Autoinjector holder and drug administration device

Abstract

To provide an autoinjector holding tool and a drug administration tool capable of properly bundling and holding a plurality of autoinjectors without obstructing the functions of the autoinjectors, the autoinjector holding tool and the drug administration tool being configured to support simultaneous administration by the autoinjectors.SOLUTION: An autoinjector holding tool 10 comprises a plurality of holding parts 11, 11 juxtaposed in such a manner of being capable of holding autoinjectors 50. Each of the holding parts 11, 11 comprises: an accommodating part 12 for accommodating a part of the housing 51 of an autoinjector 50 in such a manner of partially covering it therewith from the outside; and an engaging part 13 which engages with the side wall of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50 accommodated in the accommodating part 12 and prevents the axial movement and rotation of the autoinjector 50 accommodated in the accommodating part 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an autoinjector holder and a drug administration device for assisting simultaneous administration using multiple autoinjectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known devices (autoinjectors) for automatically or semi-automatically injecting (administering) medical liquids (medicines). As disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 (JP 2015-533562 A), such autoinjectors are configured such that, upon a predetermined operation, a drive mechanism (90) for delivering a fixed amount of the medicine is released, and the medicine in the medicine container (24) is released via a delivery member (28). Autoinjectors are standardized to some extent depending on the type and application of medical fluid, so depending on the patient, it may be necessary to administer the medical fluid using multiple autoinjectors depending on the appropriate dosage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Table 2015-533562 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When administering medical fluids using multiple autoinjectors, the administration time and effort required increases. To address this issue, multiple autoinjectors can be operated simultaneously, resulting in so-called simultaneous administration. However, simultaneous administration using multiple autoinjectors can be complicated and may result in inappropriate administration. Furthermore, depending on the medical fluid, problems may arise if the administration sites (injection sites) of the medical fluids administered using multiple autoinjectors are inappropriate (e.g., if the administration sites are too close). Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an autoinjector holding device and drug administration device for assisting simultaneous administration using multiple autoinjectors, which does not hinder the function of the autoinjectors and can appropriately bundle and hold multiple autoinjectors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The above objectives are achieved by the following: (1) An autoinjector holder capable of holding a plurality of autoinjectors, each of which has a prefilled syringe and a gasket pressing mechanism housed in a cylindrical housing, for supporting simultaneous administration by the plurality of autoinjectors, the autoinjector holder includes a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors; The holding portion is a housing portion that houses the housing of the autoinjector so as to partially cover the housing from the outside; an engaging portion that engages with a side wall portion of the housing of the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodating portion, thereby preventing the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodating portion from moving axially and rotating; 、 The autoinjector has a window formed in the side wall of the housing for viewing the inside of the prefilled syringe, and the engagement portion of the autoinjector holder is formed in the storage portion and has a protrusion that engages with the window of the autoinjector. Autoinjector holder.

[0006] ( 2 ) The inside of the pre-filled syringe can be seen from the outside through the formation part of the engagement part of the storage part. 1 ) The autoinjector holder described in ( 3 The engaging portion is a convex block portion that fills substantially the entire window portion, and the convex block portion has transparency that allows the inside of the prefilled syringe to be seen from the outside. 2 ) The autoinjector holder described in ( 4The engaging portion is a projection that engages with the inner peripheral edge of the window portion, and an opening that allows the inside of the prefilled syringe to be seen from the outside. 2 ) The autoinjector holder described in ( 5 ) The autoinjector holder is provided with a partition wall portion for keeping the autoinjectors held in the two adjacent holding portions spaced apart from each other, as described in (1) to ( 4 1. An autoinjector holder according to any one of claims 1 to 7. ( 6 The partition wall is a part of the storage section in the two adjacent holding sections, and includes a storage section partition wall having a predetermined thickness. 5 ) The autoinjector holder described in ( 7 ) An autoinjector holder capable of holding a plurality of autoinjectors, each of which has a prefilled syringe and a gasket pressing mechanism housed in a cylindrical housing, for supporting simultaneous administration by the plurality of autoinjectors, comprising: the autoinjector holder includes a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors; The holding portion is a housing portion that houses the housing of the autoinjector so as to partially cover the housing from the outside; an engaging portion that engages with a side wall portion of the housing of the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion, thereby preventing the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion from moving axially or rotating; the autoinjector holder includes a partition wall for keeping the autoinjectors held in the two adjacent holding portions spaced apart from each other; The partition portion extends from an end of the holding portion and has a predetermined thickness and is located between the autoinjectors held by two adjacent holding portions. ( 8 ) An autoinjector holder capable of holding a plurality of autoinjectors, each of which has a prefilled syringe and a gasket pressing mechanism housed in a cylindrical housing, for supporting simultaneous administration by the plurality of autoinjectors, comprising: the autoinjector holder includes a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors; The holding portion is a housing portion that houses the housing of the autoinjector so as to partially cover the housing from the outside; an engaging portion that engages with a side wall portion of the housing of the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion, thereby preventing the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion from moving axially or rotating; An autoinjector holder in which a portion of the accommodating portion is an elastic wall portion, a protrusion is formed inside the accommodating portion including the elastic wall portion, and at least when the autoinjector is attached, the accommodating portion is pushed open against the elastic force of the elastic wall portion, and when the autoinjector is accommodated, the protrusion abuts against the outer surface of the autoinjector.

[0007] The above objectives are also achieved by the following: ( 9 ) (1) above or ( 8 10. A drug administration device comprising the autoinjector holder according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and at least two of the autoinjectors. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The autoinjector holder of the present invention comprises a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding autoinjectors, each of which has a housing that partially covers a portion of the autoinjector's housing from the outside, and an engaging portion that engages with a side wall of the housing of the autoinjector housed in the housing to prevent the autoinjector from moving axially or rotating. This allows the autoinjector holder to appropriately bundle and hold multiple autoinjectors without impeding their function, and to appropriately support the simultaneous administration of medical fluids by multiple autoinjectors.

[0009] The drug administration device of the present invention comprises the above-described autoinjector holder and at least two autoinjectors, thereby enabling the autoinjector holder to appropriately bundle and hold multiple autoinjectors without impeding their function, and to appropriately support simultaneous administration of medical fluids by the multiple autoinjectors. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of an autoinjector holder of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the autoinjector holder of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of an autoinjector held by the autoinjector holder of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the autoinjector shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the state in which the autoinjector is held by the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a bottom view illustrating the state in which the autoinjector is held by the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 10 for explaining visibility of the inside of the pre-filled syringe in the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a bottom view illustrating the state in which administration of medical fluid is completed using the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front view showing another embodiment of the autoinjector holder of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the autoinjector holder of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 8, illustrating the state in which the autoinjector is held by the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 9, illustrating the state in which the autoinjector is held by the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF in FIG. [Figure 19]19 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 18 for illustrating visibility of the inside of the pre-filled syringe in the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a bottom view illustrating the state in which administration of medical fluid has been completed using the autoinjector holder shown in FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a bottom view for explaining another embodiment of the autoinjector holder of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The autoinjector holder of the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the autoinjector holder 10 of the present invention is capable of holding multiple (here, two) autoinjectors 50 (see Figures 4 and 5), each of which has a cylindrical housing 51 containing a prefilled syringe 52 and a gasket pressing mechanism 53. The autoinjector holder 10 is designed to support simultaneous administration by multiple autoinjectors 50. The autoinjector holder 10 includes multiple (here, two) holding sections 11, 11 arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors 50. Each holding section 11, 11 includes a storage section 12 that stores a portion of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50 while partially covering it from the outside, and an engagement section 13 that engages with the side wall of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50 stored in the storage section 12, preventing the autoinjector 50 from moving axially or rotating.

[0012] The drug administration device of the present invention comprises the above-described autoinjector holder 10 and at least two autoinjectors 50.

[0013] First, an overview of the autoinjector used in this embodiment will be described using the example shown in the drawings. Various known autoinjectors can be used, and here, explanations will be omitted for autoinjector 50 other than the specific configuration. Autoinjector 50 of this embodiment contains a cylindrical housing 51, a prefilled syringe 52 equipped with an injection needle 61, and a gasket pressing mechanism 53.

[0014] Housing 51 of autoinjector 50 is made of a hard or semi-hard resin and is a cylindrical member with a substantially hexagonal cross section perpendicular to the axial direction, as shown in Figures 4 and 9. Note that the cross section of the autoinjector housing perpendicular to the axial direction may have a circular shape, a rounded polygonal shape, or a rounded rectangle with outward curved sides, in addition to the illustrated shapes.

[0015] One axial end of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50 (the upper end in FIG. 4) is closed. The other axial end of the housing 51 (the lower end in FIG. 4) is open, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pressing part 55 (needle cover) protruding from the housing 51 is provided. The pressing part 55 is movable relative to the housing 51 within a predetermined range. As shown in FIG. 4, a removably attached cap 56 is attached to the autoinjector 50 to prevent external access to the pressing part 55 and the injection needle 61 before use.

[0016] The autoinjector 50 has a window 57 formed in the sidewall of the housing 51, through which the inside of the prefilled syringe 52 can be viewed. Autoinjectors generally have a window through which the inside of the prefilled syringe, specifically the movement of the gasket housed inside the prefilled syringe, can be viewed. By checking the movement of the gasket through this window, the progress and completion of administration of the medical liquid can be ascertained.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the window 57 of the autoinjector 50 is typically a substantially rectangular through-hole formed in the side wall of the housing 51. This allows the interior of the housing 51 to be viewed from the outside of the autoinjector 50 through the window 57. The window 57 is formed in the tip end portion of the autoinjector 50. This allows the interior of the prefilled syringe 52 housed in the housing 51 (more specifically, the movement of the gasket 59 inside the prefilled syringe 52) to be viewed from the outside of the autoinjector 50 through the window 57. As shown in FIG. 8, the window 57 is formed on each of two opposing surfaces of the side wall of the housing 51. Note that the shape, position, and number of the window are not limited to those illustrated. For example, the number of windows may be one or three or more, but it is preferable that the windows are formed on at least opposing surfaces of the side wall of the housing in terms of visibility of the interior of the prefilled syringe through the window.

[0018] A pre-filled syringe 52 is housed inside the housing 51. The pre-filled syringe 52 includes an outer cylinder 58, a gasket 59 housed in the outer cylinder 58 and capable of sliding in a liquid-tight state, and a medical liquid 60 filled inside the outer cylinder 58.

[0019] The outer cylinder 58 is a transparent or translucent cylindrical member. An outwardly protruding flange is formed at the base end (upper end in FIG. 4) of the outer cylinder 58 (outer cylinder main body). A nozzle that narrows in diameter toward the tip is formed at the tip end (lower end in FIG. 4) of the outer cylinder 58, and a hollow metal injection needle 61 is attached to the nozzle. The inside and outside of the outer cylinder 58 are connected via the injection needle 61. The tip of the injection needle 61 forms a puncture needle tip. The outer cylinder 58 is stored (fixed) inside the housing 51 so as not to move relative to the housing 51.

[0020] The outer cylinder 58 can be made of glass or plastic.

[0021] A gasket 59 is housed inside the outer cylinder 58 (outer cylinder main body). The gasket 59 is movable while being in liquid-tight contact with the inner surface of the outer cylinder 58. The gasket 59 is preferably made of elastic rubber.

[0022] The interior of the prefilled syringe 52, specifically the space inside the outer cylinder 58 defined by the inner surface of the outer cylinder 58 and the gasket 59, is filled with a medical liquid 60. The medical liquid 60 filled in the prefilled syringe 52 is, for example, a solution, gel, or suspension containing a drug. There are no substantial limitations on the drugs that can be used, as long as they are not drugs that are suitable for transdermal administration. Examples of drugs include protein preparations, antibody preparations, hyaluronic acid, antibacterial agents, antiviral agents, vaccines, antitumor drugs, immunosuppressants, steroid drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, antirheumatic drugs, arthritis drugs, antihistamines, antiallergic drugs, diabetes drugs, hormone drugs such as growth hormone, bone calcium metabolism drugs, vitamins, blood products, hematopoietic drugs, antithrombotic drugs, antihyperlipidemic drugs, antiarrhythmic drugs, vasodilators, prostaglandins, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, β-blockers These include antihypertensives, diuretics, xanthine derivatives, beta agonists, antiasthmatics, antitussives, expectorants, anticholinergics, antidiarrheals, stomachic and digestive drugs, antiulcer drugs, laxatives, hypnotics, sedatives, antipyretics, cold medicines, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antianxiety drugs, central nervous system stimulants, parasympathomimetic drugs, sympathomimetic drugs, antiemetics, central stimulants, antiparkinsonian drugs, muscle relaxants, antispasmodics, anesthetics, antipruritics, antimigraine drugs, oligonucleotides, and genetic medicines.

[0023] A gasket pressing mechanism 53 is housed inside the housing 51. While a detailed description of the structure of the gasket pressing mechanism 53 is omitted here, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the gasket pressing mechanism 53 includes a coil spring 62 that can press against the gasket 59. The coil spring 62 is pre-compressed and is constrained so that it does not exert its biasing force when the autoinjector 50 is in a pre-use state. The gasket pressing mechanism 53 begins to operate in response to a predetermined operation on the autoinjector 50 (when the autoinjector 50 is in a predetermined state); in other words, the coil spring 62 begins to press (bias) the gasket 59, moving the gasket 59 within the outer tube 58 toward the tip of the pre-filled syringe 52 (outer tube 58).

[0024] Here, a brief description will be given of the operation of the autoinjector 50 of this embodiment. When using the autoinjector 50, first, the cap 56 is removed from the autoinjector 50. Next, the housing 51 is grasped, the pressing portion 55 is pressed against the administration site 70, and the housing 51 is advanced toward the administration site 70. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5 , the pressing portion 55 moves into the housing 51, and the injection needle 61 is exposed (protrudes) from the pressing portion 55, and the injection needle 61 punctures the administration site 70. This operation (the pressing portion 55 advances a predetermined amount into the housing 51) initiates operation of the gasket pressing mechanism 53. With the injection needle 61 punctured into the administration site 70, the gasket pressing mechanism 53 (coil spring 62) moves the gasket 59 toward the tip of the prefilled syringe 52 (outer cylinder 58), causing the medical liquid 60 to be released from the injection needle 61, and the medical liquid 60 is administered to the patient. After the medical liquid 60 is administered, the autoinjector 50 is released from pressing against the administration site 70 and the housing 51 is retracted, whereby the pressing portion 55 returns to its pre-use state and the injection needle 61 is again stored within the housing 51 (pressing portion 55).

[0025] The autoinjector 50 of this embodiment is a so-called two-step type autoinjector in which the operation of the gasket pressing mechanism 53 is automatically initiated by advancing the housing 51 with the pressing part 55 pressed against the administration site 70 (the pressing part 55 advances into the housing 51 by a predetermined amount), thereby administering the medical liquid 60 to the patient. Note that the autoinjector may also be a so-called three-step type autoinjector in which the operation of the gasket pressing mechanism is initiated by a predetermined operation (for example, pressing a separately provided operation start button) when the injection needle is inserted into the administration site 70 of the patient.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the autoinjector holder 10 of this embodiment has multiple holders 11 arranged in parallel and capable of holding autoinjectors 50. In this embodiment, the autoinjector holder 10 has two holders 11, 11. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the two holders 11, 11 are bilaterally symmetrical and have similar configurations. Unless otherwise specified, only one holder 11 (here, the right one in Figure 1) will be described below.

[0027] The holding part 11 includes a housing 12 that accommodates and partially covers a portion of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 12 has a generally U-shaped cross section and extends a predetermined length in the axial direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2). The internal (cross-sectional) shape of the housing of the autoinjector holder is preferably adapted to the housing (external) shape of the autoinjector to be mounted (e.g., a polygonal shape, a circle, a rounded polygon, or a rounded rectangle with outwardly curved sides). In this embodiment, the axial length of the housing 12 is longer than the window 57 formed in the side wall of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50. The housing 12 is formed with a slit (opening) 14 for inserting the autoinjector. The width of the slit 14 is smaller than the external shape (outer diameter and width) of the autoinjector 50 (housing 51).

[0028] A part of the storage section 12 is an elastic wall section 15, and a protrusion 16 is formed inside the storage section 12 including the elastic wall section 15. At least when the autoinjector 50 is attached, the storage section 12 is pushed open against the elastic force of the elastic wall section 15, and when the autoinjector 50 is stored, the protrusion 16 abuts against the outer surface of the autoinjector 50. In this embodiment, the wall on the outside of the housing 12 (the side opposite to the adjacent housing 12) is the elastic wall 15. The elastic wall 15 is elastically deformable. As described above, in the housing 12, the width of the slit 14 is smaller than the outer dimensions (outer diameter and width) of the autoinjector 50. When the autoinjector 50 is inserted into the housing 12 (when the autoinjector 50 is inserted into the housing 12 through the slit 14), the elastic wall 15 elastically deforms outward, expanding the housing 12. In this embodiment, the elastic wall 15 has a thin portion 15a extending in the axial direction, and the elastic wall 15 is deformable in an opening direction with the thin portion 15a as a fulcrum.

[0029] In this embodiment, the protrusions 16 formed inside the housing 12 are ribs with a generally semicircular cross section that protrude inward and extend in the axial direction of the housing 12. Each housing 12 has four protrusions 16, two on the elastic wall 15 of the housing 12 and two on the wall facing the elastic wall 15 (the wall on the side of the adjacent housing 12). As shown in FIG. 8 , when the autoinjector 50 is housed, each protrusion 16 abuts against the outer surface of the autoinjector 50. This ensures that the autoinjector 50 is securely housed in the housing 12 and reduces the contact area between the outer surface of the autoinjector 50 and the inner surface of the housing 12 (reducing frictional resistance) compared to when the outer surface of the autoinjector 50 contacts the entire inner surface of the housing 12. This has the advantage that autoinjector 50 can be easily moved axially within housing 12 until window 57 of autoinjector 50 and engaging portion 13 of housing 12 engage, as will be described later.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the autoinjector 50 is housed, the protrusion 16 abuts against the outer surface of the autoinjector 50, and the housing 12 is expanded by the elastic force of the elastic wall 15. In other words, the autoinjector 50 is preferably housed in the housing 12 with the elastic force of the elastic wall 15 exerted. This prevents the autoinjector 50 from accidentally falling out of the housing 12.

[0031] The autoinjector holder 10 includes a partition 17 for keeping the autoinjectors 50, 50 held in two adjacent holders 11, 11 spaced apart from each other. In this embodiment, the partition 17 is a part of the storage sections 12, 12 of the two adjacent holders 11, 11, and includes a storage section partition 18 having a predetermined thickness. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8 , the walls of the two adjacent holders 11, 11 (storage sections 12, 12) on the sides of the adjacent storage sections 12 are integrated to form the storage section partition 18 having a predetermined thickness (the dimension in the left-right direction in FIG. 3 ). The storage section partition 18 is formed between the two storage sections 12, 12, and is located between the two autoinjectors 50, 50 when the autoinjector holder 10 holds them. 8, the storage section partition 18 can maintain a predetermined distance between the autoinjectors 50, 50 held in two adjacent holders 11, 11, and can also maintain a predetermined distance between the injection needles 61, 61 of the autoinjectors 50, 50. This prevents the administration sites (injection sites) of medical fluids from being too close together when using multiple autoinjectors, and prevents problems resulting from this.

[0032] The partition 17 includes an extended partition 19 of a predetermined thickness that extends from the end of the holder 11 and is positioned between the autoinjectors 50 held by two adjacent holders 11. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the extended partition 19 has a cross-sectional shape substantially identical to the aforementioned storage section partition 18 and extends rearward from the rear end of the holder 11 (the upper end in FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 9, when two autoinjectors 50 are held by the autoinjector holder 10, the extended partition 19 is positioned between the two autoinjectors 50. The extended partition 19 maintains a predetermined distance between the two adjacent autoinjectors 50, particularly between the injection needles 61 of the autoinjectors 50. This prevents the administration sites (injection sites) of medical fluids from being too close together when using multiple auto-injectors, and prevents problems resulting from this.

[0033] In particular, in this embodiment, the holding portion 11 (accommodating portion 12) of the autoinjector holder 10 holds (accommodates) the distal end portions of the autoinjectors 50. Therefore, if a patient grasps the rear ends of the two autoinjectors 50 (the portions of the autoinjectors 50 further rearward than where they are housed in the housing portion 12) during an injection operation, the distance between the rear ends narrows, and the distal ends (needles 61) of the autoinjectors 50 may move away from each other, with the holding (accommodating) portion as a fulcrum. The extending partition 19 maintains a predetermined distance between the rear ends of the two adjacent autoinjectors 50, thereby more reliably maintaining a predetermined distance between the injection needles 61 of the autoinjectors 50.

[0034] The holding portion 11 of the autoinjector holder 10 has an engaging portion 13 that engages with the side wall of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50 housed in the storage portion 12, preventing the autoinjector 50 from moving axially or rotating when housed in the storage portion 12. The engaging portion 13 of the autoinjector holder 10 is formed inside the storage portion 12 and has a protrusion that engages with a window 57 of the autoinjector 50. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 13 is a protruding block that fills almost the entire window 57, and the protruding block is transparent so that the inside of the prefilled syringe 52 can be seen from the outside.

[0035] More specifically, the engaging portion (protruding block portion) 13 in this embodiment is a transparent block-shaped member manufactured separately from the other portions of the autoinjector holder 10 (the above-described one-piece resin molded product including the storage portion 12, storage portion partition wall 18, and extended partition wall 19). This block-shaped member is fitted into a through-hole formed in the storage portion 12 where the engaging portion is to be formed, thereby forming the engaging portion (protruding block portion) 13 (see FIGS. 3 and 10). The engaging portion (protruding block portion) 13 has an outer shape that corresponds to the inner shape of the window portion 57 (through-hole) formed in the side wall of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50, and protrudes inward from the storage portion 12. As a result, as shown in Figures 8 and 10, when the autoinjector 50 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 12, the engagement portion (convex block portion) 13 engages with the window portion 57 of the autoinjector 50, making the autoinjector 50 unable to move axially or rotate relative to the autoinjector holder 10 (holding portion 11).

[0036] A hard or semi-hard resin that is elastically deformable to a certain degree is suitable as the material for forming the autoinjector holder 10. Examples include polyvinylidene fluoride, polycarbonate, acrylic resin (e.g., polyacrylate, specifically, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate)), polyacrylamide, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, etc.), polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate), polyolefin (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer), styrene-based resin (e.g., polystyrene, MS resin (methacrylate-styrene copolymer), MBS resin (methacrylate-styrene copolymer), etc.). Examples of suitable materials for forming the autoinjector holder 10 include polyvinyl chloride (butylene-styrene copolymer), polyvinyl chloride (hard vinyl chloride), and polyamide (nylon 6, nylon 66). Note that the autoinjector holder 10 can also be formed from elastic rubber materials (e.g., butyl rubber, latex rubber, silicone rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber), thermoplastic elastomers (e.g., styrene-based elastomers such as SBS elastomer, SEBS elastomer, and SEPS elastomer, and olefin-based elastomers such as ethylene-α-olefin copolymer elastomer), and the like.

[0037] Furthermore, the convex block portion (the block-shaped member constituting the engaging portion 13) is preferably made of a transparent or translucent material. This allows the interior of the prefilled syringe to be seen from the outside. Examples of materials that can be used to form the convex block portion include various resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, poly-(4-methylpentene-1), acrylic resin, and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate.

[0038] The autoinjector holding device 10 of this embodiment allows the interior of the prefilled syringe 52 to be seen from the outside through the formation site of the engagement portion 13 of the storage portion 12. Specifically, as shown in Figures 7, 10, and 11, the position of the gasket 59 inside the prefilled syringe 52 is visible through the engagement portion (protruding block portion) 13 of the storage portion 12. This allows the state of the autoinjector 50 held in the autoinjector holding device 10, particularly whether the autoinjector 50 has properly completed administering the medical liquid, to be confirmed from the outside.

[0039] Preferably, engagement portion (protruding block portion) 13, which allows the interior of prefilled syringe 52 to be viewed from the outside, is formed on the wall of storage portion 12 facing autoinjector insertion slit 14. As a result, of windows 57, 57 formed on two opposing surfaces of the side wall of housing 51 in autoinjector 50, one window 57 is visible through the location of engagement portion 13 of storage portion 12, and the other window 57 is visible through slit 14. In other words, autoinjector holder 10 of this embodiment is configured so that slit 14 does not cover the other window 57 of the autoinjector.

[0040] Simultaneous administration of medical fluids by a plurality of autoinjectors 50 using the autoinjector holder 50 of this embodiment will now be briefly described. First, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, an autoinjector 50 is held in each of the holding portions 11, 11 of the autoinjector holder 10. Here, the autoinjector 50 is placed into the storage portion 12 through the autoinjector insertion slit 14 of the storage portion 12. At this time, it is preferable to first align the window portion 57 of the autoinjector 50 with the engaging portion 13. After placing the autoinjector 50 in the storage portion 12, the window portion 57 of the autoinjector 50 is engaged with the engaging portion 13, thereby holding the autoinjector 50 so that it cannot move axially or rotate relative to the holding portions 11, 11 (storage portions 12, 12).

[0041] Furthermore, the two engagement portions 13 that engage with the window portions 57 of the autoinjector 50 are located at the same axial position on the autoinjector holder 50; in other words, the two engagement portions 13 are parallel. Therefore, the two autoinjectors 50, 50 held in the autoinjector holder 50 are held so that the tips (cutting edges) of their respective injection needles 61 and the tips of their pressing portions 55 are positioned at approximately the same axial position on the autoinjector holder 50. This allows for excellent simultaneous administration.

[0042] Next, the caps 56 are removed from each autoinjector 50, and the autoinjectors 50, 50 and / or autoinjector holder 10 are grasped, with the pressing portions 55, 55 pressed against the administration site 70. At this time, the autoinjectors 50, 50 are held immovably in the axial direction relative to the holders 11, 11 (containers 12, 12), so the two autoinjectors 50, 50 advance toward the administration site 70 substantially simultaneously. Furthermore, because the partition 17 (container partition 18 and extended partition 19) exists between the two autoinjectors 50, 50, the autoinjectors 50, 50 can be maintained at a predetermined distance from each other regardless of which part of the autoinjectors 50, 50 and / or autoinjector holder 10 is grasped, and the injection needles 61, 61 of the autoinjectors 50, 50 can be maintained at a predetermined distance from each other.

[0043] Then, as each pressing portion 55 moves into the housing 51, the injection needle 61 is exposed (protrudes) from the pressing portion 55 and punctures the administration site 70. This operation initiates the operation of the gasket pressing mechanism 13. The gasket pressing mechanism 13 moves the gasket 59 toward the tip of the prefilled syringe 52 (outer cylinder 58), causing the medical liquid 60 to be released from the injection needle 61 and administered to the patient (see FIG. 12 ). As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the position (movement toward the tip) of the gasket 59 inside the prefilled syringe 52 can be visually confirmed via the engaging portion (protruding block portion) 13 of the container 12. This allows for external confirmation that the medical liquid 60 has been properly administered by the autoinjector 50 held in the autoinjector holder 10. In the autoinjector holder 10, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, it is preferable that the completion of the movement of the gasket 59 toward the distal end (ie, the completion of administration of the medical liquid 60) can be visually confirmed.

[0044] As described above, the autoinjector holder 10 does not impede the function of the autoinjector 50 (here, particularly the visibility of the inside of the prefilled syringe 52 through the window portion 57), and can appropriately bundle and hold multiple autoinjectors 50, thereby appropriately assisting in the simultaneous administration of medical liquids by multiple autoinjectors 50.

[0045] Figures 13 to 20 show another embodiment of the autoinjector holder of the present invention. Autoinjector holder 10a has a different engaging portion than the autoinjector holder 10 described above. Unless otherwise specified, autoinjector holder 10a has substantially the same configuration as the autoinjector holder 10 described above, and such configuration will be designated by the same names and reference numerals and will not be described in detail.

[0046] The engagement portion 13a of the autoinjector holder 10a includes a convex portion 20 that engages with the inner peripheral edge of the window portion 57 and an opening 21 through which the interior of the prefilled syringe 52 can be seen from the outside. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the engagement portion 13a includes convex portions 20 that protrude inward of the storage portion 12 at positions corresponding to the inner edges of both sides and the rear end of the window portion 57 (the inner edges of both sides and the upper side in FIG. 14). As shown in FIG. 16, when the autoinjector 50 is housed in the storage portion 12, the convex portions 20 engage with the window portion 57 of the autoinjector 50, preventing the autoinjector 50 from moving axially or rotating relative to the autoinjector holder 10a (holding portion 11). The convex portions 20 form the convex portions that engage with the window portion 57 of the autoinjector 50. The inner portion of the convex portion 20 in the engaging portion 13a (the portion surrounded by the convex portion 20) forms an opening 21 that penetrates the accommodation portion 12.

[0047] The autoinjector holding device 10a of this embodiment allows the interior of the prefilled syringe 52 to be viewed from the outside through the formation site of the engagement portion 13a of the storage portion 12. Specifically, as shown in Figures 16 and 18 to 20, the position of the gasket 59 inside the prefilled syringe 52 is visible through the opening 21 in the engagement portion 13a of the storage portion 12. This allows the state of the autoinjector 50 held in the autoinjector holding device 10a, particularly whether the autoinjector 50 has properly completed administering the medical liquid, to be confirmed from the outside.

[0048] In this embodiment, the convex portion 20 is not formed at a position corresponding to the inner edge of the distal end of the window 57 (the lower inner edge in FIG. 14 ). This prevents the convex portion 20 from interfering with visual confirmation of the completion of distal movement of the gasket 59 (i.e., the completion of administration of the medical liquid 60). This allows for more accurate external confirmation that the autoinjector 50 held in the autoinjector holder 10 has properly administered the medical liquid 60.

[0049] As described above, the autoinjector holder 10a does not impede the function of the autoinjector 50 (here, particularly the visibility of the inside of the prefilled syringe 52 through the window portion 57), and can appropriately bundle and hold multiple autoinjectors 50, thereby appropriately assisting in the simultaneous administration of medical liquids by multiple autoinjectors 50.

[0050] In the autoinjector holders 10 and 10a described above, the engaging portion 13 and 13a are adapted to engage with the window 57 of the autoinjector 50, but this is not a limitation. For example, as in the autoinjector holder 10b shown in FIG. 21 , the engaging portion (not shown) may engage with a portion of the side wall of the housing 51 of the autoinjector 50 housed in the housing portion 12 other than the portion where the window 57 is formed. Furthermore, the shape (configuration) of the side wall of the autoinjector housing with which the engaging portion of the autoinjector engages is not limited to a through-hole like the window portion shown in the example, but may be, for example, an uneven portion formed for manufacturing reasons. This eliminates the need to form a separate shape on the autoinjector for engaging with the engaging portion. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the housing portion 12 of the autoinjector holder 10b does not cover the window 57 of the autoinjector 50, as shown in FIG. 21 . In addition, the autoinjector holder 10b has a holding portion 11 (accommodating portion 12) that holds (accommodates) the rear end portion of the autoinjector 50 where the window portion 57 is formed, and an extending partition 19 extends from the tip of the holding portion 11 toward the tip.

[0051] In the above-described embodiments, the multiple autoinjectors are all of the same type, but different types of autoinjectors may be used. If the shapes of the side walls with which the engaging portions engage (e.g., the positions of the windows) differ depending on the autoinjector, the shape of the holding portion of the autoinjector holder is set to match the shape of each autoinjector. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10, 10a, 10b Autoinjector holder 11 Holding part 12 Storage section 13, 13a Engagement portion 17 Bulkhead 18 Storage compartment bulkhead 19 Extending bulkhead 20 Convex part 21 Opening 50 Autoinjector 51 Housing 52 Prefilled Syringes 53 Gasket pressing mechanism 57 Window 59 Gasket

Claims

1. An autoinjector holder capable of holding a plurality of autoinjectors, each of which has a prefilled syringe and a gasket pressing mechanism housed in a cylindrical housing, for supporting simultaneous administration by the plurality of autoinjectors, comprising: the autoinjector holder includes a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors; The holding portion is a housing portion that houses the housing of the autoinjector so as to partially cover the housing from the outside; an engaging portion that engages with a side wall portion of the housing of the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion, thereby preventing the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion from moving axially or rotating; The autoinjector holder is characterized in that the autoinjector has a window formed in the side wall of the housing for viewing the inside of the prefilled syringe, and the engagement portion of the autoinjector holder is formed within the storage portion and has a protrusion that engages with the window of the autoinjector.

2. 2. The autoinjector holder according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the prefilled syringe is visible from the outside through a portion of the housing where the engaging portion is formed.

3. 3. The autoinjector holder according to claim 2, wherein the engagement portion is a convex block portion that fills substantially the entire window portion, and the convex block portion has transparency that allows the inside of the prefilled syringe to be seen from the outside.

4. 3. The autoinjector holder according to claim 2, wherein the engaging portion comprises a convex portion that engages with an inner peripheral edge of the window portion, and an opening through which the inside of the prefilled syringe can be seen from the outside.

5. 5. The autoinjector holder according to claim 1, further comprising a partition wall for keeping the autoinjectors held in the adjacent two holding portions spaced apart from each other.

6. 6. The autoinjector holder according to claim 5, wherein the partition wall is a part of the housing portion in two adjacent holding portions and includes a housing portion partition wall having a predetermined thickness.

7. An autoinjector holder capable of holding multiple autoinjectors, each having a prefilled syringe and a gasket pressing mechanism housed within a cylindrical housing, for assisting simultaneous administration by the multiple autoinjectors, comprising: the autoinjector holder includes a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors; The holding portion is a housing portion that houses the housing of the autoinjector so as to partially cover the housing from the outside; an engaging portion that engages with a side wall portion of the housing of the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion, thereby preventing the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion from moving axially or rotating; the autoinjector holder includes a partition wall for maintaining the autoinjectors held in the two adjacent holding portions spaced apart from each other; The autoinjector holder is characterized in that the partition portion includes an extended partition having a predetermined thickness extending from an end of the holding portion and located between the autoinjectors held by two adjacent holding portions.

8. An autoinjector holder capable of holding multiple autoinjectors, each having a prefilled syringe and a gasket pressing mechanism housed within a cylindrical housing, for assisting simultaneous administration by the multiple autoinjectors, comprising: the autoinjector holder includes a plurality of holders arranged in parallel and capable of holding the autoinjectors; The holding portion is a housing portion that houses the housing of the autoinjector so as to partially cover the housing from the outside; an engaging portion that engages with a side wall portion of the housing of the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion, thereby preventing the autoinjector accommodated in the accommodation portion from moving axially or rotating; An autoinjector holder characterized in that a portion of the accommodating portion is an elastic wall portion, a protrusion is formed inside the accommodating portion including the elastic wall portion, and at least when the autoinjector is attached, the accommodating portion is pushed open against the elastic force of the elastic wall portion, and when the autoinjector is accommodated, the protrusion abuts against the outer surface of the autoinjector.

9. A drug administration device comprising the autoinjector holder according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and at least two of the autoinjectors.

Images