Hypodermic syringe for implanting solid objects

• US 5,484,403 A
• Filed: 04/05/1994
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avid Identification Systems, Inc. (Avid Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avid Marketing Incorporated
• Inventors: Yoakum, Jay F., Wooldridge, Sammy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CERMAK, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US08/223,117
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 604/11, 604/15, 604/16, 604/18, 604/57, 604/59-64, 604/230, 604/187, 606/108, 606/109
• US Class Current: 604/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027

Abstract

The hypodermic syringe for implanting objects in the bodies of birds, fish, animals, and humans consists of a barrel, a canula attached to one end of the barrel, and a plunger that can be moved back and forth within the barrel. A user implants an object by placing the object inside the canula, making an incision with the canula, and then pushing on the plunger thereby causing the object to move from the canula through the incision and into the body. The canula is designed to securely hold an implant object in a fixed position within the canula from the moment of insertion into the canula until the moment of implantation. The canula is also provided with a window that permits a user to observe the presence of an object and, in the case of objects that are electronic identification tags, to read the data stored in a tag with electromagnetic readers. The plunger is intended to provide the user with the same "feel" as a conventional fluid-injection-type hypodermic syringe. The plunger is also equipped with a pressure-release mechanism to avoid the undesirable effects of air pressure build-up in the barrel which may occur when the plunger is operated by a user.

Claims

1. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a canula adapted to receive an implant object into its interior at the distal end and having an obstruction which prevents the implant object from moving from the distal end to the proximal end;

a means for holding the implant object in a fixed position within the canula prior to implantation, the holding means being selected from the group conisting of (1) an open-ended slot at the distal end of the canula, the inside diameter of the canula being less than the outside diameter of the implant object and (2) a plurality of crimped regions on the canula surface.

2. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a canula adapted to receive an implant object into its interior at the distal end and having an obstruction which prevents the implant object from moving from the distal end to the proximal end;

a means for holding the implant object in a fixed position within the canula prior to implantation;

an access means for viewing and electromagnetically probing the implant object when it is lodged within the canula.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the access means is a slot in the canula.

4. The device of claim 2 further comprising:

a barrel attached to the canula;

a plunger dimensioned to enter the barrel and the canula, the movement of the plunger within the barrel and the canula causing the object lodged within the canula to be ejected.

5. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a canula adapted to receive an implant object into its interior at the distal end and having an obstruction which prevents the implant object from moving from the distal end to the proximal end;

a means for holding the implant object in a fixed position within the canula prior to implantation;

a barrel attached to the canula;

a plunger dimensioned to enter the barrel and the canula, the movement of the plunger within the barrel and the canula causing the object when lodged within the canula to be ejected, the plunger comprising a means for guiding the plunger as it moves within the barrel, a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel, and a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein (1) the guiding means is a portion of the plunger that makes sliding contact with the inside surface of the barrel and the force-applying means is a gasket in intimate contact with the guiding-means portion of the plunger and making contact with the inside surface of the barrel thereby providing for a frictional force resisting the movement of the plunger as the plunger moves within the barrel, the gasket dividing the barrel into two regions, and (2) the means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel is an air passage connecting the two regions of the barrel.

7. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a canula adapted to receive an implant object into its interior at the distal end and having an obstruction which prevents the implant object from moving from the distal end to the proximal end;

a means for holding the implant object in a fixed position within the canula prior to implantation;

an access means for viewing and electromagnetically probing the implant object when it is lodged within the canula;

a barrel attached to the canula;

a plunger dimensioned to enter the barrel and the canula, the movement of the plunger within the barrel and the canula causing the object when lodged within the canula to be ejected, the plunger comprising a means for guiding the plunger as it moves within the barrel, a means for causing the implant object to move out of the canula as the plunger moves within the barrel, a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel, and a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein (1) the guiding means is a portion of the plunger that makes sliding contact with the inside surface of the barrel and the force-applying means is a gasket in intimate contact with the guiding means portion of the plunger and making contact with the inside surface of the barrel thereby providing for a frictional force resisting the movement of the plunger as the plunger moves within the barrel, the gasket dividing the barrel into two regions, and (2) the means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel is an air passage connecting the two regions of the barrel.

9. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a canula dimensioned to receive an implant object into its interior;

a means for holding the implant object in a fixed position within the canula prior to implantation;

an access means for viewing and electromagnetically probing the implant object when it is lodged within the canula.

a barrel attached to the canula;

a plunger that moves within the barrel and the canula, the plunger comprising a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel and a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger, the force-applying means being a gasket in intimate contact with a portion of the plunger and making contact with the inside surface of the barrel thereby providing for a frictional force resisting the movement of the plunger as the plunger moves within the barrel, the gasket dividing the barrel into two regions, the means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel being an air passage connecting the two regions of the barrel.

10. A plunger for use with a barrel and a canula attached thereto for implanting solid objects, the plunger when sliding within the barrel and the canula implanting an implant object that is lodged within the canula, the plunger comprising:

a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel, the means being selected from the group consisting of (1) a device in contact with a portion of the exterior surface of the plunger and the interior surface of the barrel and (2) a compressible device;

a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger.

11. A plunger for use with a barrel and a canula attached thereto for implanting solid objects, the plunger when sliding within the barrel and the canula implanting an implant object that is lodged within the canula, the plunger comprising:

a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel, the force-applying means being a gasket in intimate contact with a portion of the plunger and making contact with the inside surface of the barrel thereby providing for a frictional force resisting the movement of the plunger as the plunger moves within the barrel, the gasket dividing the barrel into two regions;

a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger, the means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel being an air passage connecting the two regions of the barrel.

12. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a barrel;

a canula dimensioned to receive the implant object into its interior, the canula being attached to the barrel;

a plunger that slides within the barrel and the canula and implants the implant object when the implant object is lodged within the canula, the plunger comprising;

a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel, the means being selected from the group consisting of (1) a device in contact with a portion of the exterior surface of the plunger and the interior surface of the barrel and (2) a compressible device;

a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger.

13. A device for implanting solid objects comprising:

a barrel;

a canula dimensioned to receive the implant object into its interior, the canula being attached to the barrel;

a plunger that slides within the barrel and the canula, the plunger comprising;

a means for applying a force to the plunger to resist movement of the plunger within the barrel, the force-applying means being a gasket in intimate contact with a portion of the plunger and making contact with the inside surface of the barrel thereby providing for a frictional force resisting the movement of the plunger as the plunger moves within the barrel, the gasket dividing the barrel into two regions;

a means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel that would oppose the movement of the plunger, the means for avoiding the build-up of air pressure in the barrel being an air passage connecting the two regions of the barrel.