Convertible plungers, film coated plungers and related syringe assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016243308-A1
Application number	US-201415027144-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2014
Priority date	Oct 7, 2013
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A convertible plunger is provided comprising an internal portion and a generally cylindrical exterior surface. At least a portion of the exterior surface is maintained in an initial expanded state by a property of the internal portion. The expanded state is reducible to a constricted state by an operation that is applied to the internal portion of the plunger to alter the property. A film coating may also be applied to a sidewall of the sleeve to reduce a sliding friction between the sleeve and barrel. A film coating may also be applied to a nose cone of the plunger to provide a barrier between the plunger and product in the barrel.

First claim

1 . A plunger assembly comprising: a plunger rod having an exterior shaft and an interior shaft, the exterior shaft having an inner portion configured for the slideable insertion of at least a portion of the interior shaft, the interior shaft configured to be displaced from a first position to a second position relative to the exterior shaft; and a plunger operably connected to the plunger rod, the plunger configured to receive the insertion of at least a portion of the interior shaft.

2 . The plunger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior shaft includes a locking tab and the exterior shaft includes a first recess and a second recess, the locking tab being configured lock the interior shaft in the first position when the locking tab protrudes into the first recess, the locking tab being further configured to lock the interior shaft in the second position when the locking tab protrudes into the second recess.

3 . The plunger assembly of claim 2 , wherein the locking tab includes a tapered surface, the tapered surface configured to prevent the interior shaft from being displaced from the second position to the first position.

4 . The plunger assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the plunger is operably connected to the plunger rod by a threaded connection between the plunger and the exterior shaft.

5 . The plunger assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the plunger includes a connector body, the connector body including a threaded surface configured for a threaded engagement with a threaded surface of the exterior shaft.

6 . The plunger assembly of any preceding claim, further including a film coating on at least a portion of the plunger, optionally on a sidewall and a nose cone of the plunger, wherein the film coating has a lubricity that is greater than a lubricity of a material of a sidewall of the plunger, wherein the film coating is optionally an inert fluoropolymer.

7 . The plunger assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the plunger further comprises: a sleeve having a first cavity, a second cavity, and at least one rib, the at least one rib being generally aligned with the first cavity, the first cavity being in communication with the second cavity; and an insert configured to be displaced from the first cavity to the second cavity, wherein the insert is optionally generally spherical in shape, the insert configured to provide support for the compression of the at least one rib when the insert is positioned in the first cavity.

8 . The plunger assembly of claim 7 , wherein the interior shaft is configured to displace the insert from the first cavity to the second cavity when the interior shaft is displaced to the second position.

9 . The plunger assembly of any one of claims 7 or 8 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer or rubber.

10 . The plunger assembly of any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the plunger comprises an insert, a sleeve, and a connector body, at least a portion of the connector body being positioned within the sleeve between the sleeve and the insert, and wherein at least a portion of the connector body is configured to provide support for the compression of the sleeve against an inner surface of a sidewall of a barrel.

11 . The plunger assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sleeve includes at least one rib that is configured to be compressed against the sidewall, wherein the insert is configured to be displaced from a deactivated position to an activated position in the plunger by the displacement of the interior shaft from the first position to the second position.

12 . The plunger assembly of claim 11 , wherein the sleeve is configured to have a length of the sleeve elongated and outer width of the sleeve reduced when the insert is in the activated position, wherein the reduction in the outer width of the sleeve is configured to reduce the compression of the sleeve against the sidewall of the barrel.

13 . The plunger assembly of claim 12 , wherein a length of the connector body is elongated when the plunger is in the activated position, optionally wherein at least the second section of the connector body is elongated when the plunger is in the activated position.

14 . A dual actuated plunger comprising: a sleeve having a first cavity, a second cavity, and at least one rib, the at least one rib being generally aligned with the first cavity, the first cavity being in communication with the second cavity; and an insert configured to be displaced from the first cavity to the second cavity, wherein the insert is optionally generally spherical in shape, the insert being configured to provide support for the compression of the at least one rib when the insert is positioned in the first cavity.

15 . The dual actuated plunger of claim 14 , further including a connector body operably connected to the sleeve, wherein a portion of the connector body is positioned within the sleeve and is configured to provide support for compression of the sleeve against an inner surface of a sidewall of a barrel.

16 . The dual actuated plunger of claim 15 , further including a plunger rod having a shaft configured to displace the insert from the first cavity to the second cavity when the shaft is displaced from a first position to a second position, wherein the plunger rod is operably connected to the connector body.

17 . The dual actuated plunger of any one of claims 14 to 16 , further including a film coating on at least a portion of the sleeve, optionally on a sidewall and a nose cone of the sleeve, wherein the film coating has a lubricity that is greater than a lubricity of a material of a sidewall of the plunger, wherein the film coating is optionally an inert fluoropolymer.

18 . The dual actuated plunger of any one of claims 14 to 17 , wherein the insert is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer or rubber.

19 . A dual actuated plunger comprising: an insert, a sleeve, and a connector body, at least a portion of the connector body being positioned within the sleeve between the sleeve and the insert, the connector body being configured to provide support for the compression of the sleeve against an inner surface of a sidewall of a barrel.

20 . The dual actuated plunger of claim 19 , wherein the sleeve includes at least one rib that is configured to be compressed against the sidewall.

21 . The dual actuated plunger of claims 19 or 20 , wherein the insert is configured to be displaced from a deactivated position to an activated position in the plunger.

22 . The dual actuated plunger of any one of claims 19 to 21 , further including a plunger rod having a shaft configured to displace the insert from the deactivated position to the activated position when the shaft is displaced from a first position to a second position.

23 . The dual actuated plunger of any one of claims 19 to 22 , further including a film coating on at least a portion of the sleeve, wherein the film coating is optionally an inert fluoropolymer.

24 . The dual actuated plunger of any one of claims 19 to 23 , wherein displacing the insert from a deactivated position to an activated position effectuates axial stretching of the sleeve, thereby reducing the width of the sleeve.

25 . A film coated plunger configured for insertion into a barrel, the barrel having a product containing area, the film coated plunger comprising:
a. a sleeve comprising a nose cone on a proximal end of the sleeve and a sidewall extending

Assignees

• Sio2 Medical Products Inc

Inventors

• Giraud Jean-Pierre
• Sol Bernard
• Pangborn Robert J
• Abrams Robert S
• Rogers Joseph W
• Sagona Peter J
• Mims Mchael J

Classifications

• A61M5/3129

  Syringe barrels (A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61M2205/0222

  Materials for reducing friction · CPC title

• A61M5/20

  Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically (A61M5/142 {, A61M5/46} take precedence; {hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54}) · CPC title

• A61M5/31515

  Connection of piston with piston rod · CPC title

• A61M2205/0238

  the material being a coating or protective layer · CPC title