Constant force syringe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9101713-B2
Application number	US-201313797959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Aug 11, 2015
Grant date	Aug 11, 2015

Abstract

Various syringe systems are disclosed. One such syringe system may include a body having a hollow lumen and a distal end, a vacuum chamber disposed within the hollow lumen of the syringe body, a first plunger connected to a distal portion of the vacuum chamber, the first plunger forming a first seal against an inner surface of the syringe body and defining a fluid delivery volume between the first plunger and the distal end of the syringe body, a second plunger disposed within the vacuum chamber, the second plunger forming a second seal against an inner surface of the vacuum chamber and defining a proximal and distal volume compartments within the vacuum chamber, and a piston affixed to the second plunger, the piston configured to move the second plunger within the vacuum chamber, thereby altering a volume of the proximal volume compartment and a volume of the distal volume compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A syringe system comprising:
a syringe body comprising a hollow lumen and a distal end, the syringe body being configured to house a fluid therein;
a vacuum chamber disposed within the hollow lumen of the syringe body;
a first plunger connected to a distal portion of the vacuum chamber within the hollow lumen of the syringe body, the first plunger forming a first seal against an inner surface of the syringe body and defining a fluid delivery volume between the first plunger and the distal end of the syringe body;
a second plunger disposed within the vacuum chamber, the second plunger forming a second seal against an inner surface of the vacuum chamber and defining a proximal volume compartment and a distal volume compartment within the vacuum chamber;
a vent within the distal volume compartment of the vacuum chamber, wherein the vent is configured to allow communication of air between an area outside the syringe system and the distal volume compartment; and
a piston affixed to the second plunger and extending proximally out of the vacuum chamber, the piston configured to move the second plunger within the vacuum chamber, thereby altering a volume of the proximal volume compartment and a volume of the distal volume compartment.

2. The syringe system of claim 1 , wherein the vent comprises a bore extending therethrough the piston and the second plunger, the bore configured to allow communication of air between an area outside the syringe system and the distal volume compartment.

3. The syringe system of claim 2 , further comprising a valve configured to regulate an amount of the air communicated between the area outside the syringe system and the distal volume compartment.

4. The syringe system of claim 1 , wherein the vent comprises a side vent extending through a wall in the distal volume compartment of the vacuum chamber, wherein the side vent is configured to allow communication of air between an area outside the syringe system and the distal volume compartment.

5. The syringe system of claim 1 , further comprising a tip at the distal end of the syringe body, wherein the tip is configured to allow fluid from the fluid delivery volume to pass therethrough upon movement of the first plunger in a substantially distal direction.

6. The syringe system of claim 5 , wherein the tip is further configured to attach to one or more tubes, needles, or nozzles for delivery of the fluid to a patient.

7. The syringe system of claim 1 , wherein the piston extends proximally out of the vacuum chamber through a proximal wall, forming a third seal between the piston and the proximal wall.

8. The syringe system of claim 1 , wherein a force exacted upon the piston in a substantially distal direction is configured to cause the second plunger to move distally within the vacuum chamber, thereby increasing the volume of the proximal volume compartment and decreasing the volume of the distal volume compartment, creating a pressure difference between the proximal volume compartment and the distal volume compartment, which causes the vacuum chamber and the first plunger to move in a distal direction, thereby expelling the fluid located in the fluid delivery volume through a tip at the distal end of the syringe body.

9. A syringe system comprising:
a syringe body comprising a hollow lumen and a distal end, the syringe body being configured to house a fluid therein;
a vacuum chamber at least partially disposed within the hollow lumen of the syringe body;
a first plunger disposed distally to the vacuum chamber within the hollow lumen of the syringe body, the first plunger forming a seal against an inner surface of the syringe body and defining a fluid delivery volume between the first plunger and the distal end of the syringe body;
a second plunger slidably disposed within the vacuum chamber, the second plunger defining a proximal volume compartment and a distal volume compartment within the vacuum chamber;
a side vent extending through a wall in the proximal volume compartment of the vacuum chamber, wherein the side vent is configured to allow communication of air between an area outside the syringe system and the proximal volume compartment; and
a piston extending distally out of the vacuum chamber and connected to the first plunger and the second plunger, the piston configured to move the second plunger within the vacuum chamber and the first plunger within the syringe body,
wherein a force exacted upon the vacuum chamber in a substantially distal direction is configured to cause the vacuum chamber to move distally within the syringe body, thereby decreasing the volume of the proximal volume compartment and increasing the volume of the distal volume compartment, creating a pressure difference between the proximal volume compartment and the distal volume compartment, which causes the second plunger, the piston, and the first plunger to move in a distal direction, thereby expelling the fluid located in the fluid delivery volume out of a tip in the distal end of the syringe body.

10. The syringe system of claim 9 , further comprising a tip at the distal end of the syringe body, wherein the tip is configured to allow fluid from the fluid delivery volume to pass therethrough upon movement of the first plunger in a substantially distal direction.

11. The syringe system of claim 10 , wherein the tip is further configured to attach to one or more tubes, needles, or nozzles for delivery of the fluid to a patient.

12. A syringe system comprising:
a syringe body comprising a hollow lumen and a distal end having a tip, the syringe body being configured to house a fluid therein;
a vacuum chamber at least partially disposed within the hollow lumen of the syringe body;
a first plunger disposed distally to the vacuum chamber within the hollow lumen of the syringe body, the first plunger forming a seal against an inner surface of the syringe body and defining a fluid delivery volume between the first plunger and the distal end of the syringe body;
a second plunger disposed within the vacuum chamber, the second plunger defining a proximal volume compartment and a distal volume compartment within the vacuum chamber;
a piston extending distally out of the vacuum chamber and connected to the first plunger and the second plunger, wherein the piston is configured to move the second plunger within the vacuum chamber and the first plunger within the syringe body; and
a thumb piece removably attached to a proximal portion of the vacuum chamber, wherein the thumb piece is configured to provide a surface for a user to apply a force in a substantially distal direction, and wherein the thumb piece is further configured to increase and decrease a volume of the proximal volume compartment.

13. The syringe system of claim 12 , wherein the thumb piece is configured to increase and decrease the volume of the proximal volume compartment by screwing into at least a portion of the vacuum chamber.

14. The syringe system of claim 12 , wherein the thumb piece is configured to move in a distal direction, wherein the vacuum chamber is configured to move distally within the syringe body in response to the thumb piece moving in a distal direction, wherein the second plunger, the piston, and the first plunger are configured to move in a distal direction in response to the vacuum chamber moving distally within the syringe body.

15. A syringe system comprising:
a syringe body comprising a hollow lumen and a distal end, the syringe body being configured to house a fluid therein;
a vacuum chamber at least partially disposed within the hollow lumen of the syr

Assignees

• Medrad Inc
• Bayer Medical Care Inc

Inventors

• Cowan Kevin P
• Tucker Barry L

Classifications

• A61M5/2053

  Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum (for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155) · CPC title

• A61M2005/3128

  Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves · CPC title

• A61M2202/0007

  introduced into the body · CPC title

• A61M5/16877 Primary

  Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate · CPC title

• A61M5/31515

  Connection of piston with piston rod · CPC title