WO2021108257A1 - Adaptateur de seringue pour médicament - Google Patents

Adaptateur de seringue pour médicament Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2021108257A1
WO2021108257A1 PCT/US2020/061523 US2020061523W WO2021108257A1 WO 2021108257 A1 WO2021108257 A1 WO 2021108257A1 US 2020061523 W US2020061523 W US 2020061523W WO 2021108257 A1 WO2021108257 A1 WO 2021108257A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
syringe
proximal end
distal end
needle
sidewall
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2020/061523
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2021108257A8 (fr
Inventor
James T. DOUBET
Paul D. Doubet
Original Assignee
Doubet James T
Doubet Paul D
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US16/698,471 external-priority patent/US10709850B2/en
Application filed by Doubet James T, Doubet Paul D filed Critical Doubet James T
Priority to CA3158155A priority Critical patent/CA3158155A1/fr
Publication of WO2021108257A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021108257A1/fr
Publication of WO2021108257A8 publication Critical patent/WO2021108257A8/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
    • A61M5/178—Syringes
    • A61M5/31—Details
    • A61M5/32—Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body; Devices for protection of needles
    • A61M5/34—Constructions for connecting the needle, e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub
    • A61M5/344—Constructions for connecting the needle, e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub using additional parts, e.g. clamping rings or collets
    • A61M5/345—Adaptors positioned between needle hub and syringe nozzle

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to improved apparatus for use with medication, and method(s) of using same, particularly for higher- viscosity medication.
  • Medication is needed for various purposes, including illness treatment and illness prevention.
  • a syringe adapter for withdrawing fluid medication from a container comprises a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, the proximal end configured to be connected to a syringe while withdrawing at least a portion of the fluid medication from the container through the chamber and into a barrel of the syringe and the distal end configured for inserting into the container for the withdrawal, wherein an opening at the distal end is relatively large in diameter to facilitate withdrawing fluid medication having a relatively high viscosity and the syringe adapter is configured to be removed from the syringe and replaced with a needle prior to subsequently injecting (for example, into an animal) the fluid medication (or at least some portion thereof) withdrawn into the barrel.
  • the relatively large opening is
  • the syringe is preferably configured as a pistol-grip syringe or a tab-handled syringe, and may therefore provide improved leverage for the subsequent injection.
  • the diameter of the opening at the distal end of the syringe adapter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, this inner diameter is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches.
  • the sidewall is approximately 0.05 inches in thickness at the distal end.
  • the syringe adapter further comprises a flanged area that extends laterally from the proximal end.
  • the syringe adapter may further comprise a radial extension member that extends perpendicularly and radially outward from an exterior surface of the syringe adapter.
  • an outer shape of the syringe adapter is generally conical in a first portion and generally cylindrical in a second portion.
  • an inner shape of the syringe adapter, for at least a portion of the proximal end is generally conical.
  • the inner shape of the syringe adapter tapers from the proximal end toward the distal end, for at least a portion of the proximal end, at approximately 6 percent.
  • the syringe adapter preferably connects to the syringe using a Luer-type connection, the Luer-type connection selected from the group consisting of a Luer-type lock and a Luer-type slip.
  • a method of administering fluid medication comprises: affixing a syringe adapter to a syringe, the syringe adapter comprising a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, the proximal end configured to be connected to a distal end of the syringe; inserting the distal end of the syringe adapter into a container of fluid medication having a relatively high viscosity; withdrawing, from the container, at least a portion of the fluid medication through the chamber and into a barrel of the syringe, wherein an opening at the distal end of the syringe adapter is relatively large in diameter to facilitate withdrawing the relatively-high-viscosity medication; removing the syringe adapter from the syringe subsequent to the withdrawing; affixing a needle to the distal end of the
  • the syringe adapter is configured for receiving a needle at its distal end, such that the needle is affixed to the distal end of the syringe adapter subsequent to withdrawing fluid medication into the barrel of the syringe, and the syringe adapter is configured to remain in place while injecting the fluid medication (or at least some portion thereof) into a recipient with the needle.
  • administering the fluid medication may be repeated (for example, for another recipient) by removing the needle, using the in- place syringe adapter for withdrawing more fluid medication (from the same or a different container), re-affixing the needle to the syringe adapter, and then injecting this medication (or some portion thereof).
  • the distal end of the syringe adapter preferably provides for a Luer-type connection with the needle, and the proximal end of the syringe adapter is preferably configured with a Luer-type locking member for connecting to the syringe.
  • the syringe adapter may further comprise an extension member that extends perpendicularly outward from an exterior surface of the syringe adapter.
  • a syringe adapter for withdrawing viscous fluid medication from a container comprises a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, a first opening at the distal end being defined by a first end of the sidewall and a second opening at the proximal end being defined by a second end of the sidewall.
  • the proximal end is configured to be connected to a distal end of a syringe, the distal end of the syringe having a third opening;
  • the distal end of the sidewall of the syringe adapter is configured to be inserted into a container of viscous fluid medication;
  • the first opening provides for fluid communication of the viscous fluid medication from the container into the chamber;
  • the second opening provides for fluid communication of the viscous fluid medication between the chamber and, through the third opening, the barrel of the syringe;
  • the first opening has an inner diameter sized to facilitate withdrawing at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication through the first opening and into the chamber and then into the barrel.
  • the inner diameter of the first opening is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches.
  • at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication is caused to be withdrawn from the container, through the first opening and into the chamber, and then through the second and third openings into the barrel, upon activation of a drawing mechanism of the syringe while the proximal end of the syringe adapter is connected to the syringe and while the distal end of the syringe adapter is inserted into the container.
  • a method of withdrawing viscous fluid medication from a container comprises: affixing a syringe adapter to a syringe, the syringe adapter comprising a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, a first opening at the distal end being defined by a first end of the sidewall and a second opening at the proximal end being defined by a second end of the sidewall, the proximal end configured to be connected to a distal end of the syringe; inserting the distal end of the sidewall of the syringe adapter into a container of viscous fluid medication; and withdrawing, from the container, at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication through the first opening and into the chamber, and from the chamber through the second opening and then through a third opening in the distal end of the syringe and
  • the inner diameter of the first opening is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches.
  • the syringe adapter is preferably configured to be removed from the syringe subsequent to the withdrawing and replaced by affixing a needle to the distal end of the syringe to thereby enable injecting, into a recipient with the needle, at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication withdrawn into the barrel.
  • the needle is removably affixed to a needle holder that, in turn, is removably affixed to the in-place syringe adapter for the injection.
  • the syringe adapter is configured with a support hub member for removably receiving the needle holder, the support hub member radially / laterally surrounding at least a portion of a length of a sidewall of the syringe adapter, the sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, a first opening at the distal end being defined by a first terminal end of the sidewall and a second opening at the proximal end being defined by a second terminal end of the sidewall, wherein: a proximal end of the support hub member is configured for slipping over an exterior of a syringe tip located at a distal end of a syringe
  • the inner diameter of the opening at the distal end of the syringe adapter is at least about 0.05 inches, and is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, this inner diameter is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches.
  • a syringe adapter for withdrawing viscous fluid medication comprises a support hub member radially / laterally surrounding an inner chamber, the syringe adapter further comprising an extension from a proximal end of the support hub member and a sidewall extending from a distal end of the support hub member, the distal end of the support hub member being opposite the proximal end of the support hub member, the inner chamber extending through the sidewall and the extension, a terminal end of the sidewall defining a first opening into the inner chamber and a terminal end of the extension defining a second opening into the inner chamber, wherein: a proximal end of the syringe adapter is affixed to a distal end of a syringe by inserting, into a cavity at the distal end of the syringe, the extension from the proximal end of the support hub member, wherein the cavity defines a third opening into the syringe; the terminal end of the sidewall
  • the inner diameter of the first opening is at least about 0.05 inches, and is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches.
  • the needle preferably remains affixed to the needle holder following an injection, whereby the needle may be removed from the syringe adapter (for example, in preparation for using the syringe adapter for withdrawing additional fluid medication from a container) by removing, as a single unit, the needle holder and the needle affixed thereto, and the needle holder preferably affixes to the distal end of the support hub member of the syringe adapter using a Luer-type locking connection.
  • a method of administering fluid medication comprises: inserting a distal end of a syringe adapter into a container of viscous fluid medication, the syringe adapter being affixed to a syringe, the syringe adapter comprising a support hub member radially / laterally surrounding at least a portion of a length of a sidewall, the sidewall extending between a proximal end and the distal end (the distal end being opposite the proximal end) and having an interior surface defining a chamber, a first opening at the distal end being defined by a first terminal end of the sidewall and a second opening at the proximal end being defined by a second terminal end of the sidewall, the syringe adapter configured to be affixed to the syringe by slipping a proximal end of the support hub member over an exterior of a syringe tip located at a distal end of the s
  • An inner diameter of the first opening is at least about 0.05 inches, and is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches.
  • FIGs. 1 - 3 depict examples of prior art syringes
  • FIG. 4 depicts an example of a prior art needle
  • FIGs. 4A and 4B illustrate bottom views showing how a proximal end of a needle may be configured for securable attachment to a syringe
  • FIGs. 5 - 6 illustrate first and second preferred embodiments of the syringe adapter disclosed herein;
  • FIGs. 7 - 8 illustrate alternative embodiments of the syringe adapter disclosed herein;
  • FIG. 9 illustrates a still further embodiment of the syringe adapter disclosed herein;
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a syringe adapter placed upon a syringe, and
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a needle placed upon a syringe adapter;
  • FIGs. 12 and 13 illustrate yet other embodiments of the syringe adapter disclosed herein, and also illustrate placement thereof upon a syringe;
  • FIG. 14 (comprising FIGs. 14A through 14D) illustrates a further embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded;
  • FIG. 15 (comprising FIGs. 15A through 15D) illustrates a still further embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter that includes a needle holder to which a needle may be removably affixed, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded;
  • FIGs. 16 (comprising FIGs. 16A through 16D) and 17 (comprising FIGs. 17A through 17D) illustrate yet other embodiments of the disclosed syringe adapter that include a needle holder to which a needle may be removably affixed, showing exterior views as well as cross- sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded, where FIG. 17 shows a syringe adapter having a sharp tip and both FIGs. 16 and 17 illustrate a needle holder adapted for a locking connection with the needle;
  • FIGs. 18 (comprising FIGs. 18A through 18D) and 19 (comprising FIGs. 19A through 19D) illustrate embodiments of the disclosed syringe adapter that replace a conventional syringe tip, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded
  • FIGs. 20 - 21 (comprising FIGs. 20A through 20D and 21 A through 21D, respectively) illustrate alternative approaches for a portion of the syringe adapters and needle holders shown in FIGs. 18 and 19;
  • FIG. 22 presents tables containing measurements from tests conducted to compare use of a sample version of the disclosed syringe adapter to use of conventional needles.
  • medication is needed for various purposes, including illness treatment and illness prevention. Discussions are presented herein with reference to medication used for animals, primarily in terms of livestock animals; this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, however, and it should be noted that the disclosed syringe adapter may be beneficial with medication used for all types of animal life, including humans. [0027] Treatment of animals using medication may be desired whether the animal is a family pet, part of a livestock operation, is the subject of research, and so forth. Examples of medicating animals for illness treatment will be obvious, and may span a wide variety of illnesses. One example of medicating an animal for illness prevention is a proactive vaccination; another example is to proactively administer an antibiotic.
  • animals may be proactively medicated before they are introduced into another group of livestock, for example to guard against introducing an illness that they may carry or simply to ensure that all animals in the group have received an identical medication regimen.
  • Medication might also be administered in anticipation of, or in response to, a change in weather conditions or a change in geographical location for an animal (such as moving from one climate to another).
  • animal medications are discussed without differentiation of the purpose for such medication.
  • Medication may be found in various forms, including solid and fluid. Solid substances may be ingestible, for example, while fluids may be injectable or may be administered orally or nasally. Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward improved apparatus for use with medication in fluid form, and the scope of the present invention also includes method(s) for using such apparatus.
  • Medications provided in fluid form may vary widely in their viscosity, depending upon their chemical formulation. Viscosity is sometimes defined as the resistance of a substance to flow. The viscosity of water is relatively low, for example, while the viscosity of honey is relatively high. The viscosity of some substances can be changed by applying heat; for example, melting butter increases its ability to flow. Some fluid medications may have a viscosity that is relatively low and is similar to that of water, for example, and thus will flow quite easily. Other fluid medications are known that have a viscosity that is markedly different from water.
  • Fluid medications intended for use with animals are commonly marketed in multi dose packaging, such as bottles that hold enough fluid for administering several doses.
  • a bottle of medication might hold 500 milliliters, for example (equivalently, 500 cubic centimeters), which is roughly equivalent to 16.9 ounces.
  • the bottle might be made of glass or plastic, and a container having a configuration other than a bottle might be used.
  • the term “bottle” is used for ease of reference, and by way of illustration and not of limitation, as a container type in which medication may be contained.
  • One reason for marketing animal medication in multi-dose bottles is economic. The cost of the medication may be reduced, for example, by selling a larger quantity container and thereby reducing the relative cost of the packaging. Another reason for marketing animal medication in multi-dose bottles is that the dosage of many (if not all) medications is prescribed with regard to the animal’s body weight. Accordingly, the correct amount of medication to use on a particular animal can be calculated and then withdrawn from the multi-dose bottle, after which it may be injected into the animal, and the remaining medication is then available for subsequent use.
  • a multi-dose bottle of fluid medication is typically marketed with a rubber membrane covering at least a portion of an opening at the top of the bottle.
  • the fluid medication is withdrawn from such bottle by placing a needle onto the tip of a syringe, inserting a tip of the needle into the rubber membrane, and withdrawing a plunger of the syringe until an appropriate amount of fluid is pulled into the syringe body (referred to herein as the syringe “barrel”); this same needle is then used for injecting the medication from the syringe into the animal.
  • FIG. 1 shows an example of a prior art syringe 100, and illustrates how the hollow barrel 130 of syringe 100 is commonly marked with fill lines 110 that are provided for measuring the amount of fluid contained therein.
  • a needle is placed over (or inside) the tip 140, and fluid enters through an opening or eye of the needle and into the syringe barrel 130.
  • the syringe includes a retractable plunger, a terminal end of which is shown at 120. (As will be obvious, as fluid medication is withdrawn from the bottle into the barrel 130, the plunger 120 movably extends outward from the proximal end of the syringe 100, although this is not illustrated in FIG. 1.)
  • a syringe as illustrated in FIG. 1 is constructed of plastic, making it relatively cheap to purchase.
  • a tab-shaped member 150 is also provided on syringe 100.
  • a person’s index finger is placed on the tab-shaped member 150 at one side of barrel 130 and the person’s middle finger is placed on the tab-shaped member 150 at the opposing side of barrel 130, and the person’s thumb is then used to depress the terminal end of plunger 120 into the barrel in order to expel the medication from the barrel.
  • FIG. 2 As an alternative to the syringe 100 of FIG. 1, an example of a so-called “pistol-grip” syringe is illustrated in FIG. 2. Fluid medication is drawn into a syringe of this type by pulling plunger 220 outwardly from the barrel 230. A tab-shaped member is not provided on a syringe of this type, as compressing or squeezing the handles 210 serves to expel medication from the barrel of a syringe having a pistol-grip configuration.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates yet another prior art syringe 300, and is referred to herein as a “tab- handled” syringe.
  • the syringe has a tabbed member 350 near the proximal end of barrel 330, and includes a handle-style tabbed member 320 affixed to the terminal end of the plunger.
  • the tabbed member 350 is used in a similar manner to tab shaped member 150 of FIG. 1, whereby a person places fingers on the tabbed member 350 on opposing sides of barrel 330; the person then presses down on tabbed member 320 using the person’s palm to depress the terminal end of the plunger into the barrel in order to expel the medication from the barrel.
  • fluid medication is drawn into a syringe of this type by pulling handle 320 to thereby draw the attached plunger outwardly from the barrel 330.
  • the tabbed members 320, 350 of FIG. 3 typically provide improved comfort for the person using the tab-handled syringe.
  • the tips 240, 340 may be generally on the order of 3/8 to 7/16 inch in diameter and generally of similar height (and similarly, tip 140), and are generally constructed of metal.
  • An interior area of this tip is intended for securably attaching a needle and is generally threaded for at least a portion thereof.
  • a height of this threaded area is believed to be generally on the order of 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch (and it is believed that a height of 5.4 millimeters, or approximately 0.2125 inches, is used for syringe tip threads that conform to ISO 80369-7:2016, which is further discussed below).
  • the syringe tip While not illustrated in detail on tips 240, 340 of FIGs. 2 and 3, the syringe tip also typically includes a protrusion (illustrated herein in FIGs.
  • tips 140, 240, 340 are not designed for inserting through the rubber membrane of a medicine bottle.
  • Syringes 200, 300 are often constructed, at least in part, of metal. Glass or plastic might be used for the syringe barrel.
  • a metal commonly used for syringes, by way of example, is stainless steel; another example is aluminum.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a prior art needle 400, which may be affixed to the distal end of syringes 100, 200, or 300. Needles are typically sold in standardized sizes, and thus the distal syringe ends 140, 240, 340 typically conform to the standard size of the proximal end of a needle.
  • FIGs. 4A and 4B illustrate bottom views showing examples of how a proximal end of needle 400 may be configured for securable attachment to the distal end of a syringe that has an internal threaded portion.
  • an approach 410 as shown in FIG.
  • a flanged area 420 extends radially outward from the proximal end of the needle (as is generally illustrated in FIG. 4).
  • Reference number 440 depicts the opening in the tip of the needle, and reference number 430 generally depicts the sidewall of needle 400.
  • a flanged area 460 extends perpendicularly outward from the proximal end of the needle, but in this configuration, is fashioned as having tabs as side edges that are not generally round. (Note that it is believed that the flanged area 460 of a needle extends perpendicularly, although more generally, this will be understood as a “lateral” extension.
  • references herein to a “perpendicular” extension for connecting to a syringe should be interpreted more generally as a “lateral” extension for making such connection.)
  • Reference number 480 depicts the opening in the tip of the needle, and reference number 470 generally depicts the sidewall of needle 400.
  • a flanged area 420, 460 on the proximal end of a needle is designed to securably attach to a corresponding receiving area on the distal end of a syringe.
  • the securable attachment of a needle to a syringe tip relies on friction instead of an exterior flanged area, whereby the proximal end of needle 400 is placed over an exterior of the distal end (e.g., tip 140 of FIG. 1) of a syringe.
  • These approaches are commonly referred to as a Luer-style lock approach and a Luer-style slip approach, respectively, as is discussed in further detail below.
  • a Luer-style lock relies upon a threaded attachment of what are commonly denoted as “male” and “female” parts, which may be achieved by placing tabs as lateral extensions on one part, these tabs designed to rotatably descend within corresponding threads of the other part.) Note that if flanged area 420 is configured to extend perpendicularly outward as illustrated in FIG.
  • the sharp tip at the distal end of the needle 400 is inserted through the rubber membrane of the bottle.
  • the sharp tip of that same needle is inserted into an animal’s body, and the person holds tab-shaped member 150 while simultaneously depressing plunger 120 of syringe 100, squeezes the handles 210 of pistol-grip syringe 200, or holds tabbed member 350 while simultaneously depressing handle-style tabbed member 320 of tab- handled syringe 300.
  • the higher viscosity of the medication makes the injection process more time-consuming and physically more difficult for the person tasked with medicating the animal.
  • the general configuration of a plastic syringe as illustrated in FIG. 1 does not enable a person using the syringe to have sufficient leverage when attempting to inject the medication into an animal.
  • Tab-shaped member 150 is known to collapse or break in some instances, due to the physical force that must be exerted while depressing plunger 120.
  • the plunger shaft is also known to break in some instances, for example due to misalignment as it moves within the barrel or due to age-related brittleness.
  • the needle may also be forced off the syringe when attached thereto by a friction-based Luer-type slip connection, which may in turn lead to leakage and/or waste of the medication through the now-opened end of the syringe.
  • the syringe tips of plastic syringes are known to break off while medicating an animal (for example, due to the animal moving or thrashing about), which can lead to waste of medication in the syringe.
  • preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed toward improved syringeability of medications having a relatively high viscosity.
  • the disclosed syringe adapter may function suitably with lower-viscosity medications as well, and is therefore not deemed to be limited to use with particular medications.
  • a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a new tip that operates as a syringe adapter for withdrawing medication from a bottle.
  • This tip is preferably affixed to a pistol-grip syringe of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 or a tab-handled syringe of the type illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • the pistol -grip or tab-handled syringe may be formed from plastic, metal, or other substance(s), as noted earlier. Accordingly, use of an embodiment of the present invention addresses the issue of drawing a higher- viscosity fluid from a bottle as well as the issue of providing sufficient leverage for subsequent injection.
  • the larger opening of the disclosed syringe adapter addresses syringeability issues by improving draw time of higher- viscosity medications and, when this adapter is affixed to a pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe, the medication withdrawn into the pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe can be more easily administered from the syringe barrel (noting that, in some embodiments, the syringe adapter will be replaced with a needle prior to injecting the medication).
  • FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the syringe adapter disclosed herein.
  • the syringe adapter has a sidewall extending between a proximal end (i.e., the end on which reference number 510 is located) and a distal end (denoted generally at 520), and the interior surface of the sidewall defines a chamber through which fluid medication flows.
  • Reference number 530 denotes the location of the opening in the distal end of syringe adapter 500.
  • the length and shape of the syringe adapter, as well as the thickness of portions of the sidewall and the width of its interior chamber, may vary from illustrations depicted herein without deviating from the scope of the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
  • the shape of the syringe adapter 500 is generally conical in an upper portion and generally cylindrical in a lower portion. While not illustrated in FIG. 5, an interior of at least a portion of the lower portion is preferably tapered, with a 6 percent taper extending from the proximal end toward the distal end. This tapered shape conforms the interior surface to the above- noted International Standards ISO 594-1:1986 and ISO 594-2: 1998(E) and their replacement ISO 80369-7:2016, which are directed toward conical fittings for health-care applications.
  • the overall length of the syringe adapter is not shorter than 3/8 to 1/2 inch, by way of illustration but not of limitation, as this length will enable the syringe adapter to sufficiently extend into a bottle of medication to be withdrawn.
  • An upper range of the overall length conversely, may be on the order of 1 to 2 inches, by way of illustration but not of limitation.
  • a preferred diameter of the hole in the distal end of the tip of the syringe adapter is on the order of 0.10 inches, although embodiments are not limited to this diameter (and as discussed in further detail hereinafter, the diameter used in embodiments of the present invention is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches). Thickness of the sidewall of the syringe adapter is preferably on the order of 0.050 inches, although embodiments are not limited to this thickness.
  • a sidewall thickness of 0.050 inches and an opening of 0.10 inches results in a syringe adapter having an overall diameter of 0.20 inches at the end to be inserted into the bottle of medication, in this example configuration.
  • the above-cited International Standards indicate that sidewall thickness for a Luer tip (whether Luer-type lock or Luer-type slip) that conforms to the International Standards may range between 0.021 inches as a minimum and 0.039 inches as a maximum. Accordingly, in another example configuration, an embodiment of the syringe adapter may use a sidewall thickness of about 0.03 inches and an opening sized at 0.09 inches, in which case the outer diameter at the end to be inserted into the bottle is 0.15 inches.
  • the opening formed by the sidewall at the distal end of the syringe adapter is depicted herein for several embodiments as generally blunt, as contrasted with a sharp metal point found on the tip of a needle, thereby improving safety for someone who may, for example, carry a syringe adapter on his or her person.
  • the proximal end of the disclosed syringe adapter attaches to a syringe using a Luer-type lock or a Luer-type slip (although it will be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation).
  • Luer-type locks and Luer-type slips are known approaches for making leak-free connections on fluid fittings, and are described in the above- cited International Standards.
  • a Luer-type lock provides a threaded attachment, whereby two pieces of a configuration are held together by rotating a flanged area (such as flanged area 460 of FIG. 4B) of one piece within threads of the other piece, whereas a Luer-type slip is non- threaded and provides attachment using friction.
  • the syringe adapter 500 as illustrated in FIG. 5 has an external flanged area 510 on the proximal end (shown without tabs extending from the outer edge, for drafting convenience), and a two-part connection is made by inserting this flanged end into corresponding internal threads on a distal end of a syringe (as discussed above with reference to the syringe tips illustrated at 240, 340).
  • a conventional height for this internal threaded portion of a pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe tip is believed to be approximately 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch in length and a standardized height thereof is believed to be 5.4 millimeters, and accordingly, a flanged area 510 on the proximal end of syringe adapter 500 is preferably on the order of at least 1/16 to 1/8 inch in height.
  • flanged area 510 may correspond generally to flanged area 420 or 460 (for example, by extending radially or perpendicularly from the proximal end of the syringe adapter, although a strictly circular shape is not required), although another shape providing for a securable attachment may be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • references herein to “radial” or “radially” may be more generally understood as “lateral” or “laterally”.
  • the shape and size of the attachment area - such as the area denoted in FIG. 5 by reference number 510 - preferably conforms to the well- known shape and size required for such connection.
  • the proximal end of the syringe adapter 500 may omit the flanged area shown at 510 and is attached and held to the distal end of the syringe by friction in a Luer-type slip approach.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the syringe adapter disclosed herein.
  • syringe adapter 600 includes a radial extension feature 610, which is preferably configured as extending perpendicularly and radially outward from the body of the syringe adapter and is shown in FIG. 6 as being located relatively near to the proximal end of syringe adapter 600 (where the proximal end of syringe adapter 600 is the end on which reference number 620 is located, and the distal end is denoted generally by reference number 630; reference number 640 denotes the location of the opening in this distal end).
  • radial extension feature 610 may be placed at another location on the syringe adapter, for example being located closer to the conical portion thereof.
  • the radial extension feature 610 also serves to prevent inserting the syringe into the medication bottle far enough that the attachment point (e.g., Luer-type slip or lock) between the syringe and the syringe adapter would come into contact with the medication.
  • an extension feature (or equivalently, “extension member”) on an embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter is preferably sized so as to halt insertion of the syringe adapter into the container beyond a location of the extension feature.
  • a diameter of radial extension feature 610 is sufficiently large as to meet or exceed the diameter of a conventional rubber membrane on a medicine bottle, although it will be understood that embodiments are not limited to this diameter.
  • the diameter of radial extension feature 610 may be, by way of example, on the order of twice the diameter of the cylindrical portion of syringe adapter 600. (Syringe adapter 600 may omit the flanged area 620 when relying on a Luer-type slip attachment, and is depicted without tabs extending from the outer edge for drafting convenience, as was discussed above with reference to flanged area 510.)
  • an extension feature might alternatively be used that is not round, although this has not been illustrated in FIG. 6.
  • a hexagonal shape might be used for an extension feature, and in view of this ability to use an extension feature that is not round, it will be readily understood that references herein to a “radial” extension feature are by way of illustration but not of limitation and are not to be construed as requiring the extension feature to have a round outer edge. More generally, the extension feature may be termed a “lateral” extension feature or simply an “extension feature”.
  • a preferred diameter for an extension feature as disclosed herein is selected to provide compatibility with a size of the rubber membrane on a bottle from which fluid will be withdrawn.
  • a common diameter of the rubber membrane fitted in the top of bottles holding 250 milliliters (“ml”) of fluid and also bottles holding 500 ml is 0.75 inches.
  • ml milliliters
  • 500 ml 500 milliliters
  • a common outer diameter of the top of such bottles is about 1.3 inches.
  • a preferred diameter for the extension feature when used with such bottles is in the range of about 0.50 inches to about 1.3 inches, and more preferably, the diameter is about 0.70 inches to about 0.80 inches, and most preferably, is about 0.75 inches as noted herein.
  • the range in size for the extension feature has been selected, through experimentation and testing, by noting that an extension feature diameter appreciably exceeding the outer width of the medicine bottle may be cumbersome for the person holding the bottle and the syringe with affixed syringe adapter, and that an extension feature diameter about the diameter of the rubber membrane - or ranging between about the diameter of the rubber membrane and about the outer diameter of the top of the bottle - provides an advantageous size that allows the person to grip the outer edges of the extension feature while also gripping the bottle, and at the same time, also ensuring that the extension feature is unlikely to push through the rubber membrane.
  • the diameter of the extension feature may be adapted to provide compatibility therewith. In such adaptation, it is preferred that the diameter of the extension feature is preferably within about the diameter of the rubber membrane and about the outer diameter of the top of the bottle, and more generally, ranges between about two-thirds the diameter of the rubber membrane and about the diameter of the top.
  • a preferred material for the disclosed syringe adapter is plastic, which will allow it to be economically produced as a disposable item, although another material may be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • the syringe adapter or portion(s) thereof may be constructed from stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal (or combinations thereof), noting that metal generally provides increased strength and durability as compared to plastic. It will be readily understood that constructing the syringe adapter from a material such as plastic advantageously allows it to be recyclable, in addition to being easily disposable (as contrasted to disposal of a sharp needle, for which care must be taken upon disposal to ensure that, inter alia , persons or animals are protected from injury therefrom).
  • the disclosed syringe adapter does not need to come into physical contact with a particular animal (i.e., because the physical contact occurs at the needle used to inject the medication), and thus re-use of the syringe adapter for medicating multiple animals need not introduce cross-contamination concerns.
  • FIGs. 5 and 6 illustrate a syringe adapter shape that is generally conical in an upper portion and generally cylindrical in a lower portion, this is by way of illustration and not of limitation.
  • an outer shape of the syringe adapter may be generally cylindrical while still preferably having a tapered interior shape for at least a portion of the proximal end as in the embodiments illustrated in previously-discussed FIGs. 5 and 6, noting that such interior taper enables the syringe adapter to comply with the above- cited International Standards.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a general shape of the interior.
  • an outer shape of the syringe adapter may be generally conical in an upper portion and generally cylindrical in a lower portion, and in this alternative, the relative length of the upper and lower portions varies from the embodiments illustrated in FIGs. 5 and 6 (and again, at least a portion of such configuration preferably has a tapered interior shape at the proximal end, as shown by the dotted lines, to thereby conform to the above-cited International Standards).
  • the exterior taper of the upper portion as illustrated in FIGs. 5 - 6 and 8 may tend to provide a better seal, and thus be less likely to leak, during such time as the syringe adapter is inserted through the rubber membrane of a bottle.
  • a radial extension member such as that shown at reference number 610 of FIG. 6 may be added to these configurations if desired.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates yet another embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter.
  • syringe adapter 900 includes a radial extension feature 910, similar to the previously-discussed radial extension feature 610 of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 9 depicts radial extension feature 910 as being located approximately midway along the length of the syringe adapter, by way of illustration but not of limitation.
  • the radial extension feature illustrated at 610 of FIG. 6 is illustrated as having a disk-like shape with generally flat upper and lower surfaces
  • FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative shape where an upper surface of the radial extension feature 910 has a somewhat domed or tapered shape.
  • This tapered or domed portion is shown at reference number 920 and sits atop a disk-like portion 930.
  • the lower surface of the radial extension feature may taper in addition to, or instead of, the upper surface thereof, although this has not been illustrated. (Note that the particular shape and dimensions of portions 920, 930 may vary, and thus FIG. 9 provides one example by way of illustration but not of limitation.)
  • FIG. 9 also illustrates the upper portion 940, at the distal end, of the syringe adapter 900 as having a generally conical shape which is somewhat less tapered than the upper portion as illustrated for the syringe adapters 500, 600 of FIGs. 5 and 6, and having a generally cylindrical shape for the lower portion 950, located at the proximal end of syringe adapter 900.
  • Reference number 960 denotes the location of the opening in the distal end of syringe adapter 900.
  • the proximal end of the syringe adapter preferably makes a Luer-type lock connection with the tip of a syringe, and it will therefore be readily understood that the shape illustrated at 970 is merely an example and is not to be construed as limiting.
  • a length of the conical portion 940 may be .32 inches; a length of the cylindrical portion 950 may be .48 inches; a height or thickness of portion 930 may be .07 inches; a diameter of radial extension feature 910 may be .75 inches; a diameter of the distal and proximal ends of conical portion 940 may be .156 inches and .174 inches, respectively; and a diameter of cylindrical portion 950 may be .24 inches.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates placement of a syringe adapter on a syringe.
  • the syringe in FIG. 10 corresponds to the tab-handled syringe 300 of FIG. 3 and the syringe adapter corresponds to the embodiment shown at 900 of FIG. 9.
  • Syringe tip 340’ provides a point of attachment for the syringe adapter 900, and syringe tip 340’ is shown as being generally cylindrical; as contrasted with syringe tip 340 as earlier illustrated, syringe tip 340’ is shown with a ribbed exterior mid-section 345 that may provide for a person to securely grip the syringe tip 340’ while the syringe adapter 900 is being inserted therein (or removed therefrom).
  • the connection between syringe tip 340’ and syringe adapter 900 is preferably a Luer-type lock, but a Luer-type slip may be used alternatively without deviating from the scope of the present invention. (It will be understood that in FIG. 10, a portion of the proximal end of syringe adapter 900 is located inside the distal end of tip 340’, following the connection.)
  • FIG. 11 illustrates one example of placement of a needle on a syringe adapter, for an embodiment in which the syringe adapter remains in place while medication is administered through an attached needle.
  • the syringe adapter in FIG. 11 corresponds to the embodiment shown at 900 of FIG. 9, the attachment between the syringe and syringe adapter 900 corresponds to the attachment illustrated in FIG. 10, and the needle corresponds to the needle 400 of FIG. 4.
  • needle 400 is shown as having its proximal end placed over the distal end of the syringe adapter.
  • needle 400 includes a small flanged area 420 that enables it to securably attach to the interior of a Luer- type lock, although the illustrated attachment in FIG. 11 is a Luer-type slip connection. Accordingly, the needle 400 may be attached to, and removed from, the syringe adapter with relative ease (e.g., by pushing the proximal end of the needle onto the distal end of the syringe adapter and pulling it therefrom, respectively).
  • flanged area 420 is shown as directly abutting the portion of the syringe adapter shown as having a domed shape, this is by way of illustration: alternatively, there may be a gap beneath flanged area 420.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates still another embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter, and its placement on a syringe.
  • syringe adapter 1200 includes a radial extension feature 1210 with a tapered or domed upper surface, similar to the previously-discussed radial extension feature 910 of FIG. 9.
  • the conical portion of the syringe adapter 1200 is somewhat longer (and it should be noted that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to a specific dimension, as has been discussed).
  • FIG. 12 also illustrates a Luer-type connecting member 1220 affixed to the proximal end of syringe adapter 1200 (where 2 horizontally-oriented “ribs” are illustrated on an upper portion of the surface of member 1220, by way of illustration but not of limitation, and may serve as a grasping member that assists a person using the syringe adapter in firmly grasping).
  • This connecting member 1220 is shown in FIG. 12 as connecting syringe adapter 1200 to a syringe, which may be syringe 300 of FIG. 3 (by way of illustration but not of limitation).
  • connection member 1220 is made from metal while remaining portions of syringe adapter 1200 are made from plastic, and a bond is made between the metal and plastic during manufacturing.
  • connecting member 1220 attaches to syringe tip 340’ with a Luer-type lock connection (rather than a Luer-type slip connection). While not shown in FIG.
  • connecting member 1220 preferably includes a flanged area at its proximal end (such as flanged area 460 of FIG. 4B), and the Luer-type lock connection is made by inserting this flanged area of connecting member 1220 into syringe tip 340’ and then twisting the syringe adapter 1200 until the flanged area locks into place in the internal threaded portion of the syringe tip 340’.
  • This type of connection is deemed beneficial for providing a more secure attachment between the syringe and the syringe adapter.
  • Reference number 1220 generally denotes the proximal end of syringe adapter 1200, although as stated above, a portion of the proximal end is located within syringe tip 340’ and is therefore not visible.
  • Reference number 1230 generally denotes the distal end of syringe adapter 1200, while reference number 1240 denotes the location of the opening therein.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates yet another embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter and its placement on a syringe.
  • syringe adapter 1300 differs from syringe adapter 1200 of FIG. 12 in that a Luer-type connecting member 1320 affixed to the proximal end of syringe adapter 1300 uses a different configuration.
  • an upper portion 1322 of connecting member 1320 has a multi-sided exterior shape, shown by way of illustration as being hexagonal in at least a portion thereof, which may serve as a grasping member that assists a person using the syringe adapter in firmly grasping. More particularly, in the example shown in FIG.
  • connecting member 1320 has a hexagonal upper portion 1322 and a cylindrical lower portion 1321.
  • connecting member 1320 is made from metal while remaining portions of syringe adapter 1300 are made from plastic, and a bond is made between the metal and plastic during manufacturing.
  • connecting member 1320 attaches to syringe tip 340’ with a Luer-type lock connection (rather than a Luer-type slip connection).
  • Luer-type lock connection rather than a Luer-type slip connection.
  • connecting member 1320 preferably includes a flanged area at its proximal end (such as flanged area 460 of FIG.
  • Luer-type lock connection is made by inserting this flanged area of connecting member 1320 into syringe tip 340’ and then twisting the syringe adapter 1300 until the flanged area locks into place in the internal threaded portion of the syringe tip 340’.
  • the Luer-type lock connection is deemed beneficial for providing a more secure attachment between the syringe and the syringe adapter.
  • Reference number 1320 generally denotes the proximal end of syringe adapter 1300, although as stated above, a portion of the proximal end is located within syringe tip 340’ and is therefore not visible.
  • Reference number 1330 generally denotes the distal end of syringe adapter 1300, while reference number 1340 denotes the location of the opening therein.
  • FIG. 14 (comprising FIGs. 14A through 14D) illustrates a further embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded.
  • the syringe in FIG. 14 corresponds to the tab-handled syringe 300 of FIG. 3 with its syringe tip 340.
  • Syringe adapter 1400 in this embodiment, includes a radial extension member 1410 and the proximal end as denoted by reference number 1420 includes a Luer- type connecting member, where proximal end 1420 in turn includes a flanged area 1421 at its proximal end (such as flanged area 460 of FIG. 4B) for removably attaching syringe adapter 1400 to the distal end of syringe 300 and an upper portion 1422.
  • the Luer-type lock connection is made by inserting flanged area 1421 of proximal end 1420 into syringe tip 340 and then twisting the syringe adapter 1400 until the flanged area 1421 locks into place in the internal threaded portion of the syringe tip 340 (as illustrated in the non-exploded cross- sectional view of FIG. 14C) to thereby provide a secure attachment between the syringe and the syringe adapter.
  • ISO 80369-7 states acceptable measurements for inner and outer diameters of male and female portions of components intended for a Luer-type connection.
  • inside diameter for a male connector is stated as a range between 2.100 millimeters and 2.900 millimeters (i.e., 0.082677 inches and 0.114173 inches)
  • outside diameter for a male connector is stated as ranging between 3.970 millimeters and 4.072 millimeters (i.e., 0.156299 inches and 0.160315 inches), with a nominal outside diameter of 4.021 millimeters (i.e., 0.158307 inches); dimensions for corresponding female connectors are stated as roughly 0.20 millimeters smaller.
  • inner and outer diameters of flanged area 1421 are preferably designed for compatibility with such measurements to enable syringe adapter 1400 to make a secure attachment to the internal threaded portion of a syringe tip 340 that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements.
  • upper portion 1422 may serve as a grasping member that assists a person using the syringe adapter with firmly grasping (for example, while inserting and twisting the flanged area 1421 into the syringe tip 340).
  • Reference number 1430 generally denotes the distal end of syringe adapter 1400, while reference number 1440 denotes the location of the opening therein. (As can be seen with reference to FIGs. 14C and 14D, embodiments are not limited to using a uniform sidewall thickness throughout.)
  • FIG. 15 illustrates a still further embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded.
  • the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 15 includes a needle holder to which a needle may be removably affixed.
  • a needle 400’ (illustrated as having an outer shape somewhat different from needle 400, by way of illustration but not of limitation) is removably affixed to a needle holder 1510 that, in turn, is removably affixed to a syringe adapter 1500 that is removably affixed to a syringe 300 for the injection of medication into a recipient.
  • the needle 400’ When the injection is completed, the needle 400’ preferably remains affixed to the needle holder 1510, enabling needle 400’ and needle holder 1510 to be removed from syringe adapter 1500 as a single unit (for example, in preparation for using syringe adapter 1500 for withdrawing additional fluid medication from a container).
  • This enables the combination of needle holder and needle to be quickly and easily re-installed on the syringe adapter, after the syringe adapter is used for withdrawing a next dosage of medication, for administering that next dosage if the needle is deemed to be reusable for that next dosage. While discussions herein of embodiments using a needle holder as depicted in FIGs.
  • the used needle is preferably removed from the needle holder of FIGs. 15 - 21 and replaced with an unused needle.
  • the cross-sectional views in FIG. 15 illustrate a preferred interior and exterior shape of components 1500, 1510, but embodiments are not limited to the specific shapes and/or relative dimensions as shown except as otherwise noted herein.
  • the syringe adapters as described herein with reference to FIGs. 15 - 21 have separate utility without use of the corresponding needle holder; that is, the syringe adapters illustrated in FIGs. 15 - 21 provide benefits analogous to those discussed herein with regard to the embodiments illustrated in FIGs. 5 - 14.
  • syringe adapter 1500 is configured with a support hub member 1501 that radially surrounds at least a portion of the length of the syringe adapter sidewall 1502.
  • the connection of syringe adapter 1500 to syringe tip 340 is made as a Luer-type lock by inserting a flanged proximal end 1504 of syringe adapter sidewall 1502 into an internal threaded portion of syringe tip 340 and then twisting the syringe adapter 1500 until the flanged area locks into place in the internal threaded portion of the syringe tip 340.
  • a proximal end of support hub member 1501 (i.e., the end where reference number 1501 is generally located) is preferably sized so as to slip over the exterior of syringe tip 340, while the proximal end of syringe adapter sidewall 1502 (i.e., the end where reference number 1504 is generally located) is sized so as to fit within the threaded interior of syringe tip 340 and to receive protrusion 341 of the syringe tip 340 within the chamber defined by the interior surface of sidewall 1502. This is illustrated in the non-exploded cross-sectional view of FIG. 15C. As discussed above with reference to FIG.
  • inner and outer diameters of support hub member 1501 and flanged proximal end 1504 are preferably designed for compatibility with such measurements to enable syringe adapter 1500 to make a secure attachment to the internal threaded portion of a syringe tip 340 that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements, and similarly for support hub members 1601, 1701 and flanged proximal ends 1604, 1704 of syringe adapters 1600, 1700.
  • the opening 1509 at the distal end of sidewall 1502 (noting that the distal end of sidewall 1502 is the end at which reference number 1502 is generally located) is approximately .10 inches in inside diameter (and as discussed in further detail hereinafter, the diameter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches), and this distal end of sidewall 1502 extends beyond the distal end of support hub member 1501 (i.e., the end of support hub member where reference number 1503 is generally located) to allow the distal end of sidewall 1502 to penetrate the rubber membrane on the medication bottle.
  • the diameter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches
  • an outer wall of support hub member 1501 is shaped as a cylinder.
  • the outer wall may be configured to have a multi-sided exterior shape (such as, for example, a hexagonal shape, and in view of this ability to use shapes other than strictly cylindrical for the exterior shape, it will be readily understood that references herein to a support hub member that “radially surrounds” or is “radially surrounding” may be more generally understood as “laterally surrounds” or is “laterally surrounding”).
  • a distal end of support hub member 1501 is preferably configured with an internal threaded portion to facilitate removably attaching needle holder 1510. The threads are illustrated in FIG.
  • flanged area 1511 (similar to the above-described flanged area 460 of FIG. 4B, which may alternatively be referred to as a tabbed area) that is located at the proximal end of needle holder 1510.
  • the threads illustrated by extensions 1503 correspond to a double-helix configuration as described in the above-cited International Standards. Needle holder 1510 thereby makes a Luer-type lock connection with syringe adapter 1500.
  • support hub member 1501 also provides additional support for needle holder 1510. See the non-exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 15C.
  • Needle holder 1510 preferably includes a radial extension feature 1512, which may be located (by way of example) near the proximal end of the needle holder (noting that the proximal end of needle holder 1510 is the end where reference number 1511 is generally located, and the distal end of the needle holder is opposite thereto). Radial extension feature 1512 may enable a person to more easily grasp the needle holder 1510. In a configuration as illustrated in FIG. 15, radial extension feature 1512 also serves to provide additional strength for the needle holder 1510, and thus may reduce the likelihood of a physical failure during use.
  • Needle holder 1510 is configured for removably attaching a needle 400’, and is illustrated in FIG. 15 as using a Luer-type slip connection that makes the attachment by placing the proximal end of needle 400’ over the distal end of needle holder 1510 (as illustrated by FIGs. 15C and 15D). Needle holder 1510 may alternatively be configured to support a Luer-type lock connection with needle 400’ without deviating from the scope of the present invention, although this is not illustrated in FIG. 15. Such alternative configuration for a needle holder may be used with syringe adapter 1500, in place of needle holder 1510, within the scope of the present invention. (FIGs. 16 - 21, discussed below, illustrate embodiments that use Luer-type lock connections between a needle and needle holder.)
  • syringe adapter 1500 and needle holder 1510 are constructed from a plastic or a composite.
  • Syringe adapter 1500 and/or needle holder 1510 may alternatively be constructed from another material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal (or a combination thereof), without deviating from the scope of the present invention - although as discussed earlier, using a material such as plastic for the syringe adapter and needle holder advantageously allows these components to be recyclable.
  • Syringe adapter 1500 may optionally be configured as a permanent attachment to (or replacement for) syringe tip 340, rather than being removably affixed thereto.
  • a distal end of the sidewall 1502 of syringe adapter 1500 may be relatively sharp, for ease of inserting this distal end into a bottle of medication (for example), as contrasted to the generally blunt opening that is illustrated for this embodiment in FIG. 15D.
  • FIGs. 17 - 19, below depict embodiments having a relatively sharp tip - i.e., a tip that is not generally blunt - on the distal end of a syringe adapter.
  • the opening 1519 at the distal end of needle holder 1510 is approximately .08 inches in inside diameter (see, for example, the above-noted reference to male connectors ranging between 2.100 and 2.900 millimeters), and the outside diameter of the distal end of needle holder 1510 preferably conforms to suggested dimensions for a Luer- type tip in the above-cited International Standards to thereby facilitate connection to standard needles. Accordingly, in an embodiment, while the inner diameter for opening 1519 is approximately .08 inches as noted above, outer diameter is preferably about 0.16 inches to accommodate a Luer-type slip connection to a needle 400’ that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements. In an embodiment as illustrated in FIG.
  • an outer wall of needle holder 1510 has a conical shape at the distal end and a similar shape at the proximal end, where both the proximal end and the distal end are generally conical in shape.
  • a length of an inner chamber 1513 of needle holder 1510 extends from the attachment point in support hub member 1501 to cover the distal end of syringe adapter 1500 (as illustrated in the non-exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 15C).
  • needle holder 1510 and needle 400’ may be removed as a unit from the syringe adapter 1500, this is by way of example; alternatively the needle may be removed from the needle holder and the needle holder may then be removed from the syringe adapter, without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates yet another embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded.
  • the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16 includes a needle holder to which a needle may be removably affixed.
  • a needle 400 is removably affixed to a needle holder 1610 that, in turn, is removably affixed to a syringe adapter 1600 that is removably affixed to a syringe 300 for the injection of medication into a recipient.
  • the needle 400 When the injection is completed, the needle 400 preferably remains affixed to the needle holder 1610, enabling needle 400 and needle holder 1610 to be removed from syringe adapter 1600 as a single unit (for example, in preparation for using syringe adapter 1600 for withdrawing additional fluid medication from a container).
  • This enables the combination of needle holder and needle to be quickly and easily re-installed on the syringe adapter, after the syringe adapter is used for withdrawing a next dosage of medication, for administering that next dosage.
  • the cross-sectional views in FIG. 16 illustrate a preferred interior and exterior shape of components 1600, 1610, but embodiments are not limited to the specific shapes and/or relative dimensions as shown except as otherwise noted herein.
  • syringe adapter 1600 is configured with a support hub member 1601 that radially surrounds at least a portion of the length of the syringe adapter sidewall 1602.
  • the exterior of the outer wall of support hub member 1601 has a hexagonal shape. This hexagonal shape may enable a person to have a better grasp when connecting or disconnecting the syringe adapter 1600 to syringe 300 and/or needle holder 1610. (Note that while FIG. 16 illustrates the exterior of support hub member 1601 as being hexagonal in shape, this is by way of illustration but not of limitation, and the exterior may be configured to have a different shape without deviating from the scope of the present invention.)
  • a Luer-type lock connection between syringe adapter 1600 and syringe tip 340 is preferably made in the manner discussed above with reference to FIG. 15, and accordingly, details of the connection are not repeated here. A result of the connection is illustrated in the non-exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 16C.
  • the opening 1609 at the distal end of sidewall 1602 (noting that the distal end of sidewall 1602 is the end at which reference number 1602 is generally located, and reference number 1604 denotes a flanged proximal end of sidewall 1602) is approximately .10 inches in inside diameter (and as discussed in further detail hereinafter, the diameter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches), and this distal end of sidewall 1602 extends beyond the distal end of support hub member 1601 (i.e., the end where reference number 1603 is generally located, the proximal end of support hub member 1601 being opposite thereto) to allow the distal end of sidewall 1602 to penetrate the rubber membrane on the medication bottle.
  • the diameter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14
  • a distal end of support hub member 1601 is preferably configured with an internal threaded portion, similar to the threaded portion discussed above with reference to support hub member 1501 of FIG. 15, and a Luer-type lock connection between syringe adapter 1600 and needle holder 1610 is preferably made using the threads (illustrated in FIG. 16 generally by small extensions 1603) and the flanged area 1611 (which may alternatively be referred to as a tabbed area) at the proximal end of needle holder 1610 in the manner discussed above with reference to FIG. 15. See the non-exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 16C.
  • Needle holder 1610 is configured for removably attaching a needle 400.
  • Needle holder 1610 includes an internal threaded portion (see reference number 1612) on its distal end (i.e., the end where reference number 1612 is generally located), where these threads are configured to provide a Luer-type lock connection with the flange 460 at the proximal end of needle 400, thus providing a relatively secure connection with the needle.
  • the connection between needle holder 1610 and needle 400 is preferably made by inserting the flanged proximal end 460 into internal threaded portion 1612 and then twisting the needle until the flanged area locks into place in the internal threaded portion of the needle holder.
  • an exterior wall of needle holder 1610 is preferably hexagonal in shape in a lower portion and cylindrical in shape in an upper portion, as shown in the isometric view of FIG. 16A, with exception of the proximal end where flange 1611 is located (and the protrusion at the distal end).
  • the proximal end immediately above the flange 1611 has a conical shape, by way of illustration but not of limitation (see, for example, the illustration in FIG. 16D, which depicts the exterior shape thereof as being somewhat tapered); as one alternative, the shape may be cylindrical and still engage the threads on 1600 properly.
  • Needle holder 1610 may serve to provide additional strength for the assembly, and thus may reduce the likelihood of a physical failure during use.
  • syringe adapter 1600 and needle holder 1610 are constructed from a plastic or a composite.
  • Syringe adapter 1600 and/or needle holder 1610 may alternatively be constructed from another material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal (or a combination thereof), without deviating from the scope of the present invention - although as discussed earlier, using a material such as plastic for the syringe adapter and needle holder advantageously allows these components to be recyclable.
  • Syringe adapter 1600 may optionally be configured as a permanent attachment to (or replacement for) syringe tip 340, rather than being removably affixed thereto.
  • the distal end of the sidewall 1602 of syringe adapter 1600 may be relatively sharp, for ease of inserting this distal end into a bottle of medication (for example), as contrasted to the generally blunt opening that is illustrated for this embodiment in FIG. 16D.
  • Reference number 1619 denotes the opening in the distal end of needle holder 1610.
  • the inside diameter of opening 1619 is preferably approximately .08 inches, and in an embodiment, the outside diameter conforms to measurements for Luer-type lock connections as stated in International Standard ISO 80369-7:2016 to accommodate a Luer-type lock connection to a needle 400 that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements.
  • a length of an inner chamber 1613 of needle holder 1610 extends from the attachment point in support hub member 1601 to cover the distal end of syringe adapter 1600 (as illustrated in the non- exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 16C).
  • needle holder 1610 and needle 400 may be removed as a unit from the syringe adapter 1600, this is by way of example; alternatively the needle may be removed from the needle holder and the needle holder may then be removed from the syringe adapter, without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • FIG. 17 illustrates still another embodiment of the disclosed syringe adapter, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded.
  • the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17 includes a needle holder to which a needle may be removably affixed.
  • a needle 400 is removably affixed to a needle holder 1710 that, in turn, is removably affixed to a syringe adapter 1700 that is removably affixed to a syringe 300 for the injection of medication into a recipient.
  • the needle 400 When the injection is completed, the needle 400 preferably remains affixed to the needle holder 1710, enabling needle 400 and needle holder 1710 to be removed from syringe adapter 1700 as a single unit (for example, in preparation for using syringe adapter 1700 for withdrawing additional fluid medication from a container).
  • This enables the combination of needle holder and needle to be quickly and easily re-installed on the syringe adapter, after the syringe adapter is used for withdrawing a next dosage of medication, for administering that next dosage.
  • the cross-sectional views in FIG. 17 illustrate a preferred interior and exterior shape of components 1700, 1710, but embodiments are not limited to the specific shapes and/or relative dimensions as shown except as otherwise noted herein.
  • syringe adapter 1700 is configured with a support hub member 1701 that radially surrounds at least a portion of the length of the syringe adapter sidewall 1702.
  • the exterior of the outer wall of support hub member 1701 has a hexagonal shape. This hexagonal shape may enable a person to have a better grasp when connecting or disconnecting the syringe adapter 1700 to syringe 300 and/or needle holder 1710. (Note that while FIG. 17 illustrates the exterior of support hub member
  • a tip at the distal end of sidewall 1702 (noting that the distal end of sidewall
  • reference number 1702 is the end at which reference number 1702 is generally located, and reference number 1704 denotes a flanged proximal end of sidewall 1702) is shown in FIG. 17 as having a relatively sharp point.
  • the sharp point, or tip is designed to assist in inserting the syringe adapter 1700 into the rubber membrane on a medicine bottle.
  • the particular taper illustrated in FIG. 17 for this sharp point may be adjusted, thereby altering the degree of sharpness, without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • a Luer-type lock connection between syringe adapter 1700 and syringe tip 340 is preferably made in the manner discussed above with reference to FIG. 15, and accordingly, details of the connection are not repeated here. A result of the connection is illustrated in the non-exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 17C.
  • the opening 1709 at the distal end of sidewall 1702 is approximately .10 inches in inside diameter (and as discussed in further detail hereinafter, the diameter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches).
  • the distal end of sidewall 1702 extends beyond the distal end of support hub member 1701 (i.e., the end where reference number 1703 is generally located, the proximal end of support hub member 1701 being opposite thereto) to allow the distal end of sidewall 1702 to penetrate the rubber membrane on the medication bottle.
  • a distal end of support hub member 1701 is preferably configured with an internal threaded portion, similar to the threaded portion discussed above with reference to support hub member 1501 of FIG. 15, and a Luer-type lock connection between syringe adapter 1700 and needle holder 1710 is preferably made using the threads (illustrated in FIG. 17 generally by small extensions 1703) and the flanged area 1711 (which may alternatively be referred to as a tabbed area) at the proximal end of needle holder 1710 in the manner discussed above with reference to FIG. 15. See the non-exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 17C.
  • Needle holder 1710 is configured for removably attaching a needle 400.
  • Needle holder 1710 includes an internal threaded portion (see reference number 1712) on its distal end (i.e., the end where reference number 1712 is generally located), where these threads are configured to provide a Luer-type lock connection with the flange 460 at the proximal end of needle 400, thus providing a relatively secure connection with the needle.
  • the connection between needle holder 1710 and needle 400 is preferably made by inserting the flanged proximal end 460 into internal threaded portion 1712 and then twisting the needle until the flanged area locks into place in the internal threaded portion of the needle holder.
  • an exterior wall of needle holder 1710 is preferably hexagonal in shape in a lower portion and cylindrical in shape in an upper portion, as shown in the isometric view in FIG. 17A, with exception of the proximal end where flange 1711 is located (and the protrusion at the distal end).
  • the proximal end immediately above the flange 1711 has a conical shape, by way of illustration but not of limitation (see, for example, the illustration in FIG. 17D, which depicts the exterior shape thereof as being somewhat tapered); as one alternative, the shape may be cylindrical and still engage the threads on 1700 properly.
  • Needle holder 1710 may serve to provide additional strength for the assembly, and thus may reduce the likelihood of a physical failure during use.
  • Reference number 1719 denotes the opening in the distal end of needle holder 1710.
  • the inside diameter of opening 1719 is preferably approximately .08 inches, and in an embodiment, the outside diameter conforms to measurements for Luer-type lock connections as stated in International Standard ISO 80369-7:2016 to accommodate a Luer-type lock connection to a needle 400 that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements.
  • the inner chamber 1713 of needle holder 1610 it will be noted that the inner chamber 1713 of needle holder 1710 is approximately twice as long as chamber 1613.
  • This added length serves to accept the full length of the elongated tip 1702 of syringe adapter 1700, as can be seen in the non- exploded cross-sectional view in FIG. 17C, and thus the length of inner chamber 1713 extends from the attachment point in support hub member 1701 to cover the distal end of syringe adapter 1700.
  • syringe adapter 1700 and needle holder 1710 are constructed from a plastic or a composite.
  • Syringe adapter 1700 and/or needle holder 1710 may alternatively be constructed from another material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal (or a combination thereof), without deviating from the scope of the present invention - although as discussed earlier, using a material such as plastic for the syringe adapter and needle holder advantageously allows these components to be recyclable.
  • Syringe adapter 1700 may optionally be configured as a permanent attachment to (or replacement for) syringe tip 340, rather than being removably affixed thereto. (See the discussion of FIGs. 18 - 21, below, which depict embodiments that replace a conventional syringe tip.)
  • needle holder 1710 and needle 400 may be removed as a unit from the syringe adapter 1700, this is by way of example; alternatively the needle may be removed from the needle holder and the needle holder may then be removed from the syringe adapter, without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 18 and 19 illustrate additional embodiments of the disclosed syringe adapter, showing exterior views as well as cross-sectional views of placement thereof upon a syringe and as exploded.
  • FIGs. 18 and 19 are similar, and thus will be described together.
  • the embodiments illustrated in FIGs. 18 and 19 include a needle holder to which a needle may be removably affixed.
  • a needle 400 is removably affixed to a needle holder 1810 or 1910 that, in turn, is removably affixed to a syringe adapter 1800 or 1900 that is removably affixed to a syringe 300’ for the injection of medication into a recipient.
  • the needle 400 When the injection is completed, the needle 400 preferably remains affixed to the needle holder 1810 or 1910, enabling needle 400 and needle holder 1810 or 1910 to be removed from syringe adapter 1800 or 1900 as a single unit (for example, in preparation for using syringe adapter 1800, 1900 for withdrawing additional fluid medication from a container).
  • This enables the combination of needle holder and needle to be quickly and easily re-installed on the syringe adapter, after the syringe adapter is used for withdrawing a next dosage of medication, for administering that next dosage.
  • FIGs. 18 and 19 illustrate a preferred interior and exterior shape of components 1800, 1810, 1900, 1910, but embodiments are not limited to the specific shapes and/or relative dimensions as shown except as otherwise noted herein.
  • syringe adapters 1800, 1900 are preferably configured with a support hub member 1801, 1901 that is a solid piece surrounding an inner chamber, in contrast to the approach of the support hub members shown in FIGs. 15 - 17, with an extension from the proximal end (see 1804, 1904) and an extension from the distal end (see 1802, 1902) of this support hub member, where this distal end extension is analogous to previously-discussed distal end of a sidewall.
  • the proximal end of support hub members 1801, 1901 is the end where reference numbers 1806, 1906 are generally located, and the distal end of the support hub members 1801, 1901 is the end where reference numbers 1803, 1903 are generally located.
  • the exterior of the support hub members 1801, 1901 have a generally hexagonal shape, although another shape (such as cylindrical) may be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 18 and 19 depict a tip 1802, 1902 extending as a sidewall from the distal end of support hub members 1801, 1901, where these tips are shown as having a relatively sharp point.
  • Reference numbers 1809, 1909 indicate the opening formed by the sidewall at the distal end of syringe adapter 1800, 1900, respectively.
  • openings 1809, 1909 are each approximately .10 inches in inside diameter (and as discussed in further detail hereinafter, the diameter is preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.1585 inches, and more preferably, is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is approximately 0.10 inches).
  • the sharp point is designed to assist in inserting the syringe adapter 1800, 1900 into the rubber membrane on a medicine bottle, and the particular taper may be adjusted from the angle shown in the figures, thereby altering the degree of sharpness, without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • the sharp point may be eliminated, using instead a tip generally similar to the shape illustrated in FIGs. 15 - 16, and such alternative shape is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. See FIGs. 20 and 21, which correspond to FIGs. 18 and 19, respectively, but show an alternative approach where the sharp point is not used.
  • the descriptions of FIGs. 18 and 19 apply equally to the embodiments depicted in FIGs. 20 and 21, except as noted herein.
  • FIGs. 18 and 19 also depict a change to how the syringe adapter 1800, 1900 attaches to a syringe. Rather than forming a Luer-type lock connection between syringe adapter 1800, 1900 and a syringe tip such as tip 340, the approach shown in FIGs. 18 and 19 is to remove the syringe tip from the syringe (or equivalently, to use a syringe which has not been fitted with a syringe tip).
  • connection between the syringe adapter 1800, 1900 and a syringe is made by inserting an extension 1804, 1904 at the proximal end of the syringe adapter into a cavity 342 where the syringe tip would have been located.
  • conventional syringe tips are made to be removable in some syringes, allowing for cleaning (for example). Accordingly, threads into which such removable syringe tips are connected may be leveraged for connecting the extensions 1804, 1904.
  • the internal cavity 342 of a typical syringe is configured to provide a female threaded portion, and the proximal end of the syringe adapter 1800, 1900 is thus preferably configured to provide a male connector (such as the previously-discussed flange or tabs) at extensions 1804, 1904.
  • a Luer-type locking connection is made between cavity 342 and extensions 1804, 1904 by sizing extensions 1804, 1904 to conform to measurements for Luer-type lock connections as stated in International Standard ISO 80369-7:2016, thereby enabling a secure attachment to a cavity 342 that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements.
  • the syringe adapters 1800, 1900 may therefore serve as a permanent attachment to a syringe, or as a replacement for a syringe tip.
  • the syringe adapters 1800, 1900 may alternatively be viewed and/or configured as a semi-permanent attachment or replacement, in that it can be removed if desired.
  • syringe adapters 1800, 1900 include a rubber gasket (or similar fitting) on an underside of the support hub member 1801, 1901, as shown by reference numbers 1806, 1906. A result of the connection is illustrated in the non-exploded cross- sectional views in FIGs. 18C and 19C.
  • Syringe adapters 1800, 1900 differ in the width of extensions 1804, 1904. A corresponding width is used for cavity 342.
  • FIGs. 18 and 19 both illustrate the exterior of support hub members 1801, 1901 as being generally hexagonal in shape, although this is by way of illustration but not of limitation and the exterior may be configured to have a different shape without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • a distal end of support hub members 1801, 1901 is preferably configured with an internal threaded portion, similar to the threaded portion discussed above with reference to support hub member 1501 of FIG. 15, and a Luer-type lock connection between syringe adapter 1800, 1900 and needle holder 1810, 1910 is made using the threads (illustrated in FIGs. 18 and 19 generally by small extensions 1803, 1903) and flanged area 1811, 1911 (which may alternatively be referred to as a tabbed area) at the proximal end of needle holder 1810, 1910 in the manner discussed above with reference to FIG. 15. See the non-exploded cross-sectional views in FIGs. 18C and 19C.
  • Needle holders 1810, 1910 are configured for removably attaching a needle 400 using a Luer-type lock connection between an internal threaded portion 1812, 1912 on the distal end of the needle holder (i.e., the end where reference numbers 1812, 1912 are generally located) and a flanged area 460 of needle 400 in the manner discussed above with reference to FIGs. 16 and 17, and accordingly, details of the connection are not repeated here.
  • a result of the connection is illustrated in the non-exploded cross-sectional views in FIGs. 18C and 19C.
  • an exterior wall of needle holders 1810, 1910 is preferably hexagonal in shape in a lower portion and cylindrical in shape in an upper portion, as shown in the isometric views of FIGs. 18A and 19A, with exception of the proximal end where flange 1811, 1911 is located (and the protrusion at the distal end).
  • the proximal end immediately above the flange 1811, 1911 has a conical shape, by way of illustration but not of limitation (see, for example, the illustrations in FIGs. 18D and 19D, which depict the exterior shape thereof as being somewhat tapered); as one alternative, the shape may be cylindrical and still engage the threads on 1800, 1900 properly. Needle holder 1810, 1910 may serve to provide additional strength for the assembly, and thus may reduce the likelihood of a physical failure during use.
  • Reference numbers 1819, 1919 denote the opening in the distal end of needle holders 1810, 1910.
  • the inside diameter of openings 1819, 1919 is preferably approximately .08 inches, and in an embodiment, the outside diameter conforms to measurements for Luer-type lock connections as stated in International Standard ISO 80369-7:2016 to accommodate a Luer-type lock connection to a needle 400 that is manufactured in conformance with such measurements.
  • the length of inner chambers 1813, 1913 of needle holders 1810, 1910 preferably extends from the attachment point in support hub member 1801, 1901 to cover the distal end of syringe adapter 1800, 1900, thus accepting the full length of the elongated tips 1802, 1902 of syringe adapters 1800, 1900, as can be seen in the non-exploded cross-sectional views in FIGs. 18C and 19C.
  • the embodiments depicted in FIGs 20 and 21 differ from those of FIGs.
  • syringe adapters 1800, 1900 and needle holders 1810, 1910 are constructed from a plastic or a composite.
  • Syringe adapters 1800, 1900 and/or needle holders 1810, 1910 may alternatively be constructed from another material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal (or a combination thereof), without deviating from the scope of the present invention - although as discussed earlier, using a material such as plastic for the syringe adapters and needle holders advantageously allows these components to be recyclable.
  • needle holders 1810, 1910 and needle 400 may be removed as a unit from the syringe adapters 1800, 1900, this is by way of example; alternatively the needle may be removed from the needle holder and the needle holder may then be removed from the syringe adapter, without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
  • the syringe adapter while medicating an animal operates, in some embodiments, as follows: the syringe adapter is affixed to a syringe (which, as noted earlier, is preferably a pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe); the syringe adapter is inserted into a bottle of medication; the plunger of the syringe is pulled back to withdraw the desired dosage of medication from the bottle into the syringe barrel; the syringe adapter (which remains attached to the syringe) is removed from the bottle, while the plunger remains stationary; the syringe adapter is replaced with a needle; and the medication (or some portion thereof) is then injected by pushing the plunger forward (for example, by squeezing the pistol-grip handles or pressing down on the tabbed handle) to expel medication from the syringe barrel.
  • a syringe which, as noted earlier, is preferably a pistol-grip or tab-hand
  • the needle is removed from the syringe, after which the above process is repeated.
  • the disclosed syringe adapter is not limited to use with medication intended for any particular type of animal life, and therefore the medication may be injected more generally into a “target” or a “recipient”.
  • the syringe adapter operates, in some other embodiments, as follows: the syringe adapter is affixed to a syringe (preferably a pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe); the syringe adapter is inserted into a bottle of medication; the plunger of the syringe is pulled back to withdraw the desired dosage of medication from the bottle into the syringe barrel; the syringe adapter (which remains attached to the syringe) is removed from the bottle, while the plunger remains stationary; a needle is affixed to the syringe adapter (and note that the syringe adapter remains affixed to the syringe); and the medication (or some portion thereof) is then injected by pushing the plunger forward (for example, by squeezing the pistol -grip handles or pressing down on the tabbed handle) to expel medication from the syringe barrel.
  • a syringe preferably
  • the needle is removed from the syringe adapter, after which the above process of withdrawing medication using the syringe adapter, affixing a needle thereto, and then injecting the medication (or some portion thereof) is repeated.
  • the syringe adapter is affixed to a syringe (preferably a pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe), and this attachment may be temporary (i.e., removable), permanent, or semi-permanent (that is, intended as a permanent replacement for a conventional syringe tip, although being configured to be removable, such as for cleaning);
  • the syringe adapter is inserted into a bottle of medication; the plunger of the syringe is pulled back to withdraw the desired dosage of medication from the bottle into the syringe barrel; the syringe adapter (which remains attached to the syringe) is removed from the bottle, while the plunger remains stationary; a needle holder, to which a needle is affixed (either before or after connecting the needle holder and the syringe adapter), is affixed to the syringe adapter
  • the needle holder and its affixed needle are removed from the syringe adapter (preferably as a single unit), after which the above process of withdrawing medication using the syringe adapter, affixing a needle holder with needle to the syringe adapter, and then injecting the medication (or some portion thereof) is repeated.
  • the disclosed syringe adapter may be used beneficially for medication that is sold in a single-use dosage. Also, it should be noted that while some discussions herein refer to expelling “the withdrawn medication” or “emptying” the syringe, this is by way of illustration and not of limitation: the scope of the present invention does not require withdrawn medication to be expelled in full nor does it require a syringe to be fully emptied. [0112]
  • the disclosed syringe adapter may be included with purchase (e.g., within the packaging) of a higher- viscosity medication.
  • a multi-pack of the disclosed syringe adapter may be included with such purchase, particularly when the medication is sold in a multi-dose bottle.
  • the disclosed syringe adapter may also be sold separately from medication.
  • a supplier of packaged syringe adapters may ensure that they are sterilized and/or sanitized by distributing them in sealed packaging.
  • Examples of higher- viscosity animal medications with which the disclosed syringe adapter may be used beneficially include Nuflor®, Nuflor Gold®, and Resflor Gold®.
  • Nuflor “Nuflor Gold”, and “Resflor Gold” are registered trademarks of Intervet Inc. in the United States, other countries, or both. Intervet is now known as “Merck Animal Health”.)
  • These medications are commonly sold in 500-milliliter multi-dose bottles and may be administered, by way of example, in dosages of 36 to 60 milliliters per animal. Accordingly, a single multi-dose bottle may be used to treat generally 8 to 14 animals at this dosage range.
  • viscosity of a substance may vary with temperature.
  • Viscosity is commonly measured in units termed “centipoise”, which may be abbreviated as “cP” or “cps”.
  • Water at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, has a viscosity of approximately 1 cps, and by way of comparison, blood generally has a viscosity of about 10 cps.
  • a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit is used as a reference point for measuring cps, and thus when a temperature is not mentioned for a particular cps measurement, it should be assumed that the temperature associated with the stated measurement is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • An embodiment of the present invention is believed to be advantageous for fluid medications having a viscosity of at least 50 to 100 cps at a temperature of at least 5 degrees Celsius, as well as for fluid medications having a higher cps at this temperature (noting, as stated above, that viscosity varies with temperature).
  • FIG. 22 presents tables containing measurements from tests conducted to compare use of a sample version of the disclosed syringe adapter to use of conventional needles.
  • the tested medication was Resflor Gold®, and a withdrawn quantity thereof was 30 cc (computed as a desired volume for treating an animal with a body weight of 500 pounds). Results of these tests will now be discussed.
  • a 16-gauge needle has a larger tip opening (i.e., a larger inside) than an 18-gauge needle, and will therefore withdraw a solution faster than the 18-gauge, although the 16-gauge needle is thought to be disfavored for at least some situations because it may allow the (relatively expensive) medication to leak out of the animal during the medicating process.
  • a 16-gauge needle is thought to be too large to use on smaller animals.
  • the diameter of the opening in the distal end of the syringe adapter was approximately 0.094 inches.
  • a preferred diameter for the hole, or opening, in the distal end of the syringe adapter is about 0.10 inches
  • embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to this preferred diameter, as noted earlier. Instead, a syringe adapter as disclosed herein may have an opening, or distal end hole, within any suitable range.
  • additional experiments and testing have been performed using syringe adapter prototypes with a range of sizes for the distal end opening of the syringe adapter, in view of both draw time and impact upon the rubber membrane, and those results will now be discussed.
  • an inner diameter of the distal end opening in the syringe adapter preferably provides compatibility with the size of an inner diameter of the distal end opening into such syringe.
  • using a syringe adapter distal end opening with an inner diameter on the order of the 0.1 inch measurement previously noted herein provides compatibility with a plurality of different syringe opening sizes.
  • a standard opening size for the 16-gauge needle used in the testing of FIG. 22 is about 0.047 inches, and that the above discussion of FIG. 9 referred to an example where the diameter of the distal end of conical portion 940 is approximately .156 inches (and when using a sidewall thickness of 0.05 inches, an inner diameter of approximately 0.056 inches). Additional experiments and testing used prototypes with additional opening sizes at the distal end of the syringe adapter to validate earlier conclusions. Draw times using conditions analogous to Test #1 of FIG.
  • the prototype having a distal end inner diameter of 0.078125 inches yielded an average draw time of 8.45 seconds, showing very significant improvement over the next-smaller 0.0625 inch opening. All remaining prototype sizes in this testing (ranging from 0.09375 inches to 0.17185 inches) showed an average draw time within 0.5 seconds of the prototype with the 0.09 inch inner diameter - notably leveling off in draw time improvement, in spite of increasing the distal end inner diameter, to a variance that will not be detectable by a user.
  • a preferred inner diameter of the distal end opening in the syringe adapter is in the range of about 0.05 inches to about the maximum size of the distal end opening into the syringe (believed to be about 0.1585 inches, as noted above), and more preferably, this inner diameter is about 0.078 inches to about 0.14 inches, and even more preferably, is about 0.09 inches to about 0.11 inches, and generally, is about 0.10 inches.
  • a consideration for the outer diameter of the distal end of the syringe adapter is the impact of inserting the distal end of the syringe adapter into the rubber membrane affixed to the top of the bottle. It is noted that some vendors state (for example, in a label affixed to a medicine bottle or perhaps in its accompanying literature) an upper limit on the number of times the rubber membrane can safely be punctured. An example is commercially known, for example, in which the label states that the rubber membrane should not be punctured more than 20 times. This limit is believed to be due to a potentially compromising effect that the puncturing tip of a sharp needle may have on the rubber membrane (where, for example, compromising the rubber membrane may enable the fluid medication to leak out).
  • an upper bound on the outer diameter of the distal end of the syringe adapter is preferably about 0.1815 inches for a rubber membrane sized at about 0.75 inches and a corresponding dimple of about 0.1750 inches. In a more general case, an upper bound on the outer diameter of the distal end of the syringe adapter is approximately about the size of the dimple of the rubber membrane.
  • an embodiment of the present invention improves syringeability of higher- viscosity medications, allowing such medication to be withdrawn from a bottle in much less time as compared to the known approach of withdrawal using a needle. More animals may therefore be medicated in a given period of time, leading to improved productivity of persons caring for the animals as well as enabling overall improved health for the animals. No longer will higher viscosity be a barrier to the market, and because medication of this type will be more readily administered when using a syringe adapter as disclosed herein, improvement may be expected in animal health, and market share and/or market presence for the medication may improve as well.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Anesthesiology (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Hematology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un appareil amélioré pour l'injection de médicaments présentant une viscosité relativement élevée. L'adaptateur de seringue selon l'invention possède une ouverture qui est relativement grande, par rapport à une aiguille classique et, par conséquent, améliore l'injectabilité par seringue de médicaments à viscosité plus élevée. Certains modes de réalisation présentent une extension latérale qui empêche l'insertion de l'adaptateur de seringue trop loin dans un flacon de médicament, ainsi qu'un composant qui aide à une préhension ferme. Lorsque l'adaptateur de seringue selon l'invention est fixé à une seringue à poignée-pistolet ou à languette de préhension, le médicament aspiré peut être administré plus facilement. Selon certains modes de réalisation, l'adaptateur de seringue sera remplacé par une aiguille avant l'injection du médicament tandis que, selon d'autres modes de réalisation, l'aiguille est fixée à l'adaptateur de seringue en place pour l'injection. Selon encore d'autres modes de réalisation, l'aiguille est fixée au porte-aiguille qui, à son tour, est fixé à l'adaptateur de seringue en place pour l'injection.
PCT/US2020/061523 2019-11-27 2020-11-20 Adaptateur de seringue pour médicament WO2021108257A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA3158155A CA3158155A1 (fr) 2019-11-27 2020-11-20 Adaptateur de seringue pour medicament

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US16/698,471 2019-11-27
US16/698,471 US10709850B2 (en) 2018-06-15 2019-11-27 Syringe adapter for medication

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2021108257A1 true WO2021108257A1 (fr) 2021-06-03
WO2021108257A8 WO2021108257A8 (fr) 2022-01-20

Family

ID=76130715

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2020/061523 WO2021108257A1 (fr) 2019-11-27 2020-11-20 Adaptateur de seringue pour médicament

Country Status (2)

Country Link
CA (1) CA3158155A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2021108257A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20230060227A1 (en) * 2021-09-01 2023-03-02 Tissuecor, Llc Device and system for injecting biological tissue
US11957569B2 (en) 2019-02-28 2024-04-16 Tissuecor, Llc Graft tissue injector

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4046145A (en) * 1976-06-29 1977-09-06 American Hospital Supply Corporation Syringe connector
US6511472B1 (en) * 1999-05-21 2003-01-28 Microtherapeutics, Inc. Interface needle and method for creating a blunt interface between delivered liquids
US20060047251A1 (en) * 2002-10-22 2006-03-02 Philip Bickford Smith Medical small-bore tubing system and kit
US20070203451A1 (en) * 2006-02-24 2007-08-30 Mitsuo Murakami Minute quantity medicine administration set
KR20120107161A (ko) * 2011-03-21 2012-10-02 휴먼티슈코리아주식회사 의료용 주사기용품세트, 고압적용가능한 주사기용품과 주사침 이탈방지를 위한 고정장치
US20130178806A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2013-07-11 Becton Dickinson France Drug delivery device with safe connection means
WO2014145959A1 (fr) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Windgap Medical, Inc. Système de mélange et d'administration de médicament détachable et portable et méthode
USD736915S1 (en) * 2014-01-29 2015-08-18 Joseph P. Schultz Double shielded medical connector
KR102047319B1 (ko) * 2019-06-04 2019-11-21 박목순 장착이 용이한 주사기용 니들허브 이탈방지캡

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4046145A (en) * 1976-06-29 1977-09-06 American Hospital Supply Corporation Syringe connector
US6511472B1 (en) * 1999-05-21 2003-01-28 Microtherapeutics, Inc. Interface needle and method for creating a blunt interface between delivered liquids
US20060047251A1 (en) * 2002-10-22 2006-03-02 Philip Bickford Smith Medical small-bore tubing system and kit
US20070203451A1 (en) * 2006-02-24 2007-08-30 Mitsuo Murakami Minute quantity medicine administration set
US20130178806A1 (en) * 2010-03-10 2013-07-11 Becton Dickinson France Drug delivery device with safe connection means
KR20120107161A (ko) * 2011-03-21 2012-10-02 휴먼티슈코리아주식회사 의료용 주사기용품세트, 고압적용가능한 주사기용품과 주사침 이탈방지를 위한 고정장치
WO2014145959A1 (fr) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Windgap Medical, Inc. Système de mélange et d'administration de médicament détachable et portable et méthode
USD736915S1 (en) * 2014-01-29 2015-08-18 Joseph P. Schultz Double shielded medical connector
KR102047319B1 (ko) * 2019-06-04 2019-11-21 박목순 장착이 용이한 주사기용 니들허브 이탈방지캡

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11957569B2 (en) 2019-02-28 2024-04-16 Tissuecor, Llc Graft tissue injector
US20230060227A1 (en) * 2021-09-01 2023-03-02 Tissuecor, Llc Device and system for injecting biological tissue

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2021108257A8 (fr) 2022-01-20
CA3158155A1 (fr) 2021-06-03

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US11071834B2 (en) Syringe adapter for medication
US11173257B2 (en) Syringe adapter for medication
US11446450B2 (en) Syringe adapter for medication
US11097058B2 (en) Syringe adapter for medication
CA3103933C (fr) Adaptateur de seringue pour medicament pour animaux
US9539397B2 (en) Steroid delivery system
WO2021108257A1 (fr) Adaptateur de seringue pour médicament
US20230139411A1 (en) Container adapter for removably attachable syringe
US20200405978A1 (en) Syringe adapter for medication
WO2014074920A1 (fr) Procédé et appareil destinés à ajouter des tampons et d'autres substances à des cartouches médicales
CA3110931A1 (fr) Adaptateur de seringue pour medicament
US20120214124A1 (en) High Volume Carpule System
CA3153721A1 (fr) Adaptateur de seringue pour medicament
CA3121133A1 (fr) Adaptateur de seringue pour medicament
CN210844579U (zh) 灌肠给药器及其套组
US20140224376A1 (en) Methods and systems for buffering solutions with controlled tonicity
US10206856B1 (en) Apparatus for fluid administration to an individual
AU2013251200B2 (en) Steroid delivery system

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 20892832

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

ENP Entry into the national phase

Ref document number: 3158155

Country of ref document: CA

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 20892832

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1