Patents by Inventor Michael Heald

Michael Heald 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: 9597459
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for a drug delivery device is presented that can be switched between a normal operation mode and a reset mode. A piston rod is displaced in a distal direction to deliver a dose in a normal operation mode and is displaced in the proximal direction in a reset mode. The drive mechanism also has a drive member that is rotationally moveable with respect to the housing, wherein in the normal operation mode, the drive member is coupled with the piston rod so that rotational movement of the drive member in the rotation direction with respect to the housing is converted into movement of the piston rod in the distal direction with respect to the housing, and wherein, in the reset mode, the piston rod is decoupled from the drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SANOFI-AVENTIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Heald, Stephen David Butler, Mark Philip Horlock
  • Patent number: 9427530
    Abstract: Drug delivery device, comprising a needle, which a distal end and a proximal end comprises an inner surface forming a channel, an outer surface, a first salient located on the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Irina Lanin, Bernhard Forys, Alastair Clarke, Matthew Ekman, Kirsten Goode, Michael Heald, John Hiles, Chris Smith, Lilly Hains-Gadd
  • Patent number: 9381308
    Abstract: The invention relates to an injection supporting device for a syringe. The syringe comprises a cartridge for a medicament and may comprise an injection needle extending in a z-direction from the cartridge to dispense the contents of the cartridge. Alternatively the injection needle may be part of the injection supporting device itself. The injection supporting device comprises a housing to receive at least a part of the cartridge, a needle shield and a resilient member coupled to the needle shield and the housing. The needle shield comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion, a distal opening in a front end of the distal portion and a needle guide for guiding the injection needle towards the distal opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventors: Kerstine Hemmann, Stephen Minshull, Michael Heald, Graham Jay
  • Patent number: 9358349
    Abstract: Described is a guiding assembly for an injection device comprising a mount adapted to receive an injection device, a first gripping member rotatably coupled to the mount, a first lateral stop member coupled to the first gripping member, and a spring biasing the first gripping member in a first angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Heald, Timothy Salmon
  • Patent number: 9242048
    Abstract: A medication delivery device (100) comprises a container (101) for holding a medication (104) and a piston (102) which is at least partly arranged within the container (101) and which is axially displaceable with respect to the container (101). The piston (102) is at least partly arranged at a distance from an inner surface (112) of the container (101), thereby providing a channel (116) between the piston (102) and the container (101). The device (100) further comprises a seal (103), the seal (103) being arranged to limit the channel (116) proximally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Heald
  • Patent number: 9216255
    Abstract: A needle assembly (2) for a drug delivery device (1) comprises a needle seal (3), a needle retainer (4) and a needle (5). The needle retainer (4) secures the needle (5) against displacement with respect to said needle retainer (4) when a dose of drug is being delivered. The needle seal (3) is configured to push onto the needle retainer (4) after delivering the dose of the drug, thereby unlocking the needle (5) from the needle retainer (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Ursula Lanin, Bernhard Forys, Alastair Clarke, Matthew Ekman, Kirsten Goode, Michael Heald, John Hiles, Chris Smith, Andrew Martin
  • Patent number: 8961473
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for a drug delivery device comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end and a piston rod, which is adapted to be displaced in a distal direction with respect to the housing when dispensing a drug dose. A drive member is adapted to be rotated when dispensing the drug dose, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to convert rotational movement of the drive member into a movement of the piston rod in the distal direction with respect to the housing. A stop member is adapted to prevent a rotational movement of the drive member with respect to the housing when setting a drug dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Heald
  • Publication number: 20150025458
    Abstract: Described is a guiding assembly for an injection device comprising a mount adapted to receive an injection device, a first gripping member rotatably coupled to the mount, a first lateral stop member coupled to the first gripping member, and a spring biasing the first gripping member in a first angular position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: SANOFI-AVENTIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Heald, Timothy Salmon
  • Publication number: 20140296802
    Abstract: Described is an aid device for an intraocular injection comprising a skirt having an aperture to receive an eye, and a cover coupled to the skirt. The cover has one or more guide holes adapted to receive a needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Claus Geiger, Michael Heald
  • Patent number: 8834430
    Abstract: A medication delivery device is provided which is switchable between an operational state and a resetting state and which comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a piston rod being moveable in a distal direction with respect to the housing for medication delivery, a conversion element adapted to at least partially convert a rotational movement of the piston rod into an axial movement of the piston rod, coupling means prevented from rotational movement with respect to the housing and adapted to engage with the conversion element in the operational state, a drive assembly comprising at least two drive assembly members and adapted for moving the piston rod in the distal direction, and a resilient member adapted to provide a force on the drive assembly for engagement of the drive assembly members. In the operational state of the device the coupling means is engaged with the conversion element, the conversion element thereby being prevented from rotation with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher James Smith, Michael Heald, Stephen David Butler, Mark Philip Horlock
  • Patent number: 8708975
    Abstract: A syringe comprising a first coding feature for mechanical interaction with a second coding feature of an auto-injector device is provided. The first coding feature is designed such that the syringe is only mountable in an auto-injector device having a second coding feature mating the first coding feature. Furthermore, an auto-injector device having a housing, wherein a syringe can be mounted, and a set of at least two auto-injector devices and syringes are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Heald
  • Patent number: 8702659
    Abstract: Drug delivery device, comprising a body unit having a first opening and a second opening, a plunger arranged such that its distal end is positioned inside the body unit, wherein the plunger is moveable in the distal direction with respect to the body unit, a needle assembly, with a proximal end and a distal end comprising a needle, wherein the proximal end of the needle assembly and the distal end of the plunger are configured such that they can get into an adhesion connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Irina Lanin, Bernhard Forys, Alastair Clarke, Matthew Ekman, Kirsten Goode, Michael Heald, John Hiles, Chris Smith
  • Patent number: 8617121
    Abstract: Drug delivery device, comprising a body unit having a first opening and a second opening, a plunger arranged such that its distal end is positioned inside the body unit, wherein the plunger is moveable in the distal direction with respect to the body unit, a needle assembly, with a proximal end and a distal end comprising a needle, wherein the proximal end of the needle assembly and the distal end of the plunger are configured such that they can get into a vacuum connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Irina Lanin, Bernhard Forys, Alastair Clarke, Matthew Ekman, Kirsten Goode, Michael Heald, John Hiles, Chris Smith
  • Publication number: 20130345641
    Abstract: A system for reducing the risk of an incorrect selection or dispensing of a drug dose for use with a cartridge and a cartridge holder so as to prevent unwanted reservoir cross use. The coding system for use with the drug delivery device includes a first partial code feature and a second partial code feature. The first partial code feature and the second partial code feature cooperate to supply a combined visual indicator when the cartridge is assembled to the holder for indicating that a correct cartridge has been assembled to the holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SANOFI-AVENTIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Zdenek Cerman, Timothy Lewis Sharpe, Christopher Nigel Langley, Richard James Vincent Avery, Joseph Butler, Michael Heald
  • Publication number: 20130324936
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for a drug delivery device which can be switched between a normal operation mode and a reset mode comprises of a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a piston rod which is adapted to be displaced in a distal direction with respect to the housing for delivering a dose in a normal operation mode of the drive mechanism, and which is adapted to be displaced in the proximal direction with respect to the housing in a reset mode of the drive mechanism, and a drive member which is rotationally moveable in a rotation direction with respect to the housing, wherein, in the normal operation mode, the drive member is coupled with the piston rod so that rotational movement of the drive member in the rotation direction with respect to the housing is converted into movement of the piston rod in the distal direction with respect to the housing, and wherein, in the reset mode, the piston rod is decoupled from the drive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Heald, Stephen David Butler, Mark Philip Horlock
  • Patent number: 8597256
    Abstract: A seal member is configured to seal a chamber of a drug delivery device which is suitable to contain a drug, wherein the seal member comprises a diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Irina Lanin, Bernhard Forys, Alastair Clarke, Matthew Ekman, Kirsten Goode, Michael Heald, John Hiles, Chris Smith, Andrew Martin
  • Publication number: 20130317452
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for a drug delivery device comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end and a piston rod, which is adapted to be displaced in a distal direction with respect to the housing when dispensing a drug dose. A drive member is adapted to be rotated when dispensing the drug dose, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to convert rotational movement of the drive member into a movement of the piston rod in the distal direction with respect to the housing. A stop member is adapted to prevent a rotational movement of the drive member with respect to the housing when setting a drug dose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Heald
  • Publication number: 20130310762
    Abstract: A medication delivery device is provided which is switchable between an operational state and a resetting state and which comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a piston rod being moveable in a distal direction with respect to the housing for medication delivery, a conversion element adapted to at least partially convert a rotational movement of the piston rod into an axial movement of the piston rod, coupling means prevented from rotational movement with respect to the housing and adapted to engage with the conversion element in the operational state, a drive assembly comprising at least two drive assembly members and adapted for moving the piston rod in the distal direction, and a resilient member adapted to provide a force on the drive assembly for engagement of the drive assembly members. In the operational state of the device the coupling means is engaged with the conversion element, the conversion element thereby being prevented from rotation with respect to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher James Smith, Michael Heald, Stephen David Butler, Mark Philip Horlock
  • Publication number: 20130267910
    Abstract: The invention relates to an injection supporting device for a syringe. The syringe comprises a cartridge for a medicament and may comprise an injection needle extending in a z-direction from the cartridge to dispense the contents of the cartridge. Alternatively the injection needle may be part of the injection supporting device itself. The injection supporting device comprises a housing to receive at least a part of the cartridge, a needle shield and a resilient member coupled to the needle shield and the housing. The needle shield comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion, a distal opening in a front end of the distal portion and a needle guide for guiding the injection needle towards the distal opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: SANOFI-AVENTIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Kerstine Hemmann, Stephen Minshull, Michael Heald, Graham Jay
  • Patent number: RE46814
    Abstract: A medication delivery device is provided which is switchable between an operational state and a resetting state and which comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a piston rod being moveable in a distal direction with respect to the housing for medication delivery, a conversion element adapted to at least partially convert a rotational movement of the piston rod into an axial movement of the piston rod, coupling means prevented from rotational movement with respect to the housing and adapted to engage with the conversion element in the operational state, a drive assembly comprising at least two drive assembly members and adapted for moving the piston rod in the distal direction, and a resilient member adapted to provide a force on the drive assembly for engagement of the drive assembly members. In the operational state of the device the coupling means is engaged with the conversion element, the conversion element thereby being prevented from rotation with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SANOFI-AVENTIS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Christopher James Smith, Michael Heald, Stephen David Butler, Mark Philip Horlock