Syringe loading aid

• US 6,364,866 B1
• Filed: 01/22/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew J. Dawe, Douglas Furr, Ian M. Dawe
• Original Assignee: Andrew J. Dawe, Douglas Furr, Ian M. Dawe
• Inventors: Furr, Douglas, Dawe, Andrew J., Dawe, Ian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidel, Richard K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thissell, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US09/235,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 604/411, 604/413, 604/414, 604/187, 604/403, 604/207, 604/208, 141/18, 141/21, 141/25-28, 141/94, 141/97, 141/329, 141/330, 141/375, 141/383
• US Class Current: 604/414
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2055 having gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• 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

Abstract

A syringe loading device is disclosed that includes a vial holder, a syringe insertion guide and holder, a transparent cover mounted to the vial holder and syringe insertion guide and holder, and an ejection button. The vial holder is adapted to hold a vial containing liquid contents and has an integrated interference snap fit to removably receive a cap of the vial. The syringe insertion guide and holder, which is placed adjacent the vial holder and integrated therewith, is adapted to allow a syringe having a needle at one end to be removably inserted, needle end first, into the syringe insertion guide and holder with the needle penetrating into the vial. The syringe insertion guide and holder also has biased syringe clamps that hold the body of the syringe in a removably fixed position. The transparent cover slidably mounts parallel to the vial holder and syringe insertion guide and holder to protect the vial and syringe when placed in the syringe holder. The transparent cover slides to a first position uncovering the vial holder and to a second position to cover the holder. In the uncovered position, the syringe can be inserted into the insertion guide and holder. The cover can be placed in an intermediate position to allow ejection of the syringe for removal. The push button vial ejector fits within the vial holder and adjacent to interference snap fit.

Claims

1. A syringe loading aid comprising:

a base having an ergonomically designed hour-glass shape and exterior texture to facilitate handling and hand-held usage;

a first base cavity in said base formed to receive a medicine vial, said vial comprising a vial body, vial neck, vial cap, vial label and a septum, said first base cavity having a vial body section shaped to contain and protect at least a portion of a vial body, said first base cavity further comprising a vial neck section shaped to positively lock a vial neck in a releasable interference fit, said first base cavity further comprising a vial cap section shaped to positively lock a vial cap in a releasable interference fit so as to prevent longitudinal movement and inhibit lateral movement of a vial when placed within the first base cavity;

a second base cavity in said base formed to receive a syringe of the type comprising a needle, a barrel, syringe markings, a hilt and a plunger, said second base cavity being shaped to position said syringe in substantial coaxial alignment with a vial in said first base cavity so that a syringe needle will properly puncture a septum of a vial cap when a syringe is inserted into said second base cavity;

a protective cover attachable to said base;

said cover enclosing said first base cavity thereby protecting at least a portion of a vial body and restraining a vial from lateral movement;

said cover also enclosing said second base cavity thereby preventing a syringe inserted into said second base cavity from lateral movement and protecting a syringe while it is inserted into said second base cavity;

a syringe clenching device positioned to frictionally contact at least a portion of a syringe when a syringe is inserted into said second base cavity, said frictional contact being sufficient to resist movement of said syringe in a lateral and a longitudinal direction; and

a needle guide shaped to guide a syringe into substantially coaxial alignment with a medicine vial in said first base cavity by guiding a needle into said second base cavity.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the cover further comprises one or more magnifying lenses positioned so as to magnify the label on said medicine vial so as to more easily verify that the correct medicine is being dispensed.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the cover further comprises one or more magnifying lenses positioned so as to magnify the contents of said medicine vial so as to more easily verify the quantity and quality of medicine within the vial.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a release mechanism for ejecting a vial from said base by forcing a vial cap and a vial neck out of said releasable interference fit in said first base cavity.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more mounting elements with which the device may be attached to a wall, table or other surface using fasteners.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said second base cavity and said cover are shaped to receive a plurality of standard syringe sizes and said clenching device is constructed so as to frictionally resist movement of said plurality of standard syringe sizes.

7. A portable, hand-held syringe loading aid comprising:

a medicine vial holder for holding a medicine vial of the type having a vial body, vial neck, vial cap, a vial label and a septum, said vial holder being shaped to loosely surround at least a portion of a vial body and to secure by interference fit a vial neck and vial cap so as to protect a vial and prevent vial movement relative to the loading aid;

a syringe holder for holding a syringe of the type having a needle, a syringe barrel, a syringe hilt, markings, and a syringe plunger, said syringe holder having an entrance by which a syringe may enter the holder, said holder being shaped so as to contain and protect a syringe during hand-held use and transport, to guard a needle from contact with internal surfaces and to align a needle with a septum of a vial so that a needle properly punctures a septum as a syringe is inserted into the syringe holder;

a syringe clench that frictionally contacts a syringe when it is inserted into the syringe holder so as to resist longitudinal motion of the syringe as a syringe plunger is extracted during loading;

a syringe needle guide for physically directing a syringe needle into the syringe holder; and

a push-button vial ejector for releasing a vial from said releasable interference fit.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said one or more lenses is positioned adjacent the vial so as to magnify the vial.

9. A portable syringe loading device adapted for hand-held use comprising:

a vial holder for holding a vial containing liquid contents, said holder having an exterior shape that easily fits the hand and exterior surfaces with friction inducing texture to inhibit slippage in the hand said holder also being configured to form an in interference snap fit on a cap of a vial;

a syringe holder for holding a syringe in relative position to a vial in said vial holder to allow the contents of said vial to be extracted into a syringe having a needle, a body, and a plunger;

a slidable, transparent cover to protect a vial when placed in said vial holder and a syringe when placed in said syringe holder, said cover comprising lenses to magnify a vial and its contents; and

a push-button ejection mechanism to release a vial from said interference snap fit in said vial holder.

10. The syringe loading device of claim 9 wherein said syringe holder comprises a clenching device that frictionally holds a syringe in said holder while a syringe plunger is being retracted for syringe filling;

and a syringe ejection mechanism to eject a syringe from said clenching device.

11. A readily portable, hand-held syringe loading apparatus comprising:

a base having a tapered, hour-glass shape to facilitate hand-held use and inhibit slippage while being held in a hand,

a vial cavity formed in said base, said vial cavity being shaped to partially surround a vial and provide protection for said vial during hand-held use and transport, said vial cavity comprising;

a vial body section having a substantially semi-circular shape capable of closely receiving a vial body and providing protection therefor;

a vial neck section having a shape that provides an interference snap fit for a vial neck;

a vial cap section having a shape that provides an interference snap fit for a vial cap;

a push-button vial release mechanism, integral to said base, for releasing a vial cap from said interference snap fit for a vial cap and releasing a vial neck from said interference snap fit for a vial neck;

a syringe cavity formed in said base, said syringe cavity being in substantial coaxial alignment with said vial cavity, said syringe cavity being connected to said vial cavity and said syringe cavity having a syringe stop such that a syringe inserted into said syringe cavity is prevented from penetrating into said vial cavity, but a needle on a syringe inserted into said syringe cavity will be allowed to penetrate into said vial cavity;

clench tensioners attached to said base, said tensioners configured to allow axial entry of a syringe into said syringe cavity and apply sufficient force on a syringe to prevent unintended extraction during syringe loading;

a transparent cover longitudinally slidably attached to said base, said cover providing protection for a vial placed in said vial cavity and for a syringe placed in said syringe cavity, said cover also providing visual magnification of a syringe in said syringe cavity and a vial in said vial cavity.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said interference snap fit of said vial neck section and said interference snap fit of said vial cap section are achieved by extending the circular shape of said vial neck section and said vial cap section beyond a half circle for about 0.06 inches.

13. A syringe loading device comprising:

a vial holder adapted to hold a vial containing liquid contents, the vial holder having an integrated interference snap fit to removably receive a cap of the vial;

a syringe insertion guide and holder, adjacent the vial holder and integrated therewith, adapted to allow a syringe having a needle at one end, which is attached to a body with a plunger in a second end, to be removably inserted needle end first into the syringe insertion guide and holder with the needle penetrating into the vial in said vial holder, the syringe insertion guide and holder further comprising biased syringe clamps that hold the body of the syringe in a removably fixed position;

a transparent cover slidably mounted parallel to the vial holder and syringe insertion guide and holder to protect the vial and syringe when placed in said syringe holder, the transparent cover slidable to a first position uncovering the vial holder, to a second position covering the vial holder and allowing insertion of the syringe into the syringe insertion guide and holder, and intermediate the first and second positions to eject the syringe at least partially for removal; and

a push-button vial ejector, fitted in the vial holder and adjacent the interference snap fit.