Syringe having a collapsible plunger rod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9295783-B2
Application number	US-201314107462-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2013
Priority date	Aug 21, 2009
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A syringe assembly includes a syringe barrel having an exterior surface, an inside surface defining a chamber, an open proximal end, a distal end, and an outlet disposed adjacent the distal end in fluid communication with the chamber; and a plunger assembly disposed at least partially within the syringe barrel. The plunger assembly includes an elongated plunger rod and a plunger head. The elongated plunger rod is associated with the plunger head to move the plunger head within the chamber of the syringe barrel through an injection cycle. The plunger rod is adapted to move from a collapsed position extending alongside the exterior surface of the syringe barrel to an extended position engaging the plunger head to move the plunger head through the injection cycle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of actuating a syringe assembly, comprising the steps of:
providing the syringe assembly, comprising:
a syringe barrel having an exterior surface, an inside surface defining a chamber, an open proximal end, a distal end, and an outlet disposed adjacent the distal end in fluid communication with the chamber; and
a plunger assembly disposed at least partially within the syringe barrel, the plunger assembly including a plunger head and an elongated plunger rod having a first end and a second end, the elongated plunger rod being associated with the plunger head to move the plunger head within the chamber of the syringe barrel through an injection cycle,
wherein the syringe barrel further includes at least one slot defined in the exterior surface between the open proximal end and the distal end and the plunger rod extends through the at least one slot and alongside at least a portion of the exterior surface of the syringe barrel in a collapsed position, said plunger rod being adapted to slidably move with respect to the syringe barrel;

slidably withdrawing the plunger rod from the collapsed position to an extended position wherein at least a portion of the plunger rod remains in contact with the syringe assembly during transition from the collapsed position to the extended position;
engaging the second end of the plunger rod with the plunger head to lock the plunger rod into engagement with the plunger head; and
advancing the plunger assembly within the chamber of the syringe barrel so that the plunger head slides within the chamber with respect to the syringe barrel in a distal direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the syringe barrel further includes an outwardly extending flange disposed at the open proximal end of the syringe barrel and at least one opening extending through the flange and wherein the plunger rod extends through the at least one opening.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plunger rod extends substantially parallel with the exterior surface of the syringe barrel in the collapsed position and extends substantially in line with a longitudinal axis of the syringe barrel in the extended position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plunger rod includes an attachment member located at the second end.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the attachment member on the plunger rod secures the plunger rod to the plunger head in the extended position.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plunger head includes a stopper having a proximal surface, a distal surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the proximal surface and the distal surface, the peripheral surface including at least one sealing surface for sealingly engaging the inside surface of the syringe barrel.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plunger head further includes a stopper adapter disposed on the proximal surface of the stopper, the stopper adapter being adapted to engage the plunger rod during the injection cycle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including a flange located at the proximal end of the syringe barrel, the flange including an opening in alignment with an opening in the stopper adapter through which the plunger rod extends wherein movement of the plunger rod from the collapsed position to the extended position includes pivoting the second end of the plunger rod in a radial direction with respect to the syringe barrel and then applying a proximal force to the plunger rod to axially slide the plunger rod through the openings in the flange and the stopper adapter and secure the second end of the plunger rod with the stopper adapter.

9. The method of claim 1 , further including a cut-out portion in the proximal end of the syringe barrel and a containing member positioned adjacent the cut-out portion wherein said cut-out portion and said containing member are dimensioned to allow a portion of the plunger rod to pass therethrough but are dimensioned to prevent the first end and the second end of the plunger rod from passing through the cut-out portion to prevent inadvertent separation of the plunger rod from the plunger assembly.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plunger rod further includes an inwardly curved portion to facilitate manipulation of the plunger rod during transition from the collapsed position to the extended position.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plunger rod includes a thumb press member located at the first end of the plunger rod and located above the proximal end of the syringe barrel.

12. A method of actuating a syringe assembly, comprising the steps of:
providing the syringe assembly, comprising:
a syringe barrel having an exterior surface, an inside surface defining a chamber, an open proximal end, a distal end, and an outlet disposed adjacent the distal end in fluid communication with the chamber; and
a plunger assembly disposed at least partially within the syringe barrel, the plunger assembly including a plunger head and an elongated plunger rod having a first end and a second end, the elongated plunger rod being associated with the plunger head to move the plunger head within the chamber of the syringe barrel through an injection cycle,
wherein the syringe barrel further includes at least one slot defined in the exterior surface and the plunger rod extends through the at least one slot and alongside the exterior surface of the syringe barrel in a collapsed position, said plunger rod being adapted to slidably move with respect to the syringe barrel;
slidably withdrawing the plunger rod from the collapsed position to an extended position wherein at least a portion of the plunger rod remains in contact with the syringe assembly during transition from the collapsed position to the extended position;
engaging the second end of the plunger rod with the plunger head to lock the plunger rod into engagement with the plunger head; and
advancing the plunger assembly within the chamber of the syringe barrel so that the plunger head slides within the chamber with respect to the syringe barrel in a distal direction,
wherein the plunger head includes a stopper having a proximal surface, a distal surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the proximal surface and the distal surface, the peripheral surface including at least one sealing surface for sealingly engaging the inside surface of the syringe barrel,
wherein the plunger head further includes a stopper adapter disposed on the proximal surface of the stopper, the stopper adapter being adapted to engage the plunger rod during the injection cycle, and
wherein the syringe barrel further includes a flange located at the proximal end of the syringe barrel, the flange including an opening in alignment with an opening in the stopper adapter through which the plunger rod extends wherein movement of the plunger rod from the collapsed position to the extended position includes pivoting the second end of the plunger rod in a radial direction with respect to the syringe barrel and then applying a proximal force to the plunger rod to axially slide the plunger rod through the openings in the flange and the stopper adapter and secure the second end of the plunger rod with the stopper adapter.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson France Sas
• Becton Dickinson France

Inventors

• Lum Chee Leong
• Schiller Eric

Classifications

• A61M5/31515 Primary

  Connection of piston with piston rod · CPC title

• A61M2005/31518

  designed to reduce the overall size of an injection device, e.g. using flexible or pivotally connected chain-like rod members · CPC title

• A61M2205/583

  by visual feedback · CPC title

• A61M5/28

  Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle · CPC title

• A61M5/3135

  characterised by constructional features of the proximal end · CPC title