DEVICES FOR INJECTING A SUBSTANCE AND METHODS THEREFOR

• US 20110238009A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Nur, Israel, Atlas, Roee, Meron, Moti
• Granted Patent: US 9,278,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/82
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3128 Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3206 Needle or needle hub disconnecting devices forming part of or being attached to the hub or syringe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/204 connected to external reservoirs for multiple refilling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31578 based on axial translation, i.e. components directly operatively associated and axially moved with plunger rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31581 performed by rotationally moving or pivoting actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection lever or handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31596 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3257 Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3287 Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3293 characterised by features of the needle hub
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3294 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

A device for administering injections includes a housing having an upper end, a lower end including a bottom surface with an injection needle opening, and an axis extending between the upper and lower ends. The device includes an injection needle disposed within the housing for moving between a retracted position and an extended position.

Claims

1. A device for administering injections comprising:

at least one syringe barrel;

at least one plunger connected with said at least one syringe barrel;

a plunger base connected with said at least one plunger and is adapted for reciprocal movement along an axis;

a needle housing adapted for reciprocal movement along said axis, said needle housing including at least one catch projecting from an outer surface thereof for selectively coupling said needle housing and said plunger base together for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing and said plunger base in a first direction along said axis; and

at least one catch actuator coupled with said at least one catch for selectively decoupling said needle housing from said plunger base so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another along said axis.

2. A device for administering injections according to claim 1 comprising:

an injection actuator having gear teeth;

a needle housing moveable along an axis and including an outer surface having a rack structure, said needle housing having an injection needle capable of moving from a retracted position to an extended position;

at least one gear interconnecting said gear teeth of said injection actuator with said rack structure of said needle housing for advancing said needle housing along said axis;

at least one syringe barrel;

at least one plunger connected with said at least one syringe barrel;

a plunger base connected with said at least one plunger and is adapted for reciprocal movement along an axis;

at least one catch projecting from an outer surface of said needle housing for selectively coupling said needle housing and said plunger base together for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing and said plunger base in a first direction along said axis; and

at least one catch actuator coupled with said at least one catch for selectively decoupling said needle housing from said plunger base so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another along said axis.

3. A device for administering injections comprising:

a housing having an upper end, a lower end including a bottom surface with an injection needle opening, and an axis extending between said upper and lower ends of said housing;

an injection needle disposed within said housing for moving along said axis between a retracted position in which said injection needle is disposed within said housing and an extended position in which a distal end of said injection needle extends through said injection needle opening at said bottom surface of said housing;

a needle housing having said injection needle projecting therefrom and including an outer surface having a rack structure;

a first syringe barrel and a first plunger connected therewith;

a second syringe barrel and a second plunger connected therewith;

a plunger base connected with said first and second plungers and being adapted for moving simultaneously with said first and second plungers;

at least one conduit providing a fluid path between said first and second syringe barrels and said injection needle;

at least one catch projecting from an outer surface of said needle housing for selectively coupling said needle housing and said plunger base together for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing and said plunger base along said axis;

at least one catch actuator coupled with said at least one catch for selectively decoupling said needle housing from said plunger base so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another along said axis; and

a plunger spring in contact with said plunger base, wherein said plunger spring is compressible when said at least one catch of said needle housing is coupled with said plunger base for storing energy in said plunger spring, wherein said at least one catch is adapted for being decoupled from said plunger base by said at least one catch actuator when said needle housing is in the extended position so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another and said energy stored in said plunger spring urges said plunger base to drive said first and second plungers into said respective first and second syringe barrels, wherein said device is adapted to dispense a substance having at least two components when said injection needle is in said extended position.

4. A device for administering injections comprising:

at least one reservoir containing a liquid component;

at least one syringe barrel in fluid communication with said at least one reservoir;

at least one plunger connected with said at least one syringe barrel and being moveable in a first direction for drawing said liquid component into said at least one syringe barrel;

a plunger base connected with said at least one plunger;

a needle housing adapted to be coupled with said plunger base for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing, said plunger base, and said at least one plunger in said first direction; and

an injection actuator being engageable with said needle housing via at least one gear for moving said needle housing in said first direction, wherein said device is adapted to allow automatic loading of said at least one syringe barrel with said liquid component.

5. A device for administering injections comprising:

a housing having an upper end, a lower end including a bottom surface with an injection needle opening, and an axis extending between said upper and lower ends of said housing;

an injection needle disposed within said housing for moving along said axis between a retracted position in which said injection needle is disposed within said housing and an extended position in which a distal end of said injection needle extends through said injection needle opening at said bottom surface of said housing;

a first conduit for directing a first liquid component toward said injection needle;

a second conduit for directing a second liquid component toward said injection needle; and

an injection actuator coupled with said injection needle for moving said injection needle from said retracted position to said extended position and advancing said first and second liquid components toward said injection needle for dispensing a liquid solution including said first and second liquid components from said distal end of said injection needle.

6. The device according to claim 5, further comprising a mixing chamber located between distal ends of said first and second conduits and a proximal end of said injection needle, said mixing chamber being adapted for combining said first and second liquid components into said liquid solution and directing said liquid solution into said proximal end of said needle.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising an injection needle housing being adapted to hold said injection needle, said injection needle housing having an upper end and a lower end, wherein said distal end of said injection needle projects from said lower end of said injection needle housing, and wherein said injection actuator is coupled with said injection needle housing.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising a needle hub connected with a proximal end of said injection needle for connecting said injection needle with said injection needle housing and directing said first and second liquid components toward said proximal end of said injection needle, wherein said needle hub includes said mixing chamber.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said first conduit has a proximal end and a distal end in fluid communication with said mixing chamber, and said second conduit has a proximal end and a distal end in fluid communication with said mixing chamber.

10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first reservoir in fluid communication with said proximal end of said first conduit for storing said first liquid component; and

a second reservoir in fluid communication with said proximal end of said second conduit for storing said second liquid component.

11. The device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first syringe barrel in fluid communication with said first conduit, and a first plunger in said first barrel for alternatively drawing said first liquid component into said first barrel and dispensing said first liquid component from said first barrel and into said first conduit;

a second syringe barrel in fluid communication with said second conduit, and a second plunger in said second barrel for alternatively drawing said second liquid component into said second barrel and dispensing said second liquid component from said second barrel and into said second conduit; and

a plunger base moveable along said axis of said housing and being connected with said first and second plungers for ensuring simultaneous movement of said first and second plungers between said upper and lower ends of said housing so that said first and second liquid components are simultaneously drawn into and dispensed from said first and second syringe barrels.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said first conduit comprises:

a first one-way check valve for directing flow of said first liquid component in a single downstream direction, said first one-way check valve including an upstream opening coupled with said first reservoir and a downstream opening;

a first T-connector having a first opening in fluid communication with said downstream opening of said first one-way check valve, a second opening in fluid communication with said first syringe barrel, and a third opening; and

a first tube having a proximal end in fluid communication with said third opening of said first T-connector and a downstream end in fluid communication with said injection needle, wherein said first liquid component flows between said first and second openings of said first T-connector as said first liquid component is drawn into said first syringe barrel and flows between said second and third openings of said first T-connector and into said proximal end of said first tube as said first liquid component is dispensed from said first syringe barrel; and

wherein said second conduit comprises

a second one-way check valve for directing flow of said second liquid component in a single downstream direction, said second one-way check valve including an upstream opening coupled with said second reservoir and a downstream opening,

a second T-connector having a first opening in fluid communication with said downstream opening of said second one-way check valve, a second opening in fluid communication with said second syringe barrel, and a third opening, and

a second tube having a proximal end in fluid communication with said third opening of said second T-connector and a downstream end in fluid communication with said injection needle, wherein said second liquid component flows between said first and second openings of said second T-connector as said second liquid component is drawn into said second syringe barrel and flows between said second and third openings of said second T-connector and into said proximal end of said second tube as said second liquid component is dispensed from said second syringe barrel.

13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least one catch projecting from an outer surface of said needle housing for selectively coupling said needle housing and said plunger base together for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing and said plunger base along said axis of said housing; and

at least one catch actuator coupled with said at least one catch for selectively decoupling said needle housing from said plunger base so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another along said axis of said housing.

14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a plunger spring having an upper end in contact with said plunger base and a lower end in contact with said housing, wherein said plunger spring is compressed when said at least one catch of said needle housing is coupled with said plunger base for storing energy in said plunger spring, wherein said at least one catch is adapted for being decoupled from said plunger base so that said energy stored in said plunger spring urges said plunger base away from said bottom surface of said housing for driving said first and second plungers into said respective first and second syringe barrels as said plunger base moves away from said bottom surface of said housing.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein said injection actuator is engageable for commencing an injection cycle comprising:

a first stage during which said needle housing moves toward said lower end of said housing for advancing said distal end of said injection needle through said injection needle opening, with said at least one catch being coupled with said plunger base for pulling said plunger base toward said lower end of said housing for drawing said first and second liquid components into said first and second syringe barrels, and said plunger spring being compressed by said plunger base as said plunger base is pulled toward said lower end of said housing for storing energy in said plunger spring; and

a second stage during which said at least one catch is decoupled from said plunger base so that said plunger base is free to move toward said upper end of said housing under said energy stored in said plunger spring while said distal end of said injection needle remains advanced through said injection needle opening, whereupon said first and second plungers are driven by said plunger base toward said upper end of said housing and into said first and second syringe barrels for dispensing said first and second liquid components from said first and second syringe barrels and supplying said first and second components to said injection needle.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein said plunger base comprises at least one slot and said needle housing comprises at least one catch that forms a lost motion linkage with said at least one slot on said plunger base, and wherein said first stage of said injection cycle comprises:

a first phase during which said at least one catch on said needle housing slides in said at least one slot of said plunger base as said needle housing moves toward said bottom surface of said housing and said plunger base remains stationary; and

a second phase during which said at least one catch engages a closed end of said at least one slot on said plunger base for pulling said plunger base toward said bottom surface of said housing for drawing said first and second liquid components into said first and second syringe barrels and for storing energy in said plunger spring.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein said injection cycle further comprises:

a third stage during which said needle housing moves toward said upper end of said housing for retracting said distal end of said injection needle through said injection needle opening and into said housing, and said at least one catch re-engages said plunger base for re-coupling said needle housing with said plunger base.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said injection actuator is coupled with said housing and is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein said injection actuator is in the first position prior to said first stage of said injection cycle, is moveable from said first position to said second position during said first and second stages of said injection cycle, and is moveable from said second position back to said first position during said third stage of said injection cycle.

19. The device according to claim 18, further comprising an actuator spring extending between an outer surface of said housing and said injection actuator for returning said actuator from said second position to said first position.

20. The device according to claim 10, further comprising at least one one-way check valve in each of said first and second conduits for preventing said first and second liquid components from returning upstream.

21. The device according to claim 5, wherein said first conduit comprises a first tube and said second conduit comprises a second tube.

22. A device for administering injections comprising:

a housing having an upper end, a lower end including a bottom surface with an injection needle opening, and an axis extending between said upper and lower ends of said housing;

a needle housing disposed within said housing for moving along said axis, said needle housing having an upper end and a lower end with an injection needle projecting from said lower end of said needle housing;

a first tube for directing a first liquid component into said injection needle;

a second tube for directing a second liquid component into said injection needle;

a first barrel in fluid communication with said first tube, and a first plunger in said first barrel for alternatively drawing said first liquid component into said first barrel and dispensing said first liquid component from said first barrel and into said first tube;

a second barrel in fluid communication with said second tube, and a second plunger in said second barrel for alternatively drawing said second liquid components into said second barrel and dispensing said second liquid component from said second barrel and into said second tube;

a plunger base moveable along said axis of said housing and being connected with said first and second plungers for ensuring simultaneous movement of said first and second plungers between said upper and lower ends of said housing so that said first and second liquid components are simultaneously drawn into and dispensed from said first and second barrels; and

an injection actuator coupled with said needle housing for moving said injection needle toward said lower end of said housing for extending said injection needle through said injection needle opening and advancing said first and second liquid components toward said injection needle for dispensing a liquid solution including said first and second liquid components from a distal end of said injection needle.

23. The device according to claim 22, further comprising a mixing chamber located within said needle housing between distal ends of said first and second tubes and a proximal end of said injection needle, said mixing chamber being adapted for combining said first and second liquid components into a liquid solution and directing said liquid solution into said proximal end of said injection needle.

24. The device according to claim 23, further comprising:

at least one catch projecting from an outer surface of said needle housing for selectively coupling said needle housing with said plunger base for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing and said plunger base along said axis of said housing; and

at least one catch actuator coupled with said at least one catch for selectively decoupling said needle housing from said plunger base so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another along said axis of said housing.

25. The device according to claim 24, further comprising a plunger spring having an upper end in contact with said plunger base and a lower end in contact with said housing, wherein said plunger spring is compressed when said at least one catch of said needle housing is coupled with said plunger base for storing energy in said plunger spring, wherein said energy stored in said plunger spring urges said plunger base away from said bottom surface of said housing when said at least one catch is decoupled from said plunger base so that said plunger base drives said first and second plungers into said respective first and second barrels for dispensing said first and second liquid components from said first and second barrels.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein said injection actuator is engageable for commencing an injection cycle comprising:

a first stage during which said needle housing moves toward said lower end of said housing for extending said distal end of said injection needle through said injection needle opening, with said at least one catch being coupled with said plunger base for pulling said plunger base toward said lower end of said housing for drawing said first and second liquid components into said first and second barrels, and said plunger spring being compressed by said plunger base as said plunger base is pulled toward said lower end of said housing for storing energy in said plunger spring;

a second stage during which said at least one catch is decoupled from said plunger base so that said plunger base is free to move away from said needle housing and toward said upper end of said housing under said energy stored in said plunger spring for driving said first and second plungers toward said upper end of said housing and into said first and second barrels for dispensing said first and second liquid components from said first and second barrels; and

a third stage during which said needle housing moves toward said upper end of said housing for retracting said distal end of said injection needle through said injection needle opening and into said housing, and said at least one catch re-engages said plunger base for re-coupling said needle housing with said plunger base.

27. The device according to claim 26, further comprising at least one one-way check valve in each of said first and second tubes for preventing said first and second liquid components from returning upstream.

28. A device for administering injections comprising:

a housing having an upper end, a lower end including a bottom surface having an injection needle opening, and an axis extending between said upper and lower ends;

an injection needle disposed within said housing for moving along said axis between a retracted position in which said injection needle is disposed within said housing and an extended position in which a distal end of said injection needle extends through said injection needle opening at said bottom surface of said housing;

a first barrel in fluid communication with said injection needle;

a first plunger in said first barrel for alternatively drawing a first liquid component into said first barrel and dispensing said first liquid component from said first barrel and into said injection needle;

a second barrel in fluid communication with said injection needle;

a second plunger in said second barrel for alternatively drawing a second liquid component into said second barrel and dispensing said second liquid component from said second barrel and into said injection needle;

a plunger base moveable along said axis of said housing and being connected with said first and second plungers for simultaneously moving said first and second plungers between said upper and lower ends of said housing so that said first and second liquid components are simultaneously drawn into and dispensed from said first and second barrels; and

an injection actuator coupled with said injection needle for moving said injection needle from said retracted position to said extended position and dispensing said first and second liquid components from a distal end of said injection needle.

29. The device according to claim 28, further comprising:

at least one catch projecting from an outer surface of said needle housing for selectively coupling said needle housing and said plunger base together for providing simultaneous movement of said needle housing and said plunger base along said axis of said housing during a first stage of an injection cycle; and

at least one catch actuator coupled with said at least one catch for selectively decoupling said needle housing from said plunger base during a second stage of said injection cycle so that said needle housing and said plunger base are capable of moving independently of one another along said axis of said housing.

30. The device according to claim 29, further comprising a plunger spring having an upper end in contact with said plunger base and a lower end in contact with said housing, wherein said plunger spring is compressed when said at least one catch of said needle housing is coupled with said plunger base as said plunger base is pulled toward said lower end of said housing for storing energy in said plunger spring, wherein when said at least one catch is decoupled from said plunger base said energy stored in said plunger spring urges said plunger base toward said upper end of said housing for driving said first and second plungers into said respective first and second barrels for dispensing said first and second liquid components from said first and second barrels.