Extensible plunger rod for pharmaceutical delivery device

• US 20060178641A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Duoject Medical Systems, Inc
• Original Assignee: Duoject Medical Systems, Inc
• Inventors: Reynolds, David L.
• Application Number:
  US11/292,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/218
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2013 having two piercing ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31508 provided on the piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31518 designed to reduce the overall size of an injection device, e.g. using flexible or pivotally connected chain-like rod members
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2455 with sealing means to be broken or opened
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2466 by piercing without internal pressure increase A61M5/2429 takes 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 5/31515 Connection of piston with piston rod
• 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 5/347 rotatable, e.g. bayonet or screw A61M5/344 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/502 for blocking the piston
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5066 Means for preventing re-use by disconnection of piston and piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 : with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 : Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to cartridges, devices and methods for pharmaceutical constituents for storage, mixing and delivery. Particular embodiments relate to a device and method for pharmaceutical constituent mixing and delivery using a double-chambered cartridge within a socket member, for use as part of a syringe device. Other embodiments relate to a cartridge assembly for storing the pharmaceutical constituents prior to mixing and a method of forming the cartridge assembly. Still further embodiments relate to an extensible plunger for actuation of the delivery device. The extensible plunger is actuated in a first stroke while in its retracted state to mix the constituents and is actuated in a second stroke in its extended state to deliver the mixed constituents to an external volume.

Claims

1. An extensible plunger for a syringe, comprising:

an elongate first member; and

an elongate second member having a piston engagement portion on a distal end thereof for engaging a piston of the syringe for actuation of the piston;

wherein the first member is axially moveable relative to the second member between a retracted position, in which the first and second members substantially mate with each other, and an extended position, in which the second member substantially extends away from the first member.

2. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the first member comprises a shaft and the second member comprises a sleeve for receiving the shaft.

3. The plunger of claim 2, wherein the piston engagement portion is screw-threaded for screw-threaded engagement of the piston.

4. The plunger of claim 2, wherein the shaft and sleeve have corresponding screw threads and extension of the plunger from the retracted position to the extended position is effected by screw rotation of the shaft.

5. The plunger of claim 2, wherein the shaft is slidably received in the sleeve.

6. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the first and second members have cooperating structures tending to retain the first and second members in the retracted position or the extended position.

7. The plunger of claim 2, wherein the shaft is substantially cylindrical and has a head portion having an enlarged diameter portion for cooperating with internal projections of the sleeve to prevent longitudinal detachment of the sleeve from the shaft.

8. The plunger of any of claim 2, wherein the sleeve has a tapered outer surface.

9. The plunger of claim 8, wherein the taper angle of the tapered outer surface is between about 0.5 degrees and 2 degrees.

10. The plunger of claim 8, wherein the outer surface is at least partly substantially frustoconical.

11. The plunger of claim 6, wherein the cooperating structures include at least one outwardly projecting portion on the first member and at least one cavity in the second member for receiving the at least one projecting portion.

12. The plunger of claim 2, wherein the shaft has at least one distal projecting portion and at least one proximal projecting portion and the sleeve has at least one cavity for receiving the at least one distal projecting portion or the at least one proximal projecting portion.

13. The plunger of claim 12, wherein the shaft has at least one resiliently deflectable finger having a respective projecting portion projecting therefrom.

14. The plunger of claim 13, wherein the at least one resiliently deflectable finger is biased toward an outward position in which the respective projecting portion is received in a respective cavity.

15. The plunger of claim 14, wherein the at least one resiliently deflectable finger has a finger activation portion for receiving force from a finger of a user to inwardly deflect the resiliently deflectable finger and thereby cause the respective projecting portion to withdraw from the respective cavity.

16. The plunger of claim 15, wherein the finger activation portion includes surface perturbations to assist the finger to frictionally engage the finger activation portion.

17. The plunger of claim 13, wherein the at least one resiliently deflectable finger comprises:

at least one resiliently deflectable distal finger having a respective distal projecting portion projecting therefrom and;

at least one resiliently deflectable proximal finger having a respective proximal projecting portion projecting therefrom.

18. The plunger of claim 2, wherein an outer surface of the shaft and an inner surface of the sleeve have complimentary shapes for permitting relative longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve.

19. The plunger of claim 18, wherein the complimentary shapes are substantially cruciform in cross-section.

20. The plunger of claim 18, wherein the complimentary shapes are at least partly circular in cross-section.

21. The plunger of claim 18, wherein the complimentary shapes are contoured for screw-threaded engagement of the shaft and the sleeve, permitting relative longitudinal and rotational movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve.

22. The plunger of claim 18, wherein the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve are shaped to resist relative rotational movement of the shaft relative to the sleeve.

23. The plunger of claim 11, wherein the sleeve has a corrugated outer surface.

24. The plunger of claim 11, wherein the sleeve has a ridged outer surface.

25. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the first and second members have cooperating structures for allowing relative longitudinal movement of the first and second members and for preventing relative rotational movement of the first and second members.

26. The plunger of claim 6, wherein the cooperating structures include at least one outwardly projecting portion and at least one cavity for receiving the at least one projecting portion, and wherein the at least one outwardly projecting portion and at least one cavity are formed in respective parts of the first and second members.

27. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the second member comprises a shaft and the first member comprises a sleeve for receiving the shaft.