U.S. patent number 3,664,338 [Application Number 05/084,851] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-23 for cap for a medicament vial.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Abbott Laboratories. Invention is credited to Kenneth H. Knox, Robert J. Ries.
United States Patent |
3,664,338 |
Knox , et al. |
May 23, 1972 |
CAP FOR A MEDICAMENT VIAL
Abstract
A cap for use with a medicament vial of the type having an
externally threaded plug therein disposed adjacent an open mouth
thereof, the cap including a base member, an internally threaded
cylindrical wall extending from an inner surface of the base member
and threadedly engaging the externally threaded plug, a grip
extending from an outer surface of the base member, an annular rib
projecting from the inner surface of the base member and abutting a
contact surface at the end of the plug to provide a seal therefore,
and a skirt extending from the internally threaded cylindrical wall
to prevent deformation of the externally threaded portion of the
plug.
Inventors: |
Knox; Kenneth H. (Libertyville,
IL), Ries; Robert J. (Waukegan, IL) |
Assignee: |
Abbott Laboratories (North
Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22187625 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/084,851 |
Filed: |
October 28, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/415 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J
1/06 (20130101); A61M 5/31 (20130101); A61M
2005/3104 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61J
1/06 (20060101); A61M 5/31 (20060101); A61m
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/220,272,215,218D |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Trapp; L. W.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In combination with a medicament vial having a chamber with an
open mouth and a plug disposed in said chamber adjacent said open
mouth including a plunger portion engaging sidewalls of the chamber
and an externally threaded nipple portion extending from said
plunger portion toward said open mouth and terminating at an end
contact surface,
a cap including a base member having an inner surface and an outer
surface, an internally threaded cylindrical wall extending from
said inner surface and threadedly engaging said nipple portion of
said plug, grip means extending from said outer surface of said
base member, and rib means projecting from said inner surface of
said base member and abutting said end contact surface of said plug
to provide a seal therefor whereby said end contact surface of said
plug is provided with positive sterile barrier protection.
2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said nipple portion
has a first longitudinal length, said cylindrical wall is
internally threaded for a second longitudinal length from said
inner surface of said base member, said first longitudinal length
being longer than said second longitudinal length, and said
cylindrical wall having an unthreaded skirt extending from said
internally threaded portion to said plunger portion of said plug
and surrounding said nipple portion whereby said nipple portion is
substantially completely confined by said cap.
3. The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein said cylindrical
wall has a plurality of spaced, longitudinal ribs disposed thereon,
said longitudinal ribs providing said cylindrical wall with an
effective outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of
said open mouth of said vial.
4. The invention as recited in claim 3 wherein said skirt
terminates in a flange extending radially outwardly therefrom, said
longitudinal ribs extend from said base member to said flange, and
said flange has a plurality of spaced notches in the periphery
thereof.
5. The invention as recited in claim 4 wherein said outer surface
of said grip means is flat, and said grip means includes a handle
disposed across said outer surface and extending transversely
therefrom, said handle having a plurality of projecting ribs on the
sides thereof.
6. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical
wall terminates in a bottom flange extending radially outwardly
therefrom, said bottom flange having a plurality of spaced notches
in the periphery thereof.
7. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical
wall has a plurality of spaced, longitudinal ribs disposed thereon,
said longitudinal ribs providing said cylindrical wall with an
effective outside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of
said open mouth of said vial.
8. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said rib means is an
annular rib centrally disposed on said inner surface of said base
member.
9. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said cap is
integrally constructed of a plastic material.
10. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said nipple portion
has a first longitudinal length, and said cylindrical wall has a
longitudinal length substantially equal to said first longitudinal
length whereby said cylindrical wall substantially completely
sheathes said nipple portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a cap for a medicament vial and
more particularly to such a cap providing sterile barrier
protection for a contact surface of a plug disposed in the
vial.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
One of the more recent developments in the medical supply industry
that has received considerable acceptance by the medical profession
is a combination package device including an injection syringe and
a detachable medicament containing vial. These devices are
particularly convenient in that they permit the shipment of a
complete unit in a sterile package with the medicament being
included therein. Thus, the user of the device merely has to break
open the seal of the package and place the needle of the syringe in
communication with the medicament in the vial in order to render
the device operative for injection use. Accordingly devices of this
type have been widely accepted especially for use in hospitals and
emergency situations.
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,376,866 and 3,378,008 both to
R. W. Ogle which are exemplary of the above described combination
devices and which provide a more complete description of the
structural features and advantages of such devices. One
disadvantage of the prior art combination devices as exemplified by
the Ogle patents is that the combination devices are packaged in
assembled form and are not separable in that the medicament vial is
not properly sealed so as to provide sterile barrier protection
over an extended period of time. Thus the advantages attendant the
supplying of the vial independently of the syringes have as yet not
been fully utilized.
One problem which must be solved in order to supply the medicament
vials independently of the syringe is that the plug, which is
disposed in the vial and must be retained therein, has an exposed
outer contact surface for receiving the needle of the syringe and
must be maintained sterile to prevent any contamination during
needle penetration and use of the combined syringe and vial.
Another problem which must be solved is that the plug must be
prevented from being pushed out of the vial during handling; and,
furthermore, the externally threaded portion of the plug must be
protected against deformation during handling to assure precise
engagement with the syringe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to construct
a cap for a medicament vial of the type to be assembled with a
syringe.
The present invention is generally characterized in a cap for a
medicament vial including a base member having an internally
threaded cylindrical wall extending from an inner surface to
threadedly engage a nipple portion of a plug in the vial, a grip
extending from an outer surface of the base member, and a rib
projecting from the inner surface of the base member to abut a
contact surface at the end of a plunger portion of the plug to
provide a seal therefor whereby the contact surface is provided
with positive sterile barrier protection.
Another object of the present invention is to construct a cap for a
medicament vial having a plug therein wherein the cap is provided
with a rib to seal a contact surface of the plug.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a skirt at
the bottom of a cap for a medicament vial which skirt is adapted to
protect a threaded nipple portion of the plug during handling.
Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art
are that medicament vials utilizing the cap of the present
invention may be supplied independently of syringes for use
therewith with sterile barrier protection provided over extended
periods of time, the cap of the present invention permits handling
of filled medicament vials without adverse effects to the
critically threaded nipple portion of the plug, and the venting of
air from the vial is facilitated to expedite packaging.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment
taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a cap
constructed in accordance with the present invention assembled with
a medicament vial having a plug therein.
FIG. 2 is an elevation of the cap of FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the cap of the present invention
taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cap of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The combination of a cap 10 constructed in accordance with the
present invention and a medicament vial 12 is illustrated in FIG.
1. Vial 12 has a cylindrical wall 14 with a closed end 16 defining
a chamber 17 for storing the medicament, and cylindrical wall 14
terminates at an open mouth 18 which is defined by an annular lip
20 extending inwardly from wall 14.
A plug 22 is disposed within chamber 17 adjacent mouth 18 thereof
and includes a plunger portion 24 and a nipple portion 26. Plug 22
is integrally formed such that plunger portion 24 and nipple
portion 26 are coaxially aligned with the outer diameter of plunger
portion 24 being greater than the outer diameter of nipple portion
26. Plunger portion 24 has a bottom surface 28 defining a movable
border for chamber 17 and is cylindrical with annular flanges 30,
32 and 34 extending radially therefrom to engage wall 14 of vial
12. Flanges 30, 32 and 34 are axially spaced from each other such
that the bottom surface of flange 30 coincides with surface 28, and
flange 32 is disposed intermediate flanges 30 and 34. A plurality
of teeth 36 are formed in a saw-tooth fashion on the upper surface
of flange 34 and are adapted to engage and cooperate with similar
teeth on the mouth portion of an injector syringe (not shown) when
the medicament vial is combined with the syringe immediately prior
to use.
Nipple portion 26 is externally threaded at 38 and has an end
contact surface 40 which is transverse to the longitudinal axis
running through plunger portion 24 and nipple portion 26 and
parallel to surface 28. A pair of coaxially aligned small diameter
bores 42 and 44 extended tranversely from surfaces 40 and 28,
respectively; and, the bores are aligned with the longitudinal axis
of plug 22. Bores 42 and 44 are separated by a membrane 46 such
that chamber 17 is maintained sterile.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, cap 10 includes a base
member 48 having an outer surface 50 and an inner surface 52. A
grip or handle 54 extends transversely from the outer surface 50 of
base member 48 and has a plurality of longitudinal ribs 56
protruding from either side thereof. Grip 54 extends diametrically
across base member 48 and has a relatively thin, rectangular cross
section. A cylindrical wall 58 extends from inner surface 52 of
base member 48 and is internally threaded at 60, and a plurality of
longitudinally aligned ribs 62 protrude from the outer surface of
wall 58 and extend from base member 48 to a bottom flange 64 which
extends radially outwardly from wall 58. The unthreaded portion of
wall 58 extending from the end of the threaded portion 60 to flange
64 defines a skirt 66 which has a length sufficient to sheathe the
external threading 38 on nipple portion 26 to the upper surface of
flange 34. An annular rib 68 protrudes from inner surface 52 of
base member 48 to define a closed surface thereof and is adapted to
abut end contact surface 40 of plug 22. Bottom flange 64 of cap 10
has a plurality of notches or recesses 70 in the periphery thereof
spaced between adjacent ribs 62 for a purpose to be described
hereinafter.
In use, the chamber 17 of vial 12 is filled with a medicament, and
plug 22 is inserted in chamber 17 with cap 10 secured thereto. Cap
10 is secured to plug 22 by the threading engagement of cylindrical
wall 58 with nipple portion 26, and cap 10 is screwed onto plug 22
such that rib 68 is tightly compressed against end contact surface
40 and bottom flange 64 is positioned adjacent the teeth 36
extending from flange 34. Thus, the threaded longitudinal length of
nipple portion 26 is substantially completely confined within cap
10 even though the threaded portion 60 of wall 58 has a
longitudinal length less than that of nipple portion 26. As plug 22
is moved toward the medicament, the air trapped between bottom
surface 28 and the level of the medicament must be permitted to
escape; and, accordingly, a vent wire or needle is placed in
communication with the trapped air by sliding the vent wire along
cap 10 through one of the notches 70 and between flanges 30, 32 and
34 of plunger portion 24 and wall 14 of vial 12.
If the filled vial is terminally sterilized, cap 10 may be
advantageously utilized to protect plug 22 from being inadvertently
removed from vial 12. That is, vial 12 and cap 10 may be separately
grasped, such as by brackets to prevent relative movement
therebetween which, accordingly, prevents plug 22 from moving
within the vial. Thus, it will be appreciated that the cap 10
facilitates the handling of filled medicament vials by protecting
plug 22 and providing a stable means to grip the assembled
vial.
With cap 10 tightly screwed onto plug 22, a sealed chamber is
formed bounded by a portion of end contact surface 40, rib 68 and
the closed portion of inner surface 50 of base member 48 such that
end contact surface 40 can not be contaminated and sterile barrier
protection is provided therefor. End contact surface 40 receives
the needle of the syringe when cap 10 is removed from plug 22 and
the medicament vial is assembled therewith such that the needle can
pass through membrane 46 and bores 42 and 44 to communicate with
chamber 17; and, due to the sterile barrier protection of end
contact surface 40, the needle will not become contaminated if it
engages surface 40 while the syringe is being assembled with the
vial for administration of the medicament. Bottom surface 28 of
plunger portion 24 of plug 22 operates in piston-like manner with
chamber 17 to force the medicament through the needle when pressure
is applied to closed end 16 of the vial relative to the
syringe.
The skirt 66 extending from the threaded portion 60 of wall 58 may
also be threaded as an alternative and is operative to confine
nipple portion 26 of plug 22 to prevent deformation of threads 38
during handling and terminal sterilization. Longitudinal ribs 62
strengthen cap 10 and provide an effective outside diameter
therefor which mates with the inside diameter of lip 20 at mouth 18
of the vial such that the cap can not be tilted or cocked after
engagement with plug 22 to thereby protect the plug and add
stability to the assembled vial. The effective outside diameter of
cylindrical wall 58 is such that excessive radial movement of plug
22 is prevented during assembly, when the cap is being removed or
under flexing forces with the cap on the plug. Ribs 62 also serve
to permit a decrease in the required thickness of wall 58 without
sacrificing strength or stability.
The preferred construction of the cap 10 of the present invention
is to mold the cap as an integral and unitary member. The preferred
materials for the cap are thermoplastics. Specific materials could
be polyolefins (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.) polycarbonates,
polyamides, polyacetyl. It will be recognized that with the cap 10
of the present invention in combination with the medicament
containing vial as previously described, the vial can be shipped as
a unitary package with freedom from contamination insured. The plug
22 is designed to insure that the flanges 30, 32 and 34 prevent any
contamination of the sterilized inside portion of the chamber 17 in
which is contained the medicament, and the cap 10 insures that end
contact surface 40 of the plug 22 is maintained sterile and free
from contamination so that when the needle of the syringe engages
any portion of end contact surface 40, the needle and subsequently
the medicament administered will not be contaminated.
Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations,
modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter
described in the foregoing specification or shown in the
accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not
in a limiting sense.
* * * * *