Syringe with disabling mechanism
First Claim
1. A syringe assembly comprising:
- a barrel including a cylindrical sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end and a distal end including a distal wall having an opening therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber, said sidewall including a rib adjacent said proximal end and a ramp having an axial length extending from the rib towards said proximal end such that the diameter of the barrel increases along the ramp from the rib towards the proximal end;
an elongate plunger rod including a proximal end, a distal end, and a main body extending between the proximal and distal end, the plunger rod being distally and proximally movable within said chamber, the proximal end including a thumb press, the distal end including a stopper-engaging portion, the plunger rod further including a flexible protrusion between the thumb press and the main body, the protrusion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the barrel at the rib and the plunger rod further including at least one frangible portion comprising a narrowed frangible connection disposed in a proximal end of the plunger rod; and
a stopper having a proximal end and a distal end, the stopper attached to the stopper-engaging portion of the plunger rod, the stopper being distally and proximally movable relative to the stopper-engaging portion for a pre-selected axial distance such that when the distal end of the stopper is in contact with the distal wall of the barrel, the protrusion is permitted to advance distally past the rib in the barrel and lock the plunger rod in the barrel to prevent reuse of the syringe assembly, the stopper-engaging portion comprising a visual display being fully visible before an initial distally directed force is applied to the plunger rod.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Syringe assemblies having a passive disabling system to prevent reuse are provided. According to one or more embodiments, the syringe assembly comprises a barrel, plunger rod and stopper wherein the plunger rod further comprises a flexible protrusion that locks the plunger rod within the barrel. Certain embodiments further include a frangible portion on the plunger rod that breaks when reuse is attempted. One or more embodiments include a plunger rod and stopper attachment that prevents disassembly of the syringe assembly prior to use. Syringe assemblies of one or more embodiments also include visual indicators or markers indicating whether a syringe assembly is used or the plunger rod is locked within the barrel.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A syringe assembly comprising:
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a barrel including a cylindrical sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end and a distal end including a distal wall having an opening therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber, said sidewall including a rib adjacent said proximal end and a ramp having an axial length extending from the rib towards said proximal end such that the diameter of the barrel increases along the ramp from the rib towards the proximal end; an elongate plunger rod including a proximal end, a distal end, and a main body extending between the proximal and distal end, the plunger rod being distally and proximally movable within said chamber, the proximal end including a thumb press, the distal end including a stopper-engaging portion, the plunger rod further including a flexible protrusion between the thumb press and the main body, the protrusion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the barrel at the rib and the plunger rod further including at least one frangible portion comprising a narrowed frangible connection disposed in a proximal end of the plunger rod; and a stopper having a proximal end and a distal end, the stopper attached to the stopper-engaging portion of the plunger rod, the stopper being distally and proximally movable relative to the stopper-engaging portion for a pre-selected axial distance such that when the distal end of the stopper is in contact with the distal wall of the barrel, the protrusion is permitted to advance distally past the rib in the barrel and lock the plunger rod in the barrel to prevent reuse of the syringe assembly, the stopper-engaging portion comprising a visual display being fully visible before an initial distally directed force is applied to the plunger rod. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A syringe assembly comprising:
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a barrel including a cylindrical sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end and a distal end including a distal wall having an opening therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber, the chamber further having a first inner diameter, a locking rib adjacent to the open proximal end having a second inner diameter wherein the second inner diameter is less than the first inner diameter, an increased diameter region located proximally from the locking rib having a third inner diameter greater than the first and second inner diameters, and a ramp extending between the locking rib and the increased diameter region; an elongate plunger rod having a proximal end, a distal end, a stopper-engaging portion located at the distal end of the plunger rod, a thumb press at the proximal end of the plunger rod, a main body portion extending between the distal and proximal ends of the plunger rod, a flexible annular protrusion extending radially from the plunger rod having an outer diameter greater than the second inner diameter and the plunger rod further including a plurality of frangible bridges disposed in a proximal end of the plunger rod; and a stopper having a proximal end and a distal end, the stopper attached to the stopper-engaging portion of the plunger rod, the stopper being distally and proximally movable a pre-selected axial distance relative to the stopper-engaging portion, such that when the distal end of the stopper is in contact with the distal wall of the barrel, the annular protrusion is permitted to advance distally past the locking rib in the barrel and lock the plunger rod in the barrel to prevent reuse of the syringe assembly, the stopper-engaging portion comprising a visual display being fully visible before an initial distally directed force is applied to the plunger rod. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A syringe assembly comprising:
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a barrel including a cylindrical sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end and a distal end including a distal wall having an opening therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber; an elongate plunger rod having a proximal end, a distal end, a stopper-engaging portion located at the distal end of the plunger rod, a thumb press at the proximal end of the plunger rod, and a main body portion extending between the distal and proximal ends of the plunger rod; a stopper having a proximal end and a distal end, the stopper attached to the stopper-engaging portion of the plunger rod, the stopper being distally and proximally movable relative to the stopper-engaging portion; means for locking the plunger rod in the barrel to prevent reuse of the syringe assembly when the distal end of the stopper is in contact with the distal wall of the barrel and an activation force in the distal direction is applied to the thumb press; means for separating at least a portion of the plunger rod from the main body upon application of a deactivation force in the proximal direction to the plunger rod; and means for separating the stopper from the plunger rod upon application of sufficient proximal force on the plunger rod; and indicator means for indicating that the plunger rod is locked in the barrel. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A syringe assembly comprising:
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a barrel including a cylindrical sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end and a distal end including a distal wall having an opening therethrough in fluid communication with said chamber, said sidewall including a rib adjacent said proximal end and a ramp having an axial length extending from the rib towards said proximal end such that the diameter of the barrel increases along the ramp from the rib towards the proximal end; an elongate plunger rod including a proximal end, a distal end, and a main body extending between the proximal and distal end, the plunger rod being distally and proximally movable within said chamber, the proximal end including a thumb press, the distal end including a stopper-engaging portion, the plunger rod further including a flexible protrusion between the thumb press and the main body, the protrusion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the barrel at the rib and the plunger rod further including at least one frangible portion comprising a narrowed frangible connection disposed in a proximal end of the plunger rod; and a stopper having a proximal end and a distal end, the stopper attached to the stopper-engaging portion of the plunger rod such that when the distal end of the stopper is in contact with the distal wall of the barrel, the flexible protrusion is permitted to advance distally past the rib in the barrel and lock the plunger rod in the barrel to prevent reuse of the syringe assembly, the stopper-engaging portion comprising a visual display being fully visible before an initial distally directed force is applied to the plunger rod. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification