Cartridge expressing syringe

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (ORIGINAL)

Class

Int. Class

Application Number:

Lodged:

Complete Specification Lodged:

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Priority:

Related Art:

Accepted:

Published:

Names(s) of Applicant(s):

ASTRA PHARMACEUTICALS PTY. LTD.

Address of Applicants:

10-14 Khartoum Road,

North Ryde, New South Wales 2113, AUSTRALIA

Our Address for service is:

PHILLIPS ORMONDE &amp; FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street

MELBOURNE, Australia 3000

Complete Specification for the invention entitled:

CARTRIDGE EXPRESSING SYRINGE

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s):

0804N

CARTRIDGE EXPRESSING SYRINGE

The present invention relates to a syringe device, more particularly it relates to a syringe for delivering the • · ·· • · contents of a prefilled convenient to hereinafter cartridge or the like. It will refer to the device as one for delivery of the contents of a cartridge injection, however it should be noted that a wider application.

-&gt; In medicine, and particularly in solutions for injection are packaged individual prefilled cartridges.

anaethestics are often provided plastic cartridge for injection.

known and generally injection solution, a be displaced inside be the

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Such consist of rubber piston the cartridge or the like the invention for has dentistry, many and supplied in particular, dental single-dose cartridges a tube filled seal at one end to express the solution, and a thin-wall diaphragm can be punctured by a double-ended cartridge is utilized in a cartridge at the other hypodermic expressing glass or are well with the which can injection end which needle.

syringe

The which consists of a barrel having a fitting at one end to double ended needle and a plunger at the other generally • · ··

...Z accept a • · ··

*. ‘«lend. Reuseable cartridge expressing syringes are generally made of metal such as surgical grade stainless steel. Such devices are usually connected by screw threads and can be disassembled for sterilization.

Such metal devices must be sterilized after each use end cannot be manufactured cheaply enough to be readily disposable. The more components there are to be sterilized the greater the chance of loss or contamination of any one of the separate components.

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Disposable cartridge expressing syringes are available but, as with the metal devices, consist of a number of interconnecting components, some of which must be screwed together after insertion of a cartridge. The complexity of assembly increases the assembly time and increases the risk of contamination in handling.

Accordingly, there is a need for a cartridge expressing syringe device which:

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It is an • ft · has minimal construction pieces, is fast and simple to assemble, can be manufactured inexpensively so as to be disposable, and can be sterilised by means of gas, steam or radiation.

object of the present invention to provide a . cartridge expressing syringe device which fulfills one or • ·

...·. more of the above requirements and can be used to express the contents of conventional cartridges.

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In accordance with the presett invention there is provided a cartridge expressing syringe comprising • ·· ; a cartridge holding body having a receiving opening and

*. ’.ia needle coupling element for connecting a double-ended

WC needle; and a cap member integral with said body by way of a web hinge, said cap member being movable about said web hinge between an open position wherein a cartridge can be inserted into said body through said receiving opening, and a closed position wherein said cap member is located so to cover said receiving opening to prevent said cartridge from escaping from said cartridge holding body, said cap member further including guide means to permit passage of a plunger therethrough into said cartridge holding body.

The cartridge expressing syringe thus described is preferably manufactured from a thermoplastics material such as polypropylene.

The cartridge holding body is preferably an elongate tubular hollow body adapted to accomodate a cartridge therein. The cartridge holding body may have the needle • · · · ' ' • · · • · coupling element positioned at one end . The coupling is • · · • « · ' *** * preferably a screw thread coupling. The receiving opening of • · · * _e* the cartridge holding body should! be of sufficient size to • · · • · · ·

.. enable a cartridge to be freely inserted into the holding • · ·· body through the receiving opening. The receiving opening is preferably at the opposite end of the cartridge holding body . to the needle coupling element.

« · ο·»··. Preferably the cartridge holding body has a pair of • · · finger-engaging portions positioned one on either side of the • · · · ···· receiving opening. The finger engaging portions may be of any known type of suitable size and shape to enable the • β · ·

...I syringe to be gripped when expressing the contents of a *.I cartridge. It is preferred although not essential that the finger engaging portions consist of a pair of outwardly

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The cap member must be of a suitable size and shape to securely close the receiving opening to prevent an inserted cartridge from escaping from the cartridge holding body.

Preferably the cap member comprises a flange which is locatable within the receiving opening. In one embodiment of the invention the flange is of such dimension that once fully inserted into the receiving opening of the cartridge holding body the bottom face of the flange is adapted to bear against and securely holds an inserted cartridge in position so that it cannot move laterally along the cartridge holding body. The cap member is preferably provided with a plurality of resilient ribs adapted to wedge the cap member securely in the receiving opening when in the closed position. In the embodiment of the invention where the cap member comprises a flange, these ribs are conveniently disposed about the outer wall of the flange. In such an arrangement, the ribs are wedged against the inside wall of the receiving opening. The cap member may be provided with a tongue sized to project beyond the outer wall of the cartridge holding body to facilitate easy opening.

The cap member is integral with the holding body by way

.... of a web hinge. The web hinge is preferably located adjacent • · · e · · the receiving opening. The web hinge should be sufficiently • · · · o

···’ flexible to allow the cap member to be easily hinged between the open and closed position.

,.*· The cap member further includes a guide passage to • · ·

·. *.J permit insertion of a plunger through the cap member and into the cartridge, holding body to enable the contents of the cartridge to be expressed. Preferably, the guide passage is shaped to guide the plunger axially along the cartridge holding body. The guide passage may include means to prevent the plunger from rotating to any great extent when being inserted into the holding body. Such means may include a plurality of inwardly extending lugs positioned around the

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periphery of guide passage adapted to engage with the plunger stem. The lugs also prevent the plunger from falling out of the cartridge holding body once engaged.

In another aspect of the present invention the cartridge expressing syringe is provided in combination with a plunger to express the contents of a cartridge inserted in the syringe. The plunger is preferably of sufficient length to extend far enough into the cartridge holding body to express the entire contents of the cartridge. The plunger ♦ ft* • · • preferably has at the end to be inserted into the cartridge ·· « · .

** * holding body, means for engaging the piston seal located in • · ,, the cartridge. Preferably said means is a probe shape to fit • · • · · . within a correspondingly shaped hole in the piston seal.

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The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the . accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the • · drawings and following description relate to a preferred • · · embodiment only, and are not intended to limit the scope of • · · · ’·” the present invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cartridge expressing • · ·· • ••ΐ syringe made in accordance with the invention with a cap • · °

*.ί member shown in cross-section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a plunger made in accordance with th.e invention.

Figure 3 is an end view of a cap member and web hinge made in accordance with the invention, with the web hinge severed from the cartridge expressing syringe.

The syringe of the present invention is designated generally throughout the drawings by the numeral 1.

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Cartridge expressing syringe 1 comprises a cartridge holding body 2 having a receiving opening 3 at one end thereof. Adjacent receiving opening 3 there is provided a cap member 4 integral with body 2 by way of a web hinge 5. Cap member 4 includes a flange 6 about which there is located a plurality of ribs 7 which securely wedge cap member 4 in receiving opening 3 when in the closed position. Cap member 4 further includes projecting tongue 8 to assist in removing cap member from receiving opening 3 when in the closed position. Cap member 4 includes a guide passage 9 to permit insertion of a plunger therethrough. Guide passage 9 includes inwardly extending lugs 10 to prevent substantial rotation of the plunger rod when passing through guide passage 9. Finger engaging portions 11 are provided proximate the receiving opening 3 and are integral with cartridge holding body 2.

At the opposite end of body 2 from receiving opening 3 there is provided needle coupling element 12 shaped to engage a hypodermic needle, preferably a. conventional screw thread double-ended needle.

In another aspect of the present invention there is • · ·· .

•••ΐ provided m combination with

*. *.ί to express the contents of a syringe. 1 a plunger 13 adapted cartridge contained in cartridge holding body 2. Plunger 13 is provided at one end with fitting 14 adapted to engage a rubber piston seal of cartridge. At the opposite end of plunger there is provided handle

15.

Fitting and handle 15 are joined by plunger rod 16.

Plunger rod preferably has a transverse cross-section corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of guide passage 9, such that inwardly extending lugs 10

WC co-cperate with plunger rod 16 to prevent plunger rod 16 from rotating to any substantial degree when being depressed into cartridge holding body 2.

In use, a cartridge is receiving opening 3 when cap 4 the cartridge is inserted, cap position wherein flp^ge 6 of inserted into body 2 through is in an open position. Once member 4 is moved to a closed cap member 4 is located in receiving opening 3 to prevent the inserted cartridge from escaping from holding body 2. The bottom face 17 of flange 6 • ft ·· • · securely holds the cartridge in position 4 so that it may not « «ft

Oft· ··· · move laterally along body 2. Ribs 7 assist to securely wedge ·· ft ft • ft ft • _e* cap member 4 in receiving opening 3. Cap member 4 is • ft ft ··· ·

.. positioned in receiving opening 3 by hinging about web hinge

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Fitting end 14 of plunger 13 is then inserted through . guide passage until it engages with the rubber piston seal ··;♦, of the inserted cartridge. A conventional double-ended • ft ft hypodermic needle is then attached to needle coupling element ft ft · · • ^{: :} ”” end 12 to puncture the inserted cartridge. Device 1 is then ready for use to express the contents of the inserted ft···

»..ζ cartridge by applying r-'ueezing pressure to finger engaging ft · ft

*. portions 11 and handle 15.

The cartridge expressing syringe and plunger may be made of any rigid plastics material. For example a translucent or transparent plastics material such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide&gt; polypropylene or TPX may be used. Other suitable materials are well known to those skilled in the art. The syringe and plunger may be manufactured preferably under aseptic conditions, using any

WC ft· ft· • ft· •ft ft·· ft ft· • ftft ft «ft ft ft ft ·· ft ft ft·· ft ft ft • •ft ft conventional technique known in the art. Injection moulding is preferred.

It is to be understood that various modifications, additions and/or alterations may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the -ambit of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

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