MEDICAL CONTAINER

• US 20100204658A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Imai, Masaomi
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/222
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3104 Caps for syringes without needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/28 Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31505 Integral with the syringe barrel, i.e. connected to the barrel so as to make up a single complete piece or unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31513 Piston constructions to improve sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/32 Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub infusion needles A61M5/158; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body A61M5/42, A61M5/46 take precedence; guide needles for catheters A61M25/065; Devices for protection of needles apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising needles A61M5/001

Abstract

A medical container including a gasket. Before liquid is injected and discharged (first state), sufficient air-tightness and liquid-tightness are maintained by strong force of fitting of an elastic ring member, fitted on a large diameter part of a gasket body member, relative to a circular tube body. When liquid is injected and discharged (second state), which is a state in which the elastic ring member has been slid from the large diameter part of the gasket body member to a position where the elastic ring member is fitted on the small diameter part of the gasket body member, the fitting force of the elastic ring member, fitted on the small diameter part of the gasket body member, relative to the circular tube body is smaller than the fitting force before liquid is injected and discharged (first state). The construction reduces sliding resistance of the gasket against the circular tube body.

Claims

1. A medical container comprising:

a circular tube body;

a cylindrical gasket sliding in the circular tube body in an air-right and/or liquid-tight manner; and

a liquid passage formed on a tip side through the circular tube body or the gasket,

wherein the gasket is composed of a gasket body member having a cylindrical outside shape, and an elastic ring member fitted on the gasket body member,

the gasket body member has a fitting portion for fitting in the elastic ring member, the fitting portion having a large diameter part and a small diameter part,

an inside diameter of the elastic ring member is smaller than the large diameter part in a natural state, while an outside diameter of the elastic ring member is larger than an inside diameter of the circular tube body in a state where the elastic ring member is fitting on the large diameter part, and

the elastic ring member is fitted onto the small diameter part in a second state by sliding the gasket in a longitudinal axial direction from a first state in which the elastic ring member is fitted on the large diameter part inside the circular tube body.

2. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein in the first state, an outer circumferential portion of the elastic ring member and an inside surface of the circular tube body make contact with each other on a circumference.

3. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein fitting force between an outer circumferential portion of the elastic ring member and an inside surface of the circular tube body is greater in the first state than in the second state.

4. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein an outer circumferential portion of the gasket body member has at least one peak which extends continuously and makes contact with the circular tube body in an air-tight and/or liquid-tight manner.

5. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein an outside surface of the gasket body member and/or the inner circumference of the elastic ring member has been coated with a lubricant or subjected to a surface treatment.

6. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein sliding resistance between the elastic ring member and the gasket body member is smaller than sliding resistance between the elastic ring member and the circular tube body.

7. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein the large diameter part is located on an base end side relative to the small diameter part, and

the elastic ring member in the first state is brought into the second state by movement of the gasket body member in a direction toward a base end relative to the circular tube body.

8. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein the large diameter part is located on a tip side relative to the small diameter part, and

the elastic ring member in the first state is brought into the second state by movement of the gasket body member in a direction toward the tip relative to the circular tube body.

9. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein the elastic ring member has a portion which is compressed between the gasket body member and the circular tube body in the first state.

10. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein the elastic ring member has an engaging portion for engagement with a boundary portion between the large diameter part and the small diameter part in the first state.

11. The medical container according to claim 1, wherein the elastic ring member is out of contact with the circular tube body in the second state.

12. The medical container according to claim 1, which is preliminarily filled with a medicine.