Hypodermic injection apparatus
First Claim
1. In a pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus including a body and an actuator mounted on the body, a replaceable, medication-discharging ampule unit comprising:
- an elongate shell having inwardly facing wall means characterized by a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration along a defined length portion of said shell, said shell further defining a discharge aperture adjacent a forward end thereof;
a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within said define length portion in said shell, displaceable between a rearward, ready position, spaced one distance from said aperture, and a forward, spent position closer to said aperture than said ready position;
said shell and plunger, with the latter in said ready position defining an ampule chamber capable of containing dischargeable medication; and
a compressed-gas containing cartridge operable under the influence of the apparatus actuator to drive said plunger and reciprocate with said plunger from said ready position toward said spent position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus which is particularly suitable for needleless operation. The apparatus includes an elongate shell having an inwardly facing wall with a uniform configuration along a defined length thereof, with the shell further defining a discharge aperture adjacent one end thereof. It further includes a plunger which is slideably disposed within the defined length of the shell, and which is shiftable between a ready position and a spent position, with the spent position being closer to the aperture than the ready position. With the plunger in its ready position, the shell and plunger collectively define an ampule chamber which is capable of containing a dischargeable medication. A pressurized-gas cartridge is mounted to the plunger to shift therewith, and has gas-releasing means which faces away from the discharge aperture. A body is further included which is sealingly and releasably joined to the other end of the shell. An actuator is mounted to the body and is manually operable for selectively operating the gas-releasing means to drive the plunger from its ready toward its spent position to discharge medication from the apparatus and into the patient.
802 Citations
30 Claims
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1. In a pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus including a body and an actuator mounted on the body, a replaceable, medication-discharging ampule unit comprising:
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an elongate shell having inwardly facing wall means characterized by a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration along a defined length portion of said shell, said shell further defining a discharge aperture adjacent a forward end thereof; a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within said define length portion in said shell, displaceable between a rearward, ready position, spaced one distance from said aperture, and a forward, spent position closer to said aperture than said ready position; said shell and plunger, with the latter in said ready position defining an ampule chamber capable of containing dischargeable medication; and a compressed-gas containing cartridge operable under the influence of the apparatus actuator to drive said plunger and reciprocate with said plunger from said ready position toward said spent position.
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2. In a pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus including a body and an actuator mounted on the body, a replaceable, medication-discharging ampule unit comprising:
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an elongate shell having inwardly facing wall means characterized by a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration along a defined length portion of said shell, said shell further defining a discharge aperture adjacent a forward end thereof; a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within said defined length portion in said shell, displaceable between a rearward, ready position, spaced one distance from said aperture, and a forward, spent position closer to said aperture than said ready position; said shell and plunger, with the latter in said ready position, defining an ampule chamber capable of containing dischargeable medication; and a compressed-gas containing cartridge including means for releasing its gas charge in a rearward direction upon actuation by the actuator to drive said plunger from said ready position toward said spent position. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus comprising:
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an elongate shell having inwardly facing wall means characterized by a substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration along a defined length portion of said shell, said shell further defining a discharge aperture adjacent one end thereof; a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within said defined length portion in said shell, shiftable from a ready position spaced one distance from said aperture toward a spent position closer to said aperture than said ready position; - View Dependent Claims (9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18)
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8. said shell and plunger, with the latter in said ready position, defining an ampule chamber capable of containing dischargeable medication;
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a pressurized-gas cartridge mounted to said plunger to shift therewith and having gas-releasing means facing away from said discharge aperture; a body sealingly and releasably joined to another end of said shell; and an actuator mounted on said body and manually operable for selectively operating said gas-releasing means to drive said plunger from said ready position toward said spent position. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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13. A pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus comprising:
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an ampule unit having an elongate shell with wall means defining an internal chamber and a discharge aperture adjacent one end thereof, a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within the chamber shiftable between a ready position spaced one distance from said aperture and a spent position closer to said aperture than the ready position, and a pressurize-gas cartridge slidingly disposed in said shell fixed to said plunger opposite from said aperture, said cartridge having a frangible seal on a side opposite from said aperture and accessible from the other end of said shell; an elongate body releasably fixedly and sealingly joinable at one end to the other end of said shell of said ampule unit, said body having a longitudinal passageway having an opening disposed adjacent said cartridge seal; a firing pin slidingly disposed in said passageway with a seal-fracturing end disposed adjacent said one opening of said passageway, said pin being shiftable from a cocked position remote from said seal to a fired position with said one end of said pin extending through said seal when said ampule unit is joined to said body with said plunger in said ready position; pin biasing means mounted in said body and joined to said pin for urging said pin from said cocked position toward said fired position; arming means for positioning said pin in said cocked position; and trigger means for retaining said pin in said cocked position and for selectively releasing said pin for traveling toward said fired position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 17, 19, 21)
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20. A pressure-operated, needleless hypodermic injection apparatus for injecting medication into the tongue of a patient, comprising:
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a replaceable, medication-discharging ampule unit which includes an elongate shell defining a discharge aperture adjacent a forward end thereof, a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within said shell, displaceable between a readly position spaced one distance from said aperture and a spent position closer to said aperture than said ready position, said shell and plunger defining an ampule chamber capable of containing the medication when said plunger is in said ready position, and pressurized-gas means for driving said plunger and having gas-releasing means facing away from said discharge aperture; and means for manually actuating said ampule unit upon contact with the tongue of the patient, said means being mounted to said ampule unit and being operatable for selectively operating said plunger-driving means to drive said plunger from said ready position toward said spent position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 25)
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24. A pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus comprising:
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an elongate shell having inwardly facing wall means and defining a discharge aperture adjacent one ene thereof; a plunger slideably and sealingly disposed within said shell, shiftable from a ready position spaced one distance from said aperture toward a spent position closer to said aperture; said shell and plunger, with the latter in said ready position, defining an ampule chamber capable of containing dischargeable medication; and pressurized-gas means for driving said plunger and having gas-releasing means facing away from said discharge aperture. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 29, 30)
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28. A pressure-operated hypodermic injection apparatus for use with a medication-containing ampule having a discharge aperture adjacent a forward end thereof, and a pressurized-gas cartridge with a frangible gas-releasing portion facing away from said discharge aperture, wherein the injection apparatus comprises:
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a body for sealing and releasably engaging the ampule; and an actuator mounted to said body and manually operable for selectively operating the gas-releasing member, said actuator including a reciprocable portion which is displaceable between retracted and extended positions and includes a reciprocable firing member having one end for facing the ampule gas cartridge frangible portion, and which comes into contact with the frangible gas-releasing portion upon being displaced to said extended portion, said reciprocable firing member including means for breaking the frangible gas-releasing portion upon contact therewith.
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Specification