The invention pertains to liquid drug injection devices generally.
The following patent documents are believed to represent the current state of the art:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,819; U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,733; U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,696; U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,621; U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,262; U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,971; U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,633; U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,182; U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,372; U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,430; U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,278; U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,370; US2007/0088313; US2007/0167904; US2007/0270778 and US2008/0009789.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved medicament mixing and injection apparatus.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention medicament mixing and injection apparatus comprising an injection needle assembly including a needle extending along an injection axis and a needle base to which said needle is fixed, a syringe attachment element configured at a first axial end thereof to receive a needleless syringe and a second axial end thereof to engage the needle base in at least first and second relative engagement orientations which are mutually axially separated along the injection axis and a medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly including an intermediate portion having a hand-engageable portion, the intermediate element including a needle chamber surrounding the needle and a first liquid conduit portion, sealed from the needle chamber and a medicament mixing chamber engagement portion including a second liquid conduit portion communicating with the first liquid conduit portion and configured for communication with a medicament mixing chamber, the syringe attachment element and the needle base being configured to permit liquid communication between an interior of the needleless syringe and the first liquid conduit portion when the syringe attachment element and the needle base are in the first relative engagement orientation and to permit liquid communication between an interior of the needleless syringe and the needle when the syringe attachment element and the needle base are in the second relative engagement orientation, axially separated from the first relative orientation along said injection axis.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention medicament mixing and injection apparatus operation of the hand engageable portion enables relative axial movement of the needle base and the syringe attachment portion from the first relative orientation along said injection axis to the second relative orientation along the injection axis.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the intermediate portion and the medicament mixing chamber engagement portion are formed as separate elements or as one piece.
Preferably, a medicament mixing and injection method comprising providing a medicament mixing and injection assembly including a needle extending along an injection axis and a needle base to which said needle is fixed, a syringe attachment element configured at a first axial end thereof to receive a needleless syringe and an a second axial end thereof to engage the needle base in at least first and second relative engagement orientations which are mutually axially separated along the injection axis and a medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly associating a medicament mixing chamber with the medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly, attaching a syringe to the syringe attachment element, mixing a medicament in the medicament mixing chamber when the syringe attachment element and the needle base are in the first relative engagement orientation and drawing mixed medicament into the syringe, providing relative axial displacement of the needle base and the syringe attachment element along the injection axis such that the syringe attachment element and the needle base are in the second relative engagement orientation, disengaging the medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly from the syringe attachment element and injecting the mixed medicament from the syringe through the needle.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly includes a needle chamber surrounding the needle and a liquid conduit portion, sealed from the needle chamber and the syringe attachment element and the needle base are configured to permit liquid communication between an interior of the needleless syringe and the first liquid conduit portion when the syringe attachment element and the needle base are in the first relative engagement orientation and to permit liquid communication between an interior of the needleless syringe and the needle when the syringe attachment element and the needle base are in the second relative engagement orientation, axially separated from the first relative orientation along the injection axis.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly includes a hand engageable portion which selectably enables relative axial movement of the needle base and the syringe attachment portion from the first relative orientation along the injection axis to the second relative orientation along the injection axis.
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description:
Reference is now made to
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the syringe attachment element 100 is configured at a first axial end 110 thereof to receive a needleless syringe (not shown) and an a second axial end 112 thereof to engage the needle base 108 in at least first and second relative engagement orientations which are mutually axially separated along the injection axis 106.
The medicament mixing and injection apparatus also preferably includes a medicament mixing chamber engagement assembly 120 including a first portion 122 having a hand-engageable portion 124, the intermediate element preferably including a needle chamber 128 surrounding the needle 104 and a first liquid conduit portion 126, sealed from the needle chamber 128 and medicament mixing chamber engagement portion 130 including a second liquid conduit portion 132 communicating with the first liquid conduit portion 126 and configured for communication with a medicament mixing chamber (not shown), which may be, for example a vial or ampoule and may alternatively be any other suitable medicament mixing chamber.
In the illustrated embodiment, portions 122 and 130 are shown as separate elements, it being appreciated that alternatively they may be formed as a unitary element.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the syringe attachment element 100 and the needle base 108 are configured to permit liquid communication between an interior of the needleless syringe (not shown) and the first liquid conduit portion 122 when the syringe attachment element 100 and the needle base 108 are in the first relative engagement orientation and to permit liquid communication between an interior of the needleless syringe (not shown) and the needle 104 when the syringe attachment element 100 and the needle base 108 are in the second relative engagement orientation, axially separated from the first relative orientation along the injection axis.
Preferably when the syringe attachment element 100 and the needle base 108 are in the first relative engagement orientation, liquid from the interior of the needleless syringe (not shown) is prevented from reaching the needle 104 and when the syringe attachment element 100 and the needle base 108 are in the second relative engagement orientation, axially separated from the first relative orientation along the injection axis, liquid from the interior of the needleless syringe (not shown) is prevented from reaching the first liquid conduit portion 122.
First and second generally axially extending engagement tabs 154 and 156 are provided at end 112 of the syringe attachment element 100. Tab 154 has an inwardly facing end portion 158 having a generally truncated conical cross-section and defining a retaining shoulder surface 160. Tab 156 has an inwardly facing end portion 162 having a generally truncated conical cross-section and defining a retaining shoulder surface 164.
Passageway 152 terminates in a bulkhead 170 which defines a generally central bore 172 and a side bore 174. Generally central bore 172 is partially defined by an axial portion having a generally truncated conical exterior wall surface 176. Surrounding wall surface 176 and extending to end 112 is a recess 178 bounded by a cylindrical wall 180 surface.
Surrounding part of central cylindrical portion 200 is an intermediate cylindrical portion 206 in which is formed an annular recess 208 bounded by a generally conical wall surface 210 of a wall 212 whose outer surface forms part of an outer cylindrical wall surface 214 of intermediate cylindrical portion 206. Cylindrical portion 200 is sized and configured so as to be axially slidable into engagement with recess 178, when the syringe attachment element 100 and the needle base 108 are in the second relative engagement orientation. In this orientation, that part of central cylindrical portion 200 which extends axially beyond intermediate cylindrical portion 206 slidingly and sealingly engages generally bore 172 of the syringe attachment element.
A liquid conduit 216 extends from recess 208 generally parallel to the injection axis 106 through parts of the intermediate cylindrical portion 206 and through a base portion 222, through which axial needle retaining bore 202 also extends. Base portion 222 defines a generally planar shoulder surface 224 and an opposite generally planar surface 226 and conical edge surfaces 228 and 230.
Extending parallel to injection axis 106 from generally planar surface 226 are typically formed first and second merged cylinders 232 and 234. Cylinder 232 is preferably centered about the injection axis 106 and axial needle retaining bore 202 extends therethrough. Cylinder 234 defines a generally cylindrical recess 236 which communicates with the liquid conduit 216.
Hand engageable portion 244 preferably includes a hand engageable lever 260 which is pivotably joined to generally flat wall portion 254 and defines a selectably positionable retaining edge 262. Disposed generally opposite to hand engageable lever 260 and extending over a portion of generally flat wall portion 256 is an inwardly facing retaining protrusion 264.
Interiorly of hand engageable portion 244, there is preferably provided a wall 270, extending generally parallel to the injection axis 106, which terminates in a wall 272 extending perpendicularly to the injection axis 106. Walls 270 and 272 preferably separate first liquid conduit portion 126 and needle chamber 128, which is separated therefrom by walls 270 and 272.
It is seen that second portion 130 is including a first, generally circular cylindrical portion 280 preferably formed with a pair of oppositely placed windows 284 and 286 for retaining the first portion 122, and a second generally circular cylindrical portion 282 preferably formed with a pair of oppositely placed windows 288 and 290, and an inwardly facing retaining protrusions 292 and 294, for communication with a medicament mixing chamber (not shown), separated by bulkhead 295 having defined at its center a hollow spike 296. In use, spike 296 punctures the elastomeric seal of a medicament mixing chamber (not shown), thereby to enable fluid communication between the medicament mixing chamber (not shown) and the interior of syringe (not shown) via apertures 298 formed at a forward end of spike 296.
Reference is hereby made to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/973,180, filed Sep. 18, 2007, entitled LIQUID CONTROL DEVICE, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and convention priority of which is hereby claimed pursuant to 37 CFR 1.78a (4) and (5)(i).
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US08/70024 | 7/15/2008 | WO | 00 | 3/18/2010 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60973180 | Sep 2007 | US |