Multi-chamber, sequential dose dispensing syringe
First Claim
1. A multi-chamber syringe apparatus for sequentially dispensing medical fluids, said apparatus comprising:
- a syringe barrel which is concentrically disposed about an elongated medial axis, said barrel comprising an open proximal end and a distal end having a closed interior surface about an orifice through which fluid is transferred, said surface having a substantially concave shape;
a plunger and plunger stopper combination disposed to be displaced within said barrel for dislocating fluid thereby; and
a valve assembly disposed within said barrel between said plunger stopper and said distal end to provide a proximal chamber between the valve assembly and plunger stopper and a distal chamber between the valve assembly and said interior surface;
said valve assembly comprising;
a valved stopper comprising a distal face and a hollow, grooved, cylindrical interior which opens proximally toward said plunger stopper and which communicates with said plunger stopper via fluid within the barrel, therebetween, to be displaced as the plunger stopper is displaced;
said valved stopper further comprising an operable, normally closed valve, which permits displacement of fluid therethrough only when open, and a pliable material whereby said distal face cooperatively conforms to the shape of the interior surface when forced thereupon; and
a valve actuator comprising features which are complimentary to grooves of the interior of the valved stopper whereby the actuator is securely affixed to the valved stopper and is displaced as the valved stopper is displaced;
said actuator further comprising structure for sensing impact between said distal face and said interior surface and, upon sensing the impact, reactively causes said valve to open.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A valve assembly is disclosed which effectively partitions a syringe into proximal and distal chambers to provide a multi-chamber, sequentially dispensing syringe apparatus. The valve assembly may be effectively used with a variety of standard, currently available commercial syringes and pre-filled syringes. Incorporated in the valve assembly is a valved stopper having a valve (which may be a slit valve), an impact sensor which opens the valve upon impact between the valve assembly and internal distal end of the syringe and a gas separator which separates liquid from gas disposed in the proximal chamber to assure gas is not delivered therefrom. The valve assembly is displaced as a plunger of the syringe is displaced via communication through fluid in the proximal chamber of the syringe. The actuator has a latching feature which latches the valve to an open state after being opened by the impact sensor. The gas separator has a proximally disposed orifice which facilitates priming. The valve assembly may be made from two parts. One part, a valved stopper, may be molded from the same rubber based material used in syringe plunger stoppers. The second part, the valve actuator, may be injection molded as a single part. A synthetic resinous material which is compatible with manufacture of living hinges my be used for the second part. Multiple valve assemblies may be used in a single syringe barrel.
160 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A multi-chamber syringe apparatus for sequentially dispensing medical fluids, said apparatus comprising:
-
a syringe barrel which is concentrically disposed about an elongated medial axis, said barrel comprising an open proximal end and a distal end having a closed interior surface about an orifice through which fluid is transferred, said surface having a substantially concave shape; a plunger and plunger stopper combination disposed to be displaced within said barrel for dislocating fluid thereby; and a valve assembly disposed within said barrel between said plunger stopper and said distal end to provide a proximal chamber between the valve assembly and plunger stopper and a distal chamber between the valve assembly and said interior surface; said valve assembly comprising; a valved stopper comprising a distal face and a hollow, grooved, cylindrical interior which opens proximally toward said plunger stopper and which communicates with said plunger stopper via fluid within the barrel, therebetween, to be displaced as the plunger stopper is displaced; said valved stopper further comprising an operable, normally closed valve, which permits displacement of fluid therethrough only when open, and a pliable material whereby said distal face cooperatively conforms to the shape of the interior surface when forced thereupon; and a valve actuator comprising features which are complimentary to grooves of the interior of the valved stopper whereby the actuator is securely affixed to the valved stopper and is displaced as the valved stopper is displaced; said actuator further comprising structure for sensing impact between said distal face and said interior surface and, upon sensing the impact, reactively causes said valve to open. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A combination for providing a sequentially dispensing, multi-chamber syringe, said combination comprising:
-
a hollow syringe barrel having a distal end which is closed except for a fluid transfer orifice; a syringe plunger; a valve assembly distally disposed in the syringe barrel relative to the syringe plunger, the valve actuator separating space within the barrel into proximal and distal chambers; said valve assembly comprising; a valved stopper comprising a stopper body comprising a normally closed valve element; and a valve actuator rigidly affixed to said valved stopper, said valve actuator comprising at least one stabilizing element for stabilizing said valved stopper within the barrel, a sensor arm which senses impact between the valved stopper and the closed distal end of the syringe barrel and which articulates upon such impact to open the valve element, a gas separator which separates gas from liquid flowing from the proximal chamber thereby permitting only liquid to be dispensed thereby.
-
-
20. A method for assembling a valve actuator for use in dividing a syringe into proximal and distal chambers, to thereby provide a sequential delivery multi-chamber syringe apparatus, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a valve actuator having at least one distally disposed connecting lip; providing a stopper having a hollow cylindrical body having an annular side for compressibly interfacing with an interior surface of a hollow syringe barrel and a closed, substantially circular surface at one end of the side, said stopper further comprising at least one grooved slot whereby said at least one lip, and, therefore, said valve actuator are securely affixed to said stopper; providing an assembly fixture having an open annular well with an internal ledge sized and shaped to receive and support the stopper when disposed thereat, said fixture further comprising a blade having a sharpened tip medially and transversely disposed relative to said ledge, said sharpened tip being directed outward from the open well; displacing the stopper into said fixture such that the closed surface opposes the sharpened tip; and displacing the valve actuator into the hollow body of the stopper, thereby forcing the at least one lip to be securely affixed to the at least one grooved slot thereby engaging and securing the actuator to the stopper and simultaneously forcing the sharpened tip through the closed circular surface to form a slit for a slit valve thereby.
-
-
21. A method for using a valve assembly as a chamber divider in a multi-chamber, sequentially dispensing syringe comprising the steps of:
-
providing a syringe having a syringe barrel which is concentrically disposed about an elongated medial axis, said barrel comprising an open proximal end and a distal end having a closed interior surface about an orifice through which fluid is transferred, said surface having a substantially concave shape; providing a plunger and plunger stopper combination, associated with the syringe, disposed to be displaced within said barrel for dislocating fluid thereby; and providing a valve assembly disposed within said barrel between said plunger stopper and said distal end to provide a proximal chamber between the valve assembly and plunger stopper and a distal chamber between the valve assembly and said interior surface; said valve assembly comprising; a valved stopper comprising a distal face and a hollow, grooved, cylindrical interior which opens proximally toward said plunger stopper and which communicates with said plunger stopper via fluid within the barrel, therebetween, to be displaced as the plunger stopper is displaced; said valved stopper further comprising an operable, normally closed valve, which permits displacement of fluid therethrough only when open, and a pliable material whereby said distal face cooperatively conforms to the shape of the interior surface when forced thereupon; and a valve actuator comprising features which are complimentary to grooves of the interior of the valved stopper whereby the actuator is securely affixed to the valved stopper and is displaced as the valved stopper is displaced; said actuator further comprising structure for sensing impact between said distal face and said interior surface and, upon sensing the impact, reactively causes said valve to open; installing said valve assembly at a predetermined site in the barrel of the syringe; filling the proximal chamber with a predetermined first liquid; inserting the plunger and plunger stopper combination to seal and retain the first liquid in the proximal chamber; filling the distal chamber with a second liquid; and distally displacing the plunger and plunger stopper to sequential dispense first the second liquid from the distal chamber and then, afterward, to dispense the first liquid from the proximal chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A gas separator apparatus for a patient liquid delivery line, said separator apparatus comprising:
-
a smaller vessel having an effluent opening toward the delivery line; a larger vessel which contains the smaller vessel, said larger vessel containing fluid which comprises a deliverable liquid outside the smaller vessel; said smaller vessel being primed with the deliverable liquid and further comprising a series of holes which are sized to pass liquid at a lower resistance than passing gas into through the holes into the primed chamber; said larger vessel comprising a space outside the smaller vessel wherein the gas is trapped.
-
Specification