Dual chamber mixing device for a syringe

• US 10,279,121 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UNL Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: UNL Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Mojdehbakhsh, Ramin, Dungar, Peter J., Palmer, Ashley W., Johannesson, Robert E., Weaver, Philip A., Weir, Aaron M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): Engel, Matthew A
• Application Number:
  US14/920,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20160038688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3123 having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3231 Proximal end of needle captured or embedded inside piston head, e.g. by friction or hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3236 Trigger provided at the distal end, i.e. syringe end for mounting a needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3238 Trigger provided at the proximal end, i.e. syringe end opposite to needle mounting end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/284 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/286 upon internal pressure increase, e.g. pierced or burst A61M5/283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• 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 5/31596 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3234 Fully automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A mixing device and a retractable syringe comprising same are provided. The mixing device comprises concentric outer and inner barrels that form an outer chamber, the inner barrel having an inner chamber. A mixing plunger is slidably located in the outer chamber. A seal located in the outer chamber is capable of axial movement, in response to depression of the mixing plunger, from a first position in sealing engagement with one or more apertures in the inner barrel to a second position intermediate the apertures and vents in the outer barrel. This allows depression of the mixing plunger to force a first substance from the outer chamber through the apertures to mix with a second substance in the inner chamber. The mixed substance in the inner barrel is then delivered by the syringe with subsequent needle retraction.

Claims

1. A mixing device for a syringe, said mixing device comprising:

an inner barrel including an inner chamber,

an outer barrel disposed about at least a portion of the inner barrel, the outer barrel including an outer chamber at least partially formed between the inner barrel and the outer barrel,

a distal seal disposed within the outer chamber, the distal seal separating the outer chamber into a first mixing substance space disposed proximally to the distal seal and a vented space disposed distally to the distal seal,

the outer barrel including at least one vent extending through the outer barrel to fluidly connect the vented space with an exterior of the mixing device, the at least one vent being disposed distally to the distal seal,

at least one aperture extending through the inner barrel and opening into the inner and outer chambers,

the distal seal being slidably disposed within the outer chamber for movement in a distal direction between a first and a second position, the second position being distal to the first position, wherein movement of the distal seal from the first position to the second position expels air from the vented space in the outer barrel through the at least one vent as a volume of the vented space is reduced.

2. The mixing device of claim 1 wherein movement of the distal seal from the first position to the second position results in a reduction in the volume of the vented space.

3. The mixing device of claim 1 wherein the distal seal covers the at least one aperture when the distal seal is disposed in the first position, and the distal seal at least partially uncovers the at least one aperture to fluidly connect the inner chamber and the first mixing substance space when the distal seal is in the second position.

4. The mixing device of claim 1 further including a proximal seal disposed within the outer chamber proximally to the distal seal, the proximal seal being adapted for sliding movement in the distal direction within the outer chamber, the proximal and distal seals along with the inner and outer barrels defining the first mixing substance space, the distal seal and the outer and inner barrels defining the vented space distal to the distal seal.

5. The mixing device of claim 4 wherein movement of the proximal seal in the distal direction results in movement of the distal seal from the first position to the second position and the expulsion of air from the vented space to the exterior of the mixing device.

6. The mixing device of claim 1 further including a mixing plunger axially movable within the outer barrel, movement of the mixing plunger in the distal direction resulting in movement of the distal seal in the distal direction.

7. The mixing device of claim 6 wherein the mixing plunger includes a proximal seal disposed within the outer chamber proximally to the distal seal, the proximal seal being adapted for sliding movement in the distal direction within the outer chamber, the proximal and distal seals along with the inner and outer barrels defining the first mixing substance space, the distal seal and the outer and inner barrels defining the vented space distal to the distal seal, depression of the mixing plunger moving the proximal seal in the distal direction, movement of the proximal seal in the distal direction resulting in movement of the distal seal in the distal direction.

8. The syringe comprising a delivery plunger, a needle and the mixing device according to claim 7, the delivery plunger being axially, slidably movable in the inner chamber.

9. The syringe of claim 8 further including a biasing member capable of storing and releasing energy to facilitate retraction of the needle into the syringe.

10. The syringe of claim 9,

wherein the delivery plunger includes the biasing member, a plunger member, a plunger outer and one or more locking members;

wherein the biasing member is a spring;

wherein the plunger member and plunger outer cooperate to releasably maintain said biasing member in an initially energized state;

the syringe further comprising a needle assembly comprising the retractable needle, wherein the retractable needle comprises a cannula and a needle body engageable by the plunger member.

11. The mixing device of claim 6, further comprising a mixing plunger lock which prevents removal of the mixing plunger from the outer chamber of the mixing device.

12. The mixing device of claim 1 wherein the outer barrel includes a vent cap disposed at a distal end of the outer chamber, the at least one vent extending through the vent cap.

13. The mixing device of claim 12 wherein the outer barrel further includes a cylindrical wall, the vent cap being disposed at a distal end of the cylindrical wall.

14. The mixing device of claim 1 further including a removable safety cap having at least one protrusion corresponding to the at least one vent, the at least one protrusion being disposed within a respective at least one vent and adjacent to or in contact with a distal surface of the distal seal to inhibit axial movement of the distal seal, the at least one protrusion being removable from the at least one vent to fluidly connect the vented space with a exterior of the outer barrel.