Multipharmaceutical delivery system

• US 5,286,258 A
• Filed: 03/08/1991
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Habley Medical Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Foster, Clark B., Smedley, William H., Haber, Terry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US07/668,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 604/30, 604/34, 604/80, 604/82, 604/83, 604/85, 604/87, 604/89, 604/90, 604/187, 604/198, 604/216, 604/218, 604/236, 604/237, 604/247, 604/191, 604/199, 604/240, 604/416, 604/248, 137/844, 137/845, 137/846, 137/849, 206/221, 206/219, 222/130, 222/135-137, 222/129, 222/145
• US Class Current: 604/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3128 Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3131 specially adapted for improving sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/314 Flat shaped barrel forms, e.g. credit card shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3227 the needle being retracted laterally outside the syringe barrel, e.g. with separate guideway
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3228 the needle being retracted by a member protruding laterally through a slot in the barrel, e.g. double-ended needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/341 angularly adjustable or angled away from the axis of the injector
• 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 5/2425 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31555 by purely axial movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/34 Constructions for connecting the needle , e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014

Abstract

A multipharmaceutical delivery system, such as a syringe (2) or a topical pharmaceutical applicator, suitable for a simultaneous delivery of a mixture (124) of two or more mixed pharmaceuticals (52, 120) in selected amounts and proportions, includes a body (4, 180) with first and second variable volume reservoirs (24, 26), containing the first and second liquids or other flowable materials, such as creams and salves. The reservoirs are connected to a variable volume accumulator chamber (31) through check valves (28) to permit liquid to flow from the reservoirs into the accumulator chamber but not the reverse. A delivery head, such as a needle assembly (78) or a spray nozzle assembly (196), is selectively fluidly coupled to the accumulator chamber by an exit path (106, 202) formed in the body. After the two liquids are driven into the accumulator chamber, typically one liquid at a time, the delivery head is fluidly coupled to the accumulator chamber and the accumulator piston (30) is actuated, thus forcing the liquid mixture from the accumulator chamber, through the exit path and through the delivery head during an injection or other application of the mixture.

Claims

1. A variable ratio, liquid pharmaceutical dispensing system comprising:

first and second variable volume liquid reservoirs containing first and second liquids;

a variable volume accumulator chamber;

means for permitting fluid flow from the first and second reservoirs into the variable volume accumulator chamber while preventing backflow;

a pharmaceutical delivery head;

means, including a manually movable element movable by a user between open and closed positions, for permitting and blocking fluid flow from the variable volume accumulator chamber to the pharmaceutical delivery head when the movable element is in the open and closed positions respectively;

means for forcing first and second volumes of the first and second liquids from the first and second reservoirs, respectively, to the variable volume accumulator chamber via the fluid flow permitting means when the movable element is in the closed position, so that the volume of the variable volume accumulator chamber increases by an amount equal to the first and second volumes combined, and the first and second volumes of the first and second liquids creates a liquid mixture in the variable volume accumulator chamber; and

means for expulsing the liquid mixture from the variable volume accumulator chamber through the pharmaceutical delivery head via the fluidly coupling means.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second variable volume reservoirs are elongate with generally constant cross-sectional shapes.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first and second variable volume reservoirs each has an elliptical cross-sectional shape.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the first and second variable volume reservoirs are partially defined by first and second pistons.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second reservoirs and the variable volume accumulator chamber are defined by a common body.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising calibration markings on the common body.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the pharmaceutical delivery head includes a hollow hypodermic needle having a tip.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the common body has a needle storage region sized to house the needle therein; and

the hollow needle is movably mounted to the common body for movement between a storage position, with the needle within the needle storage region, and a use position, with the tip of the needle external of the needle storage region.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the hollow needle is pivotally mounted to the common body.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the permitting means includes first and second check valves operably positioned between the first and second reservoirs and the variable volume accumulator chamber.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the flowable material delivery head includes a spray nozzle assembly.

12. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein the flowable material delivery head includes a topical applicator.

13. The delivery system of claim 12 wherein the topical applicator includes a roller applicator.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for keeping the accumulator chamber sterile.

15. A variable ratio multipharmaceutical delivery system comprising:

first and second variable volume reservoirs containing first and second flowable materials;

a variable volume accumulator chamber;

means for permitting fluid flow from the first and second reservoirs into the variable volume accumulator chamber while preventing backflow;

a flowable material delivery head;

means for fluidly coupling the delivery head to the variable volume accumulator chamber;

means for forcing first and second volumes of the first and second flowable materials from the first and second reservoirs, respectively, to the variable volume accumulator chamber via the fluid flow permitting means, so that the volume of the variable volume accumulator chamber increases by an amount equal to the first and second volumes combined, the first and second volumes of flowable materials forced into the variable volume accumulator chamber creates a flowable material mixture therein; and

the permitting means including an elastomeric valve body having first and second normally closed slits, said slits having reservoir ends fluidly coupled to the first and second reservoirs respectively, and each of said slits having accumulator ends fluidly coupled to the variable volume accumulator chamber;

means for maintaining the second slit closed when the reservoir end of the first slit is subjected to a fluid pressure sufficient to open the first slit to permit the pressurized flowable material to pass through the opened slit and into the variable volume accumulator chamber; and

means for expulsing the flowable material mixture from the variable volume accumulator chamber through the delivery head via the fluidly coupling means.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the maintaining means includes first and second deflectable surfaces formed on the valve body and aligned with the first and second slits so that applying a pressurized flowable material to one of the reservoir ends causes the corresponding first or second deflectable region to deflect.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first and second deflectable surfaces are in fluid communication with the variable volume accumulator chamber so that the presence of pressurized flowable material in the variable volume accumulator chamber tends to seal the other of the first and second slits.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the delivery head coupling means includes a fluid path segment across the first and second deflectable surfaces.

19. A syringe comprising:

first and second liquid reservoirs containing first and second liquids, each of said reservoirs having a length and first and second ends and a generally constant cross-sectional shape along at least a part of the length;

first and second pistons mounted within the first and second reservoirs and movable towards the first ends thereof;

an accumulator chamber having a length and first and second ends, at least part of the length of the accumulator chamber having a generally constant cross-sectional shape;

an accumulator piston mounted within the accumulator chamber and movable along the length of the accumulator chamber;

a flow path fluidly coupling the first ends of the first and second reservoirs to the accumulator chamber;

a stem for selectively driving the first piston, the second piston and the accumulator piston towards the respective first ends of the first reservoir, the second reservoir and the accumulator chamber;

means for preventing fluid flow from the accumulator chamber into either of the first and second reservoirs so that when the first piston is driven towards the first end of the first reservoir by the stem, liquid in the first reservoir flows into the accumulator chamber so to tend to force the accumulator piston towards the second end of the accumulator chamber;

a hollow needle; and

means for selectively fluidly coupling the accumulator chamber to the hollow needle so that when fluidly connected, any liquid in the accumulator chamber can be forced through the fluidly coupling means and to the hollow needle by driving the accumulator piston towards the first end of the accumulator chamber by the stem.

20. A variable ratio, liquid pharmaceutical dispensing system comprising:

first and second pistons;

an accumulator piston;

first and second variable volume reservoirs containing first and second liquids, wherein the first and second variable volume reservoirs are elongate with generally constant cross-sectional shapes, and the first and second variable volume reservoirs are partially defined by the first and second pistons;

a variable volume accumulator chamber, wherein the variable volume accumulator chamber is partially defined by the accumulator piston housed within the variable volume accumulator chamber;

means for permitting fluid flow from the first and second reservoirs into the variable volume accumulator chamber while preventing backflow;

a pharmaceutical delivery head;

means, including a manually movable element movable by a user between open and closed positions, for permitting and blocking fluid flow from the variable volume accumulator chamber to the pharmaceutical delivery head when the movable element is in the open and closed positions respectively;

means for forcing first and second volumes of the first and second liquids from the first and second reservoirs, respectively, to the variable volume accumulator chamber via the fluid flow permitting means, so that the volume of the variable volume accumulator chamber increases by an amount equal to the first and second volumes combined, and the first and second volumes of the first and second liquids creates a liquid mixture in the variable volume accumulator chamber; and

means for expulsing the liquid mixture from the variable volume accumulator chamber through the pharmaceutical delivery head via the fluidly coupling means, the expulsing means including the accumulator piston.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a collapsible sterility skirt connected to the accumulator piston and to the variable volume accumulator chamber to aid keeping the variable volume accumulator chamber sterile.

22. A pharmaceutical delivery system comprising:

first and second liquid reservoirs containing first and second liquids, each of said reservoirs having a length and first and second ends and a generally constant cross-sectional shape along at least a part of the length;

first and second pistons mounted within the first and second reservoirs and movable towards the first ends thereof;

an accumulator chamber having a length and first and second ends, at least part of the length of the accumulator chamber having a generally constant cross-sectional shape;

an accumulator piston mounted within the accumulator chamber and movable along the length of the accumulator chamber;

a flow path fluidly coupling the first ends of the first and second reservoirs to the accumulator chamber;

a stem for selectively driving the first piston, the second piston and the accumulator piston towards the respective first ends of the first reservoir, the second reservoir and the accumulator chamber;

means for preventing fluid flow from the accumulator chamber into either of the first and second reservoirs so that when the first piston is driven towards the first end of the first reservoir by the stem, liquid in the first reservoir flows into the accumulator chamber so to tend to force the accumulator piston towards the second end of the accumulator chamber;

a pharmaceutical delivery head; and

means for selectively fluidly coupling the accumulator chamber to the pharmaceutical delivery head so that when fluidly connected, any liquid in the accumulator chamber can be forced through the fluidly coupling means and to the pharmaceutical delivery head by driving the accumulator piston towards the first end of the accumulator chamber by the stem.

23. A variable ratio, liquid pharmaceutical dispensing syringe comprising:

first and second pistons;

an accumulator piston;

first and second variable volume reservoirs containing first and second liquids, wherein the first and second variable volume reservoirs are elongate with generally constant cross-sectional shapes, and the first and second variable volume reservoirs are partially defined by the first and second pistons;

a variable volume accumulator chamber, wherein the accumulator chamber is partially defined by the accumulator piston housed within the accumulator chamber;

means for permitting fluid flow from the first and second reservoirs into the accumulator chamber while preventing backflow;

a flowable material liquid delivery head including a hollow hypodermic needle;

means for fluidly coupling the hypodermic needle to the accumulator chamber;

means for forcing the first and second liquids form the first and second reservoirs to the accumulator chamber via the fluid flow permitting means, so that selected amounts of the first and second liquids are forced into the accumulator chamber to create a liquid mixture therein, the forcing means including a stem engageable with the first and second pistons; and

means for expulsing the liquid mixture from the accumulator chamber through the delivery head via the fluidly coupling means, the expulsing means including the accumulator piston.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the expulsing means includes said stem.