Multiple pharmaceutical dispenser with accumulator

• US 5,298,023 A
• Filed: 09/22/1992
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Habley Medical Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Habley Medical Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Foster, Clark B., Smedley, William H., Haber, Terry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CERMAK, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US07/949,265
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 604/72, 604/82, 604/86-90, 604/187, 604/191, 604/151, 604/152, 604/232-235, 604/207, 604/208, 604/211, 604/83
• US Class Current: 604/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3128 Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3131 specially adapted for improving sealing or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3227 the needle being retracted laterally outside the syringe barrel, e.g. with separate guideway
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3228 the needle being retracted by a member protruding laterally through a slot in the barrel, e.g. double-ended needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/341 angularly adjustable or angled away from the axis of the injector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/204 connected to external reservoirs for multiple refilling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2425 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31535 Means improving security or handling thereof, e.g. blocking means, means preventing insufficient dosing, means allowing correction of overset dose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31543 piston rod reset means, i.e. means for causing or facilitating retraction of piston rod to its starting position during cartridge change
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31551 including axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31555 by purely axial movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 : using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 : performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 : Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 : Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/34 : Constructions for connecting the needle , e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2770/32411 : Hepatovirus, i.e. hepatitis A virus

Abstract

A multiple pharmaceutical syringe (2, 160, 402), especially useful for use in dispensing insulin, includes a body (4, 162, 404) housing first and second pharmaceutical-filled cartridges (30, 32; 182, 184; 478, 480). The cartridges are of the type with a septum (36, 190, 484) at one end and a piston (42, 48; 224, 225; 562, 564) at the other end with the liquid pharmaceutical (46, 48; 226, 228; 534, 536) between the two. The body also defines an accumulator chamber (10, 202, 654) within which an accumulator piston (26, 238, 464) is slidably mounted. The cartridge interiors are connected by a flow path (70, 752) to the accumulator chamber. Pressing on the cartridge pistons forces desired amounts of the liquids from the cartridge into the accumulator chamber. The mixed pharmaceutical is dispensed by driving the accumulator piston.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical dispenser comprising:

at least two pharmaceutical cartridges each having a barrel, the barrel having a cartridge interior, an open end and an accessible end, a piston within the barrel and a liquid within the cartridge interior between the piston and the accessible end;

a body configured of house the cartridges therein;

an accumulator/dispensing assembly mounted to the body and including an accumulator chamber fluidly coupled to the cartridge interiors;

means for selectively driving amounts of the liquids within the cartridge interiors into the accumulator chamber; and

the accumulator/dispensing assembly including means for dispensing liquid from the accumulator chamber.

2. A pharmaceutical dispenser comprising:

at least two pharmaceutical cartridges each having a barrel, the barrel having a cartridge interior, an open end and an accessible end, a piston within the barrel and a liquid within the cartridge interior between the piston and the accessible end;

a body configured to house the cartridges therein;

an accumulator/dispensing assembly mounted to the body and including an accumulator chamber fluidly coupled to the cartridge interiors;

a piston driver for each said cartridge mounted to the body, the piston drivers each including a movable stem driver having a longitudinal axis and a stem, the stem driver including a stem drive element, the stem having a proximal end and a distal end which engages the piston, the stem drive element drivingly coupled to the stem so that movement of the stem drive element determines the amount of axial movement which is applied to the stem, and thus the piston, by the stem drive element so to determine how much of the liquid within the cartridge interior is forced into the accumulator chamber;

the accumulator/dispensing assembly including means for dispensing liquid from the accumulator chamber; and

each stem driver including;

a telescoping knob axially slidably mounted to the proximal end of the stem drive element to be movable in a proximal direction from a collapsed position to an extended position and in a distal direction from the extended position to the collapsed position;

means for biasing the knob in the proximal direction;

means for retaining the knob in the collapsed position; and

means for manually releasing the retaining means so to permit the knob biasing means to move the knob to the extended position for enhanced user access to the knob.

3. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 2 wherein the stem drive element is threadably coupled to the stem.

4. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 3 wherein the stem drive element is a hollow dose screw having internal threads and the stem has external threads which engage the internal threads of the does screw.

5. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 2 wherein the liquid dispensing means includes an accumulator piston, partly defining the accumulator chamber, coupled to an accumulator stem.

6. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 2 wherein the liquid dispensing means includes a needle assembly fluidly coupled to the accumulator chamber.

7. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 2 further comprising in an axially extending slot formed in one of the telescoping knob and the stem drive element, wherein the telescoping knob is secured to the stem drive element using the axially extending slot and a laterally extending pin extending from the other of the telescoping knob and the stem drive element.

8. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 2 wherein the biasing means includes a compression coil spring.

9. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 2 wherein the retaining means includes an annular groove formed in the telescoping knob, a trigger mounted to the body and having a tooth portion sized and positioned to engage the annular groove when the telescoping knob is in the collapsed position, and spring means for biasing the tooth portion into engagement with the annular groove.

10. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 9, wherein the releasing means includes a user-accessible portion of the trigger, the user-accessible portion sized and positioned to permit the user to move the tooth out of engagement with the annular groove.

11. A pharmaceutical dispenser comprising:

at least two pharmaceutical cartridges each having a barrel, the barrel having a cartridge interior, an open end and an accessible end, a piston within the barrel and a liquid within the cartridge interior between the piston and the accessible end;

a body configured to house the cartridges therein;

an accumulator/dispensing assembly mounted to the body and including an accumulator chamber fluidly coupled to the cartridge interiors;

a piston driver for each said cartridge mounted to the body, the piston drivers each including a stem driver having a longitudinal axis and a stem, the stem driver including a rotatable dose screw, the stem having a proximal end and a distal end which engages the piston, the dose screw drivingly coupled to the stem so that rotary movement of the dose screw determines the amount of axial movement which is applied to the stem, and thus the piston, by the does screw so to determine how much of the liquid within the cartridge interior is forced into the accumulator chamber;

the accumulator/dispensing assembly including means for dispensing liquid from the accumulator chamber;

the dose screw having external dose indicator threads; and

a dose indicator assembly, which indicates to the user the amount of each liquid is driven from the cartridges to the accumulator through the rotation of the dose screw, including;

a frame movably mounted to the body;

a follower, for each cartridge, slidably mounted to the frame, the follower having teeth which engage the dose indicator threads;

a dose indicator, secured to each of the followers, movable along the frame so that as the dose screw rotates, the follower and dose indicator secured thereto move according to the rotary motion of the dose screw;

means for biasing the dose indicator device towards a start position; and

frame lifter means for moving the frame away from the dose screws so to disengage the followers from the external indicator threads allowing the dose indicator biasing means to move the indicators to the start position.

12. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 11 wherein the liquid dispensing means includes a needle assembly fluidly coupled to the accumulator chamber.

13. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 11 wherein the liquid dispensing means includes an accumulator piston, partly defining the accumulator chamber, and an accumulator stem coupled to said piston.

14. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 13 wherein the frame lifter includes a cam surface on the accumulator stem and a cam follower, mounted within the body, having a cam contact portion engagable with the cam surface and a frame contact portion engagable with the frame, the frame contact engaging the frame and biasing the frame away from the system drivers when the cam contact portion engages the cam surface.

15. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 14 wherein the accumulator stem is configured to move in the distal direction during a delivery stroke and the liquid dispensing means includes a spring configured so that the user may continue to move the accumulator stem in the distal direction after dispensing the liquid from the accumulator chamber at the end of the delivery stroke.

16. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 15 wherein the cam contact portion of the cam follower is positioned in an axially extending recess so that the cam contact portion does not contact the cam surface on the accumulator stem until after the end of the delivery stroke.

17. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 11 wherein the frame lifter includes means for moving at least a portion of the frame away from the dose screws after the liquid dispensing means has dispensed the liquid from the accumulator chamber.

18. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 11 wherein the frame is pivotably mounted to the body.

19. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 11 wherein the dose indicator includes a continuous loop of flexible material.

20. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 19 wherein the dose indicator includes a line of demarcation on the loop of flexible material.

21. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 11 wherein the dose indicator biasing means includes an elastic member connected to the follower and to the frame.

22. A pharmaceutical dispenser comprising:

first and second pharmaceutical cartridges each having a barrel, the barrel having a cartridge interior, an open end and an accessible end, a piston within the barrel and a liquid within the cartridge interior between the piston and the accessible end;

a body;

a manifold/cartridge/accumulator assembly, removably mountable to the body to a fully inserted position, comprising;

a manifold assembly to which the first and second cartridges are removably mounted;

an accumulator/dispensing assembly secured to the manifold assembly and including an accumulator chamber; and

the manifold assembly including a fluid pathway fluidly coupling the cartridge interiors to the accumulator chamber;

a piston driver for each said cartridge mounted to the body, the piston drivers each including a locking collar element, a movable stem driver and an axially movable stem, the stem driver including a stem drive element, the stem having a proximal end and a distal end which engages the piston;

means for automatically drivingly coupling the stem drive element to the stem only after the manifold/cartridge/ accumulator assembly is in the fully installed position, whereby movement of the stem drive element determines the amount of axial movement which is applied to the stem, and thus the piston, by the stem drive element so to determine how much of the liquid within the cartridge interior is forced into the accumulator chamber; and

the accumulator/dispensing assembly including means for dispensing liquid from the accumulator chamber.

23. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 22 wherein the body includes an open distal end, the manifold/cartridge/accumulator assembly being slidably mountable to the body through said open distal end so that the manifold/cartridge/accumulator assembly is in the fully installed position.

24. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 22 wherein the manifold assembly includes hollow spikes which pierce the first and second cartridges when the cartridges are mounted thereto.

25. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 22 further comprising means of presenting fluid flow from the fluid pathway into either of the first or second cartridges.

26. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 22 further comprising threads, wherein the stem drive element is a rotatable stem drive element drivingly coupled to the stem by the threads.

27. The pharmaceutical dispenser of claim 26 wherein:

the stem has a length and includes external threads along a portion of the length; and

the stem drive element is hollow and has internal threads which engage the external threads when the automatically drivingly coupling means drivingly couples the stem drive element to the stem.

28. A pharmaceutical dispenser comprising:

at least two pharmaceutical cartridges each having a barrel, the barrel having a cartridge interior, an open end and an accessible end, a piston within the barrel and a liquid within the cartridge interior between the piston and the accessible end;

a body configured to house the cartridges therein;

an accumulator/dispensing assembly mounted to the body and including an accumulator chamber fluidly coupled to the cartridge interiors;

a piston driver for each said cartridge mounted to the body, the piston drivers each including a movable stem driver and a stem, the stem driver including a stem drive element, the stem having a proximal end and a distal end which engages the piston, the stem drive element drivingly coupled to the stem so that movement of the stem drive element determines the amount of axial movement which is applied to the stem, and thus the piston, by the stem drive element so to determine how much of the liquid within the cartridge interior is forced into the accumulator chamber; and

the accumulator/dispensing assembly including means for dispensing liquid from the accumulator chamber.