Injector

• US 6,929,619 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Fago, Frank M., Neer, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/211,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 604/30, 604/31, 604/32, 604 65- 67, 604/131, 604/151, 604/154, 604/155, 604/245, 128/DIG.1, 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.13
• US Class Current: 604/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1402 Priming
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1403 Flushing or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14553 comprising a pressure jacket
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• 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: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An injector 20 that may be used to deliver radiographic contrast media and/or flushing solution into a patient'"'"'s vascular system for the purposes such as obtaining enhanced diagnostic x-ray images. The injector includes the following features: (1) a syringe mount 26 for attachment of a syringe 28 to the injector 20; (2) display 34 and controls 90 for volume and flow rates; (3) automatic limiting of the operating pressure of the injector 20 as determined by the selection of a flow rate; (4) a syringe cradle 48 having a warming capability; (5) a purge/retract trigger 36 for control of the injection procedure having intuitive direction (i.e., forward for injecting, reverse for filing), non-contact control transmission through the housing of an injector 20 for an improved seal integrity, a speed lock, and/or the ability to change the concentration and/or flow rate of media or other fluid during an injection procedure; (6) a switch to determine when the drive ram 46 is in a “home” position; (7) a “soft” on/off power switch separate from the injector; and (8) a structure to prevent rotation of the drive ram 46 about its axis of symmetry 76. Additionally, the injector system includes software for the control of various components.

Claims

1. An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:

a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis; and

a control circuit operatively connected to said drive ram and adapted to detect and control a flow rate of said injector, said control circuit thus operable to prevent pressure in excess of a limit from being generated during injection, said limit being automatically calculated based on said flow rate.

2. The injector of claim 1 further comprising a stop circuit to terminate injection if the fluid injection pressure exceeds a predetermined limit.

3. The injector of claim 2 wherein said stop circuit terminates said injection when said fluid injection pressure exceeds said predetermined limit for a predetermined period of time.

4. The injector of claim 2 wherein said predetermined limit is 250 psi.

5. The injector of claim 1 further comprising a reduction circuit to reduce the flow rate generated by the injector if the fluid injection pressure achieves a predetermined limit.

6. The injector of claim 5 wherein said predetermined limit is 250 psi.

7. The injector of claim 1, further comprising:

a syringe mount engageable with a syringe to position said syringe relative to said injector to permit said drive ram to engage and move a plunger within said syringe;

wherein said syringe mount includes a single member having an arcuate face, said member being elastic to a degree to allow a syringe to be insinuated within said member such that said arcuate face of said member contacts a sidewall of said syringe to grip and hold said syringe.

18. The injector of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing; and

a detector disposed within said housing for determining whether a first end of said proximal drive ram is in a first position proximal to the forward end of a housing of said injector, wherein said detector operates in concert with a signal emitting device disposed on said drive ram to detect signals emitted from said signal emitting device.

19. The injector of claim 18 wherein said signal emitting device is a magnet.

20. The injector of claim 18 wherein a signal emitted by said signal emitting device is a magnetic field.

21. The injector of claim 18 further including at least one sensor disposed on said housing of said injector.

22. The injector of claim 21 wherein said drive ram is moveable in a forward or a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis.

23. The injector of claim 22 wherein said drive ram is movable in a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis at a first velocity when said detector does not detect any signals from a signal emitting device disposed on said drive ram.

24. The injector of claim 23 wherein said detector includes a calibrated value corresponding to said first position of said drive ram.

25. The injector of claim 24 wherein said drive ram is movable in a reverse direction along its longitudinal axis at a second velocity when said detector detects signals from a signal emitting device, but said signals do not equal said calibrated value.

26. The injector of claim 24 wherein said detector operatively causes said drive ram to halt at said first position when said detector detects a signal emitted by a signal emitting device, and said signal is equal to said calibrated value.

27. The injector of claim 1, said drive ram having a cross-section of a first shape taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, and wherein said injector further comprises a housing;

a plate disposed within said housing; and

an orifice disposed through said plate, said orifice having said first shape, and said drive ram being disposed through said orifice;

whereby said first shape prevents rotation of said drive ram about said longitudinal axis.

28. The injector of claim 1, wherein said drive ram is bidirectionally movable in a first ram direction and a second ram direction along said longitudinal axis of said drive ram;

and wherein said injector further comprises a console operatively connected to said injector, said console generating a console control signal for said motor such that said drive ram moves along said longitudinal axis in a first ram direction, wherein said console control signal is delivered remotely to said motor from said console.

29. The injector of claim 28, wherein said drive ram moves in said second ram direction when a second console control signal is delivered remotely to said motor from said console.

8. The injector of claim further 1, comprising:

a housing; and

a heating element, wherein said heating element further comprises an extension operatively connected to said injector external to said housing.

9. The injector of claim 8 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with a syringe and directly and/or indirectly alter the temperature of contents in said syringe.

10. The injector of claim 9 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is raised to approximate the temperature of a subject to be injected.

11. The injector of claim 8 wherein said heating element is adapted to interact with a syringe and directly and/or indirectly maintain the temperature of contents in said syringe.

12. The injector of claim 11 wherein the temperature of contents in said syringe is maintained at approximately the temperature of a subject to be injected.

13. A method for automatically limiting the pressure generated in an injector during an injection process, the method comprising:

providing an injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject including a drive ram bidirectionally movable along a longitudinal axis of said drive ram, a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said longitudinal axis, and a control circuit to prevent pressure in excess of a limit from being generated during injection, said limit being determined by a flow rate generated by the injector;

attaching a syringe filled with fluid contents to said injector;

setting a fluid flow rate for dispensing the contents of said syringe; and

dispensing contents of said syringe into a subject.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining pressure variations during the injection process.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising comparing the determined pressure variations to said pressure limit.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising terminating the injection process if the pressure variations exceed said pressure limit.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising terminating the injection process if the pressure variations exceed said pressure limit for a predetermined period of time.