System and method for syringe fluid fill verification

• US 10,039,889 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Cowan, Kevin P., Spohn, Michael A., McDermott, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): OSINSKI, BRADLEY JAMES
• Application Number:
  US15/634,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20170290993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3313 used specific wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3362 with minimised length of fluid lines; Taking into account the elastic expansion of fluid lines to increase accuracy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3134 characterised by constructional features of the distal end, i.e. end closest to the tip of the needle cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/365 Air detectors A61M5/1684 takes precedence; in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3626
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/02 : by gauge glasses or other apparatus involving a window or transparent tube for directly observing the level to be measured or the level of a liquid column in free communication with the main body of the liquid

Abstract

A fluid injection system and a fluid verification system for confirming that a syringe, containing a fluid for injection, is fully filled with fluid and neither has free space (i.e., air) near the distal end thereof when the syringe is provided in an upright position nor contains air bubbles. Imaging processing techniques and systems are also provided to determine various injection parameters and to verify the type and certain properties of fluid that is present within a syringe.

Claims

1. A syringe configured for use with a powered injector, the syringe comprising:

a barrel comprising a distal end having a tapered, conical surface, wherein the barrel defines an interior volume configured to receive a fluid, and a proximal end configured to be releasably connected to the powered injector; and

a plunger slideably disposed in the barrel to advance through the barrel to expel the fluid therefrom, the plunger comprising a substantially conical shape having an exterior distal surface, wherein at least a portion of the distal surface is tinted a conspicuous color to reflect at least a portion of incident electromagnetic radiation off a surface of the barrel toward the distal end of the barrel such that a reflected identification brightness pattern of the same conspicuous color is formed at a predetermined portion of the tapered, conical surface of the distal end of the barrel when the syringe is filled with the fluid.

2. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern is indicative of at least one property of at least one of the syringe and the fluid.

3. The syringe of claim 2, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern is not formed at the predetermined portion of the tapered, conical surface of the distal end of the barrel when the syringe is completely or partially filled with air.

4. The syringe of claim 2, wherein the at least one property of at least one of the syringe and the fluid comprises an identity of the fluid in the syringe.

5. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the plunger comprises a plunger cover on the distal surface, wherein at least a portion of the plunger cover is tinted the conspicuous color.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern of the same conspicuous color comprises a halo of the conspicuous color formed at the predetermined portion of the tapered, conical surface of the distal end of the barrel.

7. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the conspicuous color is selected from the group consisting of red, green, orange, and yellow.

8. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern of the same conspicuous color is noticeable by visual inspection when the syringe is filled with the fluid.

9. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the tapered, conical surface of the distal end has a taper angle of from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

10. The syringe of claim 9, wherein the tapered, conical surface of the distal end has a taper angle of about 45 degrees.

11. A syringe configured for use with a powered injector, the syringe comprising:

a barrel comprising a distal end having an angled surface and defining an interior volume configured to receive a fluid, and a proximal end configured to be releasably connected to the powered injector; and

a plunger comprising a substantially conical shape slideably disposed in the barrel,

wherein at least a portion of a distal surface of the plunger is tinted a conspicuous color to reflect at least a portion of incident electromagnetic radiation off a surface of the syringe barrel toward the distal end of the barrel such that a reflected identification brightness pattern of the same conspicuous color is formed at a predetermined portion of the angled surface of the distal end of the barrel when the syringe is filled with the fluid.

12. The syringe of claim 11, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern is indicative of at least one property of at least one of the syringe and the fluid.

13. The syringe of claim 12, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern is not formed at the predetermined portion of the angled surface of the distal end of the barrel when the syringe is completely or partially filled with air.

14. The syringe of claim 11, wherein the angled surface of the distal end of the barrel is a tapered surface.

15. The syringe of claim 14, wherein the tapered surface of the distal end has a taper angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

16. The syringe of claim 11, wherein the plunger comprises a plunger cover, wherein at least a portion of the plunger cover is tinted the conspicuous color.

17. The syringe of claim 11, wherein the conspicuous color is selected from the group consisting of red, green, orange, and yellow.

18. A method for identifying a property of a syringe or a fluid therein, the method comprising:

providing a syringe comprising;

a barrel comprising a distal end having an angled surface, wherein the barrel defines an interior volume configured to receive a fluid; and

a plunger slideably disposed in the barrel, wherein at least a portion of a distal surface of the plunger is tinted a conspicuous color;

exposing at least the portion of the distal surface of the plunger to electromagnetic radiation such that at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation is reflected from the distal surface of the plunger to produce a reflected identification brightness pattern on a predetermined portion of the angled surface of the distal end of the barrel; and

determining at least one property of the syringe or the fluid based on the reflected identification brightness pattern.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the at least one property of at least one of the syringe and the fluid comprises determining whether the syringe is completely or partially filled with air.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining whether the syringe is completely or partially filled with air comprises observing a presence or absence of the reflected identification brightness pattern having the conspicuous color on the predetermined portion of the angled surface of the distal end of the syringe.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the reflected identification brightness pattern having the conspicuous color comprises a halo of the conspicuous color formed at the predetermined portion of the angled surface.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the plunger comprises a plunger cover, wherein at least a portion of the plunger cover is tinted the conspicuous color.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the conspicuous color is selected from the group consisting of red, green, orange, and yellow.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein an angle of the angled surface of the distal end of the barrel is from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

25. A system for indicating whether a syringe is ready for use in injecting a fluid therein into a patient, the system comprising:

a syringe comprising;

a barrel comprising a distal end having an angled surface, wherein the barrel defines an interior volume configured to receive a fluid; and

a plunger slideably disposed in the barrel; and

an electromagnetic radiation source provided to direct incident electromagnetic radiation onto at least a portion of a distal surface of the plunger,

wherein at least the portion of the distal surface of the plunger is tinted a conspicuous color to reflect the incident electromagnetic radiation such that a reflected identification brightness pattern of the same conspicuous color is formed at a predetermined portion of the distal end of the barrel when the syringe is filled with the fluid, the reflected identification brightness pattern being indicative of at least one property of the syringe or the fluid.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source comprises a light bulb, an LED bulb, a photon emitter, an infrared emitter, a laser, or ambient light.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the plunger comprises a plunger cover, wherein at least a portion of the plunger cover is tinted the conspicuous color.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the conspicuous color is selected from the group consisting of red, green, orange, and yellow.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the angled surface of the distal end has a conical angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one property of at least one of the syringe and the fluid comprises that the syringe is completely or partially filled with air.