Patents by Inventor Michael Helmer

Michael Helmer 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: 11571505
    Abstract: A needle assembly for use with a drug delivery device comprises a cap releasably secured to the drug delivery device and a blocking member. The blocking member comprises a disinfectant swab and a user graspable portion. The blocking member is configured to be physically moved with respect to the needle assembly by a user. The needle assembly is configured such that in an initial position, the blocking member blocks the cap from being removed from the drug delivery device and movement of the blocking member from the initial position causes the disinfectant swab to contact a septum of a cartridge retained within the drug delivery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Helmer, Winfried Huthmacher
  • Publication number: 20230033566
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a reminder system and to an auxiliary device for a drug delivery device. The auxiliary device includes a housing, a wireless communication interface configured to communicate with an external electronic device, a processor connected to the wireless communication interface and configured to process at least a signal generating request received from the external electronic device via the wireless communication interface. The auxiliary device further includes at least one signal generator connected to the processor and configured to generate at least one signal when triggered by the processor. The processor is operable to trigger the signal generator in response to receive a signal generating request from the wireless communication interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Publication number: 20230033733
    Abstract: A medicament delivery device comprising: a main body arranged to receive a medicament cartridge sealed with a penetrable barrier; a needle carrier carrying a needle; a cap removably coupled to the needle carrier, a pre-stressed spring connected to the needle carrier and to the main body, wherein the pre-stressed spring is held by an activation element coupled to the cap, wherein the activation element is arranged to release the spring when the cap is pulled in a distal direction from the device, thereby causing the needle carrier to move axially in a proximal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Jugl, Axel Teucher, Stefan Blancke, Michael Helmer, Marc Schader, Sebastian Braun
  • Patent number: 11565051
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sensor system for detecting a position of a movable plunger in a drug delivery device, the sensor system comprising a sensor capable of detecting a magnetic field, the sensor adapted to be fixed within a housing of a drug delivery device, and a ferromagnetic or permanent magnetic component magnetically interacting with the sensor and adapted to move relative to the sensor as the plunger is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Sanofi
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Patent number: 11559629
    Abstract: An electronic device (104) comprising: a housing (203) for attachment to an injection device (102); a first sensor assembly (304) comprising a first coil (406a) and two magnets (402a, 404a) of opposite polarity, wherein the first coil (406a) is configured to provide a first voltage pulse as a first Wiegand wire (224) of the injection device (102) moves from a first position proximate to one of the magnets (402a) of the first sensor assembly (304) to a second position proximate to the other magnet (404a) of the first sensor assembly (304); and one or more processors (308) configured to enter an enabled state from a sleep state after receiving the first voltage pulse from the first coil (406a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Sanofi
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Publication number: 20230017183
    Abstract: A device comprising at least one camera, a display, a memory and a processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the device to: display, using the display of the device, a content to be reviewed by the user; detect, using the camera of the device, user's eyes; detect, using the camera of the device, user's eye movements; determine, based on the detected user's eye movements, whether the user has reviewed the content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Helmer, Martin Vitt
  • Publication number: 20230016406
    Abstract: An injection device comprises an acoustic sensor configured to detect environmental acoustic signals; an acoustic signal generator operable to generate an acoustic signal; and a controller configured to control the acoustic signal generator to generate an alert having acoustic properties that are selected based on the detected environmental acoustic signals. A feedback system comprises: a first device comprising an acoustic signal generator operable to generate an acoustic signal; and a second device comprising an acoustic sensor configured to detect environmental acoustic signals, and a controller configured to control the acoustic signal generator of the first device to generate an alert having acoustic properties that are selected based on the detected environmental acoustic signals and one of the first device and the second device is an injection device, and the other one of the first device and the second device is a mobile device or a controller device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Publication number: 20220409815
    Abstract: A supplementary device configured to be releasably attached to a drug delivery device. The supplementary device comprises a housing having a channel configured to slidably receive the drug delivery device; a first alignment feature to ensure a specific alignment of the supplementary device relative to the drug delivery device and restrict rotational movement of the supplementary device around a drug delivery device; and a second alignment feature to prevent sliding movement of the supplementary device relative to the delivery device once attached thereto. The second alignment feature comprises a moveable securing member biased towards the drug delivery device, and a release member operable to move the securing member out of engagement with the drug delivery device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Patent number: 11524121
    Abstract: A medicament delivery device includes a housing configured to receive a container of medicament and a piston rod moveable within the housing and configured to engage a container of medicament when received within the housing. The medicament delivery device further includes a position-sensing mechanism configured to detect the position of the piston rod within the housing. The position-sensing mechanism includes a first light source configured to emit light, a first sensor disposed proximate the first light source and configured to receive light emitted by the first light source, and a blocking member moveable between the first light source and the first sensor. The first sensor is configured to detect the light pattern received to determine the position of the piston rod within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sanofi
    Inventors: Michael Helmer, Christian Rehbein
  • Publication number: 20220387716
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a label for an injection device. The label includes a flexible substrate configured for attachment to a body. The label further includes a first label area on the substrate provided with a first information content, wherein the first information content includes at least one visual sign or character. The label further includes a second label area on the substrate non-overlapping with the first label area, wherein the second label area includes an electronic display configured to display a second information content, The label further includes a processor connected to the electronic display and configured to modify at least the second information content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Publication number: 20220387724
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure are directed to a medical handheld device that includes an actuating feature configured to generate a trigger signal, a sensor configured to detect a functionality of the medical handheld device in response to the trigger signal, and a haptic source configured to generate a haptic signal including information associated with the functionality of the medical handheld device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Helmer, Maurice Toporek
  • Publication number: 20220369979
    Abstract: A device for communicating a driving ability level of a user, the device comprising at least a processor, a memory, and a wireless transceiver. The device is configured to: receive a communication from a medical device, wherein the communication comprises information relating to a condition of the medical device; and send a communication to a vehicle. The information relating to a condition of the medical device is processed in order to determine a driving ability level of the user by the assignment of a category selected from a group comprising a first category and a second category.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Patent number: 11484662
    Abstract: A medicament delivery device comprising: a main body arranged to receive a medicament cartridge sealed with a penetrable barrier; a needle carrier carrying a needle; a cap removably coupled to the needle carrier, a pre-stressed spring connected to the needle carrier and to the main body, wherein the pre-stressed spring is held by an activation element coupled to the cap, wherein the activation element is arranged to release the spring when the cap is pulled in a distal direction from the device, thereby causing the needle carrier to move axially in a proximal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Jugl, Axel Teucher, Stefan Blancke, Michael Helmer, Marc Schader, Sebastian Braun
  • Publication number: 20220296814
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a medicament container (100; 200) for a liquid medicament, the medicament container comprising:—a barrel (101; 201) defining a longitudinal direction (2, 3) and comprising an interior volume (105) to accommodate the liquid medicament, the barrel (101; 201) comprising a distal end (106) and a proximal end (108), the barrel (101; 201) comprising an outlet (102; 202) for the liquid medicament at the distal end (106; 206),—a mount (110; 210) for an electronic identifier (150),—an electronic identifier (150) engaged with the mount (110; 210) and attached to the barrel (101; 201) via the mount (110; 210).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Publication number: 20220296130
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensor assembly including a sensor element configured to be arranged external to a drug delivery device such that a user of the drug delivery device can hold the drug delivery device through gripping the sensor element. The sensor element is configured to detect a contact area of a hand of the user of the drug delivery device when gripping the sensor element. The sensor assembly can be included in a drug delivery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Helmer, Maurice Toporek
  • Publication number: 20220288319
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an audible indicator for use with a drug delivery device, the audible indicator including a spring element configured to reside in one of a relaxed state and a biased state, wherein the audible indicator includes a rotatable element coupled to the spring element, and wherein the spring element releases stored energy to rotate the rotatable element such that the rotatable element impacts a surface to generate an audible signal when the spring element changes from the biased state into the relaxed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Patent number: 11426108
    Abstract: A device for communicating a driving ability level of a user, the device comprising at least a processor, a memory and a wireless transceiver. The device is configured to: receive a communication from a medical device, wherein the communication comprises information relating to a condition of the medical device; and send a communication to a vehicle. The information relating to a condition of the medical device is processed in order to determine a driving ability level of the user by the assignment of a category selected from a group comprising a first category and a second category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Sanofi
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Patent number: 11419992
    Abstract: A medicament injection device comprising: a main body configured to receive a medicament cartridge, a needle sleeve axially movable with respect to the main body, a needle holder holding a needle, and a displacement element coupled to the needle holder and disengageably coupled to the needle sleeve; wherein, upon axial displacement of the needle sleeve by a predefined distance in a proximal direction, the needle carrier and needle are displaced axially in a proximal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventors: Marc Schader, Michael Helmer, Sebastian Braun, Michael Varga
  • Publication number: 20220241512
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for detecting a dose delivered from an injection device having a dose setting mechanism that allows different dosages to be delivered. The accessory has an attachment portion configured to attach the accessory to the injection device, and a body that houses an optical sensor arrangement of the injection device includes a cartridge assembly and a housing, the housing contains a dose dispensing mechanism and a dose setting mechanism, the dose dispensing mechanism includes a part that moves in response to movement of the dose setting mechanism and indicates a dose dialed by the dose setting mechanism. The housing further includes a window aligned with the part of the dose dispensing mechanism to allow the optical sensor arrangement to detect a location of the part that moves in response to movement of the dose setting mechanism to determine the dose dialed by the dose setting mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Helmer
  • Patent number: 11395882
    Abstract: A supplementary device configured to be releasably attached to a drug delivery device. The supplementary device comprises a housing having a channel configured to slidably receive the drug delivery device; a first alignment feature to ensure a specific alignment of the supplementary device relative to the drug delivery device and restrict rotational movement of the supplementary device around a drug delivery device; and a second alignment feature to prevent sliding movement of the supplementary device relative to the delivery device once attached thereto. The second alignment feature comprises a moveable securing member biased towards the drug delivery device, and a release member operable to move the securing member out of engagement with the drug delivery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventor: Michael Helmer