Agitation devices and dispensing systems incorporating such agitation devices

• US 6,575,930 B1
• Filed: 03/12/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Almon-Martin, Rosemary, Rhinehart, Edward J., Uber, Arthur E. III, Trombley, Frederick W. III, Hirschman, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US09/267,237
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 366/150.1, 366/230, 366/108-114, 366/101, 366/190, 209/293, 209/295, 209/321, 222/216, 222/221-226, 222/229, 222/230, 222/233, 222/242, 222/244, 222/243, 222/408.5, 222/459, 222/457.5, 222/161, 239/142, 239/144, 604/92, 272/216-250
• US Class Current: 604/82
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3673 thermo-electric, e.g. Peltier effect, thermocouples, semi-conductors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• 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 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 29/81 with stationary mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/25 Mixers with loose mixing elements, e.g. loose balls in a receptacle

Abstract

A system for dispensing a medium includes at least a first container to hold the medium, a pressurizing device, such as a pump, in fluid connection with the container for pressurizing the medium, and an agitation mechanism or device to maintain the components of the medium in a mixed state. The container and the pressurizing device can be separate units, as in the case of an bag or bottle in fluid connection with a peristaltic or other type of pump. The container and the pump can also be combined in a single unit, as in the case of a syringe, wherein the syringe barrel of the syringe acts to contain the medium and the syringe plunger pressurizes the medium within the syringe barrel. A method of injecting a multi-component medium includes the step of agitating the medium (for example, as described above) before or during an injection procedure to maintain the components of the medium in a mixed state.

Claims

1. A system for injection of a multi-component medium, comprising:

at least one container formed non-symmetrically about at least one axis thereof and operable to hold the medium;

a pressurizing mechanism for pressurizing the medium;

an agitation mechanism operably associated with and inducing rotational bulk motion of the at least one container about the at least one axis to maintain the components of the medium in a mixed state; and

a power source operably associated with the agitation mechanism for powering the agitation mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a free moving object disposed within the at least one container to assist in mixing.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a flow member disposed within the at least one container to reduce the effects of rotational symmetry about the at least one axis.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the flow member is selected from the group consisting of a sinker and a float.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the flow member is collapsible.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the agitation mechanism induces currents within the medium.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the agitation mechanism can operate at a first level of agitation and at a second level of agitation the first level corresponding to level of agitation adapted to create the mixed state, the second level of agitation corresponding to a less vigorous level than the first level of agitation and being adapted to maintain the mixed state.

8. The System of claim 7 wherein a controller is used to control a transition between the first level of agitation and the second level of agitation.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one container comprises a syringe barrel and the pressurizing mechanism comprises a syringe plunger.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a pump.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid path for conducting medium from the at least one container to the pressurizing mechanism.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a holder to which the at least one container is connected.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the agitation mechanism is connected to the holder.

14. A system for injection of a multi-component medium, comprising:

at least one container having a longitudinal axis and operable to hold the medium;

a pressurizing mechanism for pressurizing the medium;

an agitation mechanism operably associated with and inducing reciprocal rotational bulk motion of the at least one container about the longitudinal axis to maintain the components of the medium in a mixed state; and

a power source operably associated with the agitation mechanism for powering the agitation mechanism.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the at least one container is formed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a flow member disposed within the at least one container to reduce the effects of rotational symmetry about the longitudinal axis.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the flow member is selected from the group consisting of a sinker and a float.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the flow member is collapsible.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a controller operably associated with the power source and the agitation mechanism, the controller operable to control the agitation mechanism.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the agitation mechanism can operate at a first level of agitation and at a second level of agitation, the first level corresponding to level of agitation adapted to create the mixed state, the second level of agitation corresponding to a less vigorous level than the first level of agitation and being adapted to maintain the mixed state.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the controller is operable to control a transition between the first level of agitation and the second level of agitation.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the at least one container comprises a syringe barrel and the pressurizing mechanism comprises a syringe plunger.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a pump.

24. The system of claim 14, further comprising a fluid path for conducting medium from the at least one container to the pressurizing mechanism.

25. The system of claim 14, further comprising a holder to which the at least one container is connected.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the agitation mechanism is connected to the holder.

27. The system of claim 14, further comprising a free moving object disposed within the at least one container to assist in mixing.

28. A system for injection of a multi-component medium comprising:

at least one container to hold the medium;

a pressurizing mechanism for pressurizing the medium;

an agitation mechanism operably associated with and inducing bulk motion of the at least one container about at least one axis thereof to maintain the components of the medium in a mixed state;

a power source operably associated with the agitation mechanism for powering the agitation mechanism; and

a flow member disposed within the at least one container to reduce the effects of rotational symmetry about the at least one axis.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a free moving object disposed within the at least one container to assist in mixing.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one container is formed symmetrically about the at least one axis.

31. The system of claim 28, further comprising a controller operably associated with the power source and the agitation mechanism, the controller operable to control the agitation mechanism.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the agitation mechanism can operate at a first level of agitation and at a second level of agitation, the first level corresponding to level of agitation adapted to create the mixed state, the second level of agitation corresponding to a less vigorous level than the first level of agitation and being adapted to maintain the mixed state.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the controller is operable to control a transition between the first level of agitation and the second level of agitation.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one container comprises a syringe barrel and the pressurizing mechanism comprises a syringe plunger.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a pump.

36. The system of claim 28, further comprising a fluid path for conducting medium from the at least one container to the pressurizing mechanism.

37. The system of claim 28, further comprising a holder to which the at least one container is connected.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the agitation mechanism is connected to the holder.

39. The system of claim 28 wherein the flow member is selected from the group consisting of a sinker and a float.

40. The system of claim 28 wherein the flow member is collapsible.

41. A system for injection of a multi-component medium, comprising:

at least one container having a longitudinal axis and operable to hold the medium;

a pressurizing mechanism for pressurizing the medium;

an agitation mechanism operably associated with and inducing substantially continuous rotational bulk motion of the at least one container in one direction and about the longitudinal axis to maintain the components of the medium in a mixed state; and

a power source operably associated with the agitation mechanism for powering the agitation mechanism.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising a free moving object disposed within the at least one container to assist in mixing.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the at least one container is formed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis.

44. The system of claim 41, further comprising a flow member disposed within the at least one container to reduce the effects of rotational symmetry about the longitudinal axis.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the flow member is selected from the group consisting of a sinker and a float.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the flow member is collapsible.

47. The system of claim 41 wherein the agitation mechanism induces currents within the medium.

48. The system of claim 41 wherein the agitation mechanism can operate at a first level of agitation and at a second level of agitation, the first level corresponding to level of agitation adapted to create the mixed state, the second level of agitation corresponding to a less vigorous level than the first level of agitation and being adapted to maintain the mixed state.

50. The system of claim 41 wherein the at least one container comprises a syringe barrel and the pressurizing mechanism comprises a syringe plunger.

51. The system of claim 41 wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a pump.

52. The system of claim 41, further comprising a fluid path for conducting medium from the at least one container to the pressurizing mechanism.

53. The system of claim 41, further comprising a holder to which the at least one container is connected.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the agitation mechanism is connected to the holder.

55. The system of claim 41 wherein the at least one container is formed non-symmetrically about the longitudinal axis.

49. The system of 48 wherein a controller is used to control a transition between the first level of agitation and the second level of agitation.