GB2196533A

GB2196533A - An adaptor for a syringe and an aspiration device comprising a said adaptor

Info

Publication number: GB2196533A
Application number: GB08625284A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William John Hoskin; Derek Antony Lundberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-10-22
Filing date: 1986-10-22
Publication date: 1988-05-05
Also published as: GB8625284D0

Abstract

The aspirating device has a gun- like profile and includes a body portion (6) and a butt portion (30). The body portion (6) holds a syringe (4) with the flange (12) of the syringe barrel (10) locked in recesses (14) in the body portion (6). A trigger assembly includes a slider (8) which is slidable along the body portion (6). At one end of the slider (8) there is provided an abutment (20) against which the flange (22) of the syringe piston rod (22) can abut and a pair of fingers for holding the flange (22) against the abutment (20). At the other end of the slider (8) is bifurcated trigger (16) arranged to straddle a trigger finger to allow the slider (8) and therefore the piston rod (24) to be moved back to perform an aspirating action or to be moved forward to release the suctional force created. With this arrangement a highly controlled aspirating action can be achieved using just one hand. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An adaptor for a syringe and an aspiration device This invention relates to an adaptor for a syringe, especially (though not exclusively) a disposable syringe, for the purpose of providing an aspiration device comprising a said syringe.

It also relates to an aspiration device.

Syringes used for injection purposes or other purposes where liquids are required to be ejected or expelled from such syringes are generally and conveniently operated by one hand.

However, a syringe which is required for the purpose of aspiration (i.e. suction of a liqud from an environment thereof into the barrel of the syringe) has, in the past, necessitated the use of both hands, viz. one for holding the barrel and the other for exerting a pull on the plunger of the syringe.

The aim of the present invention is to provide means for enabling such an aspiration syringe to be conveniently operated by one hand, substantially as if it were used in an injection or ejection mode as aforesaid.

For this purpose, the invention in a first aspect thereof provides an adaptor for a syringe having a barrel provided with a first flange and a piston provided with a second flange, the adaptor comprising a body portion for supporting the barrel and having an opening for accommodating said first flange to lock the barrel to the body portion against relative movement along a predetermined axis, a slider supported by the body portion for slidable movement along said predetermined axis, engagement means rigid with said slider for engaging the second flange and a trigger rigid with said slider for displacing said slider.

According to the invention, in a second aspect thereof, there is provided an adaptor for a syringe having a barrel provided with a first flange and a piston provided with a second flange, the adaptor comprising a holder for engaging the first flange to hold the barrel in alignment with a predetermined axis, grippable means for securing to said second flange, abutment means spaced from the holder along a predetermined axis and arranged to abut the palm of a hand, and support means for rigidly connecting the abutment means to the holder in a manner to allow substantially unimpeded access to the grippable means by the thumb and forefinger when the grippable means is secured to said second flange.

An aspiration device embodying the present invention is especially (though not exclusively) intended for use in microsurgery, and more particularly in ophthalmic microsurgery, for the purpose of withdrawing fluid from a region (e.g. the eye of a patient). In such an application, the syringe would normally be of the disposable kind.

Aspiration devices embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the aspiration device; Figure 2 is a fragmentary exploded front elevation of the device of Figure 1; Figures 3A and 3B are respectively a side elevation and plan view of a detail of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation of one half of the casing of the device of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a trigger and slide of the device of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a side elevation of a syringe for use in the device of Figure 1; Figure 7 shows a hand holding the device for use in an aspirating mode; Figure 8 shows a hand holding the device to empty the syringe; Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross-section through another aspirating device embodying the invention; Figure 10 is a front elevation of the device of Figure 9; and Figure 11 is an end elevation of the syringe body flange supporting portion of the device of Figures 9 and 10.

The aspirating device 2 shown in Figure 1 has generally the profile of a hand gun having a body portion 6 and a butt portion 30 and incorporates a standard hyperdermic syringe 4. As shown in Figure 4 the syringe 4 has a body or barrel portion 10 which is engaged by a piston or plunger 26 mounted at one end of a rod or shaft 24. A spout 28 is provided at one end of the barrel portion 10 while the opposite end of the barrel portion 10 terminates in a radially extending flange 12. The free end of the shaft 24 also terminates in a radially extending flange 22.

The device includes a trigger mechanism 8 (see Figure 5). The trigger mechanism includes a slide member 22 having a downwardly depending bifurcated trigger 16 at one end and an upstanding abutment 20 at the opposite end. A pair of upstanding fingers 18 (only one shown) extend from the slide member 22 to co-operate with the abutment 20 to grip the flange 22 of the syringe shaft 24.

With the syringe 4 loaded in the device 2, the body portion 6 of the device envelops the barrel portion 10. The body portion 4 also hss a pair of apertures 14 which are engaged by the flange 12 of the syringe to lock the syringe firmly to the body portion 6. The fingers 18 and the abutment 20 grip the flange 22 between them so that by operating the trigger 16, the slide 22 can be displaced forwardly or backwardly to operate the syringe plunger 26.

The device is particularly suitable for removing excess fluid during the washing of an eye with a saline solution.

In operation a flexible tube (not shown) may be attached to the spout 28. The operative holds the device 2 in the manner of a gun with one hand (see Figure 7) and the tube is held by the other hand in the vicinity of the eye where fluid needs to be removed. The hand, when gripping the device 2, as shown in Figure 7, grips the butt portion 30 in the palm and has a forefinger which engages the trigger in a manner such that the two arms of the trigger straddle the forefinger. The operative may rest the device 2 flat on the forehead of the patient being treated to steady the device 2. To remove fluid from the eye the forefinger is drawn towards the palm of the hand and this action is transmitted through the device 2 to draw the plunger 26 of the syringe 4, outwardly of the barrel portion 10. This action draws fluid through the flexible tube into the barrel.If by chance the operative places the end of the tube too close to structures within the eye, the suction created may tend to pull a portion of the eye into the tube and, if this is allowed to happen unchecked, the portion of the eye will tear or be otherwise damaged. However, if this is spotted by the operative in time he can quickly move his forefinger away from the palm against one of the bifurcated arms of the trigger 16 to displace the slider 8 in the opposite direction. The plunger 26 of the syringe is thereby moved in the opposite direction to expel fluid from the spout 28 and so will release the suction force and the entrained portion of the eye. Thereafter the device can be operated again as before.

It will be appreciated that the device enables full control to be kept on the operation of the syringe using just one hand alone.

Once the syringe has been filled with fluid the tube is disconnected and the fluid can quickly be expelled into a receptacle by releasing the forefinger from the trigger 16 and instead placing the thumb of the hand against the abutment 20 (see Figure 8) and displacing the thumb in the direction of the arrow A.

The device 2 is preferably of plastics material and is disposable with the syringe i.e.

after use.

The construction of the device is shown in more detail in Figures 2 to 5.

The device is moulded in two halves (only one shown in Figure 4). As shown the inner wall of each half is provided with a pair of guides 44 and 42 for constraining the slide member 22 of the trigger mechanism 8. A pair of arcuate ribs 46 and 48 are profiled to matingly engage the barrel portion 10 of the syringe so as to prevent the syringe moving laterally within the device 2. A flange 50 and a front wall 52 of the body portion 6 constrain the syringe against longitudinal movement. The two halves of the device together define the front wall 52. Each half of the front wall 52 has a semicircular recess 54, the two recesses 54 co-operating when the two halves are matingly engaged to define an opening through which the syringe spout 28 can project.

Each front wall half has a locking projection 56 for lockingly engaging an opening 58 in the other front wall half to lock the two halves together. Each locking projection 56 is generally U-shaped so as to pass around the rear face of the front wall 52 before entering the opening 58.

The butt portion 30 is provided with two spaced locking mechanisms for locking the two halves of the butt portions together.

Each locking mechanism, as shown more clearly in Figures 3A and 3B, comprises a hollow cylindrical receiving member 60 mounted on one half of the butt portion 30 and an engaging member 62 of cruciform cross-section mounted on the other half of the butt portion 30.

The engaging member 62 is made to be an interference fit with the hollow cylindrical receiving member 60 so that when the two halves of the butt portion 30 are brought together the engaging portion 62 enters the engaging member 62 and the two become locked together.

The perimeter wall of each half of the device is provided with a step 80. On one half, the step is provided adjacent the internal face of the perimeter wall and on the other half the step is provided adjacent the external face of the perimeter wall. The steps 80 of the two halves are complementary so that when the two halves are brought together the steps 80 interlock. Preferably the steps 80 form an interference fit.

To assemble the device 2 the trigger mechanism 8 is positioned between the guides 44 and 42 in one half of the device and the syringe 4 is loaded into the same half with the flange 12 engaging the opening 14 and the flange 22 being gripped between the fingers 18 and the abutment 20. The two halves are then brought together so that the engaging members 62 engage the receiving members 60 and the locking projections 56 engage the openings 58. Forcing the two halves even tighter together causes the steps 80 to interlock. The interlocking of the two halves together is preferably irreversible to discourage re-use of the device.

In a modification the risers of the two steps 80 can be inclined to the plane of the perimeter wall to interlock even more tightly.

Figures 9 to 11 show another aspirating device. As shown the device comprises a holder 100 supporting a conventional syringe 4 of the type shown in Figure 6.

The holder 100 comprises an annular support 102 for supporting the flange 12 at the end of the barrel portion 10. A pair of arms 104 and 106 extending parallel to the axis of the annular support are rigid with diametrically opposite sides of the annular support 102 and extend rearwardly away from the barrel portion 10 of the syringe. The ends of the arms 104 and 106 remote from the annular support 102 are joined by an arcuate portion 108 which is also curved out of the plane containing the arms 104 and 106.

A knurled knob 110 is mounted on the flange 22 to enable the flange 110 to be readily gripped.

The aspirating device is arranged to perform the same function as the device shown in Figures 1 to 8. To operate the device of Figures 9 to 11 the arcuate portion 108 is positioned in the palm of the hand and may be gripped by the little finger or any other finger not otherwise used. The knurled knob 110 is gripped between the thumb and forefinger which can thus be moved to displace the knurled knob towards the palm. During this motion, the aspirating device causes the syringe to perform its aspirating functions. To release fluid from the syringe or to reverse the suction force, the thumb and forefinger are moved in the opposite direction. Should the syringe have a tendency to stick the knurled knob may be rotated by the thumb and forefinger in an oscillatory manner.

The annular support 102 is shown more clearly in Figure 11. The support 102 has two annular walls 112 and 114 which define an annular recess for receiving the flange 12. The wall 112 is a rear wall against which the rear face of the flange 12 can abut. The wall 114 is a front wall which is interrupted by gaps.

The gaps in the front wall and its internal diameter are such that by judicious manipulation of the flange 12 (i.e. by inclining it with respect to the support 102) the flange 12 can be forced through the gaps and twisted until it is fully accommodated in the annular recess.

This accommodation is intended to be irreversible so that the device (which is intended to be disposable) cannot readily be re-used with a a fresh syringe.

The knurled knob 110 has a recess which can accommodate the flange 22. Upstanding from the base of the recess is a frusto-conical locating member 116 which is arranged to engage gage the hollow end of the piston rod 24. A plurality of ramp portions 118 are circumferentially arranged around the inner wall of the recess adjacent the entrance of the recess.

The internal diameter of the innermost extremities of the recesses 118 is arranged to be just smaller than the external diameter of the flange 22 so that when the flange is pushed into the recess in the knurled knob 22 it must be forced up and over the ramps 118 before it is properly accommodated in the recess. In this way the flange 22 is securely imprisoned in the knob.

It will be appreciated that the knob can be provided with rings on diametrically opposite sides thereof to accommodate the thumb and forefinger.

In yet another modification the arcuate portion is replaced by a ring which can then be engaged by the little finger or any other finger apart from the thumb and forefinger.

As will be appreciated both the described devices enable an aspirating action to be carried out in a very controlled manner using just one hand and thereby leaving the other hand free for other actions.

In a further modification the aspiration device may take a form in which the structure incorporates a moulding defining a barrel and piston, rather than defining a provision for accepting a disposable syringe having a barrel and piston.

Claims

1. An adaptor for a syringe having a barrel provided with a first flange and a piston provided with a second flange, the adaptor comprising a body portion for supporting the barrel and having an opening for accommodating said first flange to lock the barrel to the body portion against relative movement along a predetermined axis, a slider supported by the body portion for slidable movement along said predetermined axis, engagement means rigid with said slider for engaging the second flange and a trigger rigid with said slider for displacing said slider.

2. An adaptor according to Claim 1 wherein the trigger is spaced from said engagement means along said axis so that it lies on the opposite side of said opening to said engagement means.

3. An adaptor according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the trigger is bifurcated to straddle a trigger finger.

4. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein the engagement means comprises abutment means against which the second flange can abut and at least one finger member for holding the second flange against the abutment means.

5. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein said body portion is profiled like a hand gun.

6. An adaptor according to any preceding claim wherein said body portion is formed from two interlocking halves, and including complementary locking means on each half for locking said two halves together.

7. An adaptor according to Claim 6 wherein said locking means comprises a hollow cylindrical receiving member on one half and an engagement member of cruciform configuration on the other half, said two members forming an interference fit.

8. An adaptor according to Claim 6 wherein said locking means comprises a U-shaped locking member on one half arranged to engage an opening on the other half.

9. An adaptor according to Claim 6 wherein said locking means comprises a step in the perimeter wall on one half lying adjacent an inner face of the wall and a complementary step in the perimeter wall of the other half lying adjacent the outer face of the wall.

10. An adaptor according to any preceding claim and made of plastics material.

11. An adaptor for a syringe having a barrel provided with a first flange and a piston provided with a second flange, the adaptor comprising a holder for engaging the first flange to hold the barrel in alignment with a predetermined axis, grippable means for securing to said second flange, abutment means spaced from the holder along a predetermined axis and arranged to abut the palm of a hand, and support means for rigidly connecting the abutment means to the holder in a manner to allow substantially unimpeded access to the grippable means by the thumb and forefinger when the grippable means is secured to said second flange.

12. An adaptor according to Claim 11 wherein said grippable means comprises a knurled knob.

13. An adaptor according to Claim 11 wherein said grippable means comprises a pair of rings for accommodating respectively the thumb and forefinger of the user.

14. An adaptor according to Claim 11 wherein said support means comprises a pair of spaced arms extending parallel to said predetermined axis.

15. An adaptor according to Claim 14 wherein said abutment means comprises an arcuate member linking the spaced arms, said arcuate member also having a curvature out of the plane containing the arms.

16. An adaptor according to Claim 14 wherein said abutment means comprises a ring engageable by the little finger of the user.

17. An adaptor according to any one of Claims 11 to 16 wherein said holder comprises a member having a pair of spaced walls defining an annular groove for accommodating said first flange, each wall having an annular opening of smaller diameter than said first flange and one of said walls being interrupted by gaps to allow the first flange access to the groove.

18. An adaptor according to any one of Claims 11 to 17 wherein said grippable means comprises a member having a recess for receiving said second flange, and ramps provided in said recess and over which said second flange must be forced before the second flange is properly accommodated in said recess, said ramps acting to lock the second flange in the recess.

19. An adaptor according to Claim 18 including a locating member projecting from the floor of said recess to engage and locate said second flange.

20. An adaptor according to any one of Clams 11 to 19 and made of plastics material.

21. An adaptor according to any preceding claim including a said syringe.

22. An aspirator device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

23. An aspirator device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 9 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.