US2574263A - Injection apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1951 w. E. HINDS 2,574,263

INJECTION APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 William E. Hinds I INVENTOR.

H t tcrney Nov. 6, 1951 w. E. HINDS 2,574,263

INJECTION APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Variable Speed 70 Transmission William E. Hinds IN V EN TOR.

Attorney Patented Nov. 6, 1951 om reo INJECTION APPARATUS William E. nindajiliilsbore,megs Mrs. William E. Hinds; 'speeialfadminis'tratrix of said 'William 4 unmas, deceased Application-September 22, 1945, Serial-No-.-617,--,97 6

This ih vehtion relates to iri jefitien bfiliitii's and, more particularly to matter afivnap'peiams for operatinga syringe. I

A primary Object of the present ii'ivl'itioifis to meme a new and imp-raved apparatiis am eriting a syringe whereby a'liquid friid'ioati ofri may be admiiiistered to a patient continuously over a prolonged firidd of time and at a "dfi'rii'teijahd positive rat-e. v a 1 the tratihent of idatihts flsiiee imegwith 'c'ftaih diseases, liquid medications aresome times administere by iiijection either subcutaneeasiy, intravenously, imramuseuiarly, n either of which 'methoiisfthe active substance findjsj'its wayifito'the'blood stream ahdacts upon the foreign bacteria'theriii. Rarel does a sir sle irijeotiohproife suffiie'ntfcn the reason that the active substance at the medication aces not remain in the blood stream ran enough to elimifi'iatefal'l of "the Bacteria therein, and, according tblb'lii accepted mediem practice, a PIiir'a-Iity of iiijedtiohh'fie (usually made 'at spac ed intervals of "time. Permeic injctiohs are 'relatively irieflici'iit fer the "reason that the'blood titer, that is, "theh'dfibeiitra'tioh of the active "substance the blood stream fluctuates along a ciir've \ofsaw tooth CHQiH-fifisfidf Immediately idiifiiiii'lQ' bile inj'eotibh "the blood titer rises relatively friapidly to inaxiziiiim and then'cbi'hmhces to drli'pas the ctive Tsiibst'ahce is r moved from the blood stream 'in'the k'idheys,-the bile, and other organs The blood titer will thus be 'bacterocidal only ever a relatiine'ly short period of time 'fdijas it 'd'r'oiis below a. predetermined .poirit, it fivfll gee b i ly'badtro'static and asit drops to a still farthe? 'Do'ifit "the ba'te'iia may commeneete'multimy again before the 'nit injetibin tfe'fi. With the niit ih j thin the bleed tite'if immediately rises t'o a hiaxiihiifiijaaihiahdfthh i'a'roceedsto dr'cib a's'pijeviiblisiy de. ii over'anentiietreatme'rit period of periodic. trons according to iiii'of' tiractice'the'fiieiiicamefit is in reality effective 'dhly 'OVei ii atiiielyshrt intervals. The length or the :treatifieiitfiiiod is"the n'ieqi1ired to be "extended over a relatively lQhg time and, "xhor'OVij, "aln' attehdal'it s'i lCh as 3 doctor or a niirse mustjbe constantly 'ohchiti thi'oiighblit theentire period in order {team S ter the periodic injections. new, .57 r itiiiires hospitalization of the patieri't 'resditifig' iii an excessiyely high cost for the treatnfent. TO'avdid the hi gl'l'cdst of hospitaIiZatibhit a common praeticeto administera few 'firoi eriji tigied' 'injections'to the patient at the physician's om-ce durin'g' ofiice hours. The patient then-goes hoine 'aiid'retiirhs the hitday for a' f iii'thi series or iiijeoti'oh's. Such ariieth'od offtrea'tin tgli's obviously inefficient and in many cases htirli ifi'effective. V

According tofn'y invention an initialj lafivi largedo se of the medication is .iiijected into the patiehtltb'raiseth blood'titr to aiiredeterihinod desired value, after "which t e Y iheiiicafiient continuously injected at 'a calculated rate meat to the blood titer at such value andro'r such aberiodof tiine a; may benecessari to eliminate "the bacteria from the blood stream; y thi procedure, thejtota-i length of the treatr'iie'iit tiiiieis very greatl i'educedwhile theamouiit of medicament used is Imu I less than that which wouldhe required if -adni'ih1stered by periodic ihjectionsv. -For example,-a sing1e -ihjeo tion a'diriihister'ed 'co'ritinuoiis'ly so as to maintain a predetermined constant blood titer oyer aene hourperiod may be effective equally as a' dqaen separate ihj edtidns adhihiistld at half-hour iritervais, injwhioh case th'e'ftratmeiit Itiiiie woiild 'b'e rediiod tram six hours as br'iehou'rwhile the quantity of fndica ih ht' iisd "w'odm be .iit down toaboiit one-third. W I 3 [It has beeni ropqsedfheretoforeg to adIr i-nister inedic'atioiis topatient's by gravity -fiow-from :a container 'arrar geda suitable height above the iiatieri't and from which themedicatiOn is corrdiicted through a ruh loer t be to the injectior; needle. Such a methodof -admip -istratior1 is not satisfactory where the rate of dosage adminise tered is required to be Very low, such-as one er two (cos. per hour. At such'a low "feedingrate-a siriallriri'trnal Idianieter tribe is required to be Used and dil to the frictional resistance and cape illary attraction of the tli be passage it is .very d "t 'r l te,. flew of h iq id the ethroiigh. Furthermore the 'd-isch arge' thro g h the needle could be very easily stopped acciden tally either by amere flexion of the muscles er mdvemems of 'the bo'dy' soIas to c ause;an obstruo tion at the tip of the needle. I Furthermore, it hasbeeh discovered that it is dangero is to-ieaye a patientalone and unattended while inedieatibns are admifiisterd according tois'uoh'iiiethod because a: the f'dja'rig''r of the wee teeming kifiked'andblood aiawn u irito th e'heedle Where it clots. Upon release of bressuifethe clot-is forced hack into the Blood stream whereitis'azit to cause fatal frs'iilts, Iii "the. administration o1; medications 4 at a ver slow rate as @inentione d above it is 'de's'irahleto ilsfe a very small linternai ameter time and it is q m'eunito 'forcehqd-id tfirethratrgh by any gr vity system due ttrie upon the medication so as to insure a continuous and positive flow through the needle.

And another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described in which the motive power for driving the syringe piston is provided by a motor having a constant speed characteristic.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the class described whichdoes not require any attention once it is placed in operation until the end of the period when it may be disconnected and the injection needle removed from the patient.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings while the invention itself will be pointed out with greater articularity in the appended claims.

' In the drawing, Fig. i is a plan view illustrating the invention according to one form thereof; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig.4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the lin 4-4 of'Fig. 1; Fig. 5is a fragmentary detail view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, illustrating a further modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings the invention comprisesa housing I0 which is of a generally rectangular box like shape. A syringe holder II is mounted upon the top l2 of the housing and which is adapted for holding a syringe [4 in a predetermined and horizontally extending position. The holder ll consists of a block having a V-shaped recess I6 in the upper surface thereof whereby syringes of different diameters may be seated therein and which, irrespective of their diameter will be held with their longitudinal axis in the same vertical plane. The holder is provided with a forward flange H which forms a stop for the forward end wall of the syringe. A feeding tube is illustrated as attached to the syringe l4 and having an injection needle 2| affixed to the end thereof. The syringe Il may be secured in any suitable manner into the V-shaped recess in the holder I I, the holding arrangement as shown in the drawing consisting merely of pairs of opposed pins secured in the outer side walls of the holder about which heavy rubber even a very minute clearance between it and the syringe barrel. Suitably anchored in the piston is a stem or push rod 32 which is provided with a shoulder 33 and a threaded end portion having a nut 35 threadily arranged thereupon.

A reciprocating means is provided upon the top of the housing and which comprises a rack bar slidably arranged within a guide member 4i secured to the upper surface of the cover l2 and integral with the adjacent end of the holder 1 The rack bar 30 is of a round cross-section having a flattened side provided with teeth 43. The rack bar 40 is slidable within the guide 4| and through the lower part of the syringe holder in a direction longitudinally parallel with the axis of the syringe mounted in the holder I I. Secured to the rack bar 40 and extending upwardly through the elongated slot in the guide membands 26 are adapted to be strung extending across the top of the syringe barrel. It will be obvious, however, that any other suitable means may be provided.

The syringe i4 may be of any conventional form though, as shown in the drawings, it is provided with a rubber flanged piston 30 which is adapted to wipe snugly against the inner surface of the syringe barrel in order to prevent any leakage of fluid therepast. It will be understood that in cases where medication is to be administered at an extremely low rate, such as one or two ccs. per hour, the medication may seep by capillary attraction past a glass or metal piston having her 4| is a bifurcated lever arm which is adapted to be secured relatively to the piston 30 of the syringe between the shoulder 33 and the nut 35 on the end of the stem 32.

Operatively connected to the rack bar 40 for driving the same is a constant speed electric motor such as a small synchronous motor and which is mounted within the lower part of the housing Ill. The motor 55 is connected by suitable gearing to the rack bar, the gearing arrangement as shown comprising a drive shaft 56 extending from the motor having a pinion thereon meshed with the gear 51 arranged upon the shaft 58. The gear 51 on shaft 58 is held between a pair of opposed friction clutch discs, the pressure of which upon the gear 51 being suflicient for transmitting torque for driving the rack bar 43 and the piston of the syringe during normal operation. However, if the motor 55 should not be de-energized before the piston 30 reaches the end of the syringe barrel then upon movement of the piston to its limit position the clutch will slip on the opposite sides of the gear 51 to prevent damage to either the motor, the gearing or to the syringe. The upper end of the shaft 58 extends through the cover l2 and has a pinion 59 mounted thereon which is meshed with the teeth on the rack bar 40.

Secured to the shaft 53 is a bevelled gear 60 and which is adapted to be cooperatively engaged by another bevelled gear provided upon the end of a shaft 6| extending to the outside of the hous ing. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 6| is a knob 62 by means of which the shaft may be pushed in against the bias of spring 63 to cause engagement of the bevelled gears and whereupon the rack bar may be manually adjusted such as for aligning the lever 50 against the shoulder of the piston stem 32 when initially assembling the syringe into the holder and prior to placement of the apparatus in operation. The knob 62 may also be employed for injecting an initial dosage to the patient immediately prior to the adminis-' tration of the injection on a continuous feed basis through operation of the motor 55.

The motor 55 and the connection gearing between the motor and the rack bar may be'soarranged as to provide any desired rate of feed from the syringe into the patient. The rate of feed may be adjusted by using syringes of different diameters, it being obvious that by increasing or decreasing the diameter of the syringe the rate of feed may be correspondingly varied even with {the housing and connected in the supply conductors 16 leading to the motor, tires-witch being provided with a knob 11 extending above the top of the housing. Because of the fact that the rate of movement of the rack bar will be so slow as not. to-be noticeable, I provide aa'suitable means for indicating the rotationof the motor. Mountedupon shaft 58 is. a large gear 80- which is meshed with a small pinion which in turn is mounted upon a shaft having an indicator-disc 81 provided on the upper end thereof: The disc maybe viewed through a window provided in the top of a small enclosure 82 mounted on the housing cover.

According to the modification'of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 I'provide a variable speed transmission 78 between the motor 55 and the gearing arrangement as previously described. Extending from the transmission is a control shaft H the upper end of which extends through the housing cover H and provided with a knob 1.2 on theupper end thereof bymeans of which the speed ratio of the transmission 70 ma be varied as desired. In an apparatus provided with a variable speed transmission between the. driving :motor and rack bar a syringe of-any' available size maybe used and the speed of the recipr'ocating rack bar adjusted accordingly soas to provide the desired rate of feed of medication to the patient. v

While the invention has been described with particular reference to an apparatus designed for continuous injection of a medicament into a patient at 'a very low rate, it'w'ill be obvious that the invention is not to be necessarily so limited in that it may equally well be adapted'ior injection of ordinary solutions, plasma, and thellk-e which are sometimes administered in a large quantity over a relatively short-period of time. In such applications, the holder will be adapted for holdingalarge capa'citysy-ringe. Having described the invention in what are considered to be certain preferred embodiments thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the specific details shown and described are merely illustrative and that the invention maybe carried out-byoth'er means.

What'I claim is:

1. Ina low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination comprising a housing, a syringe holder mounted on said housing and adapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined horizontally extending position, a constant speed motor mounted within said housing, reciprocating operating means extendingfrom the top of said housing and adapted operatively to engage the syringe piston, said operating means being movable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said syringe, unidirectional drive means including a releasable connection connecting, said motor and said reciprocating means whereby said reciprocating means may :be. driven by said motor in the direction to force the piston inwardly of said syringe, said driving means including a variable speed gearing between said motor and said releasable connection, and manual operating means operatively associated with said drive means between said releasable connection and said reciprocating means for permitting manual actuation of said reciprocating means independently of said motor.

2. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination comprising a syringe holder for supporting a syringe in a predetermined fixed position, a reciprocating means mounted atone end of said holder and adapted operative= 'l-y to engage the syringe piston, motor mounted adjacent :said holder,- unidirectional drive means including a clutch extending be' tween said motor means and said reciprocating means whereby. said 'reciprocating means may be driven :by said motor means in the direction to forcesaid piston inwardly of said-syringe'said drive connectionincluding a variable speedipower transmission, means connected to said transmissicn whereby the driving rate of speed for said reciprocating means may be selectablycontrolled, and manual operating means operatively associated with said drive means between said clutch and said reciprocating means whereby said reciprocating means may be manually adjusted independently of said motor-means.

' 3. In a low speed continuousv injection appa. ratus, the combination comprising a housing, a syringe holder mounted-onsaid housing; said holder defining an elongated V shaped recess adapted for receiving 'asyringe barrel :and positioning th'e'axis of said barrel in a predetermined plane, means for securing said syringe in said recess, a rack bar arranged adjacent said holder for longitudinal sliding movement in a direction parallel with said plane, means for securing the piston of said syringe to said rack bar, and con.- stant speed motor means arranged within said housing,- u'nidire'ctional drive means connecting said motor and said rack bar for driving sa'id rack bar in the direction to force the piston -in wardlyof said syringe. r

'4. In a low speed continuous injection appara tus,-'th-e combination comprising a housing, a syringe holder mounted. on the top of said housing and'adapted for holding the syringe in a'predetermined position, a rackbar slidably mounted adjacent said holder, a guide'member for said rack bar, said rack bar being movable in said guide member in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said syringe, an upstanding lever secured to said rack bar, an elongated slot in said member through which said lever" extends, means for securing a syringe piston to said lever, "a constant speed motor mounted within said housing, and unidirectional gear driving means connecting said motor and said rack bar whereby said rack bar is driven in the direction to iorce said piston inwardly of said syringe.

I 5. In alow speed continuous injection app'ajratus, the combination comprising a housing, a syringe .holder mounted on said housing and adapted .for holding a syringe in a predetermined 5 position, a rack bar mounted for longitudinal sliding movement adjacent the end of said holder, said rack bar being movable in the direction parallel ,with the line of syringe piston movement, an upstanding lever secured to said rack bar and adapted to be secured relative to the syringe piston, a constant speed electric motor mounted within said housing, unidirectional-drive gearing between said motor and said rack bar for driving said bar in the-direction to force said piston inwardly of the syringe, a releasable connection between said motor and said rack bar, and manual operating means connected to said gearing between said releasable connection and said rack bar for operating said rack bar independently of said motor.

6. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination, a housing, a syringe holder mounted on thetop of said housing, said holder being adapted for receiving a syringe and for holding the same in a fixed position, a con stant speed electric, motor mounted within said housing, lever means extending from the top of said housing and adjacent the end of said holder, said lever means being adapted to operatively engage the syringe piston, reciprocating means operatively connected to said lever means for moving said lever means in a direction longitudinally of said syringe, and unidirectional driving means including a .frictionclutch extending between said motor and said reciprocating means whereby said reciprocating means may be driven to force said piston inwardly of said syringe.

= 7. In a low speed continuous injectionapparatus, the combination comprising a supporting base member, a syringe holder mounted on the top 01 said base member, said holder being adapted for supporting a syringe, actuating means. mounted on said base member for movement in a direction parallel with the direction of movement of the syringe piston, means for operatively connecting said actuating means, to said syringe piston, constant speed motor means mounted on said base member and unidirectional drive means operatively connecting said motor means to said actuating means, the connection between said motor means and said actuating means including a friction clutch adapted to slip upon predetermined abnormal resistance to movement of the syringe piston.

,8. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination comprising a syringe holder, a motor means, unidirectional drive means including a friction clutch connecting said motor means to the syringe piston to drive said piston inwardly of thetsyringe, and manualoperating means connected to said drive means between said clutch and said piston whereby the syringe piston may be manually adjusted independently of said motor means.

9. The combination comprising a support, a syringe holder mounted on said support and adapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined horizontally extending position, a constant speed motor mounted within a housing, reciprocating operating means extending from said housing and adapted to operatively engage the syringe piston, said operating means being movable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of saidsyringe, variable speed gearing connecting said motor and said reciprocating means whereby the speed of travel of said reciprocating means may be selectively controlled, a releasable connection between said motor and said reciprocating means, and manual operating means operatively associated with said reciprocating means for actuating said reciprocating means inde pendently of said motor.

10. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination comprising a support, a syringe holder mounted on said support and adapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined horizontally extending position, a constant speed motor mounted within said housing, reciprocating operating means'extendin'g from said-hous ing and adapted to operatively engage the syringe piston, a unidirectional driving connection including a friction clutch between said motor and said operating means whereby said operating means may be driven by said motor in the direction to force the piston inwardly of the syringe, said operating means being movable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said syringe, and'manualoperating means operatively associated with said reciprocating means between said clutch and said piston wherebysaid reciprocating means may be actuated manually in either direction of ,travel independently of said motor.

11. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination comprising a support, a syringe holder fixedly mounted on said support and adapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined fixed position, a constant speed motor mounted within a housing, operating means extending from said housing and adapted operatively to engage the syringe piston for effecting longitudinal movement thereof in either direction, a unidirectional drive connection including a friction clutch extending between said motor and said operating means for driving said syringe piston solely in the direction inwardly of said syringe, stationary guide means on said support cooperatively associated with said operating means for guiding the movement thereof in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said syringe, and manual operating means operatively connected with said first operating means whereby said syringe piston may be actuated in either direction of travel independently of said motor.

12. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination comprising a syringe holder for stationarily supporting a syringe, a reciprocating means mounted at one end of said holder and adapted operatively to engage the syringe piston, means supporting said reciprocating means for movement in a direction parallel with the line of movement of said piston, a constant speed motor, a unidirectional driving means connecting said motor to said reciprocating means for driving said reciprocating means in a direction to force the piston inwardly of said syringe, said driving means including a resistance clutch permitting stoppage 01' said reciprocating means upon occurrence of abnormal resistance to movement of the syringe piston while permitting continued operation of said motor.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,147 Wilcox et a1. Jan. 17, 1905 1,922,941 Francis et a1 Aug. 15, 1933 1,966,498 Gross I July 17, 1934 2,093,344 Wandel Sept. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date I 28,796 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1913

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