Disposable front loadable syringe

• US 5,658,261 A
• Filed: 04/06/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Fago, Frank M., Neer, Charles, Goethel, James H., Dieterlen, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRIGHT, RONALD K
• Application Number:
  US08/417,823
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 604/154, 604/232, 604/155, 604/241, 604/242, 604/131, 604/151, 604/152, 604/187, 604/218, 604/228, 604/240, 128/DIG. 1, 128/654, 128/655, 222/326, 222/327, 222/390
• US Class Current: 604/240
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2250/00 Specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1458 Means for capture of the plunger flange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/01 Motorized syringe

Abstract

An animal fluid injector, replaceable syringe and method of replacement of the syringe in the injector are provided in which the syringe is loadable and unloadable into and from the injector through the open front end of a pressure jacket of the injector, thereby permitting replacement without retraction of the syringe plunger drive or disconnection of the injection tubing. The syringe is provided with a pressure restraining front end, such as an integral or removable cap with structure such as threads that lock the syringe to the front end of the jacket by mating with threads on the jacket. A mechanism in the injector, which includes, for example, a key on cam ring operated by a lever with one hand of an operator, interacts with structure such as symmetrically spaced notches on the back end of the syringe to, for example, rotate the syringe and simultaneously translate or rotate a coupling on the syringe plunger into and out of engagement with the plunger drive in the injector.

Claims

1. A disposable replacement syringe for a front loadable injector for injecting liquid into an animal, where the injector has a syringe receiving opening on the front thereof and has a plurality of internal sections circumferentially displaced inside the opening, the disposable syringe comprising:

a hollow body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, and an open rearward end;

a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon;

an annular flange extending outwardly from the hollow body and monolithic therewith, the annular flange lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body; and

locking structure spaced longitudinally a fixed distance rearwardly from the annular flange monolithic with and extending radially from the tubular wall of the body a distance smaller than the outward extension of said annular flange, the locking structure being in the form of a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending mating sections configured to engage the internal sections inside the opening on the front of the injector to lock the syringe thereto upon the rearward longitudinal insertion of the mating sections through the opening and the partial rotation of the syringe in the opening, and to thereby urge the annular flange against the opening.

2. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 1 for use with an injector having a pressure jacket extending forwardly therefrom, the jacket having a cylindrical bore therein, the opening of the injector being the hollow bore of the jacket, and wherein the internal internal sections are fixedly located on the inside of the jacket, wherein:

the radially extending mating sections of the locking structure comprise mating sections positioned in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the body of the syringe so as to align with the internal sections on the jacket when the syringe is inserted in the jacket and to lock the syringe to the jacket.

3. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 2, wherein:

the annular flange is in the form of a continuous annular ring surrounding the body; and

the locking structure forms means for sealably urging the annular flange against the jacket when the syringe is locked to the jacket to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector.

4. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 1, wherein:

the annular flange extends outwardly from the forward end of the hollow body.

5. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 1, wherein:

the locking structure extends radially outwardly from the tubular wall adjacent the forward end of the hollow body.

6. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of radially extending mating sections includes four equally spaced sections lockable to the internal sections upon rotation of 45 degrees about the axis.

7. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of radially extending mating sections includes four equally spaced sections each spanning not more than 45 degrees about the axis.

8. The syringe of claim 1, for use with an injector having a tubular member extending forwardly from the front thereof and having a cylindrical bore therein forming the opening at the front of the injector, the tubular member having a circular front end lying in a plane;

and further comprising;

means, including the locking structure, for urging the annular flange rearwardly against the front end of the tubular member.

9. The syringe of claim 1 for use with an injector having a continuous rim surrounding and forming the periphery of the opening, and wherein:

the annular flange is in the form of a continuous annular ring; and

the locking structure urges the annular flange rearwardly against the syringe receiving opening when the syringe is locked to the injector to form a seal with the opening to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector.

10. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of radially extending mating sections includes spaced thread sections each spanning not more than 45 degrees.

11. A disposable replacement syringe for a front loadable injector for injecting liquid into an animal where the injector has a circular syringe receiving opening therein bounded by a circular annular periphery lying in a plane and syringe-retaining structure spaced a fixed distance rearward of the periphery and positioned relative to the opening to be engageable therethrough, the disposable syringe comprising:

a hollow body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, and an open rearward end;

a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon;

a planar annular ring surrounding, extending outwardly from and monolithic with the cylindrical tubular wall forward of the rearward end of the body and lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body;

the ring having a rearward facing planar annular surface dimensioned to overly the periphery of the opening; and

locking structure monolithic with the tubular wall of the syringe and extending radially therefrom a distance smaller than the outward extension of said annular ring, spaced the fixed distance rearward of the ring and dimensioned to fit through the opening so as to engage the syringe retaining structure of the injector and urge the ring to seal against the periphery of the opening on the injector to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector.

12. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 11 wherein:

the locking structure is configured to secure the syringe to the injector by engaging the syringe retaining structure on the injector with a twisting motion to sealably urge the ring against the periphery of the circular opening.

13. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 12 wherein:

the locking structure includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced sections configured to engage the syringe retaining structure of the injector around the opening on the injector to lock the syringe thereto upon rearward longitudinal insertion of the syringe into the opening and partial rotational motion of the syringe.

14. The disposable replacement syringe of claim 11 further comprising:

an annular split clip configured to secure the syringe to the injector; and

wherein;

the ring has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said split clip to facilitate engagement by the split clip to lock the syringe to the injector and to urge the ring against the periphery of the circular opening.

15. A disposable replacement syringe for a front loadable injector having a syringe receiving opening thereon, the disposable syringe comprising:

a hollow body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, and an open rearward end;

a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon;

a planar annular ring-shaped flange surrounding, monolithic with and extending outwardly from the hollow body and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body; and

a connector monolithic with the body having an outer breadth smaller than the outward extension of said annular ring-shaped flange, spaced longitudinally rearwardly from the annular ring-shaped flange for locking the syringe to the opening on the injector upon the rearward longitudinal insertion of the rearward end of the syringe into the opening and for sealably urging the annular ring-shaped flange rearwardly against the periphery of the opening to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector.

16. The syringe of claim 15 wherein the connector includes screw threads in the form of a plurality of circumferentially spaced flange sections extending radially outwardly from the tubular wall to cooperate with mating threads on the injector.

17. The syringe of claim 16 wherein:

the screw threads include four flange sections each spanning less than the circumference of the body so as to enable threaded engagement with the mating threads upon 45°

rotation of the syringe.

18. A front loadable power injector for injecting liquid into an animal comprising:

an injector having a housing, a syringe receiving opening and a plunger driving ram mounted in the housing and extendable along an axis through the opening;

a syringe having a hollow body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, an open rearward end, a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon, an annular flange monolithic therewith extending around and outwardly from the hollow body and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body, and locking structure monolithic therewith spaced longitudinally rearwardly from the annular flange and extending radially from the tubular wall of the body a distance smaller than the outward extension of said annular flange;

the locking structure being in the form of a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending sections;

the injector having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending mating sections spaced around the opening;

the radially extending sections of the locking structure being sized to fit between the radially extending mating sections at the opening so as to lock the syringe to the injector upon the rearward longitudinal insertion of the radially extending sections of the locking structure into the opening and between the radially extending mating sections at the opening, followed by partial rotation of the syringe in the opening to thereby urge the annular flange against the opening.

19. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the injector has a pressure jacket extending forwardly from the housing, the jacket having a cylindrical bore therein, the syringe receiving opening of the injector being in the bore of the jacket; and

the mating sections at the opening are fixedly located on the jacket, whereby the radially extending sections of the locking structure lock the syringe to the jacket.

20. The injector of claim 19 further comprising:

means including the locking structure and the mating sections for sealably urging the annular flange against the jacket.

21. The injector of claim 20 wherein:

the jacket has a circular front end lying in a plane; and

the annular flange is sealably urged rearwardly against the front end of the jacket.

22. The injector claim 18 wherein:

the annular flange is in the form of a continuous annular ring lying in a plane and surrounding the hollow body; and

the ring is configured such that, when urged against the opening, a seal is formed to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector.

23. The injector claim 18 wherein:

the annular flange extends outwardly from the forward end of the hollow body; and

the injector includes a cylindrical member extending forwardly from the injector housing and having a hollow bore therethrough, the syringe receiving opening being at an end of the bore remote from the injector housing.

24. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the locking structure extends radially outwardly from the tubular wall adjacent the forward end of the hollow body of the syringe.

25. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the plurality of radially extending sections of the locking structure and the mating sections at the opening each include four equally spaced thread sections; and

the sections are configured to mutually engage upon rotation of the syringe of 45 degrees.

26. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the plurality of radially extending sections of the locking structure and the mating sections at the opening each include four equally spaced thread sections spanning not more than 45 degrees.

27. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the injector housing has a tubular member extending forwardly from the front thereof and having a cylindrical bore therein forming the syringe receiving opening;

the tubular member has a circular front end lying in a plane; and

the annular flange is sealably urged rearwardly against the front end of the tubular member.

28. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the plurality of outwardly extending sections of the locking structure and the plurality of radially extending mating sections at the opening each include equally spaced thread sections; and

the sections are configured to mutually engage upon rotation of the syringe of 45 degrees.

29. The injector of claim 18 wherein:

the plurality of radially extending sections of the locking structure and the plurality of radially extending mating sections at the opening each include equally spaced thread sections spanning not more than 45 degrees.

30. A front loadable injector for injecting liquid into an animal comprising:

an injector housing having a circular syringe receiving opening bounded by a circular annular periphery lying in a plane and syringe retaining structure spaced a fixed distance rearward of the periphery of the opening and positioned relative to the opening to be engagable therethrough;

a plunger driving ram mounted in the housing and extendable along an axis through the opening;

a syringe having a hollow body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, an open rearward end, a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon, and a planar annular ring surrounding and extending outwardly from the cylindrical tubular wall, spaced forward of the rearward end and lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body;

the ring of the syringe being monolithic with the tubular wall of the syringe and having a rearward facing planar annular surface dimensioned to overly the periphery of the opening; and

the syringe having locking structure thereon monolithic with the tubular wall of the syringe and extending radially therefrom a distance smaller than the outward extension of said annular ring, spaced the fixed distance rearward of the ring and dimensioned to fit through the opening so as to engage the syringe retaining structure of the injector and urge the ring rearwardly to seal the syringe against the periphery of the circular opening on the injector to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector.

31. The injector of claim 30 wherein:

the locking structure on the syringe and the syringe retaining structure on the injector form a twist lock at least partially carried by the syringe and partially by the injector and configured to secure the syringe to the injector and to sealably urge the ring against the periphery of the circular opening.

32. The injector of claim 31 wherein:

the twist lock includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced thread sections including thread sections forming the locking structure on the syringe and mating thread sections forming the syringe retaining structure on the injector, the thread sections of the locking structure being configured to engage the thread sections of the syringe retaining structure inside the syringe receiving opening to lock the syringe to the injector upon rearward longitudinal insertion of the syringe into the opening and rotational motion of the syringe relative to the injector.

33. A front loadable injector for injecting liquid into an animal comprising:

an injector housing having a syringe receiving opening surrounded by a continuous flange;

a plunger driving ram mounted in the housing and extendable on an axis through the opening;

a syringe having a hollow body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, an open rearward end, a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon, and a planar annular ring surrounding and extending outwardly from the cylindrical tubular wall, spaced forward of the rearward end and lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body;

the ring of the syringe being monolithic with the tubular wall of the syringe and having a rearward facing planar annular surface dimensioned to overly the flange that surrounds the opening to seal the syringe against the periphery of the opening on the injector to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector;

a reusable split clip configured to clip the ring of the syringe to the flange of the injector to secure the syringe to the injector to lock the syringe to the injector and to urge the ring against the flange surrounding the circular opening.

34. A front loadable injector for injecting liquid into an animal comprising:

an injector housing having a syringe receiving opening and a plunger driving ram mounted in the housing and extendable along an axis through the opening, the opening being bounded by a forward facing peripheral rim;

a syringe having a hollow body, the body having a cylindrical tubular wall, a central longitudinal axis, a closed forward end having a discharge outlet therein, an open rearward end, a plunger snugly slidable within the hollow body in direct contact with the inside of the tubular wall and having a rearwardly facing drive engaging coupling thereon, and a flange monolithic with the body, extending outwardly from the hollow body and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body, the flange having an annular rearwardly facing surface; and

a connector partially on the injector and partially on the syringe locking the syringe to the opening on the injector upon rearward longitudinal insertion of the rearward end of the syringe into the opening and urging the rearwardly facing surface of the flange against the peripheral rim of the opening to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid into the injector, the connector including locking structure monolithic with the body of the syringe having an outer breadth smaller than the outward extension of said flange and spaced a fixed distance rearward of the flange and mating structure on the injector within the opening spaced the fixed distance rearward of the peripheral rim of the opening.

35. The injector of claim 34 wherein the locking structure includes screw threads in the form of a plurality of circumferentially spaced thread sections extending outwardly from the tubular wall of the syringe and the mating structure includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced mating thread sections spaced around the opening on the injector.

36. The injector of claim 35 wherein:

the screw threads include thread sections each spanning less than the circumference of the body so as to enable threaded engagement with the mating threads upon 45°

rotation of the syringe.

37. The injector of claim 34 wherein:

the flange is in the form of a continuous annular ring surrounding the tubular body at the forward end thereof, and the connector includes locking structure extending radially from the tubular wall and spaced rearwardly from the ring, urging the ring against the peripheral rim of the opening so as to form a seal therewith to inhibit leakage of spilled fluid from entering the injector.