Vacuum-compression injector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A needleless vacuum-compression injector comprising:
- a continuous vacuum chamber and a pressurized gas chamber;
means for drawing a continuous vacuum in said vacuum chamber;
means for supplying pressurized gas to said pressurized gas chamber;
means for holding a medicament;
a nozzle having a passageway connected to said means for holding said medicament and for having said medicament expressed therethrough;
tissue immobilizing means including an outwardly extending surface spaced from and surrounding said nozzle wherein said nozzle substantially terminates in the plane of said surface;
said tissue immobilizing means further including an annular suction means formed in an annular region of said outwardly extending surface and spaced from and surrounding said nozzle, said annular suction means being in continuous communication with said vacuum chamber, said tissue immobilizing means, when positioned against said tissue, being operative to continuously draw said tissue toward said annular region and thereby immobilize and hold said tissue taut over said nozzle without puncturing said tissue and without substantially displacing said tissue from its initial condition; and
,means adapted to express said medicament through said passageway and into said tissue upon application of said pressurized gas to said pressurized gas chamber.
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Abstract
A needless vacuum-compression injector stabilizes a nozzle over the tissue to be penetrated by means of a continuous vacuum applied to an annular area surrounding the point of penetration. The vacuum draws the tissue toward the annular region and immobilizes the tissue over the nozzle without puncturing the tissue and without substantially displacing the tissue from its initial condition. Pressurized gas is used to express a medicament through an orifice in the nozzle and into the immobilized tissue.
44 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A needleless vacuum-compression injector comprising:
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a continuous vacuum chamber and a pressurized gas chamber; means for drawing a continuous vacuum in said vacuum chamber; means for supplying pressurized gas to said pressurized gas chamber; means for holding a medicament; a nozzle having a passageway connected to said means for holding said medicament and for having said medicament expressed therethrough; tissue immobilizing means including an outwardly extending surface spaced from and surrounding said nozzle wherein said nozzle substantially terminates in the plane of said surface; said tissue immobilizing means further including an annular suction means formed in an annular region of said outwardly extending surface and spaced from and surrounding said nozzle, said annular suction means being in continuous communication with said vacuum chamber, said tissue immobilizing means, when positioned against said tissue, being operative to continuously draw said tissue toward said annular region and thereby immobilize and hold said tissue taut over said nozzle without puncturing said tissue and without substantially displacing said tissue from its initial condition; and
,means adapted to express said medicament through said passageway and into said tissue upon application of said pressurized gas to said pressurized gas chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A needleless method for injecting a medicament through a nozzle and into the tissue of a patient comprising the steps of:
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immobilizing a selected portion of said tissue by continuously applying a vacuum to said tissue in an annular area spaced from the location on said tissue where said medicament is to be injected; and
,drawing said selected portion of said tissue over said nozzle and continuously holding said tissue taut without puncturing said tissue and without substantially displacing said tissue from its initial condition; and
,injecting said medicament into said tissue at said location where said tissue is tautly immobilized by the continuous suction applied to said annular area.
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Specification