Ampule for needleless injection

• US 5,503,627 A
• Filed: 05/09/1994
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bioject Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bioject Incorporated
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Takaaki, McKinnon, Charles M., Wilcox, Carl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCARE, NANCY C
• Application Number:
  US08/239,884
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 604/68-72, 604/240-243, 206/365
• US Class Current: 604/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2488 via rotation, e.g. threads or bayonet
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3118 via the distal end of a syringe, i.e. syringe end for mounting a needle cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/312 comprising sealing means, e.g. severable caps, to be removed prior to injection by, e.g. tearing or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2053 Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3007 with specially designed jet passages at the injector's distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/486 Indicating injection pressure

Abstract

A needleless injection device has a housing containing a pilot valve connectable to a compressed gas source. A two stage power amplifying valve includes a main valve operatively connected to the pilot valve. The pilot valve and main valve form a two-stage valve with the pilot valve activatable to open the main valve utilizing gas pressure. Compressed gas in a reservoir flows through the open main valve to drive a plunger into an ampule to inject an injectant through a patient'"'"'s skin. Interlocks are provided to resist inadvertent actuation of the device and a indicator indicates whether there is sufficient gas pressure in the device for another injection.

Claims

1. In an ampule of the type used with an injector to provide a needleless injection, and having an ampule body forming an injectant chamber and a nozzle section adjoining the ampule body and forming a nozzle opening, the improvement comprising:

a tubular shroud attached to the ampule body and concentric with the nozzle section; and

a Luer fitting on the nozzle section and substantially within the shroud, the Luer fitting having a minimum diameter of approximately 0.15 inch adjacent to the nozzle opening and tapering linearly outwardly to larger diameters towards the injectant chamber.

2. The ampule of claim 1 wherein the injectant chamber is cylindrical and concentric with the nozzle opening.

3. The ampule of claim 1 further comprising means for attaching the ampule to an injection device.

4. The ampule of claim 3 wherein the means for attaching comprises a plurality of lug sections radially projecting from the ampule body and spaced apart from the nozzle section.

5. The ampule of claim 1 further comprising a plunger slidably positioned at least partially within the injectant chamber.

6. The ampule of claim 1 wherein the nozzle section projects beyond the tubular shroud.

7. The ampule of claim 1 further comprising:

a nozzle bore of length L in the nozzle section,

a throat section between the ampule body and the nozzle section, the throat section having inner throat walls leading and tapering substantially conically outwardly from the nozzle bore towards the injectant chamber.

8. The ampule of claim 7 further comprising a transition section between, and adjoining, the throat section and the ampule body, the transition section having forward inner transition walls curving on a radius convexly from the throat section into rear inner transition walls, the rear inner transition walls curving on a radius concavely from the forward inner transition walls to the ampule body.

9. The ampule of claim 7 wherein the throat section has inner walls which flair conically outwardly from a center line of the ampule at an angle in the range of approximately 2°

-6°

.

10. The ampule of claim 7 wherein throat section has a length a plurality of times greater than the length of the nozzle bore L.

11. In an ampule of the type used with an injector to provide a needleless injection, and having an ampule body forming an injectant chamber and a nozzle section adjoining the ampule body and forming an nozzle opening, the improvement comprising:

a nozzle section having a nozzle bore of length L;

a throat section adjoining the nozzle section and having inner throat walls leading and tapering substantially conically outwardly from the nozzle bore, the throat section having a length a plurality of times greater than the length of the nozzle bore L;

a cylindrical ampule body adjoining the throat section and containing an injectant chamber;

a tubular shroud attached to the ampule body and extending substantially over the entire throat section; and

a Luer fitting on the nozzle section substantially within the shroud.

12. The ampule of claim 11 wherein the shroud has a length of approximately 0.3 inches.

13. The ampule of claim 11 wherein the shroud has a forward end rim with an outside diameter of approximately 0.4 inch.

14. The ampule of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of lug sections radially projecting from the ampule body.

15. The ampule of claim 11 wherein the nozzle section projects beyond the tubular shroud.

16. The ampule of claim 11 further comprising a transition section between, and adjoining, the throat section and the ampule body, the transition section having forward inner transition walls curving on a radius convexly from the throat section into rear inner transition walls, the rear inner transition walls curving on a radius concavely from the forward inner transition walls to the ampule body.

17. The ampule of claim 11 wherein the throat section has inner walls which flair conically outwardly from a center line of the ampule at an angle in the range of approximately 2°

-6°

.

18. In an ampule of the type used with an injector to provide a needleless injection, and having an ampule body having a front and a back end and containing an injectant chamber and a nozzle section forming a nozzle and adjoining the ampule body, the improvement comprising:

a tubular shroud attached to the ampule body, concentric with the nozzle section;

a Luer fitting on the nozzle section and substantially within the shroud;

a conical throat section adjoining the ampule body and the nozzle section and forming a conical throat for connecting the injectant chamber to the nozzle; and

a plurality of lugs at the back end of the ampule body radially spaced apart from each other.