Syringe assembly with inverse delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352096-B2
Application number	US-85956910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2010
Priority date	Aug 21, 2009
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A reduced profile syringe assembly is provided that includes an overall profile that is substantially similar to a profile of a syringe barrel. The syringe assembly includes a plunger rod that is significantly disposed within the syringe barrel when filled for use, with the plunger rod adapted to be retracted from the syringe barrel during dispensing of contents of the syringe barrel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A syringe assembly having a reduced profile prior to use, comprising:
a syringe barrel having an inside surface defining a chamber, an open proximal end, and a distal end having an opening therethrough;
a plunger assembly disposed at least partially within the syringe barrel, the plunger assembly comprising an elongate plunger rod, a plunger head disposed on the plunger rod and slidably disposed within the syringe barrel, the plunger head separating the chamber of the syringe barrel into a proximal chamber adjacent the proximal end, the proximal chamber having a distal end defined by the plunger head and a proximal end defined by a slanted surface, which is slanted relative to a latitudinal axis of the syringe barrel, and a distal chamber adjacent the distal end of the syringe barrel, and an actuator portion at least partially extending externally outside of the syringe barrel and adapted to effect a movement of the plunger head within the syringe barrel; and
a conduit extending between the proximal chamber and the opening at the distal end of the syringe barrel,
wherein the syringe barrel is adapted to contain a fluid in the proximal chamber,
wherein the fluid contained within the proximal chamber is adapted to be expelled through the conduit and out of the opening at the distal end of the syringe barrel upon the movement of the plunger head toward the proximal end of the syringe barrel, and
wherein the movement of the plunger head toward the proximal end of the syringe barrel occurs through a movement of the actuator portion toward the proximal end of the syringe barrel, wherein the movement of the actuator portion toward the proximal end of the syringe barrel is based on a conventional operation of expelling a fluid from a conventional syringe with a squeezing movement between a thumb and a forefinger.

2. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator portion is interconnected with the plunger head.

3. The syringe assembly of claim 2 , wherein the actuator portion is interconnected with the plunger head through an opening in a sidewall of the syringe barrel.

4. The syringe assembly of claim 2 , wherein the actuator portion is interconnected with the plunger head through the open proximal end of the syringe barrel.

5. The syringe assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plunger assembly further comprises an external arm extending from the actuator portion externally along the syringe barrel.

6. The syringe assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plunger rod comprises an elongate portion which is interconnected with the external arm.

7. The syringe assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a connecting arm extending between the external arm and the elongate portion of the plunger rod.

8. The syringe assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plunger assembly further comprises an external arm extending externally along the syringe barrel between the actuator portion and a connector arm, wherein the connector arm extends between the external arm and an elongate portion of the plunger rod, and wherein the elongate portion extends between the connector arm and the plunger head.

9. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator portion comprises a perimetrical flange collar comprising at least one flange.

10. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator portion comprises at least two flanges each configured to receive the forefinger of a user of the syringe assembly.

11. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a closure adapted to close the open proximal end of the syringe barrel.

12. The syringe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the closure comprises an elongated neck portion configured to fit against the inside surface of the syringe barrel with an interference fit.

13. The syringe assembly of claim 11 , wherein the closure comprises a finger pad portion comprising a tactile surface disposed on an external surface thereof.

14. The syringe assembly of claim 13 , wherein the finger pad portion extends externally of the syringe barrel in a radial direction.

15. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conduit extends across the plunger head between the proximal chamber and the opening at the distal end of the syringe barrel.

16. The syringe assembly of claim 15 , wherein the conduit comprises a first end, a second end, and a fluid channel extending between the first end and the second end.

17. The syringe assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first end of the conduit is positioned within the opening in the distal end of the syringe barrel.

18. The syringe assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second end of the conduit extends within the proximal chamber.

19. The syringe assembly of claim 18 , wherein the slanted surface disposed at the proximal end of the proximal chamber defines a recess, and wherein the second end of the conduit is positioned in the recess.

20. The syringe assembly of claim 15 , wherein the conduit comprises a tubing having a first end positioned adjacent the opening at the distal end of the syringe barrel and a second end fixed with respect to the plunger head.

21. The syringe assembly of claim 20 , wherein the second end of the tubing is directly adjacent a proximal end of the plunger head.

22. The syringe assembly of claim 20 , wherein the tubing is a flexible tubing contained in the distal chamber and adapted to expand upon the movement of the plunger head.

23. The syringe assembly of claim 20 , wherein the tubing is in a form of a wound coil contained in the distal chamber and adapted to extend upon the movement of the plunger head.

24. The syringe assembly of claim 15 , wherein the conduit is radially centered with respect to a general elongated axis of the syringe barrel.

25. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of the plunger head has a slanted profile, which is slanted relative to the latitudinal axis of the syringe barrel, and is adapted for cooperating engagement with the slanted surface defining the proximal end of the proximal chamber.

26. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slanted surface at the proximal end of the proximal chamber defines a recess and an inlet into the conduit is positioned in the recess.

27. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slanted surface is disposed on a closure adapted to close the open proximal end of the syringe barrel.

28. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an opening through a wall of the syringe barrel extending into the distal chamber adapted to provide air flow into the distal chamber upon the movement of the plunger head toward the proximal end of the syringe barrel.

29. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a barrier adapted to encompass a portion of the plunger rod which extends externally of the syringe barrel upon the movement of the plunger head toward the proximal end of the syringe barrel.

30. The syringe assembly of claim 29 , wherein the barrier is an expandable bellows.

31. The syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein an external surface of the syringe barrel comprises notches or protrusions at predetermined increments adapted to interact with a corresponding flap extending from an interior perimeter of the actuator portion to provide an indication of the movement of the plunger head within the syringe barrel.

Assignees

• Felsovalyi Flora
• Schiller Eric
• Quinn Michael
• Becton Dickinson France

Inventors

• Felsovalyi Flora
• Schiller Eric
• Quinn Michael

Classifications

• A61M2005/3123

  having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons · CPC title

• A61M2005/3139

  Finger grips not integrally formed with the syringe barrel, e.g. using adapter with finger grips · CPC title

• A61M5/3137 Primary

  Specially designed finger grip means, e.g. for easy manipulation of the syringe rod · CPC title

• A61M2005/3121

  via the proximal end of a syringe, i.e. syringe end opposite to needle cannula mounting end · CPC title

• A61M5/31511 Primary

  Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod (A61M5/5066 takes precedence) · CPC title