Fill facilitating unit dose injection cartridge and filling method

• US 6,213,980 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Path
• Original Assignee: Path
• Inventors: Colburn, Theodore J., Wright, Sabrena A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/426,719
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 604/68, 604/72, 604/140, 604/141, 604/143, 604/147, 604/152, 604/154, 604/157, 604/257, 604/261, 604/228, 222/340, 222/372, 222/341, 222/320, 222/575
• US Class Current: 604/183
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3123 having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/001 Apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising syringes or needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• 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

Abstract

A unit dose injection cartridge (e.g., needleless injection cartridge) includes an elongated chamber, a sealable discharge outlet (e.g., nozzle orifice) and a piston seal slidable within the chamber from a proximal end region to a distal end of the chamber. The piston seal is movably securable at a first position within the proximal end region, wherein the chamber is fillable with medicament by way of a passageway extending past the piston seal from a proximal side to a distal side thereof. During filling, air is allowed to escape from the chamber through the same passageway used for filling, or a second similarly arranged adjacent passageway. Once a unit dose of medicament is metered into the chamber, the piston seal may be moved slightly distally to a second position within the proximal end region, whereby the chamber is sealed-off from the passageway by the piston seal. During this movement of the piston seal, and before the chamber is sealed-off, any air remaining in the chamber is allowed to escape through the passageway (or second passageway), avoiding the need for leakage of air and/or medicament through the orifice of the discharge nozzle. The passageway(s) may be provided between the plunger and an adjacent laterally recessed chamber wall portion, or alternatively as discrete passageways through the chamber-forming wall structure.

Claims

1. A unit dose injection cartridge comprising:

a sidewall structure defining an elongated medicament chamber;

a sealable discharge outlet at a distal end of said medicament chamber;

a discharge piston seal slidable within the chamber from a proximal end region to a distal end region thereof, said piston seal being removably securable at a first position within the proximal end region;

a passageway extending, while said piston seal is in said first position, past the plunger from a proximal side to a distal side thereof, the chamber being fillable with medicament by way of the passageway, wherein;

during filling, air is allowed to escape from the chamber; and

the piston seal is movable distally to a second position within the proximal end region, after filling of the chamber, to thereby seal-off the chamber from the passageway.

2. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge outlet seal, wherein when said piston seal is in said first position and said discharge outlet seal is intact, said chamber is sealed except for said passageway, which permits the escape of air from the chamber during said filling.

3. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge outlet seal and a second passageway extending, while said piston seal is in said first position, past the plunger from the proximal side to the distal side thereof, wherein when said piston seal is in said first position and said discharge outlet seal is intact, said chamber is sealed except for said first and second passageways, said second passageway permitting the escape of air from the chamber during said filling through the first passageway.

4. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 3, wherein said first and second passageways are formed as discrete passageways extending through said sidewall structure of the cartridge.

5. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the passageway is provided between the piston seal and an adjacent laterally recessed chamber wall portion.

6. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the passageway is formed as a discrete passageway extending through said sidewall structure of the cartridge.

7. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge is a needleless injection cartridge, and said discharge outlet is a discharge nozzle orifice.

8. A unit dose injection cartridge according to claim 7, further comprising a removable seal covering said nozzle orifice.

11. A method according to claim 4, wherein said escape of air during filling occurs through a second passageway which extends past the plunger from a proximal side to a distal side thereof, when said piston seal is in said first position.

12. A method according to claim 4, wherein said filling step is carried out by inserting a cannula into said passageway and flowing said medicament into said chamber through said cannula.

13. A method according to claim 6, wherein said cartridge is oriented vertically during said filling step, and said flowing of medicament into the chamber occurs by force of gravity.

9. A method of filling a unit dose injection cartridge including an elongated chamber, a sealable discharge outlet at a distal end of the chamber and a piston seal slidable within the chamber from a proximal end region of said chamber to said distal end, said method comprising:

removably securing the piston seal at a first position within the proximal end region such that a passageway extending past the plunger from a proximal side to a distal side thereof is formed;

filling said chamber with medicament through said passageway while simultaneously allowing air to escape from the chamber;

once a unit dose of medicament is metered into the chamber, moving the piston seal distally to a second position within the proximal end region, to thereby seal-off the chamber from the passageway while permitting any air remaining in the chamber to escape from the chamber.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said chamber is, but for a communication with atmosphere provided by said passageway, maintained in a sealed condition during said chamber filling step.

14. A sealable or semi-sealed vessel comprising:

a sidewall structure defining an elongated chamber,

a sealable discharge outlet at a distal end of said chamber;

a discharge piston seal slidable within the chamber from a proximal end region to a distal end region thereof, said piston seal being removably securable at a first position within the proximal end region;

a passageway extending, while said piston seal is in said first position, past the plunger from a proximal side to a distal side thereof, the chamber being fillable with a liquid by way of the passageway, wherein;

during filling, air is allowed to escape from the chamber; and

the piston seal is movable distally to a second position within the proximal end region, after filling of the chamber, to thereby seal-off the chamber from the passageway.