0022] An exemplary syringe testing system is disclosed that includes a positioning plate having a first section configured to contact a syringe, an uncapping tool coupled to a second section of the positioning plate, the uncapping tool having a cap uncapping surface facing the positioning plate, a grip configured to grasp the body of the syringe when the syringe is positioned so that the cap of the syringe abuts the cap uncapping surface, and a syringe positioner configured to move the grip to separate the body of the syringe from the cap.

[0023] In some exemplary syringe testing systems, the uncapping tool remains stationary while the syringe positioner moves the gripper to separate the syringe body from the cap. Some exemplary syringe testing systems further include a force sensor coupled to the syringe positioner and configured to measure a load caused by the removal of the cap from the body. In some exemplary syringe testing systems, the force sensor is configured to measure an actuation force applied by the syringe actuator to expel fluid from the syringe.

[0024] In some exemplary syringe test systems, the decapping tool includes a base having a first alignment feature configured to couple the decapping tool to the positioning plate. In some exemplary syringe test systems, the decapping surface is removable from the base. In some exemplary syringe test systems, the first alignment feature includes a slot configured to allow adjustment of the base relative to the positioning plate. In some exemplary syringe test systems, the base includes an alignment slot configured to receive a protrusion of the alignment tool, and the alignment tool extends from the alignment slot to a grip configured to apply a force from the grip to adjust the base relative to the positioning plate.

[0025] Some example syringe testing systems further include a positioning plate actuator configured to move the positioning plate from a first position in which the uncapping tool is aligned with the grip to a second position in which the first section is aligned with the grip. Some example syringe testing systems further include a syringe actuator configured to actuate the syringe to expel the contents of the syringe through the needle of the syringe while the syringe is in contact with the first section of the positioning plate. In some example syringe testing systems, the uncapping surface is removable and replaceable with a syringe alignment tool configured to be coupled to the uncapping tool and includes a syringe alignment opening configured to hold the syringe in alignment with the injection opening in the first section of the positioning plate.

[0026] 1 illustrates an example injection test system 100 for performing tests on an injection device, such as an auto-injector 102. The example injection test system 100 may be configured to perform some or all of the tests to evaluate the requirements of the ISO 11608-5 standard, for example. The example injection test system 100 may be, for example, a general-purpose test system configured for injection testing.

[0027] 1 includes positioning device(s) (e.g., for positioning the auto-injector 102 in one or more positions and / or orientations for automated testing), actuator(s) (e.g., for actuating components of the auto-injector 102, actuating the positioning device(s), positioning and / or orienting a test device, etc.), and / or sensors that measure aspects of the auto-injector 102 during testing (e.g., load sensors that measure actuation force(s), audio sensors that detect audible events, mass scales that measure ejection amounts, displacement and / or position sensors that initiate test steps and / or measure displacement of components of the auto-injector 102, etc.). The example injection test system 100 further includes one or more user interface devices, such as a display 104 and input devices 106.

[0028] 2 is a block diagram of an example injection test system 200 that includes a cap removal tool 242. The example injection test system 200 can be used to implement some or all of the components of the injection test system 100 of FIG.

[0029] The exemplary injection test system 200 includes a syringe positioner 202, a syringe actuator 204, an injection collector 206, and control circuitry 208. The syringe positioner 202 positions and / or orients a syringe 210 (e.g., an auto-injector) for one or more tests in the injection test system 200. For example, the syringe positioner 202 may grip the syringe 210 and move and / or rotate the syringe 210 for testing. The position of the syringe positioner 202 and / or the syringe 210 may be measured by one or more displacement sensors 212, which provide displacement and / or position information to the control circuitry 208.

[0030] The syringe actuator 204 actuates one or more aspects of the syringe 210, such as the plunger or other injection mechanism of the syringe 210. The force applied by the syringe actuator 204 and / or the syringe positioner 202 can be measured by a force sensor 214, which provides force measurements to the control circuitry 208. The force sensor 214 can measure, for example, the force associated with actuating the syringe 210 (e.g., to expel fluid from the syringe 210), the force associated with removing a cap from the syringe 210, and / or any other resistive forces and / or strains on the syringe 210 during actuation. The force sensor 214 can be a load cell or other type of force sensor.

[0031] The syringe collector 206 includes a loading surface (e.g., a positioning plate 216), a discharge nozzle 218, and a collection container 220. The collection container 220 and syringe 210 are positioned such that actuation of the syringe 210 to expel fluid contained within the syringe 210 expels the fluid into the collection container 220. A collection sensor 222 measures the mass and / or volume collected in the collection container 220 and provides the mass or volume measurement to the control circuitry 208.

[0032] The positioning plate 216 allows the needle 224 of the syringe 210 to extend therethrough toward the collection container 220. The positioning plate 216 can prevent the body 225 of the syringe 210 from penetrating the positioning plate 216 using an opening appropriately sized for the needle 224 and the body 225 of the syringe 210. To test for delivery of the contained fluid, the syringe positioner 202 can position the syringe 210 so that the needle 224 contacts or abuts the positioning plate 216, such that the needle 224 penetrates the opening in the positioning plate 216. Once the syringe 210 is positioned, the syringe 210 can be actuated (e.g., manually or automatically via the syringe actuator 204) to expel the contents of the syringe 210 into the collection container 220.

[0033] While the examples disclosed herein use the positioning plate 216 as a loading surface, other examples may use a different type of loading surface such that the syringe 210 can be actuated to expose the needle 224 to the loading surface and / or release the contents of the syringe 210 onto the loading surface. For example, a rod or other structural member may be used that contacts the body of the syringe 210 on the top (upper) side of the loading surface and is positioned so as not to obstruct the needle 224. In some such examples, the blow nozzle 218 may be coupled to or otherwise adjustably supported on another surface adjacent the bottom (lower) side of the loading surface and / or adjacent the location of the needle 224 within the syringe collector 206.

[0034] Upon completion of actuation of syringe 210, blow-out nozzle 218 is controlled to blow the last droplets of fluid from at or near the tip of the needle into collection container 220. Gas source 226 supplies a gas, such as nitrogen or air, to blow-out nozzle 218. Gas source 226 may be, for example, a compressed gas source, an air pressure pump, or a blower. Blowing nozzle 218 may be positioned and / or oriented to adjust the location at which the blow-out gas impinges on needle 224 and / or may be positioned and / or oriented to impinge the blow-out gas on needle 224 over the length of the needle.

[0035] Some syringes include a safety cap or similar cover to prevent accidental exposure of the needle 224 of the syringe 210 when the syringe 210 is actuated. The force associated with removing the cap may need to meet certain requirements, such as upper and / or lower limits on the removal force. To assist in measuring the cap removal force, the example testing system 200 further includes a cap removal tool 242 that can be attached to the positioning plate 216. In contrast to traditional cap removal methods, such as using grips to grasp the cap, the example cap removal tool 242 reduces or eliminates strain forces on the cap that can affect the measured removal force.

[0036] Grips 244 are coupled to syringe positioner 202 to position syringe 210. Grips 244 can be electric, pneumatic, and / or hydraulic grips and are actuated by syringe positioner 202. Grips 244 can include one or more sets or pairs of grips. Exemplary grips that may implement grips 244 are disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 558,971, filed February 28, 2024, entitled "GRIPS FOR INJECTOR TESTING SYSTEMS," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 588,550, filed October 6, 2023, entitled "GRIPS FOR INJECTOR TESTING SYSTEMS." The entire contents of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 558,971 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 588,550 are incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] In some examples, the test system 200 includes a positioning plate actuator 246 that controls the positioning of the positioning plate 216 relative to the tool chain (e.g., syringe positioner 202, grips 244, etc.). For example, the positioning plate actuator 246 can position different sections of the positioning plate 216 in alignment with the syringe positioner 202 for different operations or portions of a syringe test. For example, a first section of the positioning plate 216 can be used for cap removal (e.g., with the uncapping tool 242), and a second section of the positioning plate 216 can be used for actuating the syringe 210 and collecting fluid.

[0038] The syringe positioner 202, syringe actuator 204, and positioning plate actuator 246 can be implemented using any number of motors or actuators (e.g., electric motors, pneumatic actuators, or hydraulic actuators, etc.) and / or transmissions (e.g., transferring force from one actuator to one or more types of motion).

[0039] The example control circuitry 208 can be a general-purpose computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and / or any other type of processing system configured to communicate with the sensors and actuators of the injection test system 200. For example, the control circuitry 208 includes a processor 228, a memory 230, and a storage device 232. The example processor 228 can be any general-purpose central processing unit (CPU) from any manufacturer. In some other examples, the processor 228 may include one or more special-purpose processing units, such as a RISC processor with an ARM core, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, and / or a system-on-a-chip (SoC). The processor 228 executes machine-readable instructions 234, which can be stored locally in the processor (e.g., in an associated cache or within the SoC), in memory (e.g., random access memory or other volatile memory, read-only memory or other non-volatile memory such as flash memory), and / or in the storage device 232. The example storage device 232 can be a hard drive, a solid-state storage drive, a hybrid drive, a RAID array, and / or any other mass data storage device.

[0040] Figure 3A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the positioning plate 216 and cap removal tool 242 of Figure 2. Figure 3B is an exploded view of the positioning plate 216 and cap removal tool 242 of Figure 2. The exemplary cap removal tool 242 is coupled to a first section 302 of the positioning plate 216, and a second section 304 of the positioning plate includes an injection opening 306 for the needle 224 to penetrate the positioning plate for actuation of a syringe.

[0041] 4A and 4B are perspective views of the base of the example cap removal tool of Figures 3A and 3B. The example cap removal tool 242 includes a base 308 having a seat 310 and a flange 312 that surrounds and extends from the seat 310. The cap removal tool 242 may be machined from a single block of material (e.g., steel, plastic) and / or may be constructed using multiple components (e.g., separate pieces for the base 308 and the flange 312 may be welded or otherwise attached to one another).

[0042] As shown in FIGURE 4B, the second end 402 of the base 308 includes a first alignment feature 404. The example first alignment feature 404 includes an alignment slot 406 that allows relative movement between the base 308 and the protrusion 314 (FIG. 3B) of the positioning plate 216. The example first alignment feature 404 further includes a threaded hole 408 that can be used to secure the base 308 to the positioning plate 216 in a desired alignment via a bolt or other threaded fastener.

[0043] The flange 312 includes a second alignment feature 316 that can be used to attach a cap removal adapter. The example second alignment feature 316 includes alignment holes 318 (e.g., non-threaded holes) and mounting holes 320 (threaded holes for fastening with bolts). While an example second alignment feature 316 is shown, there may be more or fewer alignment holes 318 and mounting holes 320, and / or the mounting holes 320 may be non-threaded for use with clamps, bolts and nuts, and / or other clamp or mounting techniques.

[0044] 5A and 5B are perspective views of the exemplary uncapping tool 242 of FIGS. 3A and 3B with an attached uncapping adapter 502. The uncapping adapter 502 is attached to the second alignment feature 316 on the flange 312 while abutting against a surface of the flange 312. The uncapping adapter 502 includes an uncapping surface 504 defined by an inner periphery. The uncapping surface 504 has a width 506 that is smaller than a width 508 of the seat 310. The separation between the uncapping surface 504 and the seat 310 allows a portion of the cap 510 of the syringe 210 to be inserted between the seat 310 and the uncapping surface 504.

[0045] The cap removal adapter 502 is removable and / or interchangeable for use with different types of syringes and syringe caps. For example, different cap removal adapters 502 can be attached having different widths 506 and / or different degrees of separation between the cap removal surface 504 and the seat 310. Additionally or alternatively, other types of adapters may be attached to the base 308 to provide other functions, such as syringe alignment and / or stabilization (as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B ).

[0046] The cap removal adapter 502 is coupled to the flange 312 via a slot 512 that aligns with each of the second alignment features 316 (e.g., threaded holes 320) on the flange 312. For example, to secure the cap removal adapter 502 to the flange 312, a bolt can be inserted into the slot 512 and threaded into the flange 312. The illustrated slot 512 is elongated to allow the cap removal adapter 502 to be adjusted relative to the flange 312 and seat 310. The cap removal adapter 502 can include additional holes or slots for aligning with the alignment holes 318.

[0047] The example cap removal tool 242 further includes alignment slots 322 that receive corresponding protrusions on an alignment tool. Figure 6 is a front view of the example positioning plate 216 and cap removal tool 242 of Figures 3A and 3B, further including an alignment tool 602 inserted into the cap removal tool 242 to position the cap removal tool 242 relative to the positioning plate 216. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the example alignment tool 602 of Figure 6. As shown in Figure 7, the alignment tool 602 includes protrusions 702 that fit into the alignment slots 322. The alignment tool 602 further includes a body 704 extending from the seat 310 to be engaged by example grips 706a, 706b, 708a, and 708b. The grips 706a-708b may be implementations of the grips 244 of Figure 2.

[0048] The cap removal tool 242 and grips can be aligned with the grips 706a, 706b, 708a, and 708b using the alignment tool 602 and alignment process. The alignment slots 322 are elongated in a first direction and fit closely to the protrusions 702 in a second direction so that the alignment tool 602 urges the cap removal tool 242 into alignment with the grips 706a, 706b, 708a, and 708b during the alignment process. In the illustrated example, the alignment process includes: 1) loosening the connection between the cap removal tool 242 and the positioning plate 216 and loosening the attachment of the grips 706a, 706b, 708a, 708b; 2) closing the grips 706a, 706b, 708a, 708b toward the alignment tool 602 to shift the grips 706a, 706b, 708a, 708b and / or the cap removal tool 242 into an aligned position; and 3) tightening the cap removal tool 242 against the positioning plate 216 to secure the attachment of the grips 706a, 706b, 708a, 708b. The grips 706a-708b may be allowed to shift forward, backward, up, and / or down as force is applied by the grips 706a-708b to the alignment tool 602 to compensate for misalignment (e.g., due to tolerances) during loosening. As a result of the shift, the grips 706a-708b and the cap removal tool 242 are aligned with the same test axis (e.g., the load string axis). A flowchart illustrating one exemplary method of performing alignment is disclosed below with reference to FIG.

[0049] One or both pairs of grips 706a, 706b, 708a, 708b can be used to grip syringe 210 during measurement, depending on the type of syringe 210 and / or the type of measurement or test being performed.

[0050] Figure 8A is an exploded view of the example decapping tool 242 of Figures 3A and 3B with an attached syringe alignment plate 800. Figure 8B is a perspective view of the example decapping tool 242 of Figure 8A and syringe alignment plate 800 holding an example syringe 802 in position for actuation. The example syringe alignment plate 800 is attachable to the second alignment feature 316 of the flange 312 in a manner similar to the decapping adapter 502.

[0051] Syringe alignment plate 800 includes syringe alignment opening 804 having a cross-section configured to support syringe 802 having a corresponding cross-section. For example, syringe alignment opening 804 can hold syringe 802 upright and / or aligned with grip 244 while the needle of syringe 802 passes through injection opening 306. Syringe alignment plate 800 can be replaced with different syringe alignment plates 800 having different cross-sections for syringe alignment opening 804.

[0052] FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 900 for aligning the uncapping tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B to perform uncapping force measurements.

[0053] In block 902, the cap removal tool 242 is positioned onto the alignment tabs (e.g., protrusions 314) of the positioning plate 216. In block 902, the cap removal tool 242 is not fixed to the positioning plate 216 and can move relative to the positioning plate 216 (e.g., alignment slots 406 can slide over the protrusions 314).

[0054] At block 904 , the alignment tool 602 (eg, the protrusion 702 ) is inserted into the alignment slot 322 of the cap removal tool 242 .

[0055] In block 906, the fastening hardware for the grips 706 a-708 b may be loosened to allow relative movement between each of the grips 706 a-708 b and the mounts or actuators supporting the grips 706 a-708 b. Loosening may allow the grips 706 a-708 b to shift in the same direction as the relative movement of the cap removal tool 242.

[0056] In block 908, grippers 706a-708b are actuated (e.g., manually and / or by syringe positioner 202 of FIG. 2, which may be controlled by control circuitry 208) to ensure contact with alignment tool 602. For example, as grippers 706a-708b are closed, grips 706a-708b move along the length of alignment tool 602 to ensure sufficient contact between grips 706a-708b and alignment tool 602.

[0057] In block 910, grips 706a-708b are actuated (e.g., manually and / or by syringe positioner 202 of FIG. 2, which may be controlled by control circuitry 208) to close toward alignment tool 602. Closing grips 706a-708b causes grips 706a-708b and / or uncapping tool 242 to shift along the parallel direction as needed to align uncapping tool 242 with the load string of test system 200.

[0058] At block 912, the cap removal tool 242 is secured to the positioning plate 216 to prevent further relative movement. At block 914, the grips 706a-708b are secured to prevent further movement relative to the support and / or actuator. After block 914, the cap removal tool 242 is aligned with the load string and the actuation direction of the grips 706a-708b.

[0059] At block 916, the alignment tool is removed from the cap removal tool 242. At block 918, the cap removal adapter 502 is secured or replaced onto the base 308 (e.g., onto the flange 312 via a retainer). The cap removal adapter 502 can be selected for a particular type of syringe 210 and / or syringe cap.

[0060] At block 920, the syringe cap 510 is placed into the cap removal tool 242. The cap 510 may be seated on the seat 310 and at least partially below the cap removal surface 504 of the fixed cap removal adapter 502.

[0061] In block 922, the control circuitry 208 controls the syringe positioner 202 to move the grippers 708a and 708b to grasp the body of the syringe 210. In some cases, the lower grips 706a and 706b are actuated first to aid in aligning the syringe 210 (e.g., to adjust the tilt), and then the top grips 708a and 708b are actuated to grasp the syringe 210. When the top grips 708a and 708b are closed, the lower grips 706a and 706b are opened so that the top grips 708a and 708b can be actuated for cap removal. In block 924, the control circuitry 208 controls the syringe positioner 202 to move the grippers 708a and 708b to separate the body of the syringe 210 from the cap 510. For example, syringe positioner 202 can actuate grips 708a and 708b (while grips 708a and 708b grip the body of syringe 210) to move the grips away from seat 310. The body of syringe 210 moves with the grips, while cap 510 is prevented from moving with the body by cap removal surface 504. While syringe positioner 202 is actuating grips 708a and 708b, control circuitry 208 measures or monitors the force on grips 708a and 708b via force sensor 214 to determine the removal force associated with removing cap 510 from the body of syringe 210. Example method 900 then ends.

[0062] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example method 1000 of aligning the decap tool of FIGS. 3A and 3B to perform injection measurements using a syringe alignment plate (e.g., syringe alignment plate 800 of FIGS. 8A and 8B).

[0063] In block 1002, the cap removal tool 242 is positioned onto the alignment tabs (e.g., protrusions 314) of the positioning plate 216. In block 1002, the cap removal tool 242 is not fixed to the positioning plate 216 and can move relative to the positioning plate 216 (e.g., alignment slots 406 can slide over the protrusions 314).

[0064] At block 1004 , the alignment tool 602 (eg, the protrusion 702 ) is inserted into the alignment slot 322 of the cap removal tool 242 .

[0065] In block 1006, the fasteners for the grips 706 a-708 b may be loosened, thereby allowing relative movement between each of the grips 706 a-708 b and the mounts or actuators supporting the grips 706 a-708 b. Loosening may allow the grips 706 a-708 b to shift in the same direction as the relative movement of the cap removal tool 242.

[0066] In block 1008, grippers 706a-708b are actuated (e.g., manually and / or by syringe positioner 202 of FIG. 2, which may be controlled by control circuitry 208) to ensure contact with alignment tool 602. For example, as grippers 706a-708b are closed, grips 706a-708b move along the length of alignment tool 602 to ensure sufficient contact between grips 706a-708b and alignment tool 602.

[0067] In block 1010, grips 706a-708b are actuated (e.g., manually and / or by syringe positioner 202 of FIG. 2, which may be controlled by control circuitry 208) to close toward alignment tool 602. Closing grips 706a-708b causes grips 706a-708b and / or uncapping tool 242 to shift along the parallel direction as needed to align uncapping tool 242 with the load string of test system 200.

[0068] At block 1012, the cap removal tool 242 is secured to the positioning plate 216 to prevent further relative movement. At block 1014, the grips 706a-708b are secured to prevent further movement relative to the support and / or actuator. After block 1014, the cap removal tool 242 is aligned with the load string and the actuation direction of the grips 706a-708b.

[0069] At block 1016, the alignment tool is removed from the uncapping tool 242. At block 1018, the syringe alignment plate 800 is secured or replaced onto the base 308 (e.g., onto the flange 312 via a retainer). The syringe alignment plate 800 can be selected for a particular type of syringe 802.

[0070] In block 1020, the syringe 802 is placed into the syringe alignment opening 804 of the syringe alignment plate 800. Additionally, the syringe 802 can be brought into contact with the positioning plate 216 such that the needle 224 of the syringe 802 passes through the injection opening 306.

[0071] In block 1022, control circuitry 208 controls syringe positioner 202 to move grips 706a-708b to actuate syringes 802 positioned within syringe alignment plate 800. While syringes 802 are being actuated, example force sensor 214 can detect the force applied to the grips to actuate syringes 802.

[0072] In some examples, after the syringe 802 is placed in the alignment opening 804 (block 1020) but before the syringe 802 is actuated (block 1022), the grippers 706a-708b can perform an uncapping operation on the syringe 802. For example, after the syringe is inserted into the opening 804, the top grips 708a and 708b close toward the syringe 802, moving it a predetermined distance and positioning the cap of the syringe 802 for grasping by the lower grips 706a and 706b. Once the lower grips 706a and 706b have grasped the cap of the syringe 802, the top grips 708a and 708b move up to perform the uncapping operation. In some examples, the positioning plate actuator 246 moves the positioning plate 216 to position the base 308 under the cap, and the lower grips 706a and 706b release the cap to place it in the base, after which the positioning plate actuator 246 moves the positioning plate 216 to position the injection opening 306 under the syringe 802 so that the injection measurement can continue.

[0073] The example method 1000 then ends.

[0074] The methods and systems can be implemented in hardware, software, and / or a combination of hardware and software. The methods and / or systems can be implemented centrally in at least one computing system, or distributed, with different elements distributed across several interconnected computing systems. Any type of computing system or other device adapted to perform the methods described herein is suitable. A typical combination of hardware and software can include a general-purpose computing system, along with a program or other code that, when loaded and executed, controls the computing system to perform the methods described herein. Another typical embodiment can include an application-specific integrated circuit or chip. Some embodiments can include a non-transitory machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) medium (e.g., a flash drive, optical disk, magnetic storage disk, etc.) that stores one or more lines of machine-executable code, thereby causing the machine to perform a process as described herein. As used herein, the term "non-transitory machine-readable medium" is defined to include all types of machine-readable storage media and to exclude propagating signals.

[0075] As used herein, the terms "circuit" and "circuitry" refer to physical electronic components (i.e., hardware) and any software and / or firmware ("code") that can comprise, be executed by, and / or otherwise be associated with hardware. As used herein, for example, a particular processor and memory can include a first "circuit" when executing a first one or more lines of code, and can include a second "circuit" when executing a second one or more lines of code. As used herein, "and / or" refers to any one or more of the items in the list connected by "and / or." As an example, "x and / or y" refers to any element of the triplet {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, "x and / or y" means "one or both of x and y." As another example, "x, y, and / or z" means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x,y), (x,z), (y,z), (x,y,z)}. In other words, "x, y, and / or z" means "one or more of x, y, and z." As used herein, the term "exemplary" means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As used herein, the term "for example" begins a list of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations. As used herein, circuitry is "operable" to perform a function whenever it includes the necessary hardware and code (if either is necessary) to perform that function, regardless of whether implementation of that function is disabled or enabled (e.g., by a user-configurable setting, factory trim, etc.).

[0076] Although the present method and / or system has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and equivalent substitutions may be made without departing from the scope of the present method and / or system. For example, blocks and / or components of the disclosed examples may be combined, divided, rearranged, and / or otherwise modified. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present method and / or system is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Instead, the present method and / or system includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, both literally and under the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A de-capping tool for an auto-injector testing system, comprising: a cap removal adapter having a cap removal opening; A base, a first alignment mechanism configured to align the decapping tool with an actuator of the automatic injector testing system; a second alignment mechanism configured to removably attach the cap removal adapter to the base and to align the cap removal adapter with the actuator; a base comprising: A cap removal tool comprising:

2. 2. The cap removal tool of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a seat and a flange, and the cap removal adapter is configured to abut the flange to space the cap removal adapter from the seat.

3. The cap removal tool of claim 2 , wherein the flange has a first width and the cap removal opening has a second width that is smaller than the first width.

4. The decapping tool of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment tool configured to mate with the base and to transfer force from the actuator to the base.

5. The cap removal tool of claim 4 , wherein the base comprises an alignment slot configured to receive a protrusion of the alignment tool.

6. 1. A syringe testing system comprising: a positioning plate having a first section configured to contact the syringe; a cap removal tool coupled to the second section of the positioning plate, the cap removal tool having a cap removal surface facing the positioning plate; a plurality of grips configured to grasp the syringe body when the syringe is positioned such that the syringe cap abuts the cap removal surface; and a syringe positioner configured to move the grip to separate the syringe body from the cap; and A syringe testing system comprising:

7. 7. The syringe testing system of claim 6, wherein the de-capping tool remains stationary while the syringe positioner moves the grip to separate the body of the syringe from the cap.

8. 7. The syringe testing system of claim 6, further comprising a force sensor coupled to the syringe positioner, the force sensor configured to measure a load caused by removal of the cap from the body.

9. 9. The syringe testing system of claim 8, wherein the force sensor is configured to measure an actuation force applied by a syringe actuator to expel fluid from the syringe.

10. 7. The syringe testing system of claim 6, wherein the uncapping tool comprises a base, the base having a first alignment feature configured to couple the uncapping tool to the positioning plate.

11. The syringe testing system of claim 10 , wherein the cap removal surface is removable from the base.

12. The syringe test system of claim 10 , wherein the first alignment feature comprises a slot configured to allow adjustment of the base relative to the positioning plate.

13. 13. The syringe test system of claim 12, wherein the base includes an alignment slot configured to receive a protrusion of an alignment tool, the alignment tool configured to extend from the alignment slot into the grip and to apply a force from the grip to adjust the base relative to the positioning plate.

14. 7. The syringe testing system of claim 6, further comprising a positioning plate actuator configured to move the positioning plate from a first position in which the uncapping tool is aligned with the grip to a second position in which the first section is aligned with the grip.

15. 15. The syringe testing system of claim 14, further comprising a syringe actuator configured to actuate the syringe to expel contents of the syringe through a needle of the syringe while the syringe is in contact with the first section of the positioning plate.

16. 7. The syringe testing system of claim 6, wherein the cap removal surface is removable and replaceable with a syringe alignment tool, the syringe alignment tool being configured to be coupled to the cap removal tool and comprising a syringe alignment opening configured to hold the syringe in alignment with an injection opening in the first section of the positioning plate.

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