U.S. patent number 3,734,147 [Application Number 05/125,269] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-22 for manual syringe filling apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sherwood Medical Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert A. Borutta, Elmer A. Koenig.
United States Patent |
3,734,147 |
Borutta , et al. |
May 22, 1973 |
MANUAL SYRINGE FILLING APPARATUS
Abstract
A syringe filling apparatus consisting of an upright frame
having a platform for supporting a tray adapted to hold a plurality
of syringe cartridges in either a horizontal storage or vertical
filling position, there being provided below the platform a
manually operated squeeze bubble defining a pump for pressurizing a
removable medicament unit. The medicament unit includes a flexible
outlet tube from a disposable medicament bottle having a nozzle at
the end of the tube. A pinch-type handle valve is fixed to the end
of the flexible outlet tube adjacent the nozzle that may be
manually grasped and actuated to fill each of the cartridges
supported on the tray on the work supporting platform.
Inventors: |
Borutta; Robert A. (Maryland
Heights, MO), Koenig; Elmer A. (Kirkwood, MO) |
Assignee: |
Sherwood Medical Industries,
Inc. (St. Louis, MO)
|
Family
ID: |
22418910 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/125,269 |
Filed: |
March 17, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/27; 141/114;
141/378; 206/443; 206/564 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
5/1782 (20130101); B65B 3/003 (20130101); A61M
2207/00 (20130101); A61J 1/2096 (20130101); A61J
1/2055 (20150501); A61J 1/201 (20150501); A61J
1/2082 (20150501); A61J 1/2072 (20150501) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
5/178 (20060101); B65B 3/00 (20060101); A61J
1/00 (20060101); B65b 003/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;141/27,375,279,369,267,25,26,28,114,116,378,18,1,2,94,119
;222/181,209 ;206/46FC ;248/26A ;128/214,218C ;23/259 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bell, Jr.; Houston S.
Claims
We claim:
1. A medicament receptacle filling apparatus, comprising: frame
means having front and back sides, and a lower end for supporting
the frame means in a generally vertical position, a generally
horizontal receptacle supporting platform on said frame means at
the front side thereof for supporting a plurality of medicament
receiving receptacles, a medicament supply container removably
supported on said frame means in an inverted position above said
receptacle supporting platform, manually operable pump means
supported on said frame means for pressurizing the supply
container, air conduit means connected between said pump means and
the interior of said supply container, a filter connected in fluid
flow communication with said air conduit means between said pump
means and said supply container, whereby manual operation of said
pump means pressurizes said supply container with positive pressure
filtered air, flexible delivery conduit means extending from said
supply container, said flexible delivery conduit means having a
discharge nozzle at the free end thereof, and a manually operable
pinch valve detachably carried on the free end of the flexible
conduit means, said pinch valve normally preventing flow of
medicament through said delivery conduit means but being manually
operable to permit said flow to initiate the flow of medicament
selectively to each of said medicament receiving receptacles and to
stop the flow of medicament to each medicament receiving receptacle
to control the level of medicament in each medicament receiving
receptacle.
2. A medicament receptacle filling apparatus as defined in claim 1
wherein said pump means has first means thereon communicating with
the atmosphere for supplying air into said pump means, and second
means on said pump means connected in fluid communication with said
air conduit means to pump air from the atmosphere into the supply
container for pressurizing the supply container with positive
pressure.
3. A medicament receptacle filling apparatus as defined in claim 2
wherein said pump means comprises a squeeze bulb, and said platform
includes a tray thereon for holding a plurality of said
receptacles, said tray including means for frictionally holding the
receptacles selectively in horizontal storage and vertical filling
positions.
4. A medicament receptacle filling apparatus as defined in claim 2
further including a fitting connected to said frame means, and
wherein said air conduit means includes a pair of conduits
respectively connected in fluid communication with said supply
container and said pump means, said fitting connecting said pair of
conduits in fluid communication with each other, and said filter
means being connected within said fitting to filter air flowing to
said supply container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
There are a plurality of techniques employed in present day
hospitals for filling syringes with medicament. One such technique
involves the use of a prefilled medicament container having a seal
over the open end thereof. The nurse or technician manually fills a
plurality of syringes by inserting the needle of each syringe, one
at a time, through the medicament bottle seal and thereafter
withdrawing the syringe plunger until the desired level of
medicament is observed in the syringe barrel at which time the
technician terminates syringe plunger withdrawal and removes the
syringe needle from the medicament container seal. This operation
is repeated until medicament in the prefilled container is
exhausted.
There are several disadvantages to this technique, one being the
slowness in filling, another being the probability of inaccurate
barrel filling resulting from technician error, and still another
and perhaps the most important is the possibility of contamination.
The contamination may result from the insertion of different
needles into the same container seal and may also result from the
manual handling of the syringes and needles by the technician.
There have in the past been attempts to automate syringe filling
and one such apparatus is disclosed in the copending application of
Edward R. Tascher and Elmer A. Koenig, Ser. No. 26,683, filed Apr.
8, 1970, now U. S. Letters Patent 3,662,517 assigned to the
assignee of the present invention.
In this prior application, a turret-type completely automatic
syringe filling device is disclosed. The turntable indexes,
carrying the syringes from one station to another, until all of the
syringe barrels are filled automatically with medicament to the
level sensed by a photocell. While this automatic apparatus is
extremely rapid, efficient, and accurate, it is not practical to
use this machine for filling a small number of syringes such as 100
or 200. Thus there arises a need for a less expensive, but accurate
and reliable filling apparatus for syringes.
It is a primary object of the present invention to eliminate or
minimize the problems in the prior art devices described above.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a syringe filling
apparatus is provided that is manually operable but yet has the
capability of the rapid and aseptic filling of a plurality of
syringes or syringe cartridges. The apparatus includes an upright
stand having a manually operable bubble pump that is squeezed
repeatedly to pressurize a medicament container supported at the
top of the apparatus frame in an inverted position.
The medicament container along with a self-piercing cap, tubing and
nozzle are disposable items that preclude contamination of any
permanent part of the filling apparatus with medicament. There are
two tubes extending from the self-piercing cap connected to the
medicament container. One of these communicates with the manually
operable bubble pump through a filter fixed to the upright
apparatus frame. This tube thus carries the air from the pump into
the medicament container for the purpose of pressurizing the same.
The second tube extending from the medicament container cap is the
discharge tube for delivering medicament through a nozzle at the
distal end thereof.
Attached adjacent the nozzle is a manually operable pinch valve and
handle combination, similar to, or having a pliers-type action, and
when actuated manually opens the occluded discharge tube permitting
medicament from the container to flow into the syringes. When the
proper level of medicament has been observed by the technician in
each container, the manual pinch valve is simply released occluding
the discharge tube and thereby terminating medicament flow. The
adjacent syringes or syringe cartridges are filled with the same
matter.
When not in use the pinch valve and discharge nozzle are held in a
readily reached position on a syringe supporting platform by a
permanent magnet.
To support the syringe barrels or syringe cartridges in an upright
position, a removable storage tray is provided which is received in
a recess on the work supporting platform. The tray includes a
plurality of parallel recesses having gripping portions that hold
the syringe cartridges in the recesses in a plane parallel to the
plane of the tray. This is the storage position for the cartridges.
Each of these recesses also has another gripping portion at the end
of the recesses which hold the cartridges in an upright position
during filling without the technician holding the syringe barrels
or cartridges in any way.
Also provided on the work supporting platform are a plurality of
apertures which may receive syringe barrels when it is not desired
to use the removable supporting tray.
The present syringe filling apparatus is designed to provide the
hospital pharmacy with a filling device that is comparatively
inexpensive to install, requiring a minimum of maintenance. This
apparatus discourages the common practice of returning partially
used multi-dose vials or medicament containers to the shelf where
they frequently are placed in rear positions and eventually lost
through expired shelf life. Moreover, the present filling apparatus
saves the time of both pharmacists and nurses while at the same
time reduces the possibility of miscalculations, mismeasurement and
other errors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filling apparatus in accordance
with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken generally along line 2--2
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the work supporting platform and
tray;
FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the syringe supporting tray; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the tray taken generally along line
5--5 of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, the present syringe filling apparatus 10
is seen to consist generally of an upright frame member 12, a
manual squeeze pump 14, a disposable medicament unit 16, a manually
operated pinch valve 18 and a syringe supporting platform 20.
It should be understood that while the present filling apparatus is
illustrated as being applied to the filling of syringe cartridges
22 that the device is also usable for filling syringe barrels
directly or for filling containers for oral liquid unit doses. The
filling apparatus has the same advantages of minimum contamination,
efficiency and accuracy of filling regardless of the specific
configuration of the receptacle to be filled.
The frame 12 consists of two tapered upright side panels 24 and 26
having flanges 27 and 28 respectively that define the supporting
feet for the device, although rubber feet such as indicated at 30
in FIG. 2 may be added thereto. The sides 24 and 26 converge
somewhat to provide stability for the device and are joined by a
back panel 32 shown best in FIG. 2. The back panel 32 has a lower
vertical portion 33, a forwardly directed portion 34, a central
vertical portion 36, a rearwardly extending portion 37 and an upper
vertically extending portion 38.
For the purpose of pressurizing container 40 in the medicament unit
16 the manually operable bubble pump 14 is provided consisting of a
rubber bubble 43 having an end 44 communicating with atmosphere,
with a bayonet connection 46 received in a fitting 47 in housing
back portion 34.
Air pumped by squeezing bubble 43 is delivered through a flexible
conduit 48 connected at one end to a fitting associated with
bayonet connection 46 and at the other end to a fitting 49 fixed to
housing back portion 37.
Also removably seated within fitting 49 is a filter 51 for
filtering the air pumped to the container 40. The filter 51 has a
fitting 53 projecting upwardly therefrom for releasably receiving a
flexible tube 54 defining a part of the disposable medicament
container unit 16. It should be understood that the bubble pump 14
and the filter 51 are angularly related downwardly and upwardly,
respectively, to both reduce the required depth of the unit and
also to facilitate manual accessibility to these parts. The pump 14
delivers air through tube 54 to the container 40.
The disposable medicament unit 16 includes a self-piercing cap 56
which has needles, not shown, which are self-inserting into a
rubber seal on the top of medicament container 40 when the cap 56
is inserted thereover.
To support the cap 56 and medicament container 40 on the frame 12,
a cross-member 58 is provided adjacent the upper ends of the side
panels 24 and 26. The cross-member 58 has a recess 60 having a
width sufficient to receive and hold a necked-down portion 61 on
cap 56 and in this manner hold the container in the inverted
position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
To assist in holding the bottle 40 in its inverted position shown,
a bracket assembly 62 is provided having an L-shaped bracket 63
frictionally held in position by a recessed member 64 fixed to the
back of the frame with a spring member 65 frictionally engaging
bracket 63 to hold it in its set position. The bracket 63 is
vertically adjusted by grasping projecting portion 67 and raising
and lowering a bottle engaging portion 69 until it securely engages
the top of bottle 40.
The medicament unit cap 56 has a flexible plastic discharge tube 72
extending therefrom with a nozzle 73 at the distal end thereof for
discharging medicament from bottle 40 into the syringe cartridges
22.
Pinch valve 18 serves the purpose of occluding the distal end of
tube 72 to initiate and terminate discharge flow from tube 72
relative to the syringe cartridges 22. Toward this end the pinch
valve 18 includes a bracket 75 surrounding the base of the nozzle
73 and gripping the same for the purpose of holding the pinch valve
on the end of tube 72. Bracket 75 has a transverse projection 76
fixed to one of the pinch valve members 78 and 79. The pinch valve
members 78 and 79 are biased to an occluding position on the end of
tube 72 by a spring 81 and have handle portions 83 and 84 that
permit the pinch valve to be operated in a manner similar to a pair
of pliers.
The syringe supporting platform 20 includes a horizontally disposed
member 88 having forward and rear raised portions 89 and 90
defining a recess 91 for holding a syringe cartridge supporting
tray 93. The platform member 88 extends from rear wall portion 36
and is supported on cross-member 101.
The forward raised portion 89 has a plurality of apertures 102
therein for alternatively supporting the syringe barrels during
filling, i.e., rather than employing tray 93.
The sides of platform member 88 carry magnets 126 and 127, either
of which may hold the pinch valve 18 in an easily accessible
position depending upon the hand of the technician.
The tray 93 is a one-piece plastic molding adapted to hold syringe
cartridges 22 in either a horizontal position such as shown in the
left recess in FIG. 4 or a vertical position as shown in FIG. 2. As
shown in FIG. 3, the syringe cartridges 22 have cylindrical
portions 104 with open lower ends forming the breech of the syringe
cartridge and necked-down distal end portions 105 which receive a
sealing cap, in a suitable capping machine after filling is
complete. The cartridge 22 is then inserted into a syringe casing
and a plunger (not shown) is attached to a prepositioned rubber
piston 106 in the syringe cartridge 22. It should be understood
that the piston 106 is initially positioned to provide the proper
level of medicament in the cartridge 22 and also prevents
medicament from flowing out the open end 107 of the cartridge
22.
As shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cartridge tray 93 has a
plurality of parallel recesses 110 formed therein which receive the
syringe barrels 22, for approximately one-half the length of the
cartridge 22. Integrally formed resilient projections 112 formed on
both sides of the recesses 110 hold the syringe cartridges 22 in
the horizontal or down position shown in the left recess in FIG. 4,
for storage both prior to and after filling. The projections 112
terminate at 114 short of the end 116 of the recess defining
shoulders 118 that serve to grip and hold the cartridges 22 when in
the upright position shown in the second recess 110' in FIG. 4.
Extending transversely of the recess 110 is an elongated recess 120
communicating with all of the recesses 110 and permitting the
technician to easily grasp the cartridges 22 when raising them from
or lowering them to their horizontal position shown in dotted lines
in FIG. 5. The end 116 of recess 110 has a wall 123 with a small
recess 124 which assists in seating and locating the cartridges 22
when in an upright position.
While the operation of the present device is belived clear from the
above description a narrative description of the operation
hereinafter will serve as a summary of the present invention. The
medicament unit 16 is inserted in the device by inverting bottle 40
and sliding cap 56 in slot 60, connecting the free end tube 54 to
fitting 53 and attaching the bracket 75 of the pinch valve to the
nozzle end of tube 72.
Tray 93 with unfilled, uncapped cartridges 22 is then positioned in
the recess 91 on platform 20. The cartridges are then raised to
their upright position.
To fill the cartridges 22 the squeeze bulb 43 is squeezed,
injecting filtered air into the medication bottle 40 creating a
positive pressure in the bottle. The pinch valve 18 is then
manually grasped to fill the cartridges 22.
After the cartridges 22 are filled the pinch valve 18 is returned
to one of its positions held by magnets 126 or 127 on the sides of
the platform 20.
After the cartridges 22 are filled, aluminum caps are placed on the
cartridges and the cartridges are inserted into a cap crimping
device (not shown) where the open distal ends 105 are sealed by
crimping the caps therearound. The crimped and capped cartridge is
then ready for use or alternatively may be returned to the tray 93
for storage.
* * * * *