Dispensing package for a dry biological and a liquid diluent

Abstract

A dispensing package for a dry biological and a liquid diluent has a hollow resilient member for containing a liquid diluent, said member being open at one end and having a nozzle at the other end with a removable closure. A plug is secured in the open end of the hollow member and a skirt integral with the plug forms a chamber for the reception of a container. A hollow needle secured in the plug is in communication with the interior of the hollow resilient member and extends into the interior of the skirt. A container for a dry biological has a pierceable stopper and is frictionally engaged by the skirt in a position such that the end of the needle within the skirt is embedded in the pierceable stopper to block the flow of liquid through the needle. The stopper is spaced away from the plug. On the further advance of the container towards the plug, the needle passes through the stopper into the container to permit the transfer of the liquid diluent into the container and then back into the tube for administration through the nozzle on the removal of the nozzle closure. A syringe type needle may be substituted for the nozzle to provide for subcutaneous or intramuscular administration.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hein U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,708 discloses a dispensing package for a dry biological and a liquid diluent having a syringe element with a needle at one end and a nozzle at the other end and a container with a pierceable stopper containing a dry biological. A rubber stopper is provided to prevent liquid diluent from running out of the syringe element through the needle. When it is desired to administer the medicament, the rubber stopper is removed from the needle and a separately packaged container is forced up against the needle to cause the needle to pierce through the piercable stopper of the container. The Hein structure necessitates the separate packaging of the syringe element and the container for the dry biological. This requires an awkward manipulation by the doctor or the patient involving the removal of the rubber stopper without spilling the liquid diluent and the interconnecting of the syringe element with the container. In accordance with this invention these problems are entirely eliminated by providing a dispensing package which incorporates both the dispensing element and the container for the dry biological into a single unit which is activated for administration by a simple telescoping action with maximum sterility being maintained.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A dispensing package for a dry biological and a liquid diluent has a hollow resilient member for containing a liquid diluent, said member being open at one end and having a nozzle at the other end with a removable closure. A plug is secured in the open end of the hollow member and a skirt integral with the plug forms a chamber for the reception of a container. A hollow needle secured in the plug is in communication with the interior of the hollow member and extends into the interior of the skirt. A container for a dry biological has a pierceable stopper and is frictionally engaged by the skirt in a position such that the end of the needle within the skirt is embedded in the pierceable stopper to block the flow of liquid through the needle. The stopper is spaced away from the plug. On the further advance of the container towards the plug, the needle passes through the stopper into the container to permit the transfer of the liquid diluent into the container and then back into the tube for administration through the nozzle on the removal of the nozzle closure. A syringe type needle may be substituted for the nozzle to provide for subcutaneous or intramuscular administration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a dispensing package in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the dispensing package of FIG. 1 showing the elements in the shipping and storing configuration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the device of FIG. 2 partially broken away;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the device of FIG. 2 illustrating the position of the parts with the liquid diluent having been released into the container for the dry biological; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of a modification of the device of FIG. 2 employing a syringe needle for administration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A device 2 for shipping and administering a dry biological has a hollow resilient tube 4 of, for example, a resilient plastic such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride, with an open end 6 and a nozzle 8 at the other end. Nozzle 8 has a narrow passage 10 which is blocked by a twist off cap 12 which breaks off on a peripheral line of weakness shown at 13. Other caps such as a screw cap can be used.

End 6 is closed by a plug 14 which has a passage 16 in which a hollow needle 18 is secured by a pressed fit. Needle 18 has a sharpened end 20 which extends downwardly within a skirt 24 which is integral with plug 14. Tube 4 contains a liquid diluent 26.

A container 30 typically containing a lyophilized biological tablet 32 is secured within skirt 24 by a frictional engagement with the skirt. Container 30 has a pierceable stopper 34 of for example, rubber, which is held in position by a thin metal cap 36. Cap 36 is frictionally engaged by a narrowed portion 40 of skirt 24. In the shipping and storing position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cap 36 is spaced away from plug 14 and the needle 18 is lodged within stopper 34 with the end 20 completely blocked by the stopper to prevent diluent 26 from entering container 30.

When it is desired to administer the biological, container 30 is forced further into skirt 24 until hollow needle 18 pierces through stopper 24 at which time with the unit in a substantially upright position the liquid diluent 26 runs down into container 30 assisted if necessary by the squeezing of resilient tube 4. After the tablet 32 is dissolved, the device is turned upside down and the liquid permitted to run into resilient tube 4 assisted by squeezing and releasing tube 4. The device is maintained in the same position and twist off cap 12 is removed by twisting it at the line of weakness 13. The biological can then be dispensed, for example, into a nostril by squeezing resilient tube 4. Advantageously, passage 10 is of a size such that the liquid diluent will not run out under the force of gravity.

As shown in FIG. 5 where a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection is desired, the device of FIG. 2 may be modified to eliminate cap 12 and secure a syringe needle 50 in passage 10 by a pressed fit. A resilient cap 52 may be used as a stopper for needle 50 until administration is to be carried out.

The dispensing package of the invention is low in cost and disposable. It can be steam sterilized. It combines simplicity of operation with maximum sterility in reconstitution.

It will be understood that the above described embodiments are illustrative and not limiting.

Claims

1. Dispensing package for a dry biological and a liquid diluent comprising:

a hollow resilient member for containing a liquid diluent open at one end and having a discharge opening at the other end,

removable means closing the discharge opening,

a plug in said one end,

a skirt integral with the plug forming a chamber for the reception of a container,

a hollow needle secured in said plug in communication with the interior of said hollow member and extending into the interior of the skirt,

a container for a dry biological having a pierceable stopper frictionally engaged by said skirt with said needle having its end within the skirt embedded in the pierceable stopper to prevent the flow of liquid through the needle and the stopper spaced away from the plug, whereby further advancing the container into the skirt causes the needle to pass through the pierceable stopper and into the container to permit the transfer of the liquid diluent into the container and then back into the tube for administration through the discharge opening on the removal of the means

2. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 1 having a nozzle

3. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 1 having an injection needle secured in the discharge opening.