LIQUID DISPENSER AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING SAME

• US 3,729,032 A
• Filed: 12/06/1971
• Issued: 04/24/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brian E. Baldwin, Edward A. Tischlinger
• Original Assignee: Brian E. Baldwin, Edward A. Tischlinger
• Inventors: Tischlinger, Edward A., Baldwin, Brian E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Jr., Houston S.
• Application Number:
  US05/205,000
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1,2,18-29,346-366,382-388,392 222/386,387,388,386.5 92/249 161/117 264/138
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• 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

Abstract

A liquid dispenser having a liquid containment barrel or body with a slidable sealing and dispensing-effecting plunger, the plunger having a self-sealing slit formed therein to enable filling therethrough of the dispenser barrel, the slit being formed at the bottom forwardly facing end of a threaded handleconnecting recess in the exposed rear portion of the plunger. A male fill member is employed, to be selectively inserted into and releasably open the plunger slit and to selectively fill the barrel with liquid, while venting past the male fill member through a vent eye formed in the opened slit as a result of insertion of the male fill member. An annular ring and grove on the rear end plunger and a lip shoulder stop on the rear end of the syringe barrel or body enable desired forward motion inhibiting action on the plunger during insertion and removal of the male fill member relative to the plunger slit.

Claims

1. A fillable liquid dispensing arrangement, comprising a barrel having a liquid-holding chamber with a forward port end for dispensing of liquid therethrough, said barrel having a rear end opening with a radially inwardly extending lip stop, and having a sealing plunger of elastic material and movably disposed therein at the rear end of said barrel and slidable in and along said chamber, said plunger having a lip-engageable external surface protrusion thereon adjacent its rear end, and also having means for connecting a handle, said plunger initially extending partially into said barrel through said rear end opening and extending partially rearwardly beyond said rear end opening, said lip-engageable protrusion being disposed rearwardly of and adjacent said lip, to inhibit, but not prohibit, forward motion of said plunger within said rear end opening, an openable pre-formed slit in said plunger and resiliently biased to a closed condition for enabling filling of said chamber with liquid from an external source and subsequent self-closure of said slit, said plunger and its said slit being engageable through said rear end opening for filling therethrough and for externally manually controlled sliding motion of said plunger.

2. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said plunger having a threaded external recess formed therein for threadedly connecting a manipulable handle thereto, said slit being formed in a forward wall defining a forward extent of said recess.

3. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 2, said plunger being formed of elastic material in the zone of said slit.

4. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 3, said plunger being an integral molded unit of elastic material.

5. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 4, said plunger being formed of rubber.

6. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said barrel comprising a syringe having a finger grip thereon adjacent said rear end, and having an orifice at its forward end for facilitating dispensing of liquids from said chamber.

7. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 6, said forward end of said barrel having a reduced diameter connector nose at its forward end, said orifice being formed in said connector nose.

8. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 6, and a liquid-flow-inhibiting means adjacent the forward port end of said barrel for effectively substantially fully inhibiting liquid flow from said port end during rear end filling through said plunger.

9. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 8, and a selectively effectively openable closure element forming said liquid-flow-inhibiting means adjacent said forward end of said chamber.

10. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 9, said closure element comprising a removable cover.

11. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 9, said closure element comprising a valve seal.

12. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 11, said closure element comprising a movable by-pass valve seal.

13. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 9, said closure element being a slidable valve plug formed of elastic material engaging in sliding compressed and sealing relation within a forward end of said barrel, said barrel having a forward enlarged by-pass chamber for selective forward movement of said valve plug thereinto, to enable selected dispensing of liquid from said chamber past said by-pass valve plug.

14. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said slit extending across the full forward extent of said plunger.

15. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said slit extending across a portion of and less than the full forward extent of said plunger.

16. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said slit extending fully through a seal wall of said plunger.

17. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said slit extending almost fully through a seal wall of said plunger and having a thin easily ruptured connecting web membrane which does not require pointed instrument puncture or piercing to be opened but which may be sheared upon and by stretching of said slit through insertion of said male fill member therein.

18. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 1, said plunger having an elastic annular sealing ring thereon forming said lip-engageable protrusion, and being radially compressibly movable past said lip stop and engageable in sliding sealing engagement with the wall of said liquid holding chamber for and during forward dispensing motion of said plunger after filling of said chamber through said slit.

19. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 18, and an annular outer groove formed on said plunger immediately forward of said elastic annular sealing ring and in releasably engagement with said lip stop.

20. A liquid dispensing arrangement according to claim 19, said lip stop being an annular lip.

21. A fillable dispenser for fluids, comprising a liquid-containment body having a bore therein and a dual function dispensing-effective and fill-enabling plunger extending only partially within the rear end of said bore and being selectively positively longitudinally movable along said bore to effect dispensing movement of fluid along said bore and from within said body, said plunger having a radially elastically compressible motion inhibiting stop adjacent its rear end and extending rearwardly and radially beyond the effective rear end opening at the rear end of said body, said plunger having a pre-formed self-sealing opening therein for enablement of filling of said liquid-containmeNt body.

22. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 21, said plunger being a cup-shaped member formed of elastic material and having said opening formed in its bottom wall which extends forwardly in said body.

23. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 22, said opening being a self-closing slit having elastically deformable laterally interengageable and interfacing lip surfaces.

24. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 23, said plunger having an elastically compressible annular seal ring forming said motion-inhibiting stop, and an outer annular groove formed on said plunger and disposed forwardly of said seal ring, said groove in motion-inhibiting-aiding engaging relation with a radially inwardly extending portion of said body at and forming a part of the effective rear end opening at the rear end of said body.

25. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 24, said radially inwardly extending portion of said body comprising an annular lip extending radially inwardly beyond the adjacent wall surface forming said bore.

26. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 23, said slit extending across the full forward face of said plunger and along a partial rearward extent thereof.

27. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 23, said slit extending across less than the full forward extent of said plunger.

28. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 21, said body having an effectively sealed forward end which may be selectively unsealed to enable dispensing of liquid therefrom.

29. A fillable dispenser for fluids according to claim 28, said body comprising a syringe body member with a cylindrical bore therein and forming the first mentioned said bore, and said bore having a liquid containment section thereof between the forward end of said plunger and said sealed forward end.

30. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus, comprising a liquid dispensing barrel having a selectively effectively openable closed dispensing end, a liquid receiving chamber and a slidable plunger for effecting dispensing of liquid from said chamber through said dispensing end, said plunger extending only partially into said barrel preparatory to filling of said barrel, said plunger having a normally closed pre-formed opening therein for selective external fluid communication with said chamber, a transversely outwardly protruding compressible effective motion-inhibiting detent formed on and adjacent the rear end of said plunger and engaging with a rearwardly facing wall on the rear end of said barrel, and a male fill member adapted to be inserted into and open said pre-formed opening and having a liquid flow passageway to enable filling of said chamber with liquid, said pre-formed opening being greater in effective opened cross-sectional peripheral size than the corresponding effective cross-sectional peripheral size of said male fill member.

31. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 30, said plunger being formed of self-recoverable elastic material adjacent and forming its said opening, said opening being a pre-formed self-closing slit.

32. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 31, said slit extending across the full extent of the forward face of said plunger.

33. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 31, said slit extending across a portion of the forward face of said plunger.

34. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 31, said plunger having a screw-in threaded recess in its rear external surface, and said slit being formed in a forward wall of said plunger defining the forward extent of said recess.

35. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 34, said fill member having a tubular male section engageable in opening relation with said pre-formed slit.

36. Liquid filling and dispensing appAratus according to claim 35, said fill member having a longitudinally ribbed section extending rearwardly of the forward end of said fill member to assist in maintaining a vent opening along the zone of said threaded recess in said plunger.

37. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 30, said fill member having connection means enabling connection thereof to a fill cylinder.

38. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 37, and a fill cylinder adapted to be connected to said fill member.

39. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 38, said fill cylinder comprising a fill syringe having a Luer nose-end connector, and said fill member having a Luer connector complementary to said nose-end connector.

40. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 30, said male fill member including a tube section having an outer circumference or periphery less than the effective opened cross-sectional peripheral size of said opening.

41. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 40, said opening being a slit and being longer than one-half of the effective said outer circumference of periphery of said fill member tube section.

42. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 41, said tube section having a relatively blunt forward end.

43. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 41, said slit extending fully through a seal wall of said plunger.

44. Liquid filling and dispensing apparatus according to claim 41, said slit extending almost fully through a seal wall of said plunger and having a thin relatively easily ruptured connecting web membrane which does not require pointed instrument puncture or piercing to be opened but which may be sheared upon and by stretching thereof through thrusting motion thereagainst in the course of insertion of said male fill member into said slit.

45. The method of filling a syringe body having a liquid-containment chamber with a rearwardly bounding manually operable plunger and a forward dispensing end spaced from the plunger, comprising resiliently engaging an elastically radially compressible rearwardly and radially protruding portion of said plunger with a detent surface at the rear of said body and thereby resiliently elastically inhibiting forward motion of said plunger while opening a pre-formed self-closing valve in said plunger by insertion of a tubular member therein having a bore therethrough, and passing liquid through said bore while enabling air venting from said chamber past said tubular member at other than said bore, thereupon removing said tubular member from said valve and enabling the self-closure of said valve.

46. The method according to claim 45, said valve being a pre-formed slit having opposing elastic lips which are biased into interengagement, and said opening of said valve being effected by insertion of said tubular member through said slit, to form an opening with a vent eye between said tubular member and the lips of said slit, said venting being effected through said vent eye.

47. The method according to claim 46, and subsequently moving said plunger forwardly to radially compress said radially protruding portion of said plunger and to release said plunger for attachment of a handle thereto and selective liquid-moving motion thereof.

48. The method according to claim 47, and connecting a handle to said plunger after filling therethrough, for dispensing of said liquid from said liquid-containment chamber and through said forward dispensing end.

49. The method according to claim 47, said plunger having a rear facing threaded connector section, and said insertion of said tubular member therein being effected by rotating and threadedly engaging said tubular member with said threaded connector to impart relative longitudinal joining motion between said tubular member and said plunger through thE camming effect imparted by said rotation and threaded engagement.

50. The method according to claim 49, and subsequently connecting a handle to said plunger by threaded engagement with said threaded connector section.

51. The method according to claim 46, said insertion of said tubular member being effected by axial thrusting of said tubular member through said slit.

52. The method according to claim 51, and subsequently connecting a handle to said plunger for dispensing of said liquid from said liquid-containment chamber and through said forward dispensing end.

53. A male fill member for a liquid containment body having an elastic plunger with a screw-threaded recess therein the bottom wall having a slit formed therein, said fill member, comprising a body having a blunt-nosed forward tube section, said body having a laterally extending plunger pusher section disposed rearwardly of the blunt-nosed forward end of said forward tube section, and spacer means having an effective stop shoulder surface facing toward the forward blunt-nosed end of said forward tube section and spaced between said plunger pusher section and said stop shoulder surface and engageable with said plunger bottom wall when said forward tube section is inserted in said slit to space said pusher section rearwardly of the effective rear surface of said plunger, and a longitudinal vent recess extending past said stop shoulder surface.

54. A male fill member according to claim 54, said spacer means comprising a plurality of longitudinally ribs formed along an extent of said tube section between said pusher section and said stop shoulder surface.

55. A male fill member according to claim 54, said body having means thereon for connection thereof to a source of liquid for filling therethrough.

56. A slidable plunger for a dispenser, comprising a cup-shaped body of elastic material having formed on its longitudinal external surface a plurality of annular sealing rings with an annular groove therebetween, said cup-shaped body having an internal securing section and a forwardly and inwardly tapered internal bottom surface, and a self-sealing slit formed in said conically tapered bottom.

57. A slidable plunger according to claim 56, said internal securing section comprising a female threaded section.

58. A slidable plunger according to claim 56, said slit extending fully across said bottom.

59. A slidable plunger according to claim 58, said slit extending through a portion of said tapered bottom surface.