AUTOFLUSH SYRINGE

• US 20100292672A1
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bee Sight LLC
• Original Assignee: Shi Zi Technology, Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Martin N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/518
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1787 Syringes for sequential delivery of fluids, e.g. first medicament and then flushing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31508 provided on the piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31598 having multiple telescopically sliding coaxial pistons encompassing volumes for components to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31596 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing

Abstract

A syringe includes a cartridge and a second chamber. The cartridge includes a first chamber, a first end having a conduit in liquid communication with the first chamber, a liquid disposed within the first chamber, a second end moveable within the first chamber, and a locking mechanism. The conduit is adapted and configured to rely on a property of the liquid to prevent movement of the liquid out of the first chamber. The locking mechanism is adapted to prevent movement of the second end within the first chamber while in the locked configuration. The cartridge is moveable within the second chamber.

Claims

1. A syringe comprising:

a cartridge comprising;

a first chamber,

a first end having a conduit in liquid communication with the first chamber,

a liquid disposed within the first chamber, wherein the conduit is adapted and configured to rely on a property of the liquid to prevent movement of the liquid out of the first chamber,

a second end, movable within the first chamber, and

a locking mechanism having a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, the locking mechanism being adapted to prevent movement of the second end within the first chamber while in the locked configuration; and

a second chamber, wherein the cartridge is movable within the second chamber.

2. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the conduit is adapted and configured to rely on a property of the liquid to cause a liquid-air interface to form in the conduit that prevents movement of the liquid out of the first chamber.

3. The syringe of claim 1, further comprising a second liquid disposed within the second chamber.

4. The syringe of claim 3, wherein the conduit is further adapted and configured to rely on a property of the second liquid to prevent movement of the second liquid into the first chamber.

5. The syringe of claim 3, further comprising a gas bubble disposed in the conduit between the first liquid and the second liquid.

6. The syringe of claim 5, wherein the gas bubble has a volume that can readily dissolve into solution when injected into a patient.

7. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises about 1 to 10 ml of liquid disposed within the first chamber.

8. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises about 2 to 3 ml of liquid disposed within the first chamber.

9. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the volume of the first chamber is constant while the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration.

10. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a surface finish that contributes to preventing movement of the liquid out of the first chamber.

11. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the dimensions of the conduit contribute to preventing movement of the liquid out of the first chamber.

12. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the conduit has a diameter of about 0.069 inches.

13. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the conduit has a length of about 0.4 inches.

14. The syringe of claim 1, wherein the second end of the cartridge further comprises a handle sized and configured to move the second end within the first chamber when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration.

15. The syringe of claim 14, wherein the handle is configured to move the cartridge within the second chamber when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration.

16. A method of filling a syringe cartridge, the method comprising:

injecting a liquid into a syringe having a cartridge, the cartridge including a first chamber and a conduit connected to the first chamber, wherein the liquid is injected into the first chamber through the conduit; and

using the configuration of the conduit and the properties of the liquid to prevent movement of the liquid out of the conduit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein using the configuration of the conduit and the properties of the liquid to prevent movement of the liquid out of the conduit comprises creating a liquid-air interface within the conduit.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of placing the cartridge within a second chamber of the syringe, wherein the cartridge is movable within the second chamber.

19. The method of claim 16, the injecting step further comprising injecting the liquid into the first chamber through the conduit and through an outlet of a second chamber of the syringe, wherein the cartridge is movable within the second chamber.

20. The method of claim 16, the injecting step further comprising injecting a liquid into the cartridge chamber with a needle positioned within the conduit of the cartridge.

21. A method of using a syringe having a cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises a first chamber, a first end that defines a conduit in liquid communication with the first chamber, and a first liquid disposed within the first chamber, wherein the conduit is adapted and configured to rely on a property of the first liquid to prevent movement of the first liquid out of the first chamber, and wherein the syringe further includes a second chamber having an outlet, the cartridge movable within the second chamber, the method comprising:

drawing a second liquid into the second chamber through the outlet of the second chamber by moving the cartridge within the first chamber, wherein the conduit is further adapted and configured to rely on a property of the second liquid to prevent movement of the second liquid into the first chamber.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second liquid is drawn from a bottle, and wherein the method further comprises injecting air from the second chamber into the bottle prior to drawing the second liquid into the second chamber.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming a gas bubble between the first and second liquids.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

expelling the second liquid from the second chamber through the outlet by moving the cartridge within the second chamber towards the outlet;

releasing a locking mechanism from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration to allow movement of a second end of the cartridge within the first chamber; and

expelling the first liquid from the first chamber through the outlet by moving the second end of the cartridge within the first chamber towards the conduit.

25. The method of claim 24, the expelling the first liquid step further comprising expelling a gas bubble from the conduit through the outlet.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the releasing step further comprises rotating a second end of the cartridge with respect to the first chamber to release the locking mechanism.