Injector

• US 20050038390A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc), Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Fago, Frank M., Neer, Charles, Gibbs, Jonathon D.
• Application Number:
  US10/949,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20050038390A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/187
• 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 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.

2. The injector of claim 1, wherein said drive ram moves in said second ram direction when said trigger is moved in said second trigger direction.

3. The injector of claim 1 wherein said trigger control signal is wirelessly delivered from said trigger to said motor via a magnet.

4. The injector of claim 3 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.

5. The injector of claim 4 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.

6. The injector of claim 1 wherein said motor and drive ram are further adapted to move bidirectionally along said longitudinal axis at variable velocities.

7. The injector of claim 6 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.

8. The injector of claim 1 further comprising a speed lock operatively connected to said motor.

9. The injector of claim 8 wherein said speed lock is adapted to be placed in first and second positions.

10. The injector of claim 9 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.

11. The injector of claim 9 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.

12. The injector of claim 1, further comprising:

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.

13. The injector of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing; and

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

14. The injector of claim 13 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with a syringe and directly and/or indirectly alter the temperature of contents in said syringe.

15. The injector of claim 13 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with a syringe and directly and/or indirectly maintain the temperature of contents in said syringe.

16. The injector of claim 14 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is raised to approximate the temperature of a subject to be injected.

17. The injector of claim 15 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is maintained at approximately the temperature of a subject to be injected.

18. The injector of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing; 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.

19. The injector of claim 18 wherein said signal emitting device is a magnet.

20. The injector of claim 18 wherein a signal emitted by said signal emitting device is a magnetic field.

21. The injector of claim 18 further including at least one sensor disposed on said housing of said injector.

22. The injector of claim 21 wherein said drive ram is moveable in a forward or a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis.

23. The injector of claim 22 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.

24. The injector of claim 23 wherein said detector includes a calibrated value corresponding to said first position of said drive ram.

25. The injector of claim 24 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.

26. The injector of claim 24 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.

27. The injector of claim 1, wherein said drive ram has a cross-section of a first shape taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;

said injector further comprising

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

said injector further comprising;

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.

28. The injector of claim 1, further comprising:

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.

29. The injector of claim 28, 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.