Injector

• US 7,854,726 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Fago, Frank M, Neer, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLICK, JASON E
• Application Number:
  US11/738,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 604/113
• US Class Current: 604/187
• 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 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 a drive ram movable along its longitudinal axis, and a control system that controls operation of the injector. The control system has an enabled state that allows an injection procedure to be performed, and a disabled state that does not allow an injection procedure to be performed. The control system transitions from the disabled state to the enabled state in response to movement of the drive ram along its longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A medical fluid injector comprising:

a housing;

a drive ram having a longitudinal axis and being positioned at least partially within the housing, the drive ram being movable between a retracted first position and an extended second position along the longitudinal axis;

a motor coupled to said drive ram for moving said drive ram; and

a control system controlling said motor to move said drive ram, the control system operable in a manual mode and an auto-inject mode, the auto-inject mode having an enabled state and a disabled state, wherein

when the drive ram is in the retracted first position and a syringe is mounted in the injector, the control system cannot be transitioned to the enabled state, and

when the drive ram is in the extended second position and a syringe is mounted in the injector, the control system can be transitioned to the enabled state.

2. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a drive ram position sensor.

3. The injector of claim 2, wherein the drive ram position sensor is operatively connected to the control system.

4. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a trigger operatively connected to the control system, the trigger having a home position and a displaced position.

5. The injector of claim 4, wherein the trigger is in the home position and the drive ram is in the first position.

6. The injector of claim 4, wherein the trigger is in the displaced position and the drive ram is in the second position.

7. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a syringe substantially immobilized relative to the housing.

8. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a syringe substantially immobilized relative to the housing, wherein the syringe has contrast media disposed therein.

9. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a syringe substantially immobilized relative to the housing, wherein the syringe has saline disposed therein.

10. A medical fluid injector comprising:

a drive ram having a longitudinal axis and being movable along the longitudinal axis;

a motor coupled to said drive ram for moving said drive ram; and

a control system that controls operation of said motor of the injector, the control system operable in a manual mode and an auto-inject mode, the auto-inject mode having an enabled state and a disabled state, wherein

in the enabled state, the control system allows an automatic injection procedure to be performed,

in the disabled state, the control system does not allow an automatic injection procedure to be performed, and

the control system transitions from the disabled state to the enabled state after a syringe is mounted to the injector, responsive to movement of the drive ram along the longitudinal axis.

11. The injector of claim 10, wherein the control system will not transition to the enabled state unless a distal end of the drive ram is in a first position substantially flush with a forward end of the injector.

12. The injector of claim 10, wherein movement of the drive ram from the first position to a position other than the first position transitions the control system to the enabled state.

13. The injector of claim 12, wherein movement between the first position and the position other than the first position is at least about a 1 ml movement of the drive ram.

14. The injector of claim 10, further comprising a sensor that senses a position of the drive ram.

15. The injector of claim 14, wherein the sensor is in communication with the control system.

16. The injector of claim 10, wherein the control system can automatically run an injection protocol when in the enabled state.

17. The injector of claim 10, wherein movement of the drive ram is in response to manual movement of a trigger.

18. The injector of claim 17, wherein the trigger is movable in first and second directions.

19. The injector of claim 18, wherein the control system will not transition to the enabled state unless the trigger is moved in the first direction.

20. The injector of claim 10, wherein the control system transitions from the enabled state to the disabled state responsive to movement of the drive ram along the longitudinal axis.

21. The injector of claim 20, wherein movement of the drive ram in a forward direction transitions the control system to the enabled state, and wherein movement of the drive ram in a rearward direction transitions the control system to the disabled state.

22. The injector of claim 10, further comprising a syringe having a plunger that is in contact with the drive ram.

23. The injector of claim 22, wherein the syringe has contrast media disposed therein.

24. The injector of claim 22, wherein the syringe has saline disposed therein.

25. A medical fluid injector comprising:

a drive ram having a longitudinal axis and being movable along the longitudinal;

a motor coupled to said drive ram for moving said drive ram; and

a control system that controls operation of said motor of the injector, the control system operable in a manual mode and an auto-inject mode, the auto-inject mode having an enabled state allowing auto-inject mode movement of the drive ram, and a disabled state preventing auto-inject mode movement of the drive ram,

wherein the control system is adapted to transition from the disabled state to the enabled state after a syringe is mounted to the injector, in response to manual mode movement of the drive ram along the longitudinal axis.

26. The injector of claim 25, wherein the manual mode movement of the drive ram is a purge movement of the drive ram in a forward direction.

27. The injector of claim 26, wherein the control system transitions to the disabled state in response to manual mode movement.

28. The injector of claim 27, wherein the manual mode movement is movement of the drive ram in a rearward direction.

29. The injector of claim 25, further comprising a syringe having a plunger that is in contact with the drive ram.

30. The injector of claim 29, wherein the syringe has contrast media disposed therein.

31. The injector of claim 29, wherein the syringe has saline disposed therein.