Bladder syringe fluid delivery system

• US 9,498,570 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Cowan, Kevin P., Hoffman, Raymond C., Uber, Arthur E. III, Tucker, Barry L., Wlodarczyk, Jaroslaw
• Primary Examiner(s): Luong, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/453,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14553 comprising a pressure jacket
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3123 having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31516 reducing dead-space in the syringe barrel after delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/10 Device therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/148 flexible, e.g. independent bagsA61M5/155 takes precedence
• 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 5/2425 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31515 Connection of piston with piston rod
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7544 Injection needles, syringes

Abstract

A bladder syringe for a fluid delivery system includes a cylindrical body, a cap-bladder assembly, a plunger element disposed in the cylindrical body, and a mounting assembly to secure the cap-bladder assembly to the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has a distal end and a proximal end and defines a throughbore. The cap-bladder assembly is adapted for connection to the distal end of the cylindrical body, and includes a cap body and a bladder. The cap body defines an interior cavity and a distal discharge conduit and is adapted to engage the distal end of the cylindrical body. A disc-shaped bladder is disposed within the interior cavity and typically includes a central membrane portion. The plunger element is disposed in the throughbore of the cylindrical body and is vented to enable evacuation of the space between the plunger element and the cap-bladder assembly in the cylindrical body.

Claims

1. A bladder syringe for a fluid delivery system, the bladder syringe comprising:

a cylindrical body having a sidewall extending between a distal end and a proximal end and defining a throughbore;

a cap-bladder assembly adapted for connection to the distal end of the cylindrical body, the cap-bladder assembly comprising;

a cap comprising a cap body defining an interior cavity and a distal discharge conduit, the cap body adapted to be seated on the distal end of the cylindrical body; and

a disc-shaped bladder disposed within the interior cavity and comprising a membrane portion; and

a plunger element disposed in the throughbore of the cylindrical body;

wherein a distal portion of the plunger element and the bladder interact to restrict movement of the bladder outward toward the sidewall to conserve a bladder material thickness in a center of the membrane portion as the plunger element is retracted in the cylindrical body creating vacuum pressure between the plunger element and the bladder.

2. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the membrane portion has extra material in a central area of the membrane portion.

3. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the membrane portion defines a convoluted central well portion.

4. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the membrane portion has extra material in a central area of the membrane portion in the form of a convoluted central well portion.

5. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein as the membrane portion is expanded during operation of the bladder syringe, a first material portion of the membrane portion seats against an interior wall of the cylindrical body and a second material region of the membrane portion bridges an area between the interior wall and the distal portion of the plunger element.

6. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the plunger element faces the cap-bladder assembly and a proximal portion of the plunger element is adapted for connection with a piston element of a power fluid injector.

7. The bladder syringe of claim 6, wherein the distal portion of the plunger element is tapered to increase surface contact with the bladder during expansion of the bladder.

8. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the plunger element comprises a fluid path allowing gas to pass through the plunger element to vent a space in the cylindrical body between the cap-bladder assembly and the plunger element to atmosphere.

9. The bladder syringe of claim 8, further comprising a check valve in the fluid path.

10. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the membrane portion has a non-uniform cross-section.

11. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the membrane portion comprises a plurality of annular ribs.

12. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the membrane portion comprises a plurality of radial ribs.

13. The bladder syringe of claim 1, further comprising a retainer ring used to secure the bladder in the interior cavity of the cap body.

14. The bladder syringe of claim 1, wherein the cap body comprises a tapered portion that terminates in the distal discharge conduit.

15. The bladder syringe of claim 14, wherein the distal discharge conduit comprises a threaded connector.

16. The bladder syringe of claim 14, wherein the tapered portion is conical shaped.

17. A fluid delivery system, comprising:

a power fluid injector comprising an injector housing and a reciprocally operable piston element; and

a bladder syringe, the bladder syringe comprising;

a cylindrical body having a sidewall extending between a distal end and a proximal end and defining a throughbore;

a cap-bladder assembly adapted for connection to the distal end of the cylindrical body, the cap-bladder assembly comprising;

a cap comprising a cap body defining an interior cavity and a distal discharge conduit, the cap body seated on the distal end of the cylindrical body; and

a disc-shaped bladder disposed within the interior cavity and comprising a membrane portion; and

a plunger element disposed in the throughbore of the cylindrical body and comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion;

wherein the distal portion of the plunger element and the membrane portion of the bladder interact to restrict movement of the bladder outward toward the sidewall to conserve a bladder material thickness in a center of the membrane portion as the plunger element is retracted in the cylindrical body creating vacuum pressure between the plunger element and the bladder.

18. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the membrane portion has extra material in a central area of the membrane portion.

19. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the membrane portion defines a convoluted central well portion.

20. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the membrane portion has extra material in a central area of the membrane portion in the form of a convoluted central well portion.

21. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein as the membrane portion is expanded during operation of the bladder syringe, a first material portion of the membrane portion seats against an interior wall of the cylindrical body and a second material region of the membrane portion bridges an area between the interior wall and the distal portion of the plunger element.

22. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the distal portion of the plunger element faces the cap-bladder assembly and the proximal portion of the plunger element is adapted for connection with the piston element of the power fluid injector.

23. The fluid delivery system of claim 22, wherein the distal portion of the plunger element is tapered to increase surface contact with the bladder during expansion of the bladder.

24. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the plunger element comprises a seal ring providing a substantially fluid tight seal between the plunger element and the cylindrical body.

25. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the plunger element comprises a fluid path allowing gas to pass through the plunger element to vent a space in the cylindrical body between the cap-bladder assembly and the plunger element to atmosphere.

26. The fluid delivery system of claim 25, further comprising a check valve in the fluid path.

27. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the membrane portion has a non-uniform cross-section.

28. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the membrane portion comprises a plurality of annular ribs.

29. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the membrane portion comprises a plurality of radial ribs.

30. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, further comprising a retainer ring used to secure the bladder in the interior cavity of the cap body.

31. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, wherein the cap body comprises a tapered portion that terminates in the distal discharge conduit.

32. The fluid delivery system of claim 31, wherein the distal discharge conduit comprises a threaded connector.

33. The fluid delivery system of claim 31, wherein the tapered portion is conical shaped.