Injectors, injector systems and methods for injecting fluids

• US 20060184124A1
• Filed: 01/21/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Trocki, Mark, Cowan, Kevin P., Reilly, David M., Mishler, David A., Swartz, Paul J., Fularz, Joseph J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,670,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• 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 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407

Abstract

An injector for injection a fluid into a patient, including: a first pressurizing mechanism adapted to operatively connect with a first fluid container to pressurize fluid therein; at least a second pressurizing mechanism to operatively connect with a second fluid container to pressurize a fluid therein; a single drive; and a transmission to control how power from the drive is distributed to the first pressurizing mechanism of the first container and to the second pressurizing mechanism of the second container to control injection of fluid from the first container and from the second container. The drive can, for example, be an electric motor or other drive.

Claims

1. An injector for injection a fluid into a patient, comprising:

a first pressurizing mechanism adapted to operatively connect with a first fluid container to pressurize fluid therein;

at least a second pressurizing mechanism to operatively connect with a second fluid container to pressurize a fluid therein;

a single drive; and

a transmission to control how power from the drive is distributed to the first pressurizing mechanism of the first container and to the second pressurizing mechanism of the second container to control injection of fluid from the first container and from the second container.

2. The injector of claim 1 wherein the transmission is a mechanical transmission with no active electronic actuators.

3. The injector of claim 2 wherein the transmission is fabricated from MR compatible components.

4. The injector of claim 1 wherein the first fluid container is a first syringe and the first pressurizing mechanism is a first drive member adapted to operatively connect with a first plunger slidably disposed within the first syringe, and wherein the second fluid container is a second syringe and the second pressurizing mechanism is a second drive member adapted to operatively connect with a second plunger slidably disposed within the second syringe.

5. The injector of claim 4 wherein the first drive member is in operative connection with a first ball screw that is adapted to be in operative connection with the single drive and the second drive member is adapted to be in operative connection with a second ball screw that is in operative connection with the single drive.

6. The injector of claim 5 wherein the transmission comprises a Sprague clutch gear system, the transmission comprises a moving gear, the transmission comprises a movable gear selector to select one of a plurality of gears to be driven, the transmission comprises a differential gear system or the transmission is a continuously variable transmission.

7. The injector of claim 6 wherein the first drive member is placed in connection with the transmission via a first worm gear and the second drive member is placed in connection with the transmission via a second worm gear.

8. The injector of claim 6 wherein at least one brake system is provided to prevent rearward movement of at least one of the first drive member and the second drive member when the at least one of the first drive member and the second drive member is not being moved by the transmission.

9. The injector of claim 4 wherein at least one brake system is provided to prevent rearward movement of at least one of the first drive member and the second drive member when the at least one of the first drive member and the second drive member is not being moved by the transmission.

10. The injector of claim 1 wherein the drive is a motor.

11. The injector of claim 4 wherein the drive is a motor.

12. The injector of claim 4 wherein the drive is connected a first rigid drive shaft, the first drive shaft being in operative connection with a flexible transfer mechanism for transferring power from the first rigid drive shaft at a first end of the flexible transfer mechanism, the flexible transfer mechanism being in operative connection with a second rigid drive shaft at a second end of the flexible transfer mechanism.

13. The injector of claim 12 wherein the flexible transfer mechanism comprises a belt.

14. The injector of claim 13 wherein the flexible transfer mechanism further comprises a first pulley in operative connection with the first rigid drive shaft and a second pulley in operative connection with the second rigid drive shaft, the first pulley being operatively connected with the second pulley by the belt.

15. The injector of claim 13 wherein the flexible transfer mechanism further comprises a bevel gear and shaft.

16. The injector of claim 12 wherein the flexible transfer mechanism is no greater than 18 inches in length.

17. The injector of claim 12 wherein the flexible transfer mechanism is no greater than 12 inches in length.

18. The injector of claim 14 wherein the first rigid drive shaft includes a first rigid drive shaft member and a second rigid drive shaft member, the second rigid drive shaft member being telescopically connected to the first rigid drive shaft member so that the length of the first rigid drive shaft can be adjusted, the first pulley being in operative connection with the second rigid drive shaft member.

19. The injector of claim 12 wherein the flexible transfer mechanism is a flex shaft.

20. The injector of claim 1 wherein the transmission comprises at least one movable driving element to control how power from the drive is distributed to the first pressurizing mechanism of the first container and to the second pressurizing mechanism of the second container.

21. The injector of claim 20 wherein the at least one movable driving element is a movable gear that is movable to at least a first position in which it is in operative connection with the first pressurizing mechanism and to at least a second position in which it is in operative connection with the second pressurizing mechanism.

22. The injector of claim 21 wherein the moveable gear is linearly movable between the first position and the second position.

23. The injector of claim 21 wherein the moveable gear is rotatable about an axis between the first position and the second position.

24. The injector of claim 21 wherein the moveable gear is movable to at least a third position in which it is in operative connection with first pressurizing mechanism and in operative connection with the second pressurizing mechanism.

25. The injector of claim 23 wherein the transmission comprises a drive gear in operative connection with the moveable gear, the moveable gear being rotatable about the axis of the drive gear while remaining in operative connection with the drive gear to the first position and to the second position.

26. The injector of claim 20 wherein the at least one moveable drive element is a gear selector that is movable to at least a first position in which it causes rotation of a first gear that is in operative connection with the first pressurizing mechanism and is moveable to at least a second position in which it causes rotation of a second gear that is in operative connection with the second pressurizing mechanism.

27. The injector of claim 26 wherein the gear selector is linearly movable within a bore of a driving shaft, the driving shaft having at least a first driving gear and a second driving gear thereon, the first driving gear and the second driving gear being spaced in position on the driving shaft and being rotatable about the shaft until being activated by the gear selector, the first driving gear being in operative connection with the first gear and the second driving gear being in operative connection with the second gear, the gear selector activating the first driving gear in the first position so that the first driving gear rotates with a rotation speed of the driving shaft, and the gear selector activating the second driving gear in the second position so that the first driving gear rotates with a rotation speed of the driving shaft.

28. The injector of claim 27 wherein the gear selector is linearly movable within the driving shaft to at least a third position in which it activates a third driving gear on the driving shaft, the third driving gear being spaced in position on the shaft from the first driving gear and the second driving gear, the third driving gear being rotatable about the shaft until being activated by the gear selector, the third driving gear being in operative connection with a third gear that is in operative connection with the first pressurizing mechanism and a fourth gear that is in operative connection with the second pressurizing mechanism.

29. The injector of claim 27 wherein gear selector includes an abutment member that protrudes through a passage in the driving shaft to contact at least one corresponding abutment member on the first driving gear in the first position and to contact at least one corresponding abutment member on the second gear in the second position.

30. The injector of claim 1 wherein the transmission comprises at least a first continuously variable transmission element so that power from the drive is distributable to at least one of the first pressurizing mechanism or the second pressurizing mechanism in a generally continuously variable manner.

31. The injector of claim 30 wherein the first continuously variable transmission element is adapted to be placed in operative connection with the first pressurizing mechanism so that power from the drive is distributable to the first pressurizing mechanism in a generally continuously variable manner and the transmission further comprises a second continuously variable transmission element that is adapted to be placed in operative connection with the second pressurizing mechanism so that power from the drive is distributable to the second pressurizing mechanism in a generally continuously variable manner.

32. The injector of claim 31 further comprising a controlling linkage between the first continuously variable transmission element and the second continuously variable transmission element so that a generally constant total flow can be maintained.

33. The injector of claim 32 wherein the first continuously variable transmission element comprises a first conical torque input member and the second continuously variable transmission element comprises a second conical torque output member, the second conical member being oriented with respect to the first conical member such that the axis of rotation of the second conical member is parallel to the axis of rotation of the first conical member and wherein a smaller diameter end of the second conical member is adjacent a larger diameter end of the first conical member, input torque from the drive being transferred from the first conical member to the second conical member by an endless belt mechanism in operative connection with the first conical member and the second conical member, the belt mechanism being movable along the axes of the first conical member and the second conical member.

34. The injector of claim 1 wherein reversal of the motion of the drive causes power to be shifted from the first pressurizing mechanism to the second pressurizing mechanism.

35. The injector of claim 1 wherein the transmission comprises at least a first one way clutch gear in operative connection with a drive shaft, the drive shaft being in operative connection with the drive, the first one way clutch gear being driven by the drive shaft upon rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction and slipping upon rotation of the drive shaft in a second direction, opposite to the first direction.

36. The injector of claim 35 wherein the transmission further comprises at least a second one way clutch gear in operative connection with the drive shaft, the second one way clutch gear being driven by the drive shaft upon rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction and slipping upon rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction, the first one way clutch gear being spaced from the second one way clutch gear on the drive shaft.

37. The injector of claim 36 wherein the first one way clutch gear and the second one way clutch gear are linearly movable on the drive shaft.

38. The injector of claim 37 wherein when the first one way clutch gear and the second one way clutch gear are in a first position on the drive shaft, the first one way clutch gear is in operative connection with a first gear which is in operative connection with a the first pressurizing mechanism and the second one way clutch gear is in operative connection with a second gear which is in operative connection with the second pressurizing mechanism.

39. The injector of claim 38 wherein when the first one way clutch gear and the second one way clutch gear are in a second position on the drive shaft, the first one way clutch gear is in operative connection with the second gear and the second one way clutch gear is in operative connection with a third gear which is in operative connection with the first pressurizing mechanism, the first gear and the third gear rotating about the same axis.

40. The injector of claim 39 wherein rotation of the first gear or the third gear rotates a first worm gear shaft upon which the first gear and the second gear are positioned and rotation of the second gear rotates a second worm gear shaft upon which the second gear is positioned.

41. The injector of claim 39 further comprising at least one switching system operable to change the position of the first one way clutch gear and the second one way clutch gear on the drive shaft between the first position and the second position, the switching system comprising a signal communicator adapted to send a signal to the drive to control a direction of rotation of the drive shaft to correspond to a state of the switching system.

42. The injector of claim 41 wherein the switching system comprises a first reverse switch operable when actuated to place the first one way clutch gear and the second one way clutch gear in the second position on the drive shaft, the signal communicator adapted to send a signal to the drive upon actuation of the first reverse switch to cause rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction to cause rearward motion of the first pressurizing mechanism, and a second reverse switch operable when actuated to position the first one way clutch gear and the second one way clutch gear in the second position on the drive shaft, the signal communicator adapted to send a signal to the drive upon actuation of the second reverse switch to cause rotation of the drive shaft in the second first direction to cause rearward motion of the second pressurizing mechanism.

45. The injector of claim 22 wherein the control mechanism is a servo mechanism that is switchable from being in connection with the first drive to being in connection with the second drive.

43. An injector for injection a fluid into a patient, comprising:

at least a first drive member adapted to operatively connect with a first plunger of a first syringe; and

a drive system operatively connectible with the first drive member, wherein the drive system is connected to a first rigid drive shaft, the first rigid drive shaft being in operative connection with a flexible transfer mechanism for transferring power from the first drive shaft at a first end of the flexible transfer mechanism, the flexible transfer mechanism being in operative connection with a second rigid drive shaft at a second end of the flexible transfer mechanism, the second rigid drive shaft being operatively connectible to the first drive member.

44. An injector for injection a fluid into a patient, comprising:

a first pressurizing mechanism adapted to operatively connect with a first fluid container to pressurize fluid therein;

at least a second pressurizing mechanism to operatively connect with a second fluid container to pressurize a fluid therein;

a first drive operatively connectible to the first pressurizing mechanism;

a second drive operatively connectible to the second pressurizing mechanism; and

a single control mechanism to control how power from the first drive is transferred to the pressurizing mechanism of the first container and how power from the second drive is transferred to the pressurizing mechanism of the second container to control injection of fluid from the first container and the second container.

46. An injector comprising a variable speed transmission, the variable speed transmission comprising a drive shaft that can be driven via various gear ratios.

47. The injector of claim 46 further comprising at least one moveable gear selector that is movable to at least a first position in which it causes rotation of a first gear that is in operative connection with the drive shaft and is moveable to at least a second position in which it causes rotation of a second gear that is in operative connection with drive shaft, the first gear and the second gear having different diameters.

48. The injector of claim 47 wherein the gear selector is linearly movable within a bore of the drive shaft, the first gear and a second gear being spaced in position on the drive shaft and being rotatable about the drive shaft until being activated by the gear selector, the gear selector activating the first gear in the first position so that the first gear rotates with a rotational speed of the drive shaft and the gear selector activating the second gear in the second position so that the second gear rotates with the rotational speed of the driving shaft.

49. The injector of claim 48 wherein gear selector includes an abutment member that protrudes through a passage in the drive shaft to contact at least one corresponding abutment member on the first gear in the first position and to contact at least one corresponding abutment member on the second gear in the second position.

50. The injector of claim 48 further comprising a power source adapted to rotate a power shaft, an axis of the power shaft being parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the power shaft having a first powering gear thereon in operative connection with the first gear and having a second powering gear thereon in operative connection with the second gear.