WO2000076904A1

WO2000076904A1 - Ampoule opening apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2000076904A1
Application number: PCT/AU2000/000666
Authority: WO
Inventors: Todd Raymond Mimnaw
Original assignee: Todd Raymond Mimnaw
Priority date: 1999-06-15
Filing date: 2000-06-15
Publication date: 2000-12-21
Also published as: AUPQ097199A0

Abstract

An ampoule opening apparatus (17) for opening an ampoule (10) having a vial portion (11), a dome (13) and a frangible neck (12), said apparatus including a body member (18) having at least one recess (19) adapted to receive the dome (13) of an ampoule (10), wherein the dome (13) of the ampoule (10) is supported in said recess (19) whereby a bending load applied to the body member (18) is transferred to the dome (13) and the frangible neck (12) between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion (11) of the ampoule is broken to expose the contents of the ampoule on application of a bending load exceeding a predetermined value.

Description

AMPOULE OPENING APPARATUS

This invention relates to an ampoule opening apparatus. Sealed glass containers, often referred to as ampoules, are generally used to store solutions in sterile conditions. Ampoules have a small flask or vial for containing the sterile solution which is sealed by a sealing dome or head. The sterile solution is accessed when required by breaking off the sealing dome or head. A frangible neck is typically provided to facilitate access to the sterile solution. The dome generally includes a bulge or bulb-like arrangement extending to a narrower tip. The bulge provides purchase for the finger and thumb when breaking the dome from the neck. When opening the ampoule, a user holds the vial with one hand and whilst gripping the dome at the bulge with the other hand applies a bending force breaking the dome from the vial at the neck. The user can then insert the tip of a syringe into the open vial to withdraw a desired amount of the sterile solution of the contents of the ampoule for injection or experimentation.

Direct use of the hands to open an ampoule exposes a user to injury from the sharp edge formed where the neck breaks. Glass chips may also be left on the user's hands or gloves which can be passed onto a patient or may contaminate experiments. Tools which have movable gripping members, such as pliers, are also unsuitable for use in opening ampoules because excessive pressure on the sealing dome or head may result in the sealing dome or head being crushed. We have found an ampoule opening apparatus which ameliorates the aforementioned difficulties and provides a tool that can be easily used to open ampoules while protecting for the fingers and hands.

This invention, in one aspect, resides in an ampoule opening apparatus for opening an ampoule having a vial portion, a dome and a frangible neck, said apparatus including a body member having at least one recess adapted to receive the dome of an ampoule, wherein the dome of the ampoule is supported in said recess whereby a bending load applied to the body member is transferred to the dome and the frangible neck between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion of the ampoule is broken to expose the contents of the ampoule on application of a bending load exceeding a predetermined value.

The body member may any conveniently shaped member. Preferably, the body member is capable of being held in a human hand, such that the apparatus may be used as a hand tool. For example, the body member may be a block-like object, a cylindrical object having a circular or elliptical cross- section, a hemispherical object, a polyhedral object such as a prism, a cuboid, a parallelepiped or the like. Alternatively, the shape of the body member may be irregular. For example, the body member may include contours or channels, which may assist the positioning of a user's fingers. In one embodiment, the cross-section of the body member may resemble a plurality of linear intersecting circulars. The body member may be made of any suitable material, such a molded plastics or polymers, wood or metal.

The recess may be any suitable shaped opening or aperture in the body member into which the dome may be inserted. The walls of the recess support the dome of the ampoule, preferably in at least two positions. For example, the dome may be supported in a position substantially near its tip and in a position substantially near the bulb. Preferably, additional support may be provided. In one embodiment, the recess may be shaped to support the dome of an ampoule substantially from the tip of the dome of the ampoule to its frangible neck. For example, the recess may substantially conform to the shape and size of the dome. A portion of the recess near the opening for inserting the dome of an ampoule therein may be sufficient wide to support of the bulge of the dome. The inner extremity of the recess may be narrower than the opening to accommodate and support of the tip of the dome. It will be appreciated that the recess may extend through the length of the body member and is not required to terminate in a blind end.

The body member may have only one recess, which may be sized to accommodate ampoules of different sizes. Alternatively, a different ampoule opening apparatus may be required to open ampoules of different sizes. The body member may also include a plurality of recesses, having separate recesses corresponding to the dome of different sized ampoules. The bending load or flexural load may be applied transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ampoule. With the vial portion retained in a fixed position, a blending or flexural load may be applied to the body member, which load is transferred through the body member to the dome. The application of a bending load over a predetermined value breaks the dome off the vial portion across the frangible neck.

The external surface of the body member may include gripping means to assist a user in obtaining a secure hold of the ampoule opening apparatus. For example, the gripping means may be contours, channels, grooves or impressions on the portion of external surface of the body member that is grasped when held. Alternatively, the gripping means may a plastic or rubber textured material to assist the user in gripping when it is attached or adhered to the external surface of the body member.

A user holds the vial of the ampoule in one hand and the ampoule opening apparatus in the other hand. The dome of the ampoule is inserted into the recess of the body member of corresponding size, such that the neck of the ampoule is exterior to the recess. The user opens the ampoule by applying a lateral, bending, turning or twisting force on the dome by corresponding manipulating the ampoule opening apparatus breaking the dome off of the ampoule at its frangible neck. The dome of the ampoule may be retained in the recess of the ampoule and safely discarded by turning over the ampoule opening apparatus such that the dome falls out of the recess. It is to be appreciated that the vial of the ampoule may be held by means other than the user's hand, such as by a clamp or in a corresponding recess a further body member.

In a further aspect, this invention resides in a method of opening an ampoule having a vial portion, a dome and a frangible neck, said method including the steps of: inserting the dome of an ampoule into a recess of a body member, wherein said recess is adapted to receive and support the dome; and applying a bending load to the body member that is transferred to the dome to break the frangible neck between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion of the ampoule to expose the contents of the ampoule whereby the bending load exceeds a predetermined value.

In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: FIG. 1 is a front view of a typical ampoule;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the conventional method of opening an ampoule directly with the hands;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ampoule opening apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the ampoule opening apparatus taken along the line A shown in FIG 3, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the ampoule opening apparatus taken along the line B shown in FIG 4. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical ampoule 10. The ampoule 10 includes a hollow cylindrical vial 11 that may hold a sterile solution, pharmaceutical or the like. A thin neck 12 extends from the vial 11 followed by a sealing dome 13.

The dome 13 comprises a bulge 14 that extends to a tip 15. The tip 15 generally is narrower in width than the dome 13. The neck 12 is frangible in that the glass is scored 16 to facilitate the breaking or snapping of the dome 13 from the neck 12. FIG 2 depicts the conventional method of opening an ampoule. A user holds the vial 11 in one hand and grips the dome 13 at the bulge 14 with their thumb and fingers of their other hand. The user applies a lateral or twisting force to the dome 13 with their fingers to break the dome 13 off at the scored region 16 of the neck 12, thereby allowing the user access to the contents of the vial 11

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, an ampoule opening apparatus 17 in accordance with the invention comprises a body member 18 having a plurality of recesses 19 that substantially conform to the shape and size of the dome 13. The body member 18 may be a block-like object of any shape that is capable of being held in a user's hand. As best seen in FIG. 3, the body member 18 of the illustrated embodiment has a cross-section of linear intersecting circles, wherein each intersecting circle includes a recess 19. The recesses 19 as illustrated substantially support the dome 13 substantially from the tip 15 of the dome to the frangible neck 12, and in particular support the regions of the bulge 14 and tip 15. The opening potion 20 of the recess substantially corresponds to the widest portion of the dome 13, being the bulge 14. The recess 19 extends from the opening portion 20 to a narrower inner extremity 21 of the recess 19 that accommodates of the tip 15 of the dome 12.

The ampoule opening apparatus 17 may include a single recess 19 that correspond to a standard sized ampoule. However, it is preferred that the ampoule opening apparatus 17 includes a plurality of recesses 19, each recess corresponding to a different standard sized ampoule.

In one embodiment, the external surface of the body member 18 may include gripping means as describe above to assist the user in gripping the body member 18. As illustrated in FIG. 3, channels or contours 22 are formed on the external surface of the body member 18 between the intersecting circles. These channels 22 may assist the user in handling or gripping the ampoule opening apparatus 17.

The ampoule opening apparatus 17 is made from any suitable material such as plastics, PVC, polymers or the like and is formed by any moulding process in accordance with the material used and the desired shape and size.

It is to be appreciated that it is possible to make the ampoule opening apparatus 17 from materials such as wood or metal. However, in light of the expense and practicality, this may not be as desirable as the simpler moulding process. In use, a user grips the vial 1 1 of an ampoule 10 in one hand and the ampoule opening apparatus 17 in the other hand to allow access to the recesses 19. The dome 13 of the ampoule 10 is inserted into a recess 19 of corresponding size, such that the neck 12 is exterior to the recess 19. The user would then manipulate the ampoule opening apparatus 17 to apply a lateral, bending, turning or twisting force on the dome 13 breaking the neck 12 at the scoring 16 and thereby opening the ampoule 10.

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to users skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

Claims:

1 . An ampoule opening apparatus for opening an ampoule having a vial portion, a dome and a frangible neck, said apparatus including a body member having at least one recess adapted to receive the dome of an ampoule, wherein the dome of the ampoule is supported in said recess whereby a bending load applied to the body member is transferred to the dome and the frangible neck between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion of the ampoule is broken to expose the contents of the ampoule on application of a bending load exceeding a predetermined value.

2. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the body member is capable of being held in a human hand.

3. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body member is a block-like object, a cylindrical object, a hemispherical object, or a polyhedral object.

4. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the shape of the body member is irregular.

5. An ampoule opening apparatus according to any one the preceding claims, wherein the body member is made of molded plastics or polymers.

6. An ampoule opening apparatus according to any one the preceding claims, wherein the recess is any shaped opening or aperture in the body member.

7. An ampoule opening apparatus according to any one the preceding claims, wherein the walls of the recess supports the dome of the ampoule in at least two positions.

8. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the dome is supported in a position substantially near its tip and in a position substantially near the bulb of the dome.

9. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recess is shaped to support the dome substantially from the tip to the frangible neck of the ampoule.

10. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recess substantially conforms to the shape and size of the dome.

1 1 . An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body member has one recess.

12. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the recess is sized to accommodate ampoules of different sizes.

13. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the body member includes a plurality of recesses.

14. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 13, wherein each recess corresponds to the dome of different sized ampoules.

15. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bending load or flexural load is applied transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ampoule.

16. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the external surface of the body member includes gripping means.

17. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the gripping means are contours, channels, grooves or impressions on at least a portion of external surface of the body member.

18. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the gripping means is a plastic or rubber textured material adhered to the external surface of the body member.

19. A method of opening an ampoule having a vial portion, a dome and a frangible neck, said method including the steps of: inserting the dome of an ampoule into a recess of a body member, wherein said recess is adapted to receive and support the dome; and applying a bending load to the body member that is transferred to the dome to break the frangible neck between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion of the ampoule to expose the contents of the ampoule whereby the bending load exceeds a predetermined value.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 28 September 2000 (28.09.00); original claims 1-19 replaced by new claims 1-13 (3 pages)]

1. An ampoule opening apparatus for opening an ampoule having a vial portion, a dome and a frangible neck, said apparatus including a body member for holding in a human hand and having a plurality of recesses adapted to receive the domes of different sized ampoules, wherein the dome of the ampoule is supported in one of the recesses in a first position substantially near the tip of the dome and in a second position substantially near the bulb of the dome, whereby a bending load applied to the body member is transferred to the dome, and the frangible neck between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion of the ampoule is broken to expose the contents of the ampoule on application of a bending load exceeding a predetermined value and wherein the dome broken from the ampoule is retained in the ampoule opening apparatus and discarded by inverting the ampoule opening apparatus.

2. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the body member is a block-like object, a cylindrical object, a hemispherical object, or a polyhedral object.

3. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shape of the body member is irregular.

4. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the body member has a cross-section of a plurality of linear intersecting circles.

6. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each recess is shaped to support the dome substantially from the tip to the frangible neck of the ampoule.

7. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recesses substantially conforms to the shape and size of the dome.

8. An ampoule opening apparatus according any one of the preceding claims, wherein each recess corresponds to the dome of different sized ampoules.

9. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bending load or flexural load is applied transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ampoule.

10. An ampoule opening apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the external surface of the body member includes gripping means.

11. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gripping means are contours, channels, grooves or impressions on at least a portion of external surface of the body member.

12. An ampoule opening apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gripping means is a plastic or rubber textured material adhered to the external surface of the body member.

13. A method of opening an ampoule having a vial portion, a dome and a frangible neck, said method including the steps of: inserting the dome of an ampoule into one of plurality of recesses of a body member capable of being held in a human hand, wherein one of said recesses is adapted to receive and support the dome in a first position substantially near the tip of the dome and in a second position substantially near the bulb of the dome; and applying a bending load to the body member that is transferred to the dome to break the frangible neck between the dome of the ampoule and the vial portion of the ampoule to expose the contents of the ampoule whereby the bending load exceeds a predetermined value and wherein the dome broken from the ampoule is retained in the ampoule opening apparatus and discarded by inverting the ampoule opening apparatus.