LOCKING SYRINGE WITH INTEGRATED BIAS MEMBER

• US 20110071393A1
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Innovations Corporation (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medical Innovations Corporation (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Chun, Liu, Yunxing
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3139 Finger grips not integrally formed with the syringe barrel, e.g. using adapter with finger grips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31508 provided on the piston-rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3148 Means for causing or aiding aspiration or plunger retraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31501 Means for blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston A61M5/5013 takes precedence
• 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 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence

Abstract

A locking syringe with an integrated bias member, for delivering medical fluids at high pressure, can include a housing, a shaft, a piston, a cap assembly, a bias member, and a locking member. A distal end of the housing can interface with a patient delivery apparatus. The housing includes an internal cavity into which a distal end of the shaft can be inserted. The piston can be connected to the distal end of the shaft and can include a peripheral sealing surface that can slidably engage the inside surface of the housing to form a movable seal. The cap assembly at the proximal end of the housing can engage the shaft. A base cap can secure the piston within the housing. The bias member can have a distal end coupled to the piston and a proximal end restrained, such as to help pressurize the internal cavity. The user-actuatable locking member can user-selectively engage and inhibit unwanted movement of the shaft.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing including a hollow interior cavity, a distal end, and a proximal end, the distal end configured to interface with a medical device and including an opening into the hollow interior cavity;

a plunger including a shaft and a piston at a distal end of the shaft, the piston including a peripheral sealing surface configured to slidably engage an inside surface of the hollow interior cavity of the housing to form a movable seal, the shaft extending beyond the proximal end of the housing;

a bias member with a distal end coupled to the plunger and a proximal end restrained proximate to the proximal end of the housing, the bias member configured to assist the plunger in pressurizing the hollow interior cavity of the housing; and

a user-actuatable locking member configured to user-selectively inhibit unwanted movement of the plunger when engaged.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shaft of the plunger is threaded;

and

wherein the locking member is configured to engage the threaded portion of the shaft to inhibit unwanted movement of the plunger.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, including a handle assembly comprising:

a base cap coupled to the proximal end of the housing, configured to slidably engage the shaft of the plunger and contain the locking member; and

a handle portion proximate to the base cap and configured to provide a leverage point to assist a user in applying pressure to the plunger.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the handle portion is slidably coupled to the base cap and configured to disengage the locking member when proximal pressure is applied to the handle portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the handle portion includes a ring handle positioned on each side of the housing to form a double ring handle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plunger includes a manual stop ring coupled to the plunger shaft, the manual stop ring configured to limit retraction of the plunger into the housing.

7. A method comprising:

pulling on a proximal end of a plunger of a syringe to fill the syringe with liquid and store energy into a bias member;

engaging a locking member to inhibit release of the energy stored in the bias member and inhibit uncontrolled ejection of the liquid from the syringe;

applying, manually, pressure on the proximal end of the plunger to expel the liquid; and

releasing the energy stored in the bias member by selectively disengaging the locking member.

8. The method of claim 7, including creating pressure within the syringe by the exerting a pressure on the proximal end of the plunger and the releasing the energy stored in the bias member.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising applying pressure to a handle on the syringe to disengage the locking member and release the energy stored in the bias member.

10. The method of claim 7, comprising setting a manual stop on the plunger to limit an amount of liquid expelled from the syringe.

11. The method of claim 7, comprising connecting a patient delivery mechanism to the distal end of the syringe.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid is contrast agent for use in an angiography procedure;

and

wherein a pre-determined amount of contrast agent is expelled into the patient delivery mechanism during an angiography procedure.

13. A syringe comprising:

a housing including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end configured to interface with a patient delivery apparatus, and an internal cavity formed by an inside surface of the housing and the distal end;

a shaft including a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end configured to be inserted into the housing;

a piston including a peripheral sealing surface and connected to the distal end of the shaft, the piston configured to be inserted into the housing through the proximal end of the housing, with the peripheral sealing surface slidably engaging the inside surface of the housing to form a movable seal;

a cap assembly including a base cap engaging the shaft and located at the proximal end of the housing, the base cap configured to secure the piston within the housing;

a bias member with a distal end coupled to the piston, the bias member configured to assist in pressurizing the internal cavity; and

a user-actuatable locking member configured to user-selectively engage the shaft to inhibit unwanted movement of the shaft when engaged.

14. The syringe of claim 13, wherein the locking member is configured to make radial contact with a radial portion of the shaft.

15. The syringe of claim 13, wherein the locking member is spring loaded to maintain engagement with the shaft.

16. The syringe of claim 15, wherein the locking member is configured to ratchet in relationship to the shaft, allowing extension of the shaft and compression of the bias member while inhibiting the shaft from retracting until the locking member is released.

17. The syringe of claim 15, wherein the proximal end of the housing includes a peripheral flange;

and

wherein the cap assembly includes a locking ring configured to engage the peripheral flange on the proximal end of the barrel.

18. The syringe of claim 17, wherein the base cap includes a stepped cylinder with a larger diameter portion on a proximal end oriented towards the proximal end of the shaft;

wherein the cap assembly includes;

a double ring handle portion with a distal and a proximal end, the distal end of the double ring handle engaging the locking ring,

a tension spring including a distal end and a proximal end, enclosed by the double ring handle, the tension spring encircling the base cap and the proximal end of the tension spring coupled to the stepped cylinder and the distal end of the tension spring coupled to the double ring handle portion;

wherein the locking member includes a beveled edge on an outer edge of the locking member; and

wherein the double ring handle includes a beveled peripheral portion on an inside edge of the proximal end of the double ring handle configured to slidably engage the locking member when pressure is applied to the double ring handle toward the proximal end of the housing.

19. The syringe of claim 13, wherein the shaft is threaded;

and

including a manual stop ring threaded on the threaded shaft between the cap assembly and the proximal end of the threaded shaft, the manual stop configured to engage the cap assembly to limit retraction of the threaded shaft into the housing.

20. The syringe of claim 19, wherein the threaded shaft includes graduation marks correlated to an amount of liquid injected;

and

wherein setting the manual stop ring at a particular graduation mark limits the amount of liquid ejected from the syringe.