Front-loading power injector and method of loading flanged syringe therein

• US 6,368,307 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Ziemba, Robert J., Neer, Charles S., Smith, Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thissell, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US09/697,204
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 604/152, 604/187, 604/181, 604/131, 604/151, 604/110, 604/134, 604/140, 604/143, 604/218, 604/227, 604/228
• US Class Current: 604/218
• 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

Abstract

A power injector and a removable replacement faceplate therefor are provided along with a method of front loading syringes, particularly prefilled syringes, which have outwardly extending structure such as flanges which have been typically breech loaded or side loaded into injectors or operated in a hand held fashion. The holder or faceplate of or for the injector is provided with a set of jaws spaced around a syringe receiving opening into which a syringe is loaded, rearward end first, with the jaws in a retracted position, until the flange or other outwardly extending structure on the syringe is rearward of the syringe is beyond a locking position of the jaws. The jaws are then actuated, either by operating an actuator on the faceplate or injector or by twisting the syringe in the opening, so that the jaws move radially inward and close in iris-like fashion about the syringe. The jaws preferably engage a narrow ring along a juncture of the flange or other structure and the body of the syringe and make sufficient contact around the circumference of the syringe, with sufficiently small spaces between the contacting surfaces to avoid damaging deformation of the syringe during use and to effectively hold the syringe against forward forces exerted by the ram of the injector.

Claims

1. A front-loading injector for supporting a syringe having a fluid cavity containing body, a forward end having a nozzle extending therefrom, and radially outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the body and for driving a plunger in the syringe forwardly through the body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the syringe to inject fluid from a cavity within the body of the syringe and out of the nozzle of the syringe, comprising:

an injector housing having a front with an opening therein and an injection ram in the housing and extendable along an axis of the ram through the opening and beyond the front of the housing to drive a plunger in a syringe mounted to said housing and through the cavity in the body thereof; and

locking structure within the opening including elements that are moveable radially to and from an axis through the opening between a retracted position sufficiently spaced from the axis through the opening to permit passage of outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the syringe when inserted rearwardly into or removed forwardly from the opening and a locking position in which the elements hold the syringe immediately forward of and against the support structure on the rearward end thereof to thereby lock the syringe to the injector with its longitudinal axis substantially coincident with the axis through the opening with the body of the syringe extending freely beyond and away from the injector, forward of the front of the housing and forward of the moveable elements of the locking structure with the forward end of the body and the nozzle remote from the locking structure.

2. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in the locked position, are in contact with the outside of the body of a syringe inserted in the opening.

3. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in the locking position, are in contact with a forward facing surface on the support structure at the rearward end of the syringe.

4. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have concave syringe engaging surfaces conforming approximately to the syringe.

5. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein:

the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon that are moveable when actuated into or out of engagement with the outside of a surface of the syringe; and

the injector includes an actuator, mounted on the housing and linked to the elements, which is operable to actuate the elements into and out of engagement with the syringe.

6. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the locking structure includes a plurality of elements each having a syringe engaging surface, each element being mounted to the injector each about a separate one of a plurality of longitudinal pivot axes angularly spaced around the longitudinal axis of the syringe to pivot the syringe engaging surfaces between their retracted and their locking positions.

7. The front-loading injector of claim 6 wherein the locking structure includes two elements each having a syringe engaging surface which, when the element is in its locking position, extends in an arc more than 90°

around the syringe.

9. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the locking structure includes a plurality of elements each having a syringe engaging surface, each element being mounted to the injector to translate the syringe engaging surfaces of the elements at least partially radially between their retracted and locked positions.

10. The front-loading injector of claim 9 wherein the locking structure includes a plurality of more than two elements each having a syringe engaging surface such that, when the element is in its locking position, the surfaces cumulatively extend in an arc of more than 180°

around the syringe.

11. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in the locked position, contact a flange of a syringe inserted in the opening primarily at the intersection of the flange with the body of the syringe.

12. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon cumulatively spanning an angle that includes approximately 25% of the circumference of the body of a syringe inserted in the opening.

13. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon cumulatively spanning an angle that includes approximately 65% of the circumference of the body of a syringe inserted in the opening.

14. The front-loading injector of claim 1 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in locking position around a syringe that is held in the opening, have spaces therebetween that are each approximately 5% or less of the circumference of the body of a syringe.

8. A front-loading injector for supporting a syringe having radially outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end thereof and for driving a plunger in the syringe forwardly in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the syringe to inject fluid from a cavity within the body of syringe and out of the nozzle of the syringe, comprising:

an injector housing having a front with an opening therein and an injection ram in the housing and extendable along an axis of the ram from the front thereof through the opening to drive a plunger in a syringe mounted to said housing; and

locking structure adjacent the opening including elements that are moveable radially to and from an axis through the opening between a retracted position sufficiently spaced from the axis through the opening to permit passage of outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the syringe when inserted rearwardly into or removed forwardly from the opening and a locking position in which the elements hold the syringe immediately forward of the support structure on the rearward end thereof to thereby lock the syringe to the injector with its longitudinal axis substantially coincident with the axis through the opening;

each of the elements having a slot therein; and

an actuator, mounted on the housing and including a plurality of pins, one linked to each of the elements to move in the slot of the element, to actuate the elements into and out of holding engagement with the syringe.

15. A front-loading injector holder for removable attachment to a power injector for enabling the injector for the front loading and removal of a syringe having a fluid cavity containing body, a forward end having a nozzle extending therefrom, and a longitudinal axis and radially outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end thereof, comprising:

a holder housing having a front with an opening therein and a connector to removably support the housing on the front of a power injector; and

locking structure on the housing adjacent the opening and including elements that are moveable radially to and from an axis through the opening between a retracted position sufficiently spaced from the axis to permit passage of outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the syringe when inserted rearwardly into or removed forwardly from the opening and a locking position in which the elements hold the syringe forward of the support structure on the rearward end thereof to thereby lock the syringe to the holder with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axis through the opening with the body of the syringe extending forward of the front of the housing and forward of the moveable elements of the locking structure with the forward end of the body and the nozzle remote from the locking structure.

16. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in the locked position, are in contact with the outside of the body of a syringe inserted in the opening.

17. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in the locking position, are in contact with a forward facing surface on the support structure at the rearward end of the syringe.

18. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein elements have concave syringe engaging surfaces conforming approximately to the curvature of the body of a syringe held in the opening.

19. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein:

elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon that are moveable when actuated into or out of engagement with the outside of the surface of the body of a syringe; and

the injector includes an actuator, mounted on the housing and linked to the elements, and operable to actuate the elements into and out of engagement with the syringe.

20. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein the locking structure includes a plurality of elements each having a syringe engaging surface, each element being mounted to the injector each about a separate one of a plurality of longitudinal pivot axes angularly spaced around the longitudinal axis of the syringe to pivot the syringe engaging surfaces of the elements between their retracted and locking positions.

21. The front-loading injector holder of claim 20 wherein the gripping structure includes a plurality of two elements each having a syringe engaging surface which, when the element is in its locking position, extends in an arc more than 90°

around the syringe.

23. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein the locking structure includes a plurality of elements each having a syringe engaging surface, each element being mounted to the injector to translate the syringe engaging surfaces of the elements at least partially radially between their retracted and locked positions.

24. The front-loading injector holder of claim 23 wherein the locking structure includes a plurality of more than two elements each having a syringe engaging surface, such that, when the element is in its locking position, the surfaces cumulatively extend in an arc of more than 180°

around the syringe.

25. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in the locked position, contact a flange of a syringe inserted in the opening primarily at the intersection of the flange with the body of the syringe.

26. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon cumulatively spanning an angle that includes approximately 25% of the circumference of the body of a syringe inserted in the opening.

27. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon cumulatively spanning an angle that includes approximately 65% of the circumference of the body of a syringe inserted in the opening.

28. The front-loading injector holder of claim 15 wherein the elements have syringe engaging surfaces thereon which, when in locking position around a syringe that is held in the opening, have spaces therebetween that are approximately 5% or less of the circumference of the body of a syringe.

22. A front-loading injector holder for removable attachment to a power injector for enabling the injector for the front loading and removal of a syringe having a longitudinal axis and radially outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end thereof, comprising:

a holder housing having a front with an opening therein and a connector to removably support the housing on the front of a power injector; and

locking structure on the housing adjacent the opening and including elements that are moveable radially to and from an axis through the opening between a retracted position sufficiently spaced from the axis to permit passage of outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the syringe when inserted rearwardly into or removed forwardly from the opening and a locking position in which the elements hold the syringe forward of the support structure on the rearward end thereof to thereby lock the syringe to the holder with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axis through the opening;

each of the elements having a slot therein; and

an actuator, mounted on the housing and including a plurality of pins, one linked to each of the elements to move in the respective slot of each element to actuate the elements into and out of engagement with the syringe.

29. A method of front-loading into a power injector a syringe having a forward end, a rearward end, and a longitudinal axis and radially outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a holder having a housing with an opening therein and syringe holding structure thereon within the opening that includes elements moveable in a radial direction toward and away from the center of the opening between an inward locking position and an outward non-locking position, respectively;

positioning the elements in a radially outwardly retracted position away from the center of the opening;

with the elements in the outward retracted non-locking position, manually gripping the syringe rearward of its forward end and translating the syringe axially, rearward end first, into the opening from the front thereof until the outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the syringe is rearward of the locking position of the elements; and

then, while still manually gripping the syringe, moving the elements inward from their outward retracted unlocking positions to their respective inward locking positions at which the elements engage the syringe by the support structure and by the rearward end of the body immediately forward of the outwardly extending support structure to thereby hold the syringe fixed in the opening with the radial extending syringe support structure located rearwardly of the elements and the forward end of the syringe extending forwardly of and remote from the elements and injector.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of providing the holder includes the step of removably attaching to the injector a faceplate having the holder thereon.

30. A method of front-loading into a power injector a syringe having a longitudinal axis and radially outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a holder having a housing with an opening therein and syringe holding structure thereon adjacent the opening that includes elements moveable in a radial direction toward and away from the center of the opening between an inward locking position and an outward non-locking position, respectively;

positioning the elements in a radially outwardly retracted position away from the center of the opening;

with the elements in the outward retracted non-locking position, translating the syringe axially, rearward end first, into the opening from the front thereof until the outwardly extending support structure on the rearward end of the syringe is rearward of the locking position of the elements; and

then, moving the elements inward from their outward retracted unlocking positions to their respective inward locking positions at which the elements hold the syringe fixed in the opening with the radial extending syringe support structure located rearwardly of the elements;

the step of moving the elements being brought about by a step of manually twisting the syringe in the opening.

32. A method of adapting a power injector for the front-loading thereon of a syringe of the type having a body with a rearward end having an outwardly extending flange thereon, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a power injector having a ram extendable from a retracted position along a linear path to an extended position;

securing to the front of the injector a faceplate having an opening therein and a plurality of radially moveable jaws spaced behind and around the opening, with the opening surrounding the linear path between the retracted and extended positions of the ram;

the faceplate and jaws being configured such that, when the syringe is inserted rearwardly through the opening until the flange is behind the jaws, the jaws are moveable radially inwardly forward of the flange so as to securely grip the rear end of the syringe with the body projecting forwardly from the faceplate and through the opening.

33. A front-loading injector for the front-loading thereon of a syringe of the type having a body with a rearward end having an outwardly extending flange thereon, the injector comprising:

a housing;

a faceplate on the front of the injector having an opening therein and a plurality of radially moveable jaws spaced behind and around the opening;

a ram moveably mounted inside of the housing and having a forward end extendable from a retracted position inside of the housing behind the faceplate, outwardly through the opening to an extended position forward of the jaws;

the faceplate and jaws being configured such that, when the syringe is inserted rearwardly through the opening until the flange is behind the jaws, the jaws are moveable radially inwardly forward of the flange so as to securely grip the rear end of the syringe with the body projecting forwardly from the faceplate and through the opening.