Article having multi-layered lubricant and method therefor

• US 5,338,312 A
• Filed: 10/02/1992
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Montgomery, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELGART, VANITHA M
• Application Number:
  US07/955,963
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 604/230, 604/187, 604/218, 604/207, 604/12, 604/172, 604/263, 427/2, 427/563, 427/574, 427/334, 361/225, 361/226, 361/230
• US Class Current: 604/230
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3131 specially adapted for improving sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence

Abstract

An article having surfaces in sliding contact is lubricated at the interface with a multi component system. A first crosslinked basement lubricant is coated onto a surface, such as a syringe barrel. A second lubricant is coated over the crosslinked lubricant. The second surface, such as a syringe stopper is engaged with the first surface. A second aspect of the invention is a method for lubricating an article such as a syringe. A low viscosity prebasement lubricant is evenly coated onto the inside surface of the syringe barrel and then crosslinked by a plasma to a viscous liquid or substantially solid basement lubricant. A second surface lubricant is then applied over the basement lubricant.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a) a first component having a surface coated with a film of a crosslinked first lubricant;

b) a film of a second lubricant on said crosslinked lubricant; and

c) a second component slidably engaged with said first component at an interface between the surfaces whereby said second component is in contact with said second lubricant, said first lubricant remaining substantially immobilized on said first component when said second component is slidably advanced over said second lubricant.

2. A syringe comprising:

a) a syringe barrel having thereon a film of a crosslinked basement lubricant;

b) a film of a surface lubricant on said crosslinked lubricant; and

c) a polymeric syringe stopper slidably located in said barrel and in contact with said surface lubricant, said basement lubricant remaining substantially immobilized on said barrel when said stopper is slidably advanced over said surface lubricant.

3. The syringe of claim 2 wherein said barrel is of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane.

4. The syringe of claim 2 wherein said crosslinked lubricant is selected from the group of lubricants consisting of a crosslinked vegetable oil, wax, grease and silicone oil.

5. The syringe of claim 2 wherein said surface lubricant is a silicone oil.

6. The syringe of claim 5 wherein said surface silicone oil lubricant has a viscosity of about 100 to 100,000 centistokes.

7. A syringe comprising:

a) a polypropylene syringe barrel having thereon a film of a first crosslinked silicone oil basement lubricant;

b) a film of a second crosslinked silicone oil lubricant having a viscosity of about 1000 to 12,500 centistokes on said basement lubricant, and

c) a polymeric syringe stopper slidably located in said barrel and in contact with said second silicone oil lubricant, said basement lubricant remaining substantially immobilized on said barrel when said stopper is slidably advanced over said second silicone oil lubricant, said first and second crosslinked silicone lubricants together providing smooth advancement of said stopper in said barrel over a velocity range of about 0.003 to 1000 mm/min.

8. A method for lubricating the interface between a syringe barrel and a syringe stopper comprising:

a) depositing a layer of a first lubricant on a surface of a syringe barrel;

b) treating said first lubricant to give a crosslinked first lubricant;

c) depositing a layer of a second lubricant on the crosslinked first lubricant; and

d) engaging a syringe stopper in said syringe barrel, said stopper being in contact with said second lubricant, said first lubricant remaining substantially immobilized on said barrel when said stopper is slidably advanced over said second lubricant.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising plasma treating the second lubricant prior to engaging the syringe stopper and barrel.

10. A method for lubricating the interface between a syringe barrel and a syringe stopper comprising:

a) depositing a layer of a first silicone lubricant on a syringe barrel;

b) plasma treating said first silicone lubricant to give a first crosslinked silicon lubricant;

c) depositing a layer of a second silicone lubricant on the first crosslinked silicone lubricant;

d) plasma treating said second silicone lubricant to give a second crosslinked silicone lubricant; and

e) engaging a syringe stopper in said syringe barrel, said stopper being in contact with said second crosslinked silicone lubricant, said first crosslinked silicon lubricant remaining substantially immobilized on said barrel when said stopper is slidably advanced over said second crosslinked silicone lubricant, said first and second crosslinked silicone lubricants together providing smooth advancement of said stopper in said barrel over a velocity range of about 0.003 to 1000 mm/min.