Syringe interfaces and adapters for use with medical injectors

• US 20030120212A1
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Cowan, Kevin P., Neill, James R., Castillo, Luis, Hitchins, Mark W., Mutschler, Charles J., Dedig, James Albert, Lazzaro, Frank A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,691,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/58 Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
• 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 5/1458 Means for capture of the plunger flange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/01 Motorized syringe

Abstract

A syringe interface includes a top opening into which a syringe can be loaded, a first retaining member positioned on one side of the opening and a second retaining member positioned on a second side of the opening. The first retaining member and the second retaining member abut a forward facing abutment surface of a syringe flange on the syringe generally symmetrically. The syringe interface further includes a cradle, at least one engagement member to abut a forward facing abutment surface of a syringe flange, and a carriage slidably disposed within the cradle. The carriage includes a connector to form a releasable connection with a plunger or plunger extension of the syringe and a drive member of the injector. The connector includes a plurality of flexing capture members that flex radially outward to connect to a flange on the rear of the plunger or plunger extension of the syringe when the carriage is moved forward within the syringe interface. The syringe interface may further include a connector on a rear portion thereof to connect to the injector.

Claims

15. A syringe interface for connecting a syringe comprising a flange with a forward facing abutment surface and a plunger movably disposed therein to an injector comprising a drive member, the syringe interface comprising:

a cradle member;

at least one engagement member adapted to abut the forward facing abutment surface of the syringe flange; and

a carriage slidably disposed within the cradle, the carriage comprising a plunger connector to form a releasable connection with the syringe plunger and the drive member of the injector, the plunger connector comprising a plurality of flexing capture members that flex radially outward to connect to a flange on the rear of the syringe plunger when the carriage is moved forward within the syringe interface.

16. The syringe interface of claim 15, further comprising an injector connector on a rear portion thereof to connect the syringe interface to the injector.

17. An injector system comprising the syringe interface of claim 15.

18. A syringe adapter for use with a syringe, the syringe including a radially extending flange with a forward facing abutment surface, the adapter including a top opening into which the syringe can be loaded, a first retaining member positioned on one side of the opening and a second retaining member positioned on a second side of the opening, the first retaining member and the second retaining member abutting the forward facing abutment surface of the syringe flange generally symmetrically.

19. The adapter of claim 18 wherein at least one of the first retaining member and the second retaining member includes a flexible, radially inward extending member that flexes radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the adapter and returns to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the adapter.

20. The adapter of claim 19 wherein each of the first retaining member and the second retaining member include a flexible, radially inward extending member that flexes radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the adapter and returns to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the adapter.

21. The adapter of claim 19 wherein the radially inward extending member returns to a radially inward position after loading of the syringe in a manner that causes audible feedback to inform a user that the syringe is properly seated within the syringe adapter.

22. The adapter of claim 19 further including a third retaining member positioned to the rear of the first retaining member and the second retaining member, the third retaining member having generally the same shape as the rearward end of the syringe, the third retaining member being adapted to abut the rearward end of the syringe after the syringe has been loaded into the syringe adapter and the third retaining member has been placed in a closed position to reduce distortion of the shape of the syringe during an injection procedure.

23. The adapter of claim 19, further comprising an injector connector on a rearward end thereof to connect the adapter to a syringe interface of an injector.

24. The adapter of claim 23, further comprising a carriage slidably connected therein, the carriage comprising a plunger connector to form a releasable connection with a plunger of the syringe.

25. An injector system comprising a powered injector, the powered injector including at least a first drive member for pressurizing a fluid within a first syringe, a cradle extending forward of a first opening in the injector through which the drive member communicates with the interior of the first syringe, at least a first syringe adapter retention mechanism on a forward end of the cradle, and a first adapter for attaching the first syringe to the injector, the first adapter including a releasable attachment mechanism for releasably attaching the first adapter to the first adapter retention mechanism, the first adapter further including a top opening into which the first syringe can be loaded, a first retaining member positioned on one side of the opening and a second retaining member positioned on a second side of the opening, the first retaining member and the second retaining member abutting the forward facing abutment surface generally symmetrically, each of the first retaining member and the second retaining member includes a flexible, radially inward extending member that flexes radially outward when contacted by the first syringe during loading of the first syringe into the adapter and returns to a radially inward position once the first syringe is loaded within the adapter.

26. The injector of claim 25 wherein the radially inward extending member returns to a radially inward position after loading of the syringe in a manner that causes audible feedback to a user to let the user know the syringe is properly seated within the syringe adapter.

27. The injector of claim 25, further comprising a third retaining member positioned to the rear of the first retaining member and the second retaining member, the third retaining member having generally the same shape as the rearward end of the syringe, the third retaining member being adapted to abut the rearward end of the syringe after the syringe has been loaded into the syringe adapter and the third retaining member has been placed in a closed position to reduce distortion of the shape of the syringe during an injection procedure.

28. An injector system comprising a powered injector including at least a first drive member for pressurizing a fluid within a first syringe and a second drive member for pressurizing fluid within a second syringe, a cradle extending forward of a first opening in the injector through which the first drive member communicates with the interior of the first syringe and a second opening in the injector through which the second drive member communicates with the interior of the second syringe, a first syringe adapter retention mechanism on a forward end of the cradle, a second syringe adapter retention mechanism on a forward end of the cradle, the injector system further including a first adapter for attaching the first syringe to the injector, and a second adapter for attaching the second syringe to the injector, at least the first adapter including a releasable attachment mechanism for releasably attaching the first adapter to the first adapter retention mechanism, the first adapter including a top opening into which the syringe can be loaded, a first retaining member being positioned on one side of the opening and a second retaining member being positioned on a second side of the opening, the first retaining member and the second retaining member abutting the forward facing abutment surface on the first syringe generally symmetrically, each of the first retaining member and the second retaining member includes a flexible, radially inward extending member that flexes radially outward when contacted by the first syringe during loading of the first syringe into the adapter and returns to a radially inward position once the first syringe is loaded within the adapter.

29. A syringe interface for connecting a syringe comprising a flange with a forward facing abutment surface and a plunger movably disposed therein to an injector comprising a drive member, the syringe interface comprising:

a cradle member;

at least one engagement member adapted to abut the forward facing abutment surface of the syringe flange;

a support attached to the engagement member and extending forward;

a heater attached to the support to contact the syringe to transfer heat energy to the contents of the syringe;

a carriage slidably disposed within the cradle, the carriage comprising a plunger connector to form a releasable connection with the syringe plunger and the drive member of the injector.

1. A syringe interface for connecting a syringe comprising a flange with a forward facing abutment surface and a plunger movably disposed therein to an injector comprising a drive member, the syringe interface comprising:

a top opening into which the syringe can be loaded;

a first retaining member positioned on one side of the opening; and

a second retaining member positioned on a second side of the opening, the first retaining member and the second retaining member abutting the forward facing abutment surface of the syringe flange generally symmetrically.

2. The syringe interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first retaining member and the second retaining member comprises a radially inward extending member that moves radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the syringe interface and returns to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the syringe interface.

3. The syringe interface of claim 2 wherein each of the first retaining member and the second retaining member comprises a radially inward extending member that moves radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the syringe interface and returns to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the syringe interface.

4. The syringe interface of claim 2 wherein the radially inward extending member returns to a radially inward position after loading of the syringe in a manner that causes audible feedback to inform a user that the syringe is properly seated within the syringe interface.

5. The syringe interface of claim 1, further comprising a carriage slidably connected therein comprising a plunger connector to form a releasable connection with the plunger of the syringe and the drive member of the injector.

6. The syringe interface of claim 5 wherein the carriage slides within a cradle section of the syringe interface positioned in front of the injector connector.

7. The syringe interface of claim 5 wherein the plunger connector comprises a plurality of flexing capture members that flex radially outward to connect to a flange on the rear of the syringe plunger when the carriage is moved forward within the syringe interface.

8. The syringe interface of claim 7 wherein the carriage further comprises a drive member connector to form a releasable connection with the drive member.

9. The syringe interface of claim 8 wherein the drive member connector comprises at least one abutment flange to form an abutting connection with at least one radially projecting member of the drive member.

10. The syringe interface of claim 9 wherein the drive member connector can be connected to the drive member regardless of the orientation of the carriage about its axis relative to the drive member.

11. The syringe interface of claim 1, further comprising a connector on a rear portion thereof to connect the syringe interface to the injector.

12. An injector system comprising the syringe interface of claim 1.

13. A method of attaching a syringe comprising a flange and a plunger movably disposed therein to the syringe interface of claim 1, the method comprising:

loading the syringe into the top opening of the syringe interface; and

engaging the syringe flange with the first and second retaining members of the syringe interface.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

engaging the syringe plunger with the plunger connector of the syringe interface.

30. The syringe interface of claim 29 wherein the support includes a passage therein through which force can be applied to the barrel of the syringe to assist in removing the syringe from the syringe interface.

31. The syringe interface of claim 29, further comprising an injector connector on a rear portion thereof to connect the syringe interface to the injector.

32. The syringe interface of claim 29 wherein the engagement member comprises a radially inward extending retaining member that moves radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the syringe interface and returns to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the syringe interface.

33. The syringe interface of claims 32 wherein the retaining member is formed of a flexible material.

34. The syringe interface of claims 32 wherein the retaining member is biased by a biasing element.

35. The syringe interface of claims 29 wherein the heater comprises two heating element that contact a barrel of the syringe an opposing sides thereof.

36. The syringe interface of claims 34 wherein the heating elements conform generally to the shape of the syringe barrel.

37. An injector system comprising an injector and the syringe interface of claim 29.

38. A method of attaching a syringe comprising a flange and a plunger movably disposed therein to the syringe interface of claim 29, the method comprising:

loading the syringe into a top opening of the syringe interface;

engaging the syringe flange with the engagement member of the syringe interface; and

engaging a barrel of the syringe with the heater.

42. The syringe interface of claims 38 wherein the engagement member further includes an abutment to the rear of the retaining members to abut a flange on the rear of the syringe.

43. The syringe interface of claim 2 wherein the radially inward extending member is biased by a biasing element.

44. The syringe interface of claim 2 wherein the radially inward extending member is fabricated from a flexible material.

35-1. The syringe interface of claims 34 wherein the heating elements move radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the syringe interface and return to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the syringe interface.

39. A syringe interface for connecting a syringe to an injector comprising a drive member, the syringe interface comprising:

an injector connector on a rear portion of the syringe interface to connect the syringe interface to an injector;

at least one engagement member adapted to abut the syringe and retain the syringe in connection with the adapter when under axial loading from the injector;

a support attached to the engagement member and extending forward; and

a heater attached to the support to contact the syringe to transfer heat energy to the contents of the syringe.

40. The syringe interface of claim 39 wherein the support includes a passage therein through which force can be applied to the barrel of the syringe to assist in removing the syringe from the syringe interface.

41. The syringe interface of claim 39 wherein the engagement member comprises two radially inward extending retaining member that move radially outward when contacted by the syringe during loading of the syringe into the syringe interface and return to a radially inward position once the syringe is loaded within the syringe interface.