Syringe apparatus having improved plunger

• US 4,986,820 A
• Filed: 06/23/1989
• Issued: 01/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Fischer, Dan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Application Number:
  US07/370,618
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 604/218, 604/187, 604/199, 604/220
• US Class Current: 604/218
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31513 Piston constructions to improve sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/347 rotatable, e.g. bayonet or screw A61M5/344 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved syringe apparatus in which the plunger tip is fabricated as a unitary part of the plunger. The plunger tip is provided with two contact members in contact with the cylindrical bore wall of the syringe barrel. The first contact member is provided by a circular rim which is bowl shaped and which projects forwardly at the end of the plunger. The second contact member is provided by a circular ring located slightly behind the first sealing member. The entire plunger, including both contact members, are preferably fabricated as a unitary structure from, for example, polypropylene or other material which is relatively resistant to degradation due to chemicals stored over prolonged periods of time in the syringe barrel.

Claims

1. A syringe comprising:

barrel means for containing a fluid, said barrel means comprising a bore provided therein and having a bore wall which has a first diameter and aperture means through which said fluid is expelled; and

plunger means for expelling the fluid from the barrel means through the aperture means, said plunger means having a tip comprising a first contact means for maintaining a fluid-tight seal with said bore wall, said first contact means comprising a diameter slightly greater than said first diameter and said tip further comprising a second contact means for maintaining stability and providing a smooth glide of said plunger means in said bore, and for providing a secondary fluid seal, said second contact means comprising a diameter slightly greater than said first diameter but slightly less than the diameter of said first contact means, and wherein the tip and said first and second contact means are formed from the same material and as a unitary part of said plunger means.

2. A syringe as defined in claim 1 wherein the barrel means comprises a material which is semitransparent.

3. A syringe as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for restricting the removal of the plunger means from the barrel means.

4. A syringe as defined in claim 3 wherein said restricting means comprises a ridge on the bore wall.

5. A syringe as defined in claim 1 wherein the plunger means further comprises:

a hollow cavity extending for a substantial portion of the length of the plunger means; and

a plurality of ribs formed on the interior of the hollow cavity and along the length thereof.

6. A syringe as defined in claim 1 wherein the barrel means further comprises a threaded coupling disposed at the aperture, said threaded coupling formed as a unitary structure with the barrel means.

7. A syringe as defined in claim 1 wherein said first contact means comprises a forwardly extending, bowl-shaped rim member having a first sealing surface.

8. A syringe as defined in claim 7 wherein said second contact means comprises a ring member having a second sealing surface, said ring member being positioned behind said rim member and separated therefrom buy a first notched area, and having a second notched area formed behind said ring member.

9. A syringe comprising:

a syringe barrel having a bore provided therein which has a first diameter and an aperture formed in a first end of the syringe body; and

a plunger means slidably movable within the bore of the plunger means comprising, as a unitary part thereof formed of the same material, a tip comprising;

a first contact means for making a fluid-tight slidable contact with the bore wall, said first contact means comprising a forwardly extending bowl-shaped rim member, said rim member having a diameter slightly greater than said first diameter; and

a second contact means for stabilizing said plunger means and for making a second fluid-tight contact with the bore wall, said second contact means comprising an annular, essentially flat ring member extending in an essentially perpendicular orientation relative to said bore wall, said ring member having a diameter slightly greater than said first diameter but slightly less than the diameter of said rim member, and said ring member being located at essentially the base of said rim member; and

said plunger means further comprising a plunger body, the first and second contact means and the plunger body comprising a unitary structure all of the same material.

10. A syringe as defined in claim 9 wherein said barrel and plunger means are formed of polypropylene.

11. A syringe as defined in claim 9 further comprising means for restricting the removal of said plunger means from the barrel.

12. A syringe as defined in claim 11 wherein said restricting means comprises a ridge on the bore wall.

13. A syringe plunger for use with and insertion into a syringe barrel to form a syringe, the syringe barrel having a first diameter and the syringe plunger comprising:

an elongated body having first and second ends, the elongated body having a diameter which is less than the first diameter of the bore provided in the syringe barrel;

a rest surface provided at the first end of the elongated body, the rest surface being adapted to receive a portion of a user'"'"'s hand; and

a plunger tip disposed at the second end of the elongated plunger body, and formed from the same material as a unitary structure therewith, the plunger tip comprising;

a first contact surface comprised of a non-resilient material projecting from the plunger tip; and

a second contact surface comprised of a non-resilient material projecting from the plunger tip between the first contact surface and the first end of the elongated body, the first and the second contact surfaces each having a diameter which is slightly greater than the diameter of the bore provided in the syringe barrel so as to each provide a fluid-tight seal therewith, but the diameter of the second contact surface being slightly less than the diameter of the first contact surface.