SYRINGE FOR THE DISPENSING OF FLUIDS
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a syringe for the dispensing of fluids.
Background Art
The syringes of known type consist of a syringe body, of tubular shape, inside which slides a piston.
The sliding of the piston, obtained by operation of a rod, pushes the fluid contained in the syringe body to exit through a dispensing mouth.
The syringes of known type are used in many fields of medicine, e.g., to administer a medical fluid to a patient or simply to transfer it from a medical device, such as a bag, a circuit or the like, to another one.
In a special application, the syringes are connected to a system of administration of a drug in powder and the fluid contained in them is nothing but air, intended to serve as the vehicle carrying the powder.
In such circumstances, the forward stroke of the piston determines the volume of air which is moved but the force and speed with which the piston is pushed determine significant changes in the type of air flow exiting from the syringes. In other words, depending on the speed with which the piston is operated by the operator, the air flow can be more or less capable of carrying powder and, in many circumstances, the amount of drug carried by air varies inconveniently from case to case.
It is easy to understand, therefore, that in some fields of application of known syringes the need is particularly felt to operate the pistons in a repeatable manner, that is, by imparting them always the same force and the same speed at each administration.
Description of the Invention
The main aim of the present invention is to provide a syringe for the dispensing of fluids capable of meeting this need.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a syringe for the dispensing of fluids which overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in the ambit of a simple, rational, easy and effective to use as well as low cost solution.
The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present syringe for the dispensing of fluids according to claim 1.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a syringe for the dispensing of fluids, illustrated by way of an indicative, but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded view of the syringe according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the syringe according to the invention;
Figures 3 to 5 show, in a succession of axonometric views, the operation of the syringe according to the invention.
Embodiments of the Invention
With particular reference to these figures, globally indicated by 1 is a syringe for the dispensing of fluids.
In this respect, it is specified that the fluid dispensed from syringe 1 may be any substance in the liquid or gaseous state, or a viscous product, e.g. in the state of paste and gel, or powder, particularly very fine powders with great smoothness.
In the embodiment shown in the illustrations, e.g., the syringe 1 is intended to contain and move air and is connected to a circuit C for the administration of a drug in powder, which exploits the air coming from the syringe as a powder carrying vehicle.
As already said, however, alternative embodiments cannot be ruled out wherein the syringe 1 is intended to contain and move other types of fluids.
The syringe 1 comprises:
- a syringe body 2, 3 containing the fluid and having at least a dispensing mouth 4 of the fluid itself;
a piston element 5, 6, 7 sliding sealed inside the syringe body 2, 3; and elastic means 8 placed between the syringe body 2, 3 and the piston element 5, 6, 7, and able to push the piston element 5, 6, 7 along the syringe body. The syringe body 2, 3 comprises, in turn, a tubular element 2 which extends along a longitudinal axis A and has a first axial extremity 2a, in correspondence to which is obtained the mouth 4, and a second axial extremity 2b, opposite the
first, having an introduction opening 9 of the piston element 5, 6, 7.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the mouth 4 consists of a spout for coupling to the circuit C, but it is easy to understand that the shape and sizes of mouth 4 can be changed according to the type of use and coupling.
The syringe body 2, 3 also comprises a base element 3 associated with the second axial extremity 2b and having a first abutment surface 10 for the elastic means 8.
The base element 3 comprises a collar 11 which can be fitted on the second axial extremity 2b.
The collar 11 has first coupling seats 12 which may be engaged with as many first coupling catches 13 obtained on the second axial extremity 2b.
The base element 3 also comprises a first gripping bracket 14 which extends transversally with respect to the tubular element 2.
The first gripping bracket 14, in practice, consists of a plate which extends outwards with respect to the collar 11, to allow the grip by the user, and also partly inwards of the collar 11, defining the first abutment surface 10.
The tubular element 2 and the base element 3 are conveniently made separately, e.g. by injection molding of plastic material, and subsequently assembled.
The piston element 5, 6, 7 comprises a piston body 5 intended to come into sliding contact with the internal surface of the tubular element 2, ensuring its seal.
The piston body 5, e.g., consists of a disk having a first face 15 facing the fluid to be dispensed contained in the syringe body 2, 3, and a second face 16 opposite the first one.
The piston element 5, 6, 7 also comprises a thrust rod 6, which is associated with the piston body 5 and which, in assembly configuration, protrudes from the tubular element 2 through the introduction opening 9 for the operation of the piston element 5, 6, 7 by the user.
More in detail, the thrust rod 6 is joined to the second face 16 of the piston body 5.
The piston element 5, 6, 7 comprises a second abutment surface 17 for the elastic means 8.
The second abutment surface 17 is obtained on a portion of the piston body 5 and, in particular, coincides with the second face 16.
The piston element 5, 6, 7 also comprises a second gripping bracket 7 which is gripped by the user and which extends transversally with respect to the thrust rod 6.
The second gripping bracket 7 is associable with the extremity of the thrust rod 6 opposite the piston body 5 and has second coupling catches 18 which may be engaged in as many second coupling seats 19 formed on the thrust rod 6.
The piston body 5 and the thrust rod 6 are usefully made in a single body piece, e.g. by injection molding of plastic material.
Also the second gripping bracket 7 is obtainable e.g. by injection molding of plastic material, separately from the piston body 5 and the thrust rod 6, with which it is assembled subsequently.
The elastic means 8 are able to push the piston element 5, 6, 7 along the syringe body 2, 3 in the direction of outflow of the fluid through the mouth 4.
In other words, the elastic means 8 are arranged to produce a force of the elastic type that tends to counteract the removal of the piston element 5, 6, 7 from the syringe body 2, 3, when the user moves the piston element 5, 6, 7 to suction the fluid, and that takes back the piston element 5, 6, 7 towards the mouth 4 when the user releases it.
The elastic means 8 comprise at least a helical spring 20 arranged around the thrust rod 6 and having a first ending part 20a stopping against the first abutment surface 10 and a second ending part 20b, opposite the first, stopping against the second abutment surface 17.
The syringe 1 is advantageously equipped with temporary locking means 21, 22, 23 for the temporary locking of the piston element 5, 6, 7 in a charging configuration of the elastic means 8 wherein, even if the user releases the thrust rod 6, the helical spring 20 remains charged and the piston element 5, 6, 7 does not slide along the syringe body 2, 3.
The temporary locking means 21, 22, 23 comprise:
at least a transversal shoulder 21, which is obtained onto at least one of the base element 3 and the thrust rod 6 and on which there is at least a groove
22;
at least a ribbing 23 obtained on the other of the base element 3 and the thrust rod 6 and arranged resting on the transversal shoulder 21 for the locking of the piston element 5, 6, 7 in the charging configuration and arranged substantially matching the groove 22 for the release of the piston element 5, 6, 7.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the transversal shoulder 21 is obtained on the base element 3 and has two grooves 22, which are engageable by two corresponding ribbings 23 obtained on the thrust rod 6.
The ribbings 23 extend longitudinally to the thrust rod 6, on opposite sides of the same and for a portion of length corresponding to the effective stroke of the piston element 5, 6, 7.
When the ribbings 23 are inserted into the grooves 22 as shown in figure 3, the thrust rod 6 can slide longitudinally with respect to the syringe body 2, 3 and the piston element 5, 6, 7 is pushed by the elastic means 8 carrying the piston body 5 in the proximity of the mouth 4.
When the user applies on the second gripping bracket 7 a force greater than that applied by the elastic means 8, then the piston element 5, 6, 7 can be removed by moving the piston body 5 away from the mouth 4 and by suctioning the fluid inside the syringe body 2, 3 (figure 4).
During suction, the ribbings 23 slide longitudinally inside the grooves 22 until they protrude completely from the syringe body 2, 3.
In this position, the base element 3 and the thrust rod 6 are reciprocally rotatable around the longitudinal axis A for the alignment/misalignment of the grooves 22 and the ribbings 23.
Starting from the position shown in Figure 4, e.g., the rotation of the thrust rod 6 allows to misalign the grooves 22 and the ribbings 23, which rest on the transversal shoulder 21 for the locking of the piston element 5, 6, 7 in the charging configuration (Figure 5).
When the dispensing of fluid is required, the user operates on the second gripping bracket 7 and rotates the thrust rod 6 without applying any longitudinal force.
During rotation, therefore, the ribbings 23 slide on the transversal shoulder 21 until reaching the position of alignment with the grooves 22 when, due to the elastic means 8, the piston element 5, 6, 7 snaps longitudinally.
The forward movement of the piston element 5, 6, 7 along the syringe body 2, 3 and, consequently, the speed with which the fluid is dispensed through the mouth 4 are obtained solely due to the force applied by the elastic means 8. Considering that the force applied by the helical spring 20 is a specific feature of the same, it is therefore easy to understand how the fluid can be dispensed with a procedure which is always the same at each repetition.
This, of course, does not mean that the fluid flows out at a constant speed, on the contrary it is reasonable to expect that the fluid comes out faster at the beginning of the stroke, when the helical spring 20 is very compressed, and more slowly at the end of the stroke, when the helical spring 20 is less compressed.
However, if suction and locking operations of the piston element 5, 6, 7 are repeated several times in the charging and subsequent release configuration, at each repetition the fluid flows out from the syringe 1 always in the same way and with the same trend, thus ensuring a constant outflow between one dispensing and the other.