Syringe with gravity-assisted valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9750662-B2
Application number	US-201514974209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Syringes for providing fluid communications are provided. The syringes include a connector body section having a tip portion and a gravity-assisted valve, and a barrel section. One or more syringes include a configuration of the gravity-assisted valve to allow bidirectional fluid communications between the tip portion and a fluid reservoir when the syringe is pointed downward. One or more syringes include a configuration of the gravity-assisted valve to prohibit fluid communication from the fluid reservoir to the tip portion when the syringe is pointed upward. One or more syringes include a gas pathway extending from an interstitial space of the connector body section to an interior volume of the plunger defining a gas reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A syringe comprising:
a connector body section defining a longitudinal axis and comprising,
a tip portion for fluid ingress and egress; and
a gravity-assisted valve comprising a valve body defining an elongated valve cavity generally aligned with the longitudinal axis, a first port operatively coupled to the tip portion, a second port, and a valve member movable between a sealable end of the elongated valve cavity proximal to the first port and a non-sealable end of the elongated valve cavity proximal to the second port; and
a barrel section generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and slidably engaged with a plunger, the barrel section defining a fluid reservoir within a volume of the barrel section controllable by an end of the plunger proximal the connector body section, the fluid reservoir operatively coupled to the second port of the gravity-assisted valve,
wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to allow bidirectional fluid communications between the tip portion and the fluid reservoir when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally downward direction.

2. The syringe of claim 1 , wherein the sealable end of the elongated valve cavity is proximal to the fluid reservoir and the non-sealable end is distal to the fluid reservoir.

3. The syringe of claim 1 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to allow fluid communication from the tip portion to the fluid reservoir when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally upward direction.

4. The syringe of claim 1 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to prohibit fluid communication from the fluid reservoir to the tip portion when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally upward direction.

5. The syringe of claim 1 , further comprising a gas pathway extending from an interstitial space of the connector body section to an interior volume of the plunger defining a gas reservoir.

6. The syringe of claim 1 , wherein the tip portion is non-tapered and configured for sealed engagement with a female luer fitting.

7. The syringe of claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a substantially spherical element.

8. A syringe comprising:
a connector body section defining a longitudinal axis and comprising,
a tip portion for fluid ingress and egress; and
a gravity-assisted valve comprising a valve body defining an elongated valve cavity generally aligned with the longitudinal axis, a first port operatively coupled to the tip portion, a second port, and a valve member movable between a sealable end of the elongated valve cavity proximal to the first port and a non-sealable end of the elongated valve cavity proximal to the second port; and
a barrel section generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and slidably engaged with a plunger, the barrel section defining a fluid reservoir within a volume of the barrel section controllable by an end of the plunger proximal the connector body section, the fluid reservoir operatively coupled to the second port of the gravity-assisted valve,
wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to prohibit fluid communication from the fluid reservoir to the tip portion when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally upward direction.

9. The syringe of claim 8 , wherein the sealable end of the elongated valve cavity is proximal to the fluid reservoir and the non-sealable end is distal to the fluid reservoir.

10. The syringe of claim 8 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to allow bidirectional fluid communications between the tip portion and the fluid reservoir when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally downward direction.

11. The syringe of claim 8 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to allow fluid communication from the tip portion to the fluid reservoir when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally upward direction.

12. The syringe of claim 8 , further comprising a gas pathway extending from an interstitial space of the connector body section to an interior volume of the plunger defining a gas reservoir.

13. The syringe of claim 8 , wherein the tip portion is non-tapered and configured for sealed engagement with a female luer fitting.

14. The syringe of claim 8 , wherein the valve member comprises a substantially spherical element.

15. A syringe comprising:
a connector body section defining a longitudinal axis and comprising,
a tip portion for fluid ingress and egress; and
a gravity-assisted valve comprising a valve body defining an elongated valve cavity generally aligned with the longitudinal axis, a first port operatively coupled to the tip portion, a second port, and a valve member movable between a sealable end of the elongated valve cavity proximal to the first port and a non-sealable end of the elongated valve cavity proximal to the second port;
a barrel section generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and slidably engaged with a plunger, the barrel section defining a fluid reservoir within a volume of the barrel section controllable by an end of the plunger proximal the connector body section, the fluid reservoir operatively coupled to the second port of the gravity-assisted valve; and
a gas pathway extending from an interstitial space of the connector body section to an interior volume of the plunger defining a gas reservoir.

16. The syringe of claim 15 , wherein the sealable end of the elongated valve cavity is proximal to the fluid reservoir and the non-sealable end is distal to the fluid reservoir.

17. The syringe of claim 15 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to allow bidirectional fluid communications between the tip portion and the fluid reservoir when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally downward direction.

18. The syringe of claim 15 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to allow fluid communication from the tip portion to the fluid reservoir when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally upward direction.

19. The syringe of claim 15 , wherein the gravity-assisted valve is configured to prohibit fluid communication from the fluid reservoir to the tip portion when the syringe is oriented with the tip portion pointing in a generally upward direction.

20. The syringe of claim 15 , wherein the tip portion is non-tapered and configured for sealed engagement with a female luer fitting.

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Mansour George Michel
• Panian Tyler Devin

Classifications

• A61J1/2072

  for internal venting · CPC title

• A61M5/31

  Details · CPC title

• A61J1/2096 Primary

  Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents · CPC title

• A61J1/1487

  with friction fit, e.g. connecting tubes directly to a protruding port · CPC title

• A61J1/2048

  Connecting means · CPC title