Single-use needle-less hypodermic jet injection apparatus and method

• US 6,783,509 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bioject Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bioject Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Robert A., Landau, Sergio, Bonicatto, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/661,135
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 604/68-72, 604/140, 604/141, 604/143, 604/147, 604/131, 604/187, 604/148
• US Class Current: 604/70
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2073 preventing premature release, e.g. by making use of a safety lock
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2462 by displacing occluding plugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3104 Caps for syringes without needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3132 having flow passages for injection agents at the distal end of the barrel to bypass a sealing stopper after its displacement to this end due to internal pressure increase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2053 Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2459 upon internal pressure increase, e.g. pierced or burst A61M5/2429 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/425 Protruding skin to facilitate piercing, e.g. vacuum cylinders, vein immobilising means

Abstract

A needleless injector system including: a first injector assembly; a gas capsule disposed within the first injector assembly and containing pressurized gas, with a pierceable surface at the forward end thereof to provide an injection source; a gas capsule piercing member disposed within the first injector assembly, where the piercing member and the gas capsule are movable relative to each other; a second injector assembly containing a medical treatment fluid and having a forward facing injection orifice for injecting the medical treatment fluid into a patient; and a resilient seal mounted between the gas capsule and the first injector assembly to contain all pressurized gas within a forward end of the first injector assembly after pressurized gas is released from the gas capsule following piercing of the gas capsule, in order to cause an immediate increase in pressure in the medical treatment fluid contained within the second injector assembly.

Claims

1. A needleless injector system comprising:

an injector body member defining an inner chamber and an injection orifice;

a gas capsule positioned within the body member chamber, the capsule having a penetrable wall at one end thereof;

a capsule piercing member facing and spaced from the penetrable wall;

a hammer member disposed in abutment with and affixed to the end of the capsule remote from the penetrable wall;

a biasing system for selectively imparting a biasing force against the hammer member and the capsule; and

a locking system for maintaining the piercing member spaced from the penetrable wall until the hammer member and the capsule are biased toward the piercing member.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hammer member is adhesively affixed to the capsule.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the orifice is at a forward end of the injector body member and the penetrable wall is at a forward end of the capsule, with the hammer member disposed at a rearward end of the capsule.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the biasing system for selectively imparting a biasing force comprises a spring member positioned at the rear end of the hammer member.

5. A needleless injector system comprising:

an injector body assembly defining an inner chamber and an injection orifice;

a gas capsule positioned within the body assembly chamber, the capsule having a penetrable wall at one end thereof;

a capsule piercing member facing and spaced from the penetrable wall;

the capsule being moveable relative to the injector body assembly;

a hammer member disposed in abutment with and affixed to the capsule;

a biasing system for selectively imparting a biasing force against the hammer member; and

a locking system for maintaining the piercing member spaced from the penetrable wall until biasing force is imparted against the hammer member.

6. The injector system of claim 5 wherein the biasing system comprises a spring member positioned at the rear end of the hammer member.