Injector

• US 20040024361A1
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc), Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Fago, Frank M., Neer, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 6,929,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1402 Priming
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1403 Flushing or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14553 comprising a pressure jacket
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1458 Means for capture of the plunger flange
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An injector 20 that may be used to deliver radiographic contrast media and/or flushing solution into a patient'"'"'s vascular system for the purposes such as obtaining enhanced diagnostic x-ray images. The injector includes the following features: (1) a syringe mount 26 for attachment of a syringe 28 to the injector 20; (2) display 34 and controls 90 for volume and flow rates; (3) automatic limiting of the operating pressure of the injector 20 as determined by the selection of a flow rate; (4) a syringe cradle 48 having a warming capability; (5) a purge/retract trigger 36 for control of the injection procedure having intuitive direction (i.e., forward for injecting, reverse for filing), non-contact control transmission through the housing of an injector 20 for an improved seal integrity, a speed lock, and/or the ability to change the concentration and/or flow rate of media or other fluid during an injection procedure; (6) a switch to determine when the drive ram 46 is in a “home” position; (7) a “soft” on/off power switch separate from the injector; and (8) a structure to prevent rotation of the drive ram 46 about its axis of symmetry 76. Additionally, the injector system includes software for the control of various components.

Claims

1. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a syringe mount engageable with a syringe to position said syringe relative to said injector to permit said drive ram to engage and move a plunger within said syringe;

wherein said syringe mount includes first and second members, said first member being pivotable toward and away from said second member such that said first member may be placed in a first position or a second position.

2. The injector of claim 1 wherein said first member is in said first position when said syringe mount is not engaged with said syringe.

3. The injector of claim 1 wherein said first member is in said second position when said syringe mount is engaged with said syringe.

4. The injector of claim 1 wherein said first and second members each have an arcuate surface.

5. The injector of claim 4 wherein said first member is biased toward said second member when said first member is in said second position and said first and second members grip a sidewall of said syringe between said first and second members to engage said syringe with said syringe mount.

6. The injector of claim 1 further comprising a housing, said syringe mount being adapted to mount a syringe external to said housing.

7. The injector of claim 1 wherein said syringe mount includes first and second movable members, said first and second movable members being pivotable toward and away from one another such that said first and second members may be in a first position or a second position.

8. The injector of claim 7 wherein said first and second movable members are in said first position when said syringe mount is not engaged with said syringe.

9. The injector of claim 7 wherein said first and second movable members are in said second position when said syringe mount is engaged with said syringe.

10. The injector of claim 1 wherein said first and second movable members each have an arcuate surface.

11. The injector of claim 10 wherein said first and second movable members are biased toward one another when in said second position and grip a sidewall of said syringe between the first and second movable members to engage said syringe with said syringe mount.

12. The injector of claim 7 further comprising a housing, said syringe mount being adapted to mount a syringe external to said housing.

13. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a syringe mount engageable with a syringe to position said syringe relative to said injector to permit said drive ram to engage and move a plunger within said syringe;

wherein said syringe mount includes a single member having an arcuate face, said member being elastic to a degree to allow a syringe to be insinuated within said member such that said arcuate face of said member contacts a sidewall of said syringe to grip and hold said syringe.

14. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a drive ram bidirectionally movable in a first ram direction and a second ram direction along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a trigger movable to be displaced in first and second trigger directions, said trigger generating a control signal for said motor such that said drive ram moves along said longitudinal axis in a first ram direction when said trigger is moved in said first trigger direction, wherein said trigger control signal is delivered wirelessly to said motor from said trigger.

15. The injector of claim 14, wherein said drive ram moves in said second ram direction when said trigger is moved in said second trigger direction.

16. The injector of claim 14 wherein said trigger control signal is wirelessly delivered from said trigger to said motor via a magnet.

17. The injector of claim 16 further including a circuit board receiving said trigger control signal and delivering a motor control signal to said motor for facilitating the manipulation of said drive ram.

18. The injector of claim 17 further including a trigger control signal sensor operatively connected to and in communication with said circuit board, said sensor adapted to detect a magnet or magnetic field.

19. The injector of claim 14 wherein said motor and drive ram are further adapted to move bidirectionally along said longitudinal axis at variable velocities.

20. The injector of claim 19 wherein said variable velocities range from a first velocity to a second velocity, which is greater than said first velocity, said variable velocities being dependent upon the degree of displacement of said trigger.

21. The injector of claim 14 further comprising a speed lock operatively connected to said motor.

22. The injector of claim 21 wherein said speed lock is adapted to be placed in first and second positions.

23. The injector of claim 22 wherein said motor and drive ram are adapted to discharge fluid from said syringe at a variable flow rate depending on the degree of displacement of said trigger when said speed lock is in said first position.

24. The injector of claim 22 wherein said motor and drive ram are adapted to discharge fluid from said syringe at a constant flow rate when said speed lock is in said second position.

25. A hand-held injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a housing;

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a heating element, wherein said heating element further comprises an extension operatively connected to said injector external to said housing.

26. The injector of claim 25 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with a syringe and directly and/or indirectly alter the temperature of contents in said syringe.

27. The injector of claim 25 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with a syringe and directly and/or indirectly maintain the temperature of contents in said syringe.

28. The injector of claim 26 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is raised to approximate the temperature of a subject to be injected.

29. The injector of claim 27 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is maintained at approximately the temperature of a subject to be injected.

30. In combination, an injector comprising a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis, a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said axis, and a syringe mount having a syringe engaged in such manner as to position said syringe relative to said injector to permit said drive ram to engage and move a plunger within said syringe;

and

a hanger including a heating element wherein said injector may be operatively connected to said hanger in such manner that any syringe engaged to said syringe mount is in confronting relationship with said heating element.

31. The combination of claim 30 wherein said heating element further comprises an at least partly cylindrical extension in confronting relationship with said syringe.

32. The combination of claim 30 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with said syringe and directly or indirectly alter the temperature of contents in said syringe.

33. The combination of claim 30 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with said syringe and directly or indirectly maintain the temperature of contents in said syringe.

34. The combination of claim 32 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is raised to approximate the temperature of a subject to be injected.

35. The combination of claim 33 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is maintained at approximately the temperature of a subject to be injected.

36. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a control circuit to prevent pressure in excess of a limit from being generated during injection, said limit being determined by a flow rate generated by the injector.

37. The injector of claim 36 further comprising a stop circuit to terminate injection if the fluid injection pressure exceeds a predetermined limit.

38. The injector of claim 37 wherein said stop circuit terminates said injection when said fluid injection pressure exceeds said predetermined limit for a predetermined period of time.

39. The injector of claim 37 wherein said predetermined limit is 250 psi.

40. The injector of claim 36 further comprising a reduction circuit to reduce the flow rate generated by the injector if the fluid injection pressure achieves a predetermined limit.

41. The injector of claim 40 wherein said predetermined limit is 250 psi.

42. A method for automatically limiting the pressure generated in an injector during an injection process, the method comprising:

providing an injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject including a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram, a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis, and a control circuit to prevent pressure in excess of a limit from being generated during injection, said limit being determined by a flow rate generated by the injector;

attaching a syringe filled with fluid contents to said injector;

setting a fluid flow rate for dispensing the contents of said syringe; and

dispensing contents of said syringe into a subject.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising determining pressure variations during the injection process.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising comparing the determined pressure variations to said pressure limit.

45. The method of claim 42 further comprising terminating the injection process if the pressure variations exceed said pressure limit.

46. The method of claim 42 further comprising terminating the injection process if the pressure variations exceed said pressure limit for a predetermined period of time.

47. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a housing;

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a detector disposed within said housing for determining whether a first end of said proximal drive ram is in a first position proximal to the forward end of a housing of said injector, wherein said detector operates in concert with a signal emitting device disposed on said drive ram to detect signals emitted from said signal emitting device.

48. The injector of claim 47 wherein said signal emitting device is a magnet.

49. The injector of claim 47 wherein a signal emitted by said signal emitting device is a magnetic field.

50. The injector of claim 47 further including at least one sensor disposed on said housing of said injector.

51. The injector of claim 50 wherein said drive ram is moveable in a forward or a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis.

52. The injector of claim 51 wherein said drive ram is movable in a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis at a first velocity when said detector does not detect any signals from a signal emitting device disposed on said drive ram.

53. The injector of claim 52 wherein said detector includes a calibrated value corresponding to said first position of said drive ram.

54. The injector of claim 53 wherein said drive ram is movable in a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis at a second velocity when said detector detects signals from a signal emitting device, but said signals do not equal said calibrated value.

55. The injector of claim 53 wherein said detector operatively causes said drive ram to halt at said first position when said detector detects a signal emitted by a signal emitting device, and said signal is equal to said calibrated value.

56. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a housing;

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram, said drive ram having a cross-section of a first shape taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis;

a plate disposed within said housing; and

an orifice disposed through said plate, said orifice having said first shape, and said drive ram being disposed through said orifice;

whereby said first shape prevents rotation of said drive ram about said longitudinal axis.

57. An injector for injecting fluid from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a drive ram bidirectionally movable in a first ram direction and a second ram direction along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a console operatively connected to said injector, said console generating a console control signal for said motor such that said drive ram moves along said longitudinal axis in a first ram direction, wherein said console control signal is delivered remotely to said motor from said console.

58. The injector of claim 57, wherein said drive ram moves in said second ram direction when a second console control signal is delivered remotely to said motor from said console.