Controlled retraction syringe and plunger therefor

• US 8,167,837 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UNL Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Unitract Syringe Pty Limited (Unilife Corp.)
• Inventors: Judd, Damien, Kaal, Joseph Hermes, Thorley, Craig Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenberg, Rebecca E
• Application Number:
  US11/911,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,205 Days
• Field of Search: 640/110, 640/187, 640195-196, 640/220, 604/110, 604/187, 604195-196, 604/220
• US Class Current: 604/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3231 Proximal end of needle captured or embedded inside piston head, e.g. by friction or hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3235 triggered by radial deflection of the anchoring parts between needle mount and syringe barrel or needle housing, e.g. spreading of needle mount retaining hooks having slanted surfaces by engagement with correspondingly shaped surfaces on the piston at the end of an injection stroke
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3236 Trigger provided at the distal end, i.e. syringe end for mounting a needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3241 Needle retraction energy is accumulated inside of a hollow plunger rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3234 Fully automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/502 for blocking the piston
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/508 Means for preventing re-use by disrupting the piston seal, e.g. by puncturing

Abstract

A retractable syringe (11) and plunger (20) therefore are provided, whereby the plunger comprises a controlling means (62) which facilitates control of the rate of retraction of the retractable needle. By controlling the rate of needle retraction, the likelihood of blood spattering is reduced, thereby improving the user-friendliness and appeal of the retractable syringe. Typically, the syringe is a prefilled syringe. Following plunger depression, a symmetrical ejector member (92) releases the retractable needle (40) from a retaining member (30) to thereby allow retraction of the retractable needle. Needle retraction is facilitated by a biasing means (70), such as a spring or other compressible and/or de-compressible device. The plunger comprises a plunger housing (21), in which is located the controlling means. The controlling means may be a pneumatic air space (324) inside the plunger housing which automatically acts against the retracting needle to thereby control or regulate the rate of retraction.

Claims

1. A plunger for a syringe having a retractable needle, said plunger comprising a plunger member capable of engaging said retractable needle, a plunger housing;

an initially compressed spring, wherein decompression of said spring facilitates needle retraction, and a controlling means initially internally located within said plunger housing and releasably engaged by said plunger member, which facilitates control of the rate of retraction of said plunger member and said retractable needle when engaged with said plunger member and which controlling means is disengageable from said plunger member following delivery of fluid contents of said syringe, wherein the controlling means has a first end configured to engage the plunger member, and a second end configured to enable control over the rate of retraction of the retractable needle.

2. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the controlling means comprises a control member which is disengageable from said plunger member.

3. The plunger of claim 2, wherein the control member is a control rod.

4. A syringe having a barrel, a retractable needle and a plunger, said plunger comprising a plunger member engageable with said retractable needle, a plunger housing;

an initially compressed spring, wherein decompression of said spring facilitates needle retraction, and a controlling means initially internally located within said plunger housing and releasably engaged by said plunger member, which controlling means facilitates control of the rate of retraction of said plunger member and said retractable needle when engaged with said plunger member and which controlling means is disengageable from said plunger member following delivery of fluid contents of said syringe, wherein the controlling means has a first end configured to engage the plunger member, and a second end configured to enable control over the rate of retraction of the retractable needle.

5. The syringe of claim 4, wherein the controlling means comprises a control member which is disengageable from said plunger member.

6. The syringe of claim 5, wherein the control member is a control rod.

7. The syringe of claim 4 further comprising a retaining member for facilitating initial retention of said retractable needle at a needle end of said barrel.

8. The syringe of claim 7, which further comprises an ejector member operable to release said retractable needle from said retaining member to thereby allow retraction of said retractable needle when delivery of fluid contents of said syringe is complete.

9. The syringe of claim 8, wherein said ejector member does not require alignment with said retaining member to release said retractable needle from said retaining member.

10. The syringe of claim 4, wherein the syringe comprises a sealing means that comprises an inner sealing member and an outer sealing member.

11. The syringe of claim 10, wherein said inner sealing member has a tapered cross section and comprises a plurality of annular steps that engage complementary annular ribs inside said outer seal member.

12. The syringe of claim 4, wherein said retractable needle comprises a cannula and a needle body.

13. The syringe of claim 12, wherein said needle body has a tapered cross section, tapering toward said cannula, and comprises a plurality of steps.

14. The syringe of claim 13, wherein said needle body is mounted to a needle mount that is located in said barrel.

15. The syringe of claim 14, wherein said needle mount comprises a plurality of complementary steps that respectively receive said plurality of steps of said needle body.

16. The syringe of claim 4, which is a prefilled syringe.

17. A prefilled syringe having a barrel;

a retractable needle;

a plunger comprising a housing and a plunger member engageable with said retractable needle;

a spring initially compressed within said plunger;

a needle seal located inside said barrel to which is mounted said retractable needle; and

a retaining member to facilitate initial retention of said retractable needle at a needle end of said barrel;

arranged so that decompression of said spring facilitates retraction of said plunger member and said needle when engaged with said plunger member and wherein said plunger further comprises a controlling means which facilitates control of the rate of retraction of said plunger member and said retractable needle when engaged with said plunger member, wherein the controlling means has a first end configured to engage the plunger member, and a second end configured to enable control over the rate of retraction of the retractable needle, and which controlling means is disengageable from said plunger following delivery of fluid contents of said syringe.

18. A plunger for a syringe having a retractable needle, said plunger comprising a plunger housing, a first plunger member engageable with said retractable needle and a second plunger member, which co-operate to form a pneumatic controlling means including an initially compressed spring that decompresses to facilitate retraction of the retractable needle, and which pneumatic controlling means facilitates control of the rate of retraction of said first plunger member and said retractable needle when engaged with said first plunger member.

19. The plunger of claim 18, wherein the syringe is a prefilled syringe.

20. A syringe having a barrel;

a retractable needle and a plunger comprising a plunger housing, a first plunger member engageable with said retractable needle and a second plunger member, which co-operate to form a pneumatic controlling means including an initially compressed spring that decompresses to facilitate retraction of the retractable needle, and which pneumatic controlling means facilitates control of the rate of retraction of said first plunger member and said retractable needle when engaged with said first plunger member.

21. The syringe of claim 20, which is a prefilled syringe.

22. A prefilled syringe having a barrel;

a retractable needle;

a plunger comprising a first plunger member engageable with said retractable needle, a second plunger member and a housing;

a spring initially compressed within said plunger;

a needle seal located inside said barrel to which is mounted said retractable needle; and

a retaining member to facilitate initial retention of said retractable needle at a needle end of said barrel;

arranged so that decompression of said spring facilitates retraction of said needle and wherein said plunger further comprises a pneumatic controlling means which facilitates control of the rate of retraction of said first plunger member and said retractable needle when engaged with said first plunger member.