Needleless injector and ampule system

• US 6,942,638 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PharmaJet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Genesis Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Quinn, Kerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Mark K.
• Application Number:
  US10/159,853
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 604/19, 604/48, 604/500, 604/506, 604/507, 604/511, 604 68- 72, 604/93.01, 604/181, 604/187, 604218-222, 604/230
• US Class Current: 604/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31521 Pistons with a forward extending skirt at their front end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2033 Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287
• 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 5/3007 with specially designed jet passages at the injector's distal end
• 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

Abstract

A needle-less injection system that uses an ampule with an elongated hollow body. The elongated hollow body including a nozzle and an aperture for accepting a plunger, the aperture for accepting a plunger extends from the second end towards the first end and is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The ampule cooperates with a generally cylindrical plunger. The plunger includes a first end and a second end, and a concave rib. The concave rib is extends about the perimeter of the plunger and extends towards the first end of the plunger.

Claims

1. A piston driven needle-less injector system for holding a medicament and delivering a stream of the medicament through an area of skin on an animal, the system comprising:

A plunger, the plunger extending about an axis and having a first end, a second end, a mid-portion between the first end and the second end, and an external surface, the plunger including a concave rib that extends about the axis, expanding towards the first end of the plunger, the concave rib extending away from the external surface;

An unrestrained ampule, the ampule comprising an elongated hollow body made from a polypropylene material, the elongated hollow body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elongated hollow body including a nozzle, and the second end of the hollow body including an aperture adapted for accepting the plunger, the aperture for accepting the plunger extending from the second end of the hollow body towards the first end of the hollow body and being in fluid communication with the nozzle, the aperture being sized such that the concave rib produces an sealing fit with the hollow body, while the external surface remains spaced apart from the hollow body, when the concave rib is inserted into the aperture of the hollow body, the concave rib cooperating with the elongated hollow body by expanding and sealing the aperture in response to a deflection in the hollow body, so that deflections in the hollow body caused by a pressure force created as the medicament driven from the hollow body by the plunger are sealed by the concave rib.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said plunger further comprises a second rib, the second rib being between the concave rib and the second end of the plunger.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first end of said plunger is approximately conical in shape.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said plunger comprises a second rib extending from said external surface, the second rib being located between the concave rib and the second end of the plunger.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the first end of the plunger has been adapted for nesting within a substantial portion of said nozzle.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the polymer of said plunger is a polypropylene material, so that the plunger and the vial are made of the same material.

7. A piston driven needle-less injector system for holding a medicament and delivering a stream of the medicament through an area of skin on an animal, the system comprising:

A cylindrical plunger, the cylindrical plunger extending about an axis and having a first end that terminates with a generally conical surface, a second end, a mid-portion between the first end and the second end, and an external surface, the cylindrical plunger including a concave rib that extends about the axis, expanding away from the conical surface of the plunger and towards the first end of the plunger;

An ampule, the ampule comprising an elongated hollow body made from a polypropylene material, the elongated hollow body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elongated hollow body including a nozzle, and the second end of the hollow body including an aperture adapted for accepting the plunger, the aperture being sized such that the concave rib produces an sealing fit with the hollow body, while the external surface remains spaced apart from the hollow body, when the concave rib is inserted into the aperture of the hollow body, the aperture for accepting the plunger extending from the second end of the hollow body towards the first end of the hollow body and being in fluid communication with the nozzle, the concave rib cooperating with the elongated hollow body by expanding and sealing the aperture in response to a deflection in the hollow body, so that deflections in the hollow body caused by a pressure force created as the medicament is driven from the hollow body by the plunger are sealed by the concave rib.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said plunger further comprises a second rib, the second rib being between the concave rib and the second end of the plunger.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said concave rib is approximately conical in shape.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said plunger comprises a second rib extending from said external surface, the second rib being generally conical and located between the concave rib and the second end of the plunger.

11. A system according to claim 7 wherein the first end of the plunger has been adapted for nesting within a substantial portion of said nozzle.

12. A method for preventing pressure losses in a piston driven needle-less injector system while delivering a medicament as a stream, the method comprising:

providing a plunger that is made from polypropylene, the plunger extending about an axis and having a first end, a second end, a mid-portion between the first end and the second end, and an external surface, the plunger including a concave rib that extends about the axis, expanding towards the first end of the plunger;

providing an ampule, the ampule comprising an elongated hollow body made from a polypropylene material, the elongated hollow body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elongated hollow body including a nozzle, and the second end of the hollow body including an aperture adapted for accepting the plunger, the aperture being sized such that the concave rib produces an sealing fit with the hollow body, while the external surface remains spaced apart from the hollow body, when the concave rib is inserted into the aperture of the hollow body, the aperture for accepting the plunger extending from the second end of the hollow body towards the first end of the hollow body and being in fluid communication with the nozzle;

providing an amount of fluid medicament within the ampule, and placing the plunger into the hollow body so that the medicament is held between the plunger and the nozzle;

compressing the medicament by driving the plunger towards the nozzle, casing causing the concave rib to expand against the elongated hollow body and seal the aperture in response to a deflection in the hollow body caused by the compression of the medicament by moving of the plunger towards the nozzle, so that deflections in the hollow body caused by a pressure force created as the medicament is driven from the hollow body by the plunger are sealed by the concave rib.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said plunger further comprises a second rib, the second rib being between the concave rib and the second end of the plunger.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said first end of said plunger is approximately conical in shape.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said plunger comprises a second rib extending from said external surface, the second rib being located between the concave rib and the second end of the plunger.

16. A system according to claim 12 wherein the first end of the plunger has been adapted for nesting within a substantial portion of said nozzle.