Medical injector

• US 6,530,904 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kaleo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eric S. Edwards, Evan T. Edwards
• Inventors: Edwards, Eric S., Edwards, Evan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US09/907,609
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 604/185, 604/192, 604/194, 604/195, 604/196, 604/197, 604/198, 604/218, 604/212, 604/110, 604/181, 604/187, 604/272
• US Class Current: 604/197
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3103 Leak prevention means for distal end of syringes, i.e. syringe end for mounting a needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3131 specially adapted for improving sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/314 Flat shaped barrel forms, e.g. credit card shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31516 reducing dead-space in the syringe barrel after delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/28 Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31505 Integral with the syringe barrel, i.e. connected to the barrel so as to make up a single complete piece or unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31513 Piston constructions to improve sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31515 Connection of piston with piston rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3234 Fully automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/34 Constructions for connecting the needle , e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014

Abstract

A medical injector apparatus is provided for carrying medications, for example epinephrine. The medical injector includes a safety guard, and a housing having a first casing portion and a second casing portion which are secured together to form a chamber therebetween. A pair of hinge portions provides pivoting motion of a safety guard. The pusher bar is not attached to the housing and is free to move within the chamber provided. A leaf spring is disposed between the stationary bar and the pusher bar to resiliently bias the pusher bar so as to be in a non-dispensing condition. The pusher bar is connected to a column which passes through an aperture in a stationary bar. The column is connected directly to a wedge-shaped member. A needle is secured to the wedge shaped member. The wedge-shaped member is shaped to conform to a wedge-shaped reservoir formed in a portion of the housing chamber, and the medication fluid is disposed in the reservoir located between the wedge-shaped member and the inclined sides housing chamber. The reservoir is sized to contain a precisely defined volume of medication fluid. The bottom portion of the housing also includes a resilient sleeve disposed in a bore formed in the bottom portion of the housing, for protecting a needle. The needle is secured into the wedge-shaped member. The needle passes through the resilient sleeve when the pusher bar is depressed.

Claims

1. A compact medical injector apparatus, which comprises:

a) a first casing portion having a front side, left side, right side, bottom side and top side, the first casing portion further having a stationary bar with a column aperture extending therethrough;

b) a second casing portion having a back side, left side, right side, bottom side and top side, the second casing portion further having a stationary bar with a column aperture extending therethrough;

the second casing portion secured to the first casing portion to form a housing with a fluid chamber therebetween;

c) a pusher bar slidably received on the top side of the housing between the first casing portion and the second casing portion at a location above the stationary bar;

d) a wedge shaped member connected to the pusher bar by a column, the wedge shaped member slidably received in a wedge shaped reservoir within the fluid chamber located between the first and second casing portions at a location below the stationary bar, the fluid chamber further having a bore extending between the fluid chamber and the bottom portion of the housing;

e) a liquid dispensing needle secured to the wedge shaped member, with a fluid receiving port positioned on the dispensing needle, the fluid receiving port extending within the dispensing chamber;

f) a biasing means to raise the pusher bar, the wedge shaped member, and the dispensing needle into a raised, non-dispensing position;

g) a resilient sleeve positioned within the bore provided, the resilient sleeve having a top flange, with side walls sized to slidably receive the dispensing needle therethrough, the resilient sleeve further with a bottom portion to seal the dispensing needle within the wedge shaped reservoir, until the dispensing needle is pushed through the bottom portion when the pusher bar is manually depressed against the biasing means, to extend the needle beyond the bottom portion of the housing; and

h) a safety guard is pivotally positioned on the top portion of the housing to cover the pusher bar in a non-use position, and the safety guard is pivotally positioned to access the pusher bar in an at-use position, the safety guard to protect against inadvertent actuation of the pusher bar.

2. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein a viewing window is provided in the housing adjacent to the wedge shaped reservoir, to provide a visual indication of the presence of medication fluid within the medical injector apparatus.

3. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seal means is a breakable seal which extends between the housing and the safety guard, and said breakable seal means provides a visual indication when the seal means is broken, and the medical injector apparatus has been used.

4. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length and width of the housing is sized to be similar to the length and width of a credit card, and the thickness of the housing is sized to be less than one inch thick, for ease of transport and storage between use.

5. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein a resilient seal is provided between the wedge shaped member and the stationary bar on the housing to seal the liquid medication within the wedge shaped reservoir.

6. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a central housing member, with the central housing member shaped to provide a wedge shaped reservoir located beneath a stationary bar, the first casing side secured to a one side of the central housing member, and the second casing side secured to the opposite side of the central housing member, the first and second casing sides positioned to enclose the wedge shaped reservoir therebetween.

7. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein indicia is positioned on at least one of the first casing side and the second casing side, and said indicia includes information relating to the fluid medication stored within the medical injector apparatus, and instructions relating to the use and disposal of the medical injector apparatus.

8. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring means comprises one of:

a leaf spring, a coiled spring, a resilient spacer and a resilient foam member.

9. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the safety guard comprises a U-shaped member having a top portion and depending side portions, with apertures extending in axial alignment through the depending side portions, and pins extending through the apertures to rotatably secure the safety guard to the housing.

23. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring means comprises one of:

a leaf spring, a coiled spring, a resilient spacer and a resilient foam member.

24. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 1, wherein the safety guard comprises a U-shaped member having a top portion and depending side portions, with apertures extending in axial alignment through the depending side portions, and pins extending through the apertures to rotatably secure the safety guard to the housing.

10. A compact medical injector apparatus, which comprises:

a) a first casing portion having a front side, left side, right side, bottom side and top side, the first casing portion further having a stationary bar with a column aperture extending therethrough;

b) a second casing portion having a back side, left side, right side, bottom side and top side, the second casing portion further having a stationary bar with a column aperture extending therethrough;

the second casing portion secured to the first casing portion to form a housing with a fluid chamber therebetween;

c) a pusher bar slidably received on the top side of the housing between the first casing portion and the second casing portion at a location above the stationary bar;

d) a wedge shaped member connected to the pusher bar by a column, the wedge shaped member slidably received in a wedge shaped reservoir within the fluid chamber located between the first and second casing portions at a location below the stationary bar, the fluid chamber further having a bore extending between the fluid chamber and the bottom portion of the housing;

e) a liquid dispensing needle secured to the wedge shaped member, with a fluid receiving port positioned on the dispensing needle, the fluid receiving port extending within the dispensing chamber;

f) a biasing means to raise the pusher bar, the wedge shaped member, and the dispensing needle into a raised, non-dispensing position;

g) a resilient sleeve positioned within the bore provided, the resilient sleeve having a top flange, with side walls sized to slidably receive the dispensing needle therethrough, the resilient sleeve further with a bottom portion to seal the dispensing needle within the wedge shaped reservoir, until the dispensing needle is pushed through the bottom portion when the pusher bar is manually depressed against the biasing means, to extend the needle beyond the bottom portion of the housing;

h) a safety guard is pivotally positioned on the top portion of the housing to cover the pusher bar in a non-use position, and the safety guard is pivotally positioned to access the pusher bar in an at-use position, the safety guard to protect against inadvertent actuation of the pusher bar; and

i) a viewing window is provided in the housing adjacent to the wedge shaped reservoir, to provide a visual indication of the presence of medication fluid within the medical injector apparatus.

11. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the seal means is a breakable seal which extends between the housing and the safety guard, and said breakable seal means provides a visual indication when the seal means is broken, indicating that the medical injector apparatus has been used.

12. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the length and width of the housing is sized to be similar to the length and width of a credit card, and the thickness of the housing is sized to be less than one inch thick, for ease of transport and storage between use.

13. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein a resilient seal is provided between the wedge shaped member and the stationary bar on the housing to seal the liquid medication within the wedge shaped reservoir.

14. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a central housing member, with the central housing member shaped to provide a wedge shaped reservoir located beneath a stationary bar, the first casing side secured to a one side of the central housing member, and the second casing side secured to the opposite side of the central housing member, the first and second casing sides enclosing the wedge shaped reservoir therebetween.

15. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein indicia is positioned on at least one of the first casing side and the second casing side, and said indicia includes information relating to the fluid medication stored within the medical injector apparatus, and instructions relating to the use and disposal of the medical injector apparatus.

16. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the spring means comprises one of:

a leaf spring, a coiled spring, a resilient spacer and a resilient foam member.

17. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 10, wherein the safety guard comprises a U-shaped member having a top portion and depending side portions, with apertures extending in axial alignment through the depending side portions, and pins extending through the apertures to rotatably secure the safety guard to the housing.

18. A compact medical injector apparatus, which comprises:

a) a first casing portion having a front side, left side, right side, bottom side and top side, the first casing portion further having a stationary bar with a column aperture extending therethrough;

b) a second casing portion having a back side, left side, right side, bottom side and top side, the second casing portion further having a stationary bar with a column aperture extending therethrough;

the second casing portion secured to the first casing portion to form a housing with a fluid chamber therebetween;

c) a pusher bar slidably received on the top side of the housing between the first casing portion and the second casing portion at a location above the stationary bar;

d) a wedge shaped member connected to the pusher bar by a column, the wedge shaped member slidably received in a wedge shaped reservoir within the fluid chamber located between the first and second casing portions at a location below the stationary bar, the fluid chamber further having a bore extending between the fluid chamber and the bottom portion of the housing;

e) a resilient seal is provided between the wedge shaped member and the stationary bar on the housing to seal the liquid medication within the wedge shaped reservoir;

f) a liquid dispensing needle secured to the wedge shaped member, with a fluid receiving port positioned on the dispensing needle, the fluid receiving port extending within the dispensing chamber;

g) a biasing means to raise the pusher bar, the wedge shaped member, and the dispensing needle into a raised, non-dispensing position;

h) a resilient sleeve positioned within the bore provided, the resilient sleeve having a top flange, with side walls sized to slidably receive the dispensing needle therethrough, the resilient sleeve further with a bottom portion to seal the dispensing needle within the wedge shaped reservoir, until the dispensing needle is pushed through the bottom portion when the pusher bar is manually depressed against the biasing means, to extend the needle beyond the bottom portion of the housing;

i) a safety guard is pivotally positioned on the top portion of the housing to cover the pusher bar in a non-use position, and the safety guard is pivotally positioned to access the pusher bar in an at-use position, the safety guard to protect against inadvertent actuation of the pusher bar; and

p) a viewing window is provided in the housing adjacent to the wedge shaped reservoir, to provide a visual indication of the presence of medication fluid within the medical injector apparatus.

19. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 18, wherein the seal means is a breakable seal which extends between the housing and the safety guard, and said breakable seal means provides a visual indication when the seal means is broken, and the medical injector apparatus has been used.

20. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 18, wherein the length and width of the housing is sized to be similar to the length and width of a credit card, and the thickness of the housing is sized to be less than one inch thick, for ease of transport and storage between use.

21. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 18, wherein the housing comprises a central housing member, with the central housing member shaped to provide a wedge shaped reservoir located beneath a stationary bar, the first casing side secured to a one side of the central housing member, and the second casing side secured to the opposite side of the central housing member, the first and second casing sides enclosing the wedge shaped reservoir therebetween.

22. The compact medical injector apparatus of claim 18, wherein indicia is positioned on at least one of the first casing side and the second casing side, and said indicia includes information relating to the fluid medication stored within the medical injector apparatus, and instructions relating to the use and disposal of the medical injector apparatus.