Assembly of one or more injectors and a supply holder for said injectors, gripping element for picking up an injector from such an assembly, injection robot and method for taking an injector from a supply holder

Abstract

An assembly of an injector (5) for administering a liquid to a human by injection and a supply holder (4) for one or more of said injectors (5), wherein the supply holder (4) is provided with one or more compartments (12) for containing a said injector (5), wherein the injector (5) is located in a first orientation in a said compartment (12), wherein the first orientation is horizontal or deviates from horizontal by at most 45°, wherein the injector (5) comprises an hypodermic needle (13), wherein the injector (5) is rotatable relative to the supply holder (4) about an horizontal geometric axis of rotation (35) from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is vertical or deviates from vertical by at most 20°, and wherein the hypodermic needle (13) is located at the bottom of the injector (5) in the second orientation.

Description

[0001] Assembly of one or more injectors and a supply holder for said injectors, gripping element for picking UP an injector from such an assembly, injection robot and method for taking an injector from a supply holder.

[0002] The Invention concerns an assembly of one or more injectors and a supply holder for said injectors, a gripping element for picking up an injector from such an assembly, an injection robot and a method for taking an injector from a supply holder

[0003] In particular the injector is an injector for administering a liquid to a human by means of injection, which comprises an individual dose of a liquid and an hypodermic needle.

[0004] More specifically, such injectors may be arranged to insert a hypodermic needle only to a certain desired depth into a human body. Such injectors may be arranged for subcutaneous, intradermal, intramuscular, or other injections.

[0005] More specifically, such injectors are arranged to administer an injection with a very limited number of actions that do not require any special training or experience.

[0006] Such injectors are known, for example from WO2013 / 156524, W02017 / 168015, WO2016 / 117164A1, US8066680B2 and WO2021 / 074417A1.

[0007] An injection robot for administering injections by means of such injectors is known from WO2022 / 049131A1. However, the injector supply holder and the gripping element for holding the injector disclosed therein have a number of disadvantages.

[0008] As for the known supply holder, it is a disadvantage that the vertical orientation of the injectors is difficult to produce automatically. In particular, the automatic filling of the injectors in the tray is difficult to perform automatically. Supply holders in which the injectors are in a horizontal, or substantially horizontal, orientation are much easier to produce industrially.

[0009] A disadvantage of the known gripping element is that it is relatively complex with moving parts, which additionally entails a risk of blockage of the moving parts or other malfunctions in the operation of the gripping element. In order to avoid or reduce the above-mentioned disadvantages, the invention relates to an assembly of an injector for administering a liquid to a human by injection and a supply holder for one or more of said injectors, wherein the supply holder is provided with one or more compartments for containing a said injector, wherein the injector is located in a first orientation in a said compartment, wherein the first orientation is horizontal or deviates from horizontal by at most 45°, wherein the injector comprises an hypodermic needle, wherein the injector is rotatable relative to the supply holder about an horizontal geometric axis of rotation from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is vertical or deviates from vertical by at most 20°, and wherein the hypodermic needle is located at the bottom of the injector in the second orientation.

[0010] This has the advantage that the injector can be brought from the supply holder, in which the injector is in a horizontal or approximately horizontal orientation, into a vertical or almost vertical orientation by a simple rotational movement and can easily be picked up in this orientation, preferably by a gripping element that is part of an injection robot, but optionally also by a person.

[0011] The orientation of an injector is hereby defined by the direction in which an operating element to operate the injector, in particular a plunger to empty the liquid reservoir by pushing, can be moved. This normally corresponds to the direction in which the injector has its largest dimension.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the injector comprises a raised edge, wherein each of the compartments comprises a support for the injector, wherein the axis of rotation passes through a contact point where the support and the raised edge contact each other during a rotational movement of the injector.

[0013] Preferably, the support in question is a separate support for each compartment, but it can also be a joint support for some or all of the compartments.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, in the first orientation, the raised edge rests on the support. This allows one or more additional contact points to be formed between the support and the raised edge, which, however, do not form part of the said axis of rotation.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the support has two arms spaced apart, wherein, in the first orientation, the raised edge rests on each of the two arms, wherein a recessed portion or free space is located between the two arms.

[0016] This has the advantage that the injector is centred between the two arms, wherein a portion of the injector, in particular a portion of the raised edge, is located between the arms. This makes the position of the injector, relative to the supply holder, more accurately predictable, such that positioning errors are avoided during automated removal of the injector.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the two arms each have a said contact point with the raised edge, wherein the said axis of rotation passes through both said contact points.

[0018] This results in a more stable rotational movement.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the support, viewed in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction in which the injector extends, has a recess that is open at its top, wherein, in the first orientation, the raised edge is located in the recess.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the hypodermic needle has a free end, wherein the injector, in the state in which it is in the first orientation in the supply holder, has a length, wherein the axis of rotation is located at a horizontal distance from the free end of the hypodermic needle, wherein this horizontal distance is at least 5% and at most 60% of the length of the injector.

[0021] This allows a pushing movement to be performed on the side of the injector, located between the free end of the hypodermic needle and the axis of rotation, thereby obtaining a rotation of the injector.

[0022] Preferably, the said horizontal distance is at least 8% and more preferably at least 10% of the length of the injector. Preferably, the said horizontal distance is at most 50% and more preferably at most 35% of the length of the injector.

[0023] Preferably, the recess is concave.

[0024] This prevents the injector from longitudinally shifting in a compartment, and thus also improves the predictability of the injector's position relative to the supply holder.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the supply holder is a storage rack or a plastic tray.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the supply holder comprises at least five said compartments, each containing a said injector.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the raised edge is formed by an annular ridge that runs around the injector.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the injector is rotatable relative to the supply holder about the axis of rotation from the first orientation to the second orientation through an angle of at most 105°, and preferably at most 100°.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the hypodermic needle has a free end, wherein the injector comprises a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion is the portion of the injector, located relative to the raised edge on the side where the free end of the hypodermic needle is located, wherein the rear portion is the portion of the injector located on the other side of the raised edge, wherein the supply holder has a front and a rear, wherein the front is the side oriented towards the front portion of the injector in the first orientation, wherein the rear is the side oriented towards the rear portion of the injector in the first orientation, wherein the recess has an top end at its front, wherein the contact point is formed by the said top end.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the injector is provided with a groove that runs around the injector.

[0031] Such a groove allows a more stable clamping of the injector by a clamp.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the injector comprises an individual dose of a liquid.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the injector comprises a housing and an actuating member for moving the liquid out of the injector through the hypodermic needle.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the injector is an injector, arranged for single use. In a preferred embodiment, the injector is adapted for intradermal or subcutaneous injection of the liquid.

[0035] Preferably, the injector is an injection device as defined in claim 14 or 15 of W02017 / 168015 or an intradermal injection device as defined in any of the claims of EP2844317B1 or an intradermal administration device as defined in any of the claims of US2002 / 045858A1.

[0036] The invention also relates to a gripping element for picking up an injector from an assembly according to the invention, wherein the gripping element is provided with an abutment on its bottom to exert a downward force on a portion of the injector when it is in the first orientation and thereby to impart a rotational movement about the axis of rotation to the injector. Preferably, the abutment is formed by an abutment edge or an abutment surface. The abutment can also be called a stop.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the gripping element, the injector comprises a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion is the portion of the injector located relative to the raised edge on the side where the free end of the hypodermic needle is located, wherein the rear portion is the portion of the injector located on the other side of the raised edge, wherein the stop is arranged to exert the downward force on the front portion of the injector, wherein the gripping element is provided with a clamp to clamp the rear portion of the injector when the injector is in the second orientation.

[0038] This gripping element is complementary to the assembly according to the invention and allows an injector to be easily removed from the supply holder.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the gripping element, the clamp is arranged to clamp the rear portion of the injector as a result of a rotational movement from the first orientation to the second orientation.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment of the gripping element, when viewed in a state in which an injector is clamped by the gripping element in its second orientation, the gripping element is provided with a cavity to receive the raised edge of the injector, wherein the gripping element is provided with an edge which at least partially delimits this cavity, which is located above the raised edge and which is in contact with the raised edge.

[0041] Therefor, an injector is in contact with the gripping element at two points, namely in the clamp and also at the said edge that at least partially delimits the cavity, and therefore, the injector is more stably located in the gripping element. Particularly when using the injector, the injector exerts an upward force on the gripping element. The said edge prevents a vertical shift of the injector relative to the gripping element.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the injector comprises an actuating member for moving the liquid out of the injector via the hypodermic needle, wherein the gripping member is provided with a first component, wherein the first component comprises the clamp, wherein the gripping member is provided with a second component for actuating the actuating member, wherein the first component and the second component are slidable relative to each other with a bias force.

[0043] Slidable with a bias force means that the first component and the second component can only be slid relative to each other if a force, greater than the bias force, is applied.

[0044] This has the advantage that by moving only the second component, the injector can be positioned accurately at the desired location, because the bias force prevents the first and second components from shifting relative to each other. Subsequently, again by moving only the second component, the injector can be operated because, at a higher force, the bias force is overcome and the second component can shift relative to the first component and actuate the actuating member.

[0045] This bias force can be obtained in any way, for example by a spring or by a solenoid.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment of the gripping element, the clamp comprises two arms for clamping the injector in between, wherein the arms are elastically deformable, wherein an access for the injector is located between the ends of the arms.

[0047] This allows easy access of an injector to the clamp and easy removal of an injector from the clamp.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment of the gripping element, the gripping element comprises a free space adjacent the clamp to accommodate the injector during a said rotational movement from the first orientation to the second orientation.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment of the assembly and gripping element, the injector is provided with a groove running around the injector, wherein, in the case where the injector is in the second orientation and is in the clamp, the clamp is located in the groove.

[0050] The invention also relates to an injection robot, comprising a gripping element according to the invention and comprising an assembly according to the invention.

[0051] The invention also relates to a method for removing an injector from a supply holder in which the injector is located, wherein the injector is located in a first orientation in the supply holder, wherein the injector comprises a hypodermic needle, wherein the first orientation is horizontal or deviates from horizontal by at most 45°, wherein a front portion of the injector is pushed downwards and as a result thereof, the injector undergoes a rotational movement relative to the supply holder to a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is vertical or deviates from vertical by at most 20°, wherein subsequently a rear portion of the injector is clamped or gripped in the second orientation and removed from the supply holder.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the rotational movement is a rotational movement through an angle of at most 105°, preferably at most 100°, and preferably at most 95°.

[0053] This is an easy way to take an injector from a supply holder, for both a human and an injection robot.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the rotational movement is a rotational movement about a geometric axis of rotation, formed by a contact point where the supply holder and the injector make contact.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the rotational movement is a rotational movement from the first orientation to the second orientation.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the supply holder and the injector form part of an assembly according to the invention.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the method, a gripping element according to the invention is used for removing the injector from the supply holder, wherein the front portion of the injector is pushed downwards by the stop and wherein the rear portion of the injector is clamped in the clamp.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the method is carried out by an injection robot according to the invention.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of both the assembly and the method, the first orientation is horizontal or deviates from horizontal by at most 25°.

[0060] In order to better explain the invention, a preferred embodiment of an assembly, a gripping element, an injection robot and a method according to the invention is described, without the invention being limited to this embodiment, with reference to the following Figures:

[0061] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an injection robot according to the invention.

[0062] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an assembly according to the invention.

[0063] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a component, more specifically an injector, of the assembly of Figure 2.

[0064] Figure 4 shows a section along IV-IV of the component of Figure 3.

[0065] Figure 5 shows in perspective another component, more specifically a supply holder for injectors, of the assembly of Figure 2.

[0066] Figure 6 shows a part of the component in Figure 5 on a larger scale.

[0067] Figure 7 shows a partial section along VII-VII of the component of Figure 5.

[0068] Figures 8 and 9 show two perspective views of a gripping element according to the invention.

[0069] Figures 10 to 13 show schematically in cross-section successive steps of a method according to the invention.

[0070] Figure 14 shows, in the same view as Figure 9, a final state of the method.

[0071] Figures 15 and 16 schematically show two states of the gripping element according to the invention during use of the injection robot. Figures 17 and 18 show an alternative method according to the invention.

[0072] Figure 19 shows a perspective view of an alternative injection robot according to the invention.

[0073] The injection robot 1 , shown in Figure 1, substantially consists of a robot arm 2 with a gripping element 3 at the end thereof, a supply holder 4 filled with injectors 5, an injection station 6 with an armrest 7 and a passage 8 for an injector 5, and a waste holder 9 with an inlet 10 for used injectors 5.

[0074] The supply holder 4 with injectors 5, as shown in Figure 2, substantially consists of a moulded plastic shell 11 in which compartments 12 are provided which are shaped in such a way that they can receive one injector 5 per compartment 12.

[0075] The injectors 5 are substantially injectors 5 as described in WO2021 / 074417A1 , with the main difference being that the housing is shaped differently. The injectors 5 are provided with an hypodermic needle 13 with a free end 14, a reservoir 15 for liquid to be injected, and a plunger 16 for injecting the liquid via the hypodermic needle 13. The injectors 5 extend in a longitudinal direction L, which corresponds to the direction in which the hypodermic needle 13 extends and the direction in which the plunger 16 is movable. The injectors 5 are shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4. The total length of the injectors 5 in this state is 124 mm.

[0076] The housing of a said injector 5 is on its outside provided with a raised ridge 17 which surrounds the injector 5 and the function of which is discussed below. The injector 5 has a front portion 18 which is located at the side of the ridge 17 where the hypodermic needle 13 is also located, and a rear portion 19 which is located at the other side of the raised ridge. The front portion 18 is on its outside smoothly formed, that is to say, free of raised edges or incisions, obviously with the exception of the said ridge 17 which limits the front portion. At some distance from the ridge 17, the rear portion 19 is provided with a groove 20 which surrounds the injector 5.

[0077] The supply holder 4 and its components, analogous to the front portion 18 and rear portion 19 of the injector 5, also have a front and rear side, wherein the front side is the side oriented towards the front portion 18 of an injector 5, located in a compartment 12. Apart from the plastic shell 11 already mentioned, the supply holder 4 comprises a support 21 per compartment 12. In this example, the supports 21 are separate components that are attached to the shell 11 , but can also be formed in one piece together with the shell 11.

[0078] The supports 21 are each provided with two arms 22, each of which has a recess 23 that is open upwards. This is in particular clearly visible in Figures 6 and 7. There is a free space between the arms 22.

[0079] The injectors 5 are located in the compartments 12 in a horizontal orientation, that is to say, that the longitudinal direction L of the injectors 5 extends horizontally. The ridge 17 of each injector 5 rests in the recess 23 on the two arms 22 of the respective support 21, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 10. Because the two arms 22 of each support 21 are spaced apart some distance, the lowest point of the ridge 17 is located in the free space between the two arms 22. The injector 5 therefore rests stably on the support 21 and cannot easily rotate about its longitudinal axis, nor shift in its longitudinal direction L.

[0080] The gripping element 3 consists substantially of two components, namely a first component 24 and a second component 25. The first component 24 is provided with a clamp 26 for clamping an injector 5 in a vertical position. The second component 25 is connected to the robot arm 2. The gripping element 3 is provided with a free space 27 on its side to allow an injector 5 to be placed in the clamp 26 from the side and to be laterally removed therefrom.

[0081] The first component 24 and the second component 25 are slidably connected to each other. By means of a linear solenoid 28, which is supplied with electrical voltage by a cable not shown in the Figures, an electromagnetic bias force is generated which keeps the first component 24 and the second component 25 at their maximum distance from each other, that is to say, in extended mutual state of the first component 24 and the second component 25. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that, in this case, the solenoid 28 is fully retracted as is clear from Figure 15. Of course, by a sufficiently large mechanical force in the other direction, the electromagnetic bias force can be overcome such that the first component 24 and the second component 25 can slide into each other and the coil and the core of the solenoid 28 slide apart. The clamp 26 consists substantially of two elastically deformable arms 29 which are spaced apart at their ends, thus forming an access 30 for an injector 5 to the clamp 26.

[0082] The first component 24 is provided on its bottom with a lower edge 31 which has a shape complementary to the front portion 18 of the injectors 5.

[0083] The first component 24 comprises an internal edge 32 below the clamp 26, and a cavity 33 between the lower edge 31 and the internal edge 32.

[0084] The gripping element 3, the supply holder 4 and the injector 5 further have a number of features concerning their cooperation. These are explained with the aid of Figures 10 to 13, which indicate how the gripping element 3 can take an injector 5 from the supply holder 4.

[0085] The gripping element 3 hereby makes a vertical movement from a position above the injector 5. The lower edge 31 of the first component 24 hereby comes into contact with the front portion 18 of the injector 5 and pushes this front portion 18 downwards. This results in a rotational movement of the injector 5 relative to the supply holder 4.

[0086] The direction of this rotational movement is shown in Figures 10 to 13 by arrow P.

[0087] This rotational movement takes place about the contact points 34 where the arms 22 of the support 21 and the front of the ridge 17 of the injector 5 touch each other. These contact points 34 define, in other words, the axis of rotation 35 of the rotational movement of the injector. These contact points 34 are located at the top end of the front of the recess 23 in the arms 22 of the support 21, and at a horizontal distance of 18 mm from the free end 14 of the hypodermic needle 13 in the resting position of the injector 5.

[0088] The lower edge 31 of the first component 24 thus acts as a stop for transmitting a downward force to the front portion 18 of the injector 5.

[0089] Due to the free space 27, provided on the side of the gripping element 3, the rotational movement of the injector 5 can be continued up to a vertical orientation of the injector 5 in which the front portion 18 of the injector 5 is located at the bottom. During the last part of the rotational movement, the rear portion 19 of the injector 5, more precisely the groove 20, is pushed into the clamp 26 via the access 30 between the two arms 29 of the clamp 26, such that the injector 5 is held in the vertical orientation by the clamp 26.

[0090] In this case, the ridge 17 is placed against the internal edge 32 in the cavity 33 below the internal edge 32.

[0091] The final state of the injector 5, clamped in the gripping element 3, is shown in particular in Figure 14.

[0092] The injector 5 can now be used to administer an injection, as illustrated in Figures 15 and 16. To this end, a person places his arm 36 on the armrest 7 of the injection station 6 and the injector 5 is positioned above the passage 8 in the injection station 6 by the injection robot 1.

[0093] Subsequently, the end of the robot arm 2 with the gripping element 3 is moved downwards until the hypodermic needle 13 is located into the arm 36 of the person. Although the first component 24 and the second component 25 of the gripping element 3 are slidable relative to each other, the required force can still be exerted by the robot arm 2 on the injector 5, clamped by the first component 24, because this required force is lower than the bias force against mutual displacement of the first component 24 and the second component 25, exerted by solenoid 28.

[0094] However, as the downward movement of the gripping element 3 continues, the bias force applied by the solenoid 28 is exceeded, such that the first component 24 and the second component 25 slide relative to each other and subsequently, the second component 25 pushes the plunger 16 of the injector 5 downward relative to the remainder of the injector 5, thereby emptying the reservoir 15 and injecting the liquid into the arm 36.

[0095] Subsequently, the injector 5 can be removed from the gripping element 3 by placing the front portion 18 of the injector 5, which is located at the bottom when the injector 5 is clamped in the gripping element 3, into the inlet 10 of the waste container 9 and causing the gripping element 3 to make a lateral movement such that the injector 5 is pulled out of the clamp 26 and falls into the waste container 9.

[0096] The alternative method as shown in Figures 17 and 18 involves manually removing an injector 5 from the supply holder 4. In this method, a person pushes with a finger on the front portion 18 of the injector 5 to impart it with the said rotational movement. Subsequently, the person takes hold of the injector 5 with the rest of his hand in order to use it.

[0097] The injection robot 1 , shown in Figure 19, differs substantially from the injection robot 1 of Figure 1 in that the robot arm 2 is embodied differently and the injection station 6 is embodied differently. However, the operation of the injection robot 1 of Figure 19 is similar to the operation of the injection robot 1 of Figure 1. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that, in Figure 1 , the supply holder 4 is shown without injectors 5.

Claims

Claims1.- An assembly of an injector (5) for administering a liquid to a human by injection and a supply holder (4) for one or more of said injectors (5), wherein the supply holder (4) is provided with one or more compartments (12) for containing a said injector (5), wherein the injector (5) is located in a first orientation in a said compartment (12), wherein the first orientation is horizontal or deviates from horizontal by at most 45°, wherein the injector (5) comprises an hypodermic needle (13), wherein the injector (5) is rotatable relative to the supply holder (4) about an horizontal geometric axis of rotation (35) from the first orientation to a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is vertical or deviates from vertical by at most 20°, and wherein the hypodermic needle (13) is located at the bottom of the injector (5) in the second orientation.2.- The assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the injector (5) comprises a raised edge (17), wherein each of the compartments (12) comprises a support (21) for the injector (5), wherein the axis of rotation (35) passes through a contact point (34) where the support (21) and the raised edge (17) are in contact with each other.3.- The assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the support (21) has two arms (22) which are spaced apart, wherein, in the first orientation, the raised edge (17) rests on each of the two arms (22), wherein a recessed portion or free space is present between the two arms (22), wherein the said axis of rotation (35) passes through a said contact point (34) where a said arm (22) and the raised edge (17) are in contact with each other, and through a said contact point (34) where the other said arm (22) and the raised edge (17) are in contact with each other.4.- The assembly according to claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the support (21), viewed in a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the direction in which the injector (5) extends, has a recess (23) which is open upwards, wherein, in the first orientation, the raised edge (17) is at least partially located in the recess (23).5.- The assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the raised edge is formed by an annular ridge (17) that runs around the injector (5).6.- The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that theinjector (5) is provided with a groove (20) that runs around the injector (5).7.- The assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the hypodermic needle (13) has a free end (14), wherein the injector has a length, wherein the said axis of rotation (35) is located at a horizontal distance from the free end (14) of the hypodermic needle (13), wherein this horizontal distance is at least 5% and at most 60% of the length of the injector (5).8.- A gripping element (3) for picking up an injector (5) from an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping element (3) is arranged to exert a downward force on a portion (18) of the injector (5) when the injector (5) is in the first orientation and thereby to impart a rotational movement about the axis of rotation (35) to the injector (5).9.- The gripping element according to claim 8, wherein the injector (5) comprises a front portion (18) and a rear portion (19), wherein the front portion (18) is the portion of the injector (5) located relative to the raised edge (17) on the side where the free end (14) of the hypodermic needle (13) is located, wherein the rear portion (19) is the portion of the injector (5) located on the other side of the raised edge (17), wherein the gripping element (3) is adapted to exert the said downward force on the front portion (18) of the injector (5), wherein the gripping element (3) is arranged to exert the said downward force by means of the gripping element (3) being provided with a stop (31) on its bottom, wherein the gripping element (3) is provided with a clamp (26) to clamp the rear portion (19) of the injector (5) when the injector (5) is in the second orientation.10.- The gripping element (3) according to claim 9, characterised in that the clamp (26) is arranged to clamp the rear portion (19) of the injector (5) as a result of a rotational movement from the first orientation to the second orientation.11.- The gripping element (3) according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that, when viewed in a state in which an injector (5) is clamped in its second orientation by the clamp (26), the gripping element (3) is provided with a cavity (33) to receive the raised edge (17) of the injector (5), wherein the gripping element (3) is provided with an edge (32) which at least partially delimits this cavity (33), wherein the edge (32) is located above the raised edge (17) and which is in contact with the raised edge (17).12.- The gripping element (3) according to any one of claims 9 to 11 , characterised in that the clamp (26) comprises two arms (29) to clamp the injector (5) between, the arms (29) of the clamp (26) being elastically deformable, an access (30) for the injector (5) being located between the ends of the arms (29).

13. The gripping element (3) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the injector (5) comprises an actuating member (16) for moving the liquid out of the injector (5) via the hypodermic needle (13), wherein the gripping element (3) is provided with a first component (24), wherein the first component (24) comprises the clamp (26), wherein the gripping element (3) is provided with a second component (25) for actuating the actuating member (16), wherein the first component (24) and the second component (25) are slidable relative to each other with a bias force.

14. The gripping element (3) according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterised in that the injector (5) is an injector (5) according to claim 7, wherein, in the case where the injector (5) is in the second orientation and is located in the clamp (26), the groove (20) is located in the clamp (26).15.- An injection robot (1) comprising a gripping element (3) according to any one of claims 8 to 14.

16. - The injection robot (1) according to claim 15, wherein the injection robot comprises an assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7.17.- A method for removing an injector (5) from a supply holder (4) in which the injector (5) is located, wherein the injector (5) is located in a first orientation in the supply holder(4), wherein the injector (5) comprises a hypodermic needle (13), wherein the first orientation is horizontal or deviates from horizontal by at most 45°, wherein a front portion (18) of the injector (5) is pushed downwards and as a result thereof, the injector(5) undergoes a rotational movement relative to the supply holder (4) to a second orientation, wherein the second orientation is vertical or deviates from vertical by at most 20°, and wherein, in the second orientation, the hypodermic needle (13) is located at the bottom of the injector (5), wherein subsequently a rear portion (19) of the injector (5) is clamped or gripped in the second orientation and removed from the supply holder (4).

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the rotational movement is a rotational movement about a geometric axis of rotation (35), formed by a contact point (34) where the supply holder (4) and the injector (5) make contact.

19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the supply holder (4) and the injector (5) form part of an assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein a gripping element (3) according to any one of claims 8 to 14 is used for removing the injector (5) from the supply holder (4), wherein the front portion (18) of the injector (5) is pushed downwards by the gripping element (3) and wherein the rear portion (19) of the injector (5) is clamped in the clamp (26).

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