Patents by Inventor Ilario Melzi

Ilario Melzi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9808575
    Abstract: There is provided a cassette unit that is suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The cassette unit housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe that is suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The cassette unit includes a removable cap that fits over and thereby, acts such as to close off, the needle projection aperture; and connecting to the removable cap, a needle cover defining a needle sheath for sheathing of the needle tip of the syringe. The removable cap is provided with a finger-grip feature that is sized and shaped for gripping by the finger of a user to allow for removal of the removable cap and needle cover from the cassette unit housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Darrell P. Morgan, Michael James David Heald, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Heather Martin, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Keith Lipford, Ilario Melzi
  • Patent number: 9795734
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The syringe has a barrel for containing a volume of a liquid drug formulation, the barrel defining an end flange at the rear end thereof and a forward shoulder at the forward end thereof. The cassette unit includes a sleeve form adapter arranged for receipt by the syringe barrel and to fit at least partly over the end flange of the syringe barrel. Accommodation of different syringe sizes within the same cassette unit geometry is achievable by selecting a sleeve form adapter tailored to the particular sizing of the barrel of each different syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Ilario Melzi
  • Patent number: 9764084
    Abstract: There is provided an auto-injector for a syringe that is suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The auto-injector comprises a cassette unit arranged for receipt of a syringe provided with a needle cover and removable cap. The auto-injector also comprises a drive unit arranged for docking receipt of the cassette unit at a docking position and a drive arrangement. The drive unit is provided with a timer that starts a time count on removal of the removable cap and needle cover from the cassette unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Darrell P. Morgan, Michael James David Heald, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Heather Martin, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Ilario Melzi
  • Patent number: 9764101
    Abstract: There is provided a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing and a removable cap that in a capping position fits over and thereby, acts to close off, a needle projection aperture of the housing. The cassette unit housing has one or more first engagement features arranged for reversibly engaging one or more second engagement features of the removable cap for reversible lock engagement of the removable cap to the housing; and a shuttle lock control defining one or more blocking elements for selectively blocking movement of said first engagement features relative to said second engagement features. The shuttle lock control is axially movable relative to the cassette unit housing between a first ‘cassette unused’ position; a second ‘cassette unlocked’ position; and after replacement of the removable cap, a third ‘cassette used’ position, locating intermediate the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak
  • Patent number: 9757513
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The housing cavity may receive a syringe. Axially movable within the barrel of the syringe for forward movement into contact with the syringe plunger, there is a plunger slaving part defining a circumferential wall arranged for frictional sliding relationship with the inner wall of the barrel, a rear drive-receiving face and a front plunger-contacting face. The plunger slaving part is arranged such that when a drive load is applied to its rear drive-receiving face to bring the front plunger-contacting face into contact with the plunger the drive load is evenly transmitted. The circumferential wall is provided with slide restrictors that restrict frictional sliding movement thereof in relation to the inner wall of the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: UCB Biopharma SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Patent number: 9757521
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity, a rearward entrance to said cavity and a forward needle projection aperture. The housing cavity may receive a syringe comprising a barrel; a needle at a front end of the barrel; and a plunger that is axially movable within the barrel. The cassette unit also comprises in capping relationship with the rearward entrance of the cassette unit housing, a cassette unit end-cap, said cassette unit end-cap defining a drive rod-receiving opening for receipt of a drive rod for providing forward axial drive to said plunger; and a biasing element defining a biasing relationship between the cassette unit end-cap and an end flange of the syringe barrel, thereby urging the syringe forwards in relation to the cassette unit end cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: UCB Biopharma SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Patent number: 9757524
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing defining a housing cavity, a rearward entrance to the cavity and a forward needle projection aperture. The housing cavity may receive a syringe. Axially movable within the barrel of the syringe for forward movement into contact with the syringe plunger, there is a plunger slaving part defining a circumferential wall arranged for frictional sliding relationship with the inner wall of the barrel, a rear drive-receiving face and a front plunger-contacting face. In capping relationship with the rearward entrance of the cassette unit housing there is an end-cap defining a drive rod-receiving opening for receipt of a drive rod for providing forward axial drive to the plunger slaving part. In a pre-use configuration, the plunger slaving part is shaped for releasable engagement with the end-cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Patent number: 9149578
    Abstract: A cartridge with injection needles for an injection device. The cartridge includes a plurality of injection needle assemblies, each including a hub, mounted to be shiftable in cavities of a needle assembly support. A hub ledge having a drive member engageable push surface projects within a gap between a first hub portion and a second hub portion. Driving engagement of the push surface by an injection device drive member shifts the needle assembly from a retracted position to an injection position, during which shifting the second hub portion moves relative to the first hub portion. A pull surface on the second hub portion is engagable with the drive member for lifting the needle assembly from the injection position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
    Inventors: Roy Howard Byerly, Ilario Melzi
  • Publication number: 20150258278
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity, a rearward entrance to said cavity and a forward needle projection aperture. The housing cavity may receive a syringe comprising a barrel; a needle at a front end of the barrel; and a plunger that is axially movable within the barrel. The cassette unit also comprises in capping relationship with the rearward entrance of the cassette unit housing, a cassette unit end-cap, said cassette unit end-cap defining a drive rod-receiving opening for receipt of a drive rod for providing forward axial drive to said plunger; and a biasing element defining a biasing relationship between the cassette unit end-cap and an end flange of the syringe barrel, thereby urging the syringe forwards in relation to the cassette unit end cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Publication number: 20150202374
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing defining a housing cavity, a rearward entrance to the cavity and a forward needle projection aperture. The housing cavity may receive a syringe. Axially movable within the barrel of the syringe for forward movement into contact with the syringe plunger, there is a plunger slaving part defining a circumferential wall arranged for frictional sliding relationship with the inner wall of the barrel, a rear drive-receiving face and a front plunger-contacting face. In capping relationship with the rearward entrance of the cassette unit housing there is an end-cap defining a drive rod-receiving opening for receipt of a drive rod for providing forward axial drive to the plunger slaving part. In a pre-use configuration, the plunger slaving part is shaped for releasable engagement with the end-cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Publication number: 20150182691
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The housing cavity may receive a syringe. Axially movable within the barrel of the syringe for forward movement into contact with the syringe plunger, there is a plunger slaving part defining a circumferential wall arranged for frictional sliding relationship with the inner wall of the barrel, a rear drive-receiving face and a front plunger-contacting face. The plunger slaving part is arranged such that when a drive load is applied to its rear drive-receiving face to bring the front plunger-contacting face into contact with the plunger the drive load is evenly transmitted. The circumferential wall is provided with slide restrictors that restrict frictional sliding movement thereof in relation to the inner wall of the barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: UCB Biopharma SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Publication number: 20150165135
    Abstract: There is provided a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector. The cassette unit comprises a cassette unit housing and a removable cap that in a capping position fits over and thereby, acts to close off, a needle projection aperture of the housing. The cassette unit housing has one or more first engagement features arranged for reversibly engaging one or more second engagement features of the removable cap for reversible lock engagement of the removable cap to the housing; and a shuttle lock control defining one or more blocking elements for selectively blocking movement of said first engagement features relative to said second engagement features. The shuttle lock control is axially movable relative to the cassette unit housing between a first ‘cassette unused’ position; a second ‘cassette unlocked’ position; and after replacement of the removable cap, a third ‘cassette used’ position, locating intermediate the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak
  • Publication number: 20150045734
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe suitable for delivery of a drug to a patient. The syringe has a barrel for containing a volume of a liquid drug formulation, the barrel defining a flange at the rear end thereof and a forward shoulder at the forward end thereof. The cassette unit includes one or more shoulder support features for supporting the forward shoulder of the syringe. In use, the one or more shoulder support features act to direct a major part of an applied load path to travel through the shoulder at the forward end of the syringe and lesser load to pass through the flange at the rear end thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: UCB PHARMA SA
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Ilario Melzi
  • Publication number: 20140358085
    Abstract: There is provided a cassette unit that is suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The cassette unit housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe that is suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The cassette unit includes a removable cap that fits over and thereby, acts such as to close off the needle projection aperture; and connecting to the removable cap, a needle cover defining a needle sheath for sheathing of the needle tip of the syringe. The removable cap is provided with a finger-grip feature that is sized and shaped for gripping by the finger of a user to allow for removal of the removable cap and needle cover from the cassette unit housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: UCB PHARMA SA
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Darrell P. Morgan, Michael James David Heald, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Heather Martin, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Keith Lipford, Ilario Melzi
  • Publication number: 20140358072
    Abstract: There is provided an auto-injector for a syringe that is suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The auto-injector comprises a cassette unit arranged for receipt of a syringe provided with a needle cover and removable cap. The auto-injector also comprises a drive unit arranged for docking receipt of the cassette unit at a docking position and a drive arrangement. The drive unit is provided with a timer that starts a time count on removal of the removable cap and needle cover from the cassette unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: UCB PHARMA SA
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Darrell P. Morgan, Michael James David Heald, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Heather Martin, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Ilario Melzi
  • Publication number: 20140358084
    Abstract: There is provided a cassette unit that is suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The cassette unit housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe that is suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The cassette unit includes a removable cap that in a capping position fits over and thereby, acts such as to close off, the needle projection aperture. The cassette unit includes a cap lock feature movable from a first cap locking position in which it prevents removal of the removable cap from the capping position with the cassette unit to a second cap non-locking position in which it no longer prevents such cap removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: UCB PHARMA SA
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Darrell P. Morgan, Michael James David Heald, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Heather Martin, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Keith Lipford, Ilario Melzi
  • Publication number: 20140336587
    Abstract: Provided is a cassette unit suitable for use with an auto-injector having an electrically powered drive unit. The cassette unit has a housing defining a cassette unit housing cavity and a needle projection aperture. The housing cavity is arranged for receipt of a syringe suitable for use in the injected delivery of drug to a patient. The syringe has a barrel for containing a volume of a liquid drug formulation, the barrel defining an end flange at the rear end thereof and a forward shoulder at the forward end thereof. The cassette unit includes a sleeve form adapter arranged for receipt by the syringe barrel and to fit at least partly over the end flange of the syringe barrel. Accommodation of different syringe sizes within the same cassette unit geometry is achievable by selecting a sleeve form adapter tailored to the particular sizing of the barrel of each different syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: UCB Pharma SA
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Eric Freitag, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Brian Lipford, Jake Cowperthwaite, Alex Flamm, Ilario Melzi
  • Patent number: D726901
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: UCB Pharma S.A.
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Darrell P. Morgan, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Vincent Faivre d'Arcier, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Patent number: D726902
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: UCB Pharma S.A.
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Darrell P. Morgan, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Vincent Faivre d'Arcier, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi
  • Patent number: D755956
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: UCB Pharma S.A.
    Inventors: Martin John McLoughlin, Michael James David Heald, Darrell P. Morgan, Kevin Richard Lozeau, Agnete Enga, Daniel Formosa, Michael Schumann, Vincent Faivre d'Arcier, Ilario Melzi, Stefan Verlaak, Tatiana Palombi