System for dispensing biological fluids

• US 20060049209A1
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exscribe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: James W. Baker
• Inventors: Baker, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/252
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2055 having gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2058 having multiple connecting ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2062 with directional valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2089 Containers or vials which are to be joined to each other in order to mix their contents combinations of vial and syringe for mixing their contents A61J1/2096
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/223 Multiway valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14216 Reciprocating piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons

Abstract

Systems, including methods and apparatus, for dispensing biological fluids, such as allergens.

Claims

1-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A system for dispensing biological fluids, comprising:

a housing configured to hold a plurality of supply vessels containing biological fluids; and

a plurality of dispensers, each dispenser being configured to couple a supply vessel to a receiver vessel by engagement with a closure of the supply vessel and with a closure of the receiver vessel and being operable to transfer a measured volume of fluid from the supply vessel to the receiver vessel without disengagement from the supply vessel.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the housing defines a plurality of apertures, and wherein the housing is configured to receive the supply vessels through the apertures.

50. The system of claim 48, the housing defining an interior compartment, further comprising a cooling device operable to cool the interior compartment.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the cooling device includes a peltier device.

52. The system of claim 48, further comprising a base, wherein the housing is connected pivotably to the base.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the housing has a plurality of discrete sides, and wherein the dispensers are configured to be arranged generally along each side.

54. The system of claim 48, wherein the housing includes a bottom wall defining a plurality of apertures, and wherein the supply vessels are configured to be received through the apertures such that the dispensers are disposed at least substantially below the apertures adjacent closures of the supply vessels.

55. The system of claim 48, wherein each dispenser includes a pump and at least one valve, and wherein the at least one valve is adjustable to provide fluid communication selectively between the pump and the supply vessel or selectively between the pump and the receiver vessel, so that adjustment of the at least one valve permits the pump to load fluid selectively from the supply vessel and then deliver the fluid selectively to the receiver vessel.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the at least one valve is adjustable via movement of the pump.

57. The system of claim 48, wherein each dispenser includes a pair of conduits configured to penetrate the closure of the supply vessel and the closure of the receiver vessel, such that each conduit is disposed in sealed engagement with its respective closure.

58. A system for dispensing biological fluids, comprising:

a housing configured to hold a plurality of supply vessels containing biological fluids; and

a plurality of dispensers configured to be connected to the supply vessels, each dispenser including a syringe pump and at least one valve operated by the syringe pump and configured such that the at least one valve is adjustable via the syringe pump to permit (1) selective fluid communication between the syringe pump and a supply vessel and (2) selective fluid communication between the syringe pump and a receiver vessel, so that the syringe pump can draw fluid selectively from the supply vessel and then deliver the fluid selectively to the receiver vessel.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the at least one valve is a stop cock valve.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the syringe pump is movable between a loading position in which fluid can be drawn selectively from the supply vessel and a delivery position in which fluid can be delivered selectively to the receiver vessel.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein each dispenser includes an outlet structure from which fluid can be delivered to receiver vessels, and wherein the outlet structure moves to a more accessible position when the pump is moved into a delivery position for delivering the fluid to the receiver vessel.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein each dispenser includes an outlet structure including a sheathed, hollow needle.

63. A device for dispensing a biological fluid, comprising:

a conduit structure configured to couple a supply vessel to a receiver vessel by penetrating a closure of each vessel; and

a pump configured to move a measured volume of fluid through the conduit structure from the supply vessel to the receiver vessel.

64. The device of claim 63, further comprising at least one valve configured to restrict flow of the fluid in the conduit structure.

65. The device of claim 64, wherein the at least one valve is adjustable to permit (1) selective fluid communication between the pump and the supply vessel and (2) selective fluid communication between the pump and the receiver vessel, so that the pump can draw fluid selectively from the supply vessel and then deliver fluid selectively to the receiver vessel.

66. The device of claim 63, wherein the pump is a syringe pump.

67. The device of claim 63, further comprising a housing configured to at least substantially enclose the conduit structure.

68. A method of dispensing a biological fluid, comprising:

coupling a supply vessel holding a biological fluid to a receiver vessel using a dispenser engaged with a closure of each vessel; and

operating the dispenser to transfer a portion of the biological fluid through the closures from the supply vessel to the receiver vessel.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the steps of coupling and operating are performed a plurality of times with the same receiver vessel and distinct supply vessels, to form a mixture in the receiver vessel.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the distinct supply vessel holds different allergen extracts such that the steps of coupling and operating form an allergen mixture in the receiver vessel.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein the steps of coupling and operating are performed a plurality of times with the same supply vessel and distinct receiver vessels to dispense portions of the biological fluid to the distinct receiver vessels.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the step of operating the dispenser includes (1) a step of loading a pump with the biological fluid and (2) a step of delivering the biological fluid from the pump to the receiver vessel.

73. The method of claim 68, further comprising a step of injecting a person with the biological fluid from the receiver vessel.

74. The method of claim 68, wherein the step of operating is performed with the supply vessel disposed in a cooled compartment.

75. A method of dispensing a biological fluid, comprising:

coupling a dispenser to a supply vessel holding a biological fluid and sealed by a closure;

loading a portion of the biological fluid into the dispenser from the supply vessel through the closure; and

delivering the biological fluid from the dispenser to a receiver vessel, through a closure of the receiver vessel, while the dispenser remains coupled to the supply vessel.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein the step of coupling includes a step of penetrating the closure of the supply vessel with a conduit, and wherein the step of loading includes a step of moving the biological fluid through the conduit.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein the steps of loading and delivering include a step of operating a pump manually.

78. The method of claim 75, further comprising a step of placing the receiver vessel into engagement with the dispenser, wherein the step of placing is performed after the step of loading.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the step of placing includes a step of penetrating the closure of the receiver vessel with a conduit.

80. The method of claim 75, wherein the step of delivering includes a step of delivering a measured volume of the biological fluid to the receiver vessel.

81. The method of claim 75, wherein the steps of coupling, loading, and delivering are performed a plurality of times so that different biological fluids are combined in the receiver vessel to form a mixture of the different biological fluids.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the step of delivering is repeated a plurality of times so that different allergens are mixed in the receiver vessel.

83. A method of forming an allergen mixture, comprising:

coupling supply vessels to a plurality of dispensers, the supply vessels holding different allergens in fluid;

operating the dispensers to deliver a portion of each allergen to a receiver vessel while the dispensers remain coupled to the supply vessels, to form an allergen mixture suitable for injection into a human recipient.

84. The method of claim 83, further comprising a step of disposing the supply vessels in an array at least substantially inside a housing in which the supply vessels are refrigerated.

85. The method of claim 84, the housing being coupled movably to a base, further comprising a step of moving the housing relative to the base between operation of at least two of the dispensers.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the step of moving includes a step of pivoting the housing.

87. The method of claim 83, wherein the step of operating includes (1) a step of loading a pump with an allergen, and (2) a step of delivering a measured volume of the allergen to the receiver vessel.

88. The method of claim 83, wherein the step of operating includes a step of adjusting at least one valve for each dispenser.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the step of adjusting the valve is performed by movement of a pump of the dispenser.

90. The method of claim 83, wherein the step of operating the dispensers includes a step of penetrating a closure of the receiver vessel with a conduit of each dispenser.

91. The method of claim 83, wherein the step of operating includes a step of delivering the different allergens sequentially to the receiver vessel.

92. A system for dispensing a biological fluid, comprising:

means for coupling a supply vessel holding a biological fluid to a receiver vessel by engagement with a closure of each vessel; and

means for operating the dispenser to transfer a portion of the biological fluid through the closures from the supply vessel to the receiver vessel.