MXPA00003873A - Preloadable syringe for automated dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The hollow cylindrical syringe body (10) has a channel (12) of uniform diameter. A fluid port (14) is situated at one end. The other end defines a funnel-like opening (20) with a diameter greater than that of the channel (12). A piston (24) is moved along the channel (12) by the end of a push rod (26) which is received through the channel opening (20). A ball (30) on the push rod (26) lodges in a socket (36) in the piston (24) as the rod pushes the piston (24) toward the port (14). The socket (36) is formed of resilient fingers (32, 34) which are held by the channel wall in position to retain the ball (30) in the socket (36), such that the piston (24) can be moved along the channel (12) to load the syringe. When the socket (36) aligns with the funnel-like opening (20) of the channel (12), the socket fingers (32, 34) spread apart to release the ball (30) from the socket (36), permitting the push rod (26) to be removed from the loaded syringe.

Description

PRECARGAB E SYRINGE FOR AUTOMATED SUPPLY DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to syringes and more particularly to pre-loading syringes designed for use with automated dispensing devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many devices used in the medical field and in research, include automated devices controlled by computer, for the release of measured doses of one or more liquids. For example, infusion pumps deliver precise amounts of one or more drugs intravenously to patients.

The liquids to be dispensed are provided to devices in pre-loaded syringes. The syringes are retained in nozzles in the device. The device has REF: 119756 a part which acts as a driving rod to push the piston associated with each syringe to a controlled proportion to dispense the fluids as required.

The present invention relates to a syringe designed for use with such automated dispensing device. In particular, it is designed to be used with such a device, which uses a push rod adapted to automatically couple the piston of a pre-filled syringe to allow the liquid in the syringe to be dispensed and subsequently automatically disengage the piston, when the rod move away from the body of the syringe. This structure allows the syringe to be used repeatedly, each time being preloaded by an operator using a similar but separate push rod.

Many structures have been devised, wherein the actuator rod is detachable from the piston after ejection of the contents of the syringe, that is, the piston is located adjacent the end of the fluid port of the syringe body. This type of structure is usually designed to prevent reuse of the syringe.

The present invention differs in that the driving rod is releasable from the piston only when the piston is at the end of the body of the syringe, away from the fluid door. In other words, the push rod is released from the piston after the syringe is loaded, rather than after the contents of the syringe have been ejected.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,391,272 to Staempfli discloses a disposable syringe, in which the backward return of the piston is prevented by the interaction of stops on the piston and a groove in the inner wall of the piston cylinder. The coupling of the stops with the groove, prevents the backward movement of the piston, allowing the actuator rod to be pulled from there. In one embodiment, the end of the rod is provided with a fixed bulbous portion in a corresponding nozzle in the piston.

U.S. Patent No. 4,731,068, by Hesse, describes a non-rechargeable syringe, provided with a sealing unit which allows it to be set aside only once to load the syringe, but can not be repositioned after the contents are unloaded. In one embodiment, a ball or round end of the actuator rod engages a nozzle in the piston, such that the nozzle is held in a closed position approximately to the ball by a collar element. As the piston moves away during loading, the collar element is pulled back with the piston. After the expulsion of the charged contents, the collar element remains at the rear end of the cylinder, thus releasing the walls of the nozzle, thereby the ball or round end of the rod is released.

US Patent No. 4,887,999 by Alies, discloses a single syringe for hypodermic use employing a ratchet structure within the syringe barrel to ensure a single use of the syringe. The plug rod connects the piston with a ball and a nozzle which provides a brittle connection that breaks if an attempt is made to overcome the ratchet after dispensing the contents of the syringe.

US Patent No. 4,931,040 by Habedr, discloses a secure syringe having a retractable needle structure wherein the piston engages the needle in such a manner that it is drawn back into the syringe barrel after dispensing the contents. The actuator rod is attached to the piston by means of one or more sets of screws, which grip the rear end of the piston and are held in place by the confinement of the syringe barrel. In an alternative embodiment, a handle or protrusion on the end of the rod is held in a spray nozzle at the end of the piston, in which the nozzle is kept closed at about the handle or protrusion by means of the cylinder wall, but when the piston is moved to the end of the cylinder, it is allowed to spray and release the rod.

The American Patent No. 5,149,323 for Colonna, describes a self-destructible syringe wherein the forward end of the actuator rod is held in engagement with a receiving nozzle back of the piston, during an initial loading of the syringe by means of a closing sleeve. The sleeve frictionally engages the inner wall of the syringe so that it is tightened in place when the rod is pushed forward, thus releasing the nozzle walls, thereby removing the rod from the piston if it is done. an attempt to refuse the syringe.

U.S. Patent No. 5,269,760, by Bina, discloses a non-reusable syringe, having a releasable balloon and a connecting nozzle between the actuator rod and the piston. The attempted removal of the rod and piston for refusal of the syringe results in the separation of the union such that the piston remains in the lower part of the syringe barrel. Furthermore, the patent describes closing means between the shield of the needle and the end of the cylinder, thereby the assured removal of the shield after use, breaks the barrier adjacent to the union of the ball and the nozzle resulting also, in the separation of the piston rod.

In general, the present invention utilizes a piston with a nozzle receiving a ball, defined by flexible fingers or fingers. The nozzle hands are held by a channel wall of the syringe body in a portion where the ball of the push rod is retained in the nozzle. This allows the movement of the piston and the loading of the syringe. Once the syringe is loaded and the piston is located at the end of the body of the syringe, the balloon is released, allowing the rod to be removed, because the diameter of the end of the funnel-like channel is greater than that of the channel and the hands or fingers of the nozzle are not widely prevented from separating, allowing the balloon to be removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is therefore, a first object of the present invention, to provide a pre-loaded syringe for use with an automated release device, which incorporates a piston, which automatically releases the push rod when the piston is located at the end of the syringe, away from the fluid door.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pre-charge syringe for use with an automated release device, which includes flexible parts in the piston, which are held by the channel wall of the syringe body, to retain the connection between the driving rod and the piston.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pre-chargeable syringe for use with an automated release device, which is reusable.

In accordance with the present invention, a syringe is provided which includes a hollow cylindrical body with a channel defined by a wall with a substantially uniform internal diameter. A fluid door is located at one end of the body. The second end of the body has an opening with a diameter greater than the diameter of the channel. A piston is located in the channel. A driving rod extends through the opening at the second end of the body and into the channel to engage and move the piston along the channel. Means are provided for conditionally coupling the rod and the piston. The coupling means normally cooperate with the wall of the channel, to 'maintain the coupling between the rod and the piston. However, when the piston is aligned with the second end of the body, the coupling means no longer cooperates with the channel wall to retain the rod. The rod is then uncoupled from the piston to allow removal of the rod from the syringe.

The coupling means includes a first part associated with the rod and a second part associated with the piston. The second part includes a part that receives an entry. The first part receiving a cavity includes flexible means. The flexible means originate from the wall of the channel, to retain the first part when the piston is inside the channel, but when the second part is aligned with the second end of the body, the flexible means are separated to release the first part of the body. second part.

The flexible means, in their separate state, have an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the channel wall. The flexible means in their non-separated state have an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the channel wall.

The opening at the second end of the body has a diameter that increases gradually. The inner wall of the second end of the body is substantially conical.

In a preferred embodiment, the coupling means includes a balloon associated with the rod and a nozzle associated with the piston. The mouthpiece includes a balloon that receives a cavity. The ball that receives a cavity includes flexible elements. The flexible elements are retained in the non-separated state, by the wall of the channel, when the piston is in the channel. However, when the nozzle is aligned with the second end of the body, the separate elements release the balloon from said nozzle.

The rod and the piston are preferably initially connected. Preferably, the rod and the piston are initially integral. The breakable means is provided to initially connect the rod and the piston.

The second part preferably includes a cavity adjacent to the first part receiving the medium. More particularly, the nozzle includes a cavity adjacent to the balloon that receives the cavity.

The flexible means comprise first and second flexible fingers or fingers, each defining a portion of the first part receiving a cavity. Each of the hands has an interior surface substantially corresponding to the shape of the outer surface of the first part. Preferably, the first and second flexible fingers or fingers define portions of the balloon that receives the cavity. Each of the hands has an interior surface with an arched shape.

The first part receiving the medium also comprises means cooperating with the first part receiving the means, to receive the first part, when the piston is inside the channel.

The ball receiving the cavity includes means cooperating with the ball, causing the flexible hands to separate, so that the ball receiving the hands can receive the ball when the piston is inside the channel.

To these and other objects, which may appear later, the present invention relates to a pre-chargeable syringe for use in an automated release device as set forth in detail in the following specification and mentioned in the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the similar numbers refer to a similar part and in which: Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of a first preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view coupled showing the push rod and the nozzle before coupling; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the driving rod and the nozzle after coupling; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the driving rod after the piston decoupling; Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention and, Figure 6 is a view in term of a third embodiment of the invention As seen in the figures, the syringe of the present invention includes a hollow cylindrical syringe body 10, composed of glass plastic. The body 10 has an internal channel 12 with a substantially uniform internal diameter.

The fluid port 14 at one end of the body 10 is defined by a section of enlarged diameter 16. The other end of the body 10 is defined by an externally enlarged end section 18, which has an opening similar to a defined funnel 20 by a conical wall 22. The opening 20 has a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the channel 12 and gradually increases in size.

The invention also includes a piston 24 adapted to be received in and moved along the channel 12 by a driving rod 26. When in use, the end of the driving rod 26 extends outwardly from the final section 18, thereby be accessible from the outside of the syringe. The piston 24 has an elongated front section 29, adapted to be received in the section 16 of the syringe, to ensure that the contents of the syringe have been completely expelled.

Initially, the piston 24 and the push rod 26 are preferably connected together as a unit, by adhesives or the like, or are integral, as seen in Figure 1. The piston / rod unit is inserted through the opening 20 in the channel 12 and moves towards the door 14. When the collar 28 of the piston 24 abuts the end 31 of the body 10, as seen in Figure 2, the forward movement of the piston ceases. In addition, the movement of the rod 26 in such a direction causes the balloon 30 at the forward end of the rod 26 to light the flexible hands 32, 34, apart such a balloon 30 is received within the cavity 36 defined between the hands 32, 34, see figure 3. This is possible, because the hands 32, 34, which define a spherical nozzle due to their arcuate internal surfaces, are composed of flexible plastic materials. A slight clarity between the outer surfaces of the hands and the inner surface of the channel wall is present to allow this movement. See Figure 2.

The pair, which defines the channel 12, which carries on the outer surface of the hands 32, 34 when the ball 30 is received there, holding the hands together to retain the ball and thus maintain the coupling between the piston and the driving rod . This allows the piston to move along the channel to draw liquid into the syringe, such that the syringe is loaded when the rod is removed.

When the piston 24 moves such that the hands 32434 are aligned with the wall 22 of the end section 18, they are not widely held by the wall of the channel. The hands are then free to extend to part, expanding the mouth of the nozzle to release the balloon 30 (see Figure 4), so that the rod 26 separates from the piston 24.

Subsequently, the pre-loaded syringe (without the rod 26) is placed in an automated dispensing device. The device has its own driving rod, a balloon identical to the balloon 30. The driving rod of the device is inserted into the opening 20 and moves forward to engage the piston 24. The piston 24 can then be pushed along the channel 12 to eject the contents of the syringe with the needle. The rod then moves in the opposite direction, pushing the piston away from the hands 32, 34 aligned with the end wall 22, to the point at which the ball on the pushrod is released from the nozzle with hands 32, 34 sprayed apart. The syringe can be cleaned and refilled as required As seen in Figure 5, the balloon 30 can be replaced by tandam spheres 40, 42 and the hands 32, 34, can be replaced by hands 44, 46, which define a two-part nozzle, a larger portion. and a small portion 50, the latter facilitating the opening of the hands. As shown in Figure 6, the hands 44, 46 can be used with a single balloon such as the balloon 30 as well.

It will now be appreciated that the present invention relates to a pre-charge syringe for use with an automated release device, in which the channel walls of the syringe body hold the flexible elements of the nozzle together to retain the balloon and thus maintain the coupling between the driving rod and the piston, to allow loading of the syringe. When the rod moves away, the piston aligns with the funnel-like opening in the final section of the syringe body, allowing the elements of the nozzle to separate and release the balloon, as well as to disengage the piston rod.

While only a limited number of preferred embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that many variants and modifications may be made thereto. It is intended to cover all these variations and modifications, which fall within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the manufacture of the objects to which it refers. Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property.

Claims (27)

1. A syringe characterized in that it comprises a hollow cylindrical body with a channel defined by a wall with a substantially uniform internal diameter, a fluid port at one end of said body and a second body end, said second body end comprises an opening with a diameter greater than said diameter of said channel, a piston adapted to receive and move along said channel, a driving rod adapted to extend through said second body end opening and in said channel, to move the rod and the piston said coupling means normally cooperating with the wall of the channel to maintain the coupling, but when aligned with the second opening of the body end it can not cooperate wider with the channel wall, decoupling said piston rod to allow removal of the rod of said syringe.

2. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that said coupling means comprise a first part associated with said rod and a second part associated with the piston, said second part comprises a first part receiving a cavity.

3. The syringe of claim 2, characterized in that said first part receiving a cavity comprises flexible means.

4. The syringe of claim 3, characterized in that said flexible means are caused by the channel wall to retain said first part when the piston is inside the channel, but when the second part is aligned with the second end of the body, said flexible means is extends to release the first part of the second part.

5. The syringe of claim 3, characterized in that said flexible means, in this extension step, have an outer diameter larger than said inner diameter of the wall of the channel

6. The syringe of claim 3, characterized in that said flexible means, in their non-extended state, have a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of said channel wall.

7. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that the opening of the second end of the body has a diameter that increases gradually.

8. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that said opening of the second end of the body is defined by a substantially conical wall.

9. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that said coupling means comprise a balloon associated with the rod and a nozzle associated with the piston, said nozzle comprising a balloon receiving a cavity.

10. The syringe of claim 9, characterized in that said balloon receiving a cavity comprises flexible means.

11. The syringe of claim 10, characterized in that said flexible means are retained in a state not extended by the wall of the channel, when said piston is in the channel, but when the nozzle is aligned with the opening of the second end of the body, the means Flexible extends to release the balloon from the nozzle.

12. The syringe of claim 10, characterized in that the flexible medium in its extended state has an outer diameter larger than said inner diameter of the channel wall.

13. The syringe of claim 10, characterized in that said flexible means, in its non-extended state, has an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the channel wall.

14. The syringe of claim 9, characterized in that said opening of the second end of the body has a diameter that increases gradually.

15. The syringe of claim 9, characterized in that said opening of the second end of the body is defined by a substantially conical wall.

16. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that the rod and the piston are initially connected.

17. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that the rod and the piston are initially integral.

18. The syringe of claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises initially breakable means that connect the rod and the piston.

19. The syringe of claim 2, characterized in that the second part comprises a cavity adjacent to the first part receiving the medium.

20. The syringe of claim 9, characterized in that the nozzle comprises a cavity adjacent said balloon receiving a cavity.

21. The syringe of claim 2, characterized in that said protruding means is composed of flexible materials.

22. The syringe of claim 2, characterized in that said flexible means comprise a first and second flexible element defining said first part covering the cavity.

23. The syringe of claim 22, characterized in that each of the members has an interior surface substantially corresponding to the shape of the outer surface of the first part.

24. The syringe of claim 10, characterized in that the flexible means comprises a first and second projecting element defining said balloon receiving the cavity.

25. The syringe of claim 24, characterized in that each of the members has an interior surface with an arched shape

26. The syringe of claim 3, wherein the first stop receiving means further comprising means, cooperating with said first portion, to cause the first party receiving means, receiving the first part, when the piston is within the channel.

27. The syringe of claim 10, characterized in that said balloon receiving a recess, further comprises means cooperating with said balloon, to cause the nozzle to receive the balloon, when the piston is within said channel.