U.S. patent number 3,835,855 [Application Number 05/295,864] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-17 for multi-chambered syringe.
Invention is credited to Courtland Hilyard Barr, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,835,855 |
Barr, Jr. |
September 17, 1974 |
MULTI-CHAMBERED SYRINGE
Abstract
A syringe having two reservoirs each adapted to contain a
separate material, the materials being normally incompatible,
having means whereby said materials can be mixed together in the
syringe without affecting their sterile condition, and having means
whereby the mixture of such materials can be ejected from the
syringe.
Inventors: |
Barr, Jr.; Courtland Hilyard
(La Canada, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23139534 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/295,864 |
Filed: |
October 10, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/89 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
5/31596 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
5/315 (20060101); A61m 005/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/218M,218P,218PA,218R,218G,218C,218D,220,235 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Recla; Henry J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Harris, Kern, Wallen &
Tinsley
Claims
I do not desired to be limited to the specific preferred embodiment
of the invention or its preferred use, as described herein, but
desire to be afforded the full scope of the following claims:
1. In a syringe, or the like, the combination of:
a first tubular reservoir having discharge means and containing a
first material in a sterile condition;
a second tubular reservoir containing a second material in a
sterile condition and extending into said first reservoir; and
a cup-shaped plunger having an open outer end receiving an inner
end of said second reservoir and axially slidable within said first
reservoir in response to axial movement of said second reservoir
relative to said first reservoir to expel material from said first
reservoir through said discharge means, valve means responsive to
straight line, axial movement of said second reservoir relative to
said plunger to open or close communication between said reservoirs
without exposing the contents of either to the ambient atmosphere,
said valve means including an annular portion of said plunger which
is provided with a port and which is engageable with and
disengageable from an annular portion of said second reservoir,
said second reservoir and said plunger being freely slidable
axially relative to each other to open and close said port, said
open end of said plunger being provided with an external skirt
having a greater external diameter than the exterior of the balance
of said plunger but deformable, when said plunger is moved
completely into said first reservoir, to a position in which said
skirt engages both the inner circumferential wall of said first
reservoir and the external circumferential wall of said second
reservoir to provide additional friction resisting relative
movement between said reservoirs and preventing relative movement
between said plunger and said second reservoir.
2. In a syringe, or the like, the combination of:
a first barrel member forming a first tubular reservoir and having
an inner, discharge end and an open outer end;
a second barrel member forming a second reservoir and having a
closed outer end and an open inner end extending into said open end
of said first barrel, said inner end of said second barrel member
being provided with first and second external flanges of
substantially the same diameter and longitudinally spaced apart;
and
a generally cup-shaped tubular plunger formed of resilient material
having an inner end provided with port means and an open outer end,
the external diameter of said plunger being substantially the same
as the internal diameter of said first barrel member, the internal
diameter of said plunger being substantially the same as the
external diameter of said first and second flanges, the inner end
of said plunger being provided with an annular boss adapted to fit
within the open inner end of said second barrel member to form a
seal and closure therefor, and said first external flange being
adapted to fit snugly between said boss and the inner
circumferential wall of said plunger to close said port means
formed through the inner end of said plunger in a sealing position,
the inner circumferential wall of said plunger being provided with
an annular internal flange, said internal flange being spaced
longitudinally from said boss a distance sufficient to permit
longitudinal movement of said second barrel member relative to said
plunger to a position in which said boss is removed from the open
end of said second barrel member and open communication is provided
through said port means between the interiors of said first and
second barrel members, said internal flange being disposed between
said external flanges on said second barrel member and engageable
with said first external flange to prevent withdrawal of said
second barrel member from said plunger when said plunger is within
said first barrel member, said internal flange being engageable
with said second external flange on said second barrel member when
said second barrel member is in said sealing position relative to
said plunger, said second barrel member and said plunger being
freely axially slidable relative to each other to open and close
said port means, the open end of the plunger being provided with an
external skirt having a greater external diameter than the exterior
of the balance of the plunger but deformable, when the plunger is
moved completely into the first barrel member, to a position in
which said skirt engages both the interior of said first barrel
member and the exterior of said second barrel member and said
second external flange to provide additional friction resisting
relative movement between said barrels and preventing relative
movement between said plunger and said second barrel member.
3. A device as defined in claim 2 in which latching means is
provided between the first barrel member and the external skirt for
preventing the plunger from being removed from the first barrel
member and preventing such deformation of said skirt, said latching
means being deformable to permit said deformation of said skirt and
the movement of said plunger completely into said first barrel
member.
4. In a syringe, or the like, the combination of:
a first barrel member having an open outer end and having discharge
means;
a cup-shaped plunger having an inner end extending into said open
end of said first barrel member and having an open end provided
with an external skirt of a diameter greater than the internal
diametr of said first barrel member extending generally radially
outwardly therefrom and seated on the end edge of said open end of
said first barrel member;
a second barrel member extending into said open end of said
plunger; and
said skirt being deformable, when said plunger is moved axially
completely into said first barrel member by said second barrel
member, into a deformed position wherein said skirt engages both
the inner circumferential wall of said first barrel member and the
outer circumferential wall of said second barrel member to provide
additional friction resisting relative axial movement of said
plunger and said barrel members.
5. A syringe, or the like, according to claim 4, including valve
means responsive to relative axial movement of said second barrel
member and said plunger for opening and closing communication
between said barrel members.
6. A syringe, or the like, according to claim 5, including means
responsive to deformation of said skirt into said deformed position
for locking said second barrel member relative to said plunger in a
position to close said valve means.
7. In a syringe, or the like, the combination of:
a barrel member having an open outer end and having discharge
means;
a cup-shaped plunger having an inner end extending into said open
end of said barrel member and having an open end provided with an
external skirt of a diameter greater than the internal diameter of
said first barrel member extending generally radially outwardly
therefrom and normally seated on the end edge of said open end of
said barrel member; and
said skirt being deformable, when said plunger is moved axially
completely into said barrel member, into a deformed position
wherein said skirt engages the inner circumferential wall of said
barrel member to provide additional friction resisting relative
axial movement of said plunger and said barrel member.
8. A syringe, or the like, as set forth in claim 7, including means
responsive to deformation of said skirt, into said deformed
position, for locking said barrel member and said plunger against
relative axial movement.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The general background of this invention is adequately set forth in
the following United States patents: No. 3,303,846, issued Feb. 14,
1967; No. 3,401,693, issued Sept. 17, 1968; No. 3,527,216, issued
Mar. 17, 1969; No. 3,552,387, issued Jan. 5, 1971; and No.
3,557,787, issued Jan. 26, 1971.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a hypodermic
syringe assembly including two axially spaced compartments or
reservoirs for separately storing two normally incompatible
medicaments prior to use, with readily operable valve means between
the reservoirs for opening communication therebetween to permit
mixing of the medicaments just prior to use, and means for ejecting
the mixture from the syringe and into a patient, user, or other
object.
Further objects of the invention are to provide such a syringe
which is cheap to manufacture, and thus economically disposable
after use, which is foolproof for storage and operation, insuring
that the medicaments are at all times maintained sterile and out of
contact with possibly contaminating ambient atmosphere, and which
has means for visually indicating any prior tampering with the
syringe prior to intended use.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a syringe
having first and second tubular reservoirs, the second reservoir
telescoping into the first reservoir and carrying a plunger which
fits into the first reservoir, the second reservoir being axially
movable relative to the plunger to open or close communication
between the reservoirs, there being means for limiting relative
movement between the second reservoir and the plunger. Also, it is
an object to provide such a syringe having means for locking the
plunger relative to the second reservoir to prevent relative
movement therebetween.
THE DRAWING
In the drawing which is for the purpose of illustration and which
shows a preferred embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the device of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on the
line 2--2 of FIG. 1, showing the parts in their initial
positions;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the upper portion of FIG. 2, showing
the parts in alternative and open positions;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the lower end of FIG. 2, showing the
parts in alternative and operating positions;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of FIG.
4.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE
Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a hypodermic syringe 10
which, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, includes a tubular outer
barrel 11 which constitutes a first reservoir means, a tubular
inner barrel 12 which constitutes a second reservoir means, a
plunger 13, and a nose assembly 14.
The outer barrel 11 includes a cylindrical body portion 16 provided
at its upper end (as seen in the drawing) with a first external
annular flange 17 and at its lower end (as so seen) with a
restricted neck 18 having thereon a second external flange 19 to
which the nose assembly 14 is attached.
The inner barrel 12 is shown as made in two parts, a cylindrical
vial 20 to which is screw threaded a cylindrical vial neck 21
provided at its outer or lower end with a first external annular
neck flange 22 and with a second annular neck flange 23
intermediate the length of the neck 21, although the vial 20 and
neck 21 may be made in one piece if desired.
The plunger 13 is formed of a resilient material, such as, for
example, rubber, and is generally cup-shaped in form, having a
generally cylindrical outer wall 25 the outside of which is
provided with annular corrugations 26 which fit closely into the
inner wall of the body 16 to form a seal therewith as described
hereinafter. The plunger has an end wall 27 provided with a
cylindrical boss or plug 28 to provide an annular groove 29 with
which communicates a pair of ports or channels 30 extending through
the end wall. On the inner face of the outer wall 25 is an annular
internal flange 32. At the open end of the plunger 13 is an annular
external flange 33 which is connected to the main body of the
plunger by a thin wall 34, the flange 33 being provided around its
periphery with notches 35, as shown in FIG. 5. The plunger 13 is
initially retained against movement relative to the inner barrel 12
by a cap ring 36, as shown in FIG. 2, which spans the flange 17 on
the body 16 and the flange 33 on the plunger 13. The cap ring 36 is
formed of a deformable and removable material, such as
pharmaceutical type aluminum seal or plastic. If made of plastic
material it can be provided with an inwardly extending tab 37 for a
purpose to be described hereinafter.
The nose assembly 14 includes a generally tubular body 39,
preferably formed of a resilient material, such as, for example,
rubber, having an inner extension 40 which fits closely into the
neck 18 of the body 16 to provide a seal therewith, the extension
40 having a thin web 41. The body 39 also has a generally
cylindrical outer extension 42 having a main tapered bore 43 which
connects with a counterbore 44 in the inner extension 40. The body
39 also has an annular external flange 46 which abuts against the
outer end of the neck 18 and is secured thereto by an annular clamp
ring 47 preferably formed of metal. Fitted into the body 39 is a
plug 48, formed of a deformable material such as rubber, having an
externally corrugated main body 49 which fits snugly into the
tapered bore 43, having an inner boss 50 which fits snugly into the
counterbore 44 and having an outer boss 51 adapted to receive a
removable needle cover 52 adapted to initially cover and maintain
sterile a hollow needle 53 provided with pointed inner and outer
ends 54 and 55, respectively, the needle being carried by the plug
48.
In its preferred use, before complete assembly of the syringe 10
and with the inner barrel 12 and plunger 13 detached from the outer
barrel 11, and the inner barrel and plunger detached from each
other, the outer barrel 11 is filled under aseptic conditions to a
desired extent with a first medicament, such as a dry powder, and
the inner barrel is similarly filled with a second medicament such
as a solvent or diluent, the two medicaments being incompatible for
lengthy storage after being mixed together. The parts of the
syringe then are assembled as shown in FIG. 2. As so assembled
under sterile conditions, the two medicaments are isolated from
each other and from possible contamination by ambient atmosphere or
by handling of the syringe, as is the needle 53. In such condition,
the syringe 10 may be retained over long periods of time after
assembly and before use, providing a long shelf life for the
article.
When it is desired to inject a mixture of the two medicaments into
a patient, the inner barrel 12 is pulled away from the outer barrel
11 and the plunger 13 then attached to the outer barrel, from the
position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. Outward
movement of the inner barrel 12 relative to the outer barrel 11 is
limited by engagement of the external flange 22 of the neck 21 with
the internal flange 32 of the plunger 13, as shown in FIG. 3. This
deters or prevents the inner barrel 12 from being detached
inadvertently from the outer barrel 11, which is an object of the
invention. Such relative movement of the barrels 11 and 12 moves
the tab 37 upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 3, to indicate
such relative movement. The tab 37 thus acts as a telltale to
indicate visually such movement, and to assure the user that the
syringe has not been tampered with prior to his intended use, and
this is another object of the invention.
Such outward movement of the inner barrel 12 relative to the
plunger 13 withdraws the neck 21 and its external neck flange 22
from the boss 28, which had initially served as a stopper for the
open end of the neck 21, and from the groove 29 to open
communication between the interiors of the inner and outer barrels
through the ports 30. Such relative movement is primarily a
straight-line movement, largely avoiding any necessity of relative
rotational movement therebetween, which is another object of the
invention, substantially simplifying usage of the syringe 10,
although some initial relative rotational movement may be employed
to break any set that may have developed between the plunger and
the barrel.
With the parts of the syringe 10 in their relative positions shown
in FIG. 3, the liquid medicament in the inner barrel 12 may be
transferred into the outer barrel 11 through the ports 30 by simply
shaking the syringe. When such transfer has been effected the
medicaments mix in the outer barrel 11 and the mixture is then
ready for injection into the patient. At this time, the needle
cover 52 on the nose assembly 14 is then moved inwardly relative to
the plug 48, compressing the plug and moving the needle 53 so that
its inner end 54 pierces the web 41 and extends into the outer
barrel 16, as shown in FIG. 4, in which position the mixture in the
outer barrel may be expelled therefrom through the needle.
After the two medicaments have been mixed, as described above, the
inner barrel 12 is moved from its position shown in FIG. 3 back to
its original position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, in which the flange
22 is in the groove 29, the boss 28 is in the end of the vial neck
21, closing the ports 30 and communication between the inner and
outer barrels. The cap ring 36 is then removed entirely from the
syringe 10, as by simply pulling on the tab 37 to tear the cap ring
apart and permit its removal.
Continued movement of the inner barrel 12 relative to the outer
barrel 11 from the position shown in FIG. 3 toward the position
shown in FIG. 4, bends the notched external flange 33 inwardly to
its position shown in FIG. 4 in which it is over the external
flange 23 on the neck 21 and, effectively, locks the plunger to the
neck, unifying the plunger and inner barrel and preventing relative
movement therebetween, which is another object of the invention.
Such movement of the inner barrel 12 relative to the outer barrel
11 may be continued, the plunger 13 serving as a piston to eject
the mixture of medicaments from the outer barrel through the needle
55 as in a conventional syringe. Following such ejection of the
mixture of medicaments the inner barrel 12 and its plunger 13 may
be completely withdrawn from the outer barrel, the parts sterilized
and reassembled, following which the syringe 10 may be used as a
conventional syringe, or the syringe may be discarded. The parts of
the syringe 10 are simple and cheap to make and assemble,
permitting economical discard of the syringe after a single use,
which is another object of the invention.
* * * * *