Method of injecting fluid into animals

• US 6,659,979 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Neer, Charles, Goethel, James H., Dieterlen, Paul E., Fago, Frank M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Mark K
• Application Number:
  US09/970,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 604/151-152, 604/154, 604/131, 604/228, 604/232, 604/234, 604/218, 604/181, 604/187, 604/188, 604/655, 604/500, 604/207-211, 222/327, 222/326, 128/DIG.1, 128/DIG.12
• US Class Current: 604/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2250/00 Specially adapted for animals
• 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 5/1458 Means for capture of the plunger flange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/01 Motorized syringe

Abstract

An animal fluid injector, replaceable syringe and method of replacement of the syringe in the injector are provided in which the syringe is loadable and unloadable into and from the injector without retraction of the syringe plunger drive or disconnection of the injection tubing. A mechanism in the injector, which includes, for example, a key on cam ring operated by a lever with one hand of an operator, interacts with structure such asymmetrically spaced notches on the back end of the syringe to, for example, rotate the syringe and simultaneously translate or rotate a coupling on the syringe plunger into and out of engagement with jaws of the plunger drive in the injector.

Claims

1. A method of removing a tubular replacement syringe from a high pressure power injector for injecting fluid into an animal, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a power injector comprising;

a syringe mount adapted to receive a rearward end of a syringe having a body having a generally circular exterior, and

a ram having a motor linked thereto that is operable to reciprocate the ram along a path extending through the syringe;

providing a hollow tubular syringe that includes;

a cylindrical body having an axis, a generally circular exterior, a rearward end and a closed forward end having a fluid discharge orifice therein, the body being locked to the syringe mount at the generally circular exterior, and

a plunger axially slidable in the body and in sealable contact with the body, the plunger having a coupling thereon in coupling engagement with the ram of the injector;

then;

partially rotating the syringe on its axis relative to the injector to thereby unlock the body of the syringe at the generally circular exterior thereof from the mount of the injector and to simultaneously uncouple the plunger from the ram;

and then;

translating the syringe from the injector by generally forward axial movement of the syringe to remove the syringe from the injector.

2. A power injector comprising:

a syringe mount adapted to receive a rearward end of a syringe having a body having a generally circular exterior, and

a ram having a motor linked thereto that is operable to reciprocate the ram along a path extending generally through the syringe mount;

a hollow tubular syringe having a cylindrical body having an axis, a generally circular exterior, a rearward end and a closed forward end having a fluid discharge orifice therein, the syringe further having;

locking structure on the syringe body configured to lock the syringe to the syringe mount at the generally circular exterior of the syringe and to unlock the syringe from the mount by rotation of the syringe relative to the mount, and

a plunger axially slidable in the body and in sealable contact therewith and having a coupling thereon configured to be driveably engaged by the ram of the injector and to uncouple from the ram;

the plunger and ram being configured for driveable engagement between the plunger coupling and the ram and the uncoupling of the plunger coupling from the ram upon said rotation of the syringe on its axis relative to the housing;

whereby, following said rotation, the syringe is removable from the injector by generally forward axial translation of the syringe relative to the injector.