Front load pressure jacket system with syringe holder and light illumination

Front loading pressure jacket system with syringe holder and illumination device

Technical field

The present invention generally relates to a pressure jacket system for securing a syringe to a syringe, a syringe used with the pressure jacket system, and a method of loading and detaching the syringe from the pressure jacket system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pressure jacket system and a method thereof for front loading that can load and detach a syringe from its front end, and to a syringe with a special structure, for example, used with a pressure jacket.

Background technique

In the medical field, patients usually require fluid injection during operations or procedures such as angiography, computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In such operations or operations that require controlled injection of a considerable amount of fluid into the patient's body, a catheter is used as a conduit for the fluid, and the catheter is connected to a syringe through a connecting tube. The syringe is mounted on a mechanized syringe with an injection head.

In order to be compatible with injectable fluids, the syringe can be made of glass or polymeric materials such as polypropylene, and have a certain minimum wall thickness. This thickness is critical because pressures of up to 1200 pounds per square inch (ie, in angiography) are often used to inject fluid into the patient.

There are at least two types of pressure sleeves known in the art, tail or rear loading and front loading types, which basically enclose and hold the syringe when in use. The pressure sleeve is used to limit the radial expansion of the syringe, which may cause rupture or leakage around the seal of the syringe plunger. Another function of the pressure sleeve is to prevent the syringe from moving forward. For example, a force of 2400 pounds is usually required to limit the forward movement of a syringe with a capacity of 150 milliliters and a cross-sectional area of 2.0 square inches under a pressure of 1200 pounds per square inch.

US Patent No. 4,677,980 (the content of the patent is hereby incorporated by reference) discloses an injection device for angiography, in which a syringe is loaded into the pressure sleeve of the syringe from the rear end. More specifically, the device includes a turret equipped with a pair of pressure sleeves and rotatable, so that when a pressure sleeve loaded with a syringe is in the injection position, the other pressure sleeve is in the back-end loading position. The location of the syringe. Then, when the contrast matrix is injected from the first syringe, the turret rotates to move the first syringe to the unloaded-loading position, and at the same time move the second pressure sleeve and the second syringe to the injection position.

One disadvantage of the back-loaded pressure sleeve is that after injection, the patients infusion tube must usually be detached from the syringe before withdrawing and discarding the syringe from the back end of the pressure sleeve. This operation not only consumes precious time of the operator, but also when removing the infusion tube device from the syringe, fluids such as contrast base fluid and blood may drip or splash from the syringe or infusion tube, thereby causing A potentially unsafe or dangerous situation. In addition, the fluid splashed during the loading and purging of air from the syringe barrel may enter the pressure jacket and the syringe, requiring them to be cleaned.

For at least part of this consideration, people have developed front-loaded syringes (with and without pressure sleeve). For example, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,300,031, 5,779,675, and 5,800,397 disclose a syringe system with a pressure sleeve loaded with a front end, and U.S. Patent No. 5,383,858 discloses a pressure sleeve with a front loading and a pressure sleeve without a pressure sleeve. Syringe system. The contents of US Patent Nos. 5,300,031, 5,779,675, 5,800,397, and 5,383,858 are incorporated herein by reference.

US Patent No. 5,300,031 discloses various embodiments of a syringe system provided with a pressure sleeve, in which a syringe is loaded into and detached from the syringe pressure sleeve through an opening provided in the front end of the pressure sleeve. In order to keep the syringe inside the pressure sleeve, for example during an injection operation, the front end of the syringe is locked on the front end of the pressure sleeve.

U.S. Patent No. 5,779,675 also discloses various embodiments of a syringe system provided with a pressure sleeve loaded at the front end. In many embodiments, such as shown in Figures 12-16 of the '675 patent, it is preferred that one or more holding plates or walls supported by one or more arms or rods hold the syringe in the pressure sleeve. Inside. The retaining plate or wall is preferably moved between open and closed positions so that the syringe can be inserted into and removed from the pressure sleeve.

Although there are known syringe systems equipped with a front-loaded pressure jacket in the technical field, there is still a great need for the design of such syringe systems with pressure jackets, and the use of pressure jackets and syringes without pressure jackets. The syringe used in the system was improved.

Summary of the invention

The present invention generally relates to a fluid injection device used with a syringe, and the syringe has an injection section with an injection neck. The fluid injection device includes a housing forming an opening and a driving piston, the driving piston can extend through the opening to apply power to a syringe plunger in the syringe. The fluid injection device also includes a pressure jacket assembly connected with the housing for fixing the syringe during the injection operation. The pressure sleeve assembly includes a pressure sleeve connected to the housing and aligned with the opening, at least one supporting arm connected to the housing and extending outward from the housing, and a needle connected to the at least one supporting arm Cylinder holder. The syringe holder forms a syringe receiving groove for receiving at least the injection neck of the syringe and for observing at least a part of the injection section. The at least one support arm can move between a first position and a second position, preferably selectively. In the first position, the syringe holder can prevent the syringe from being detached from the pressure sleeve. Open, and in the second position, the syringe can be removed from the pressure sleeve. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure jacket assembly is a front-loaded pressure jacket assembly.

The pressure sleeve may have a distal end forming a barrel receiving opening for receiving the barrel and a proximal end connected to the housing. The pressure jacket assembly may also include a panel connected to the syringe, for example to the housing. The face plate can form a channel aligned with the opening through which the syringe drive piston can extend. The syringe drive piston can be provided with an axially directed light source for illuminating the syringe.

The pressure sleeve is detachably connected with the panel. The pressure jacket assembly may further include a coupling member adapted to detachably connect the pressure jacket to the panel. The pressure sleeve is detachably connected with the coupling piece through the threaded connection with the coupling piece. The connector can be detachably connected to the panel through a bayonet socket connection mechanism. The pressure sleeve can be detachably connected to the panel and is preferably axially movable relative to the panel.

Alternatively, the faceplate can be viewed as part of the syringe rather than part of the pressure jacket assembly. Specifically, the panel may be detachably or permanently connected to or integrally formed with the syringe housing. In addition, the coupling can be configured and used as a joint to mount different or various types of pressure sleeves and/or syringes to or on the syringe. To this end, the fluid injection device of the present invention may be provided with one or more coupling members, so that the syringe is suitable for various pressure sleeves and/or syringes.

The at least one support arm may include at least one light source positioned to illuminate a syringe received in the pressure jacket. In addition to or as an alternative to providing the at least one light source on the at least one arm, the at least one light source may be provided on the syringe holder and positioned to illuminate the syringe. The at least one support arm preferably extends laterally along the longitudinal side of the pressure sleeve in the first position. Preferably, the pressure jacket is made of substantially transparent plastic. The pressure jacket may include a light diffusing device for diffusing light from a light source outside the pressure jacket.

The at least one support arm may include a pair of support arms adapted to support the syringe holder. For example, the support arm may pivotally support the syringe holder. The support arms each have a distal end and a proximal end. The fluid injection device may also include a shaft assembly adapted to connect the proximal ends of the support arms together within the housing. The shaft assembly is preferably configured to selectively move the support arm between the first and second positions. The support arm extends laterally along the longitudinal side of the pressure sleeve in the first position. Preferably, at least one support arm has at least one light source positioned to illuminate a syringe received in the pressure jacket. The at least one light source may be provided on the syringe holder and positioned to illuminate the syringe received in the pressure sleeve.

The shaft assembly may include a shaft link extending between the proximal ends of the support arms. The shaft connecting rod preferably includes a base member and two shafts protruding outward. The base member forms a recessed portion, and the driving piston can extend and contract through the recessed portion when the support arm is in any position.

Preferably, the proximal ends of the support arms each form a circular hole to respectively rotatably receive a pair of circular members. The circular piece is preferably supported on the shaft connecting rod. The central axis of the shaft link may be offset from the rotation axis of the circular member to convert the rotation of the circular member into translational movement of the support arm. The shaft connecting rod can be supported on the panel by a pair of support frames. The round pieces can be respectively connected with the support frame to limit the rotation of the round pieces in the round holes. The round members may each include a ball clip, and the ball clip is suitable for mating connection with a snap hole formed in the support frame to provide at least one tactile indication that the support arm is set to the first position.

The proximal end of the support arm is preferably connected to the panel to guide the movement of the support arm between the first and second positions. To this end, the proximal end of the support arm may form a guide rail, and the panel may have cross pins connected to it, and the cross pins respectively cooperate with the guide rail to guide the movement of the support arm between the first and second positions. The panel further includes a pair of ball clamps, which are adapted to be respectively matched and connected with the engaging holes formed in the proximal end of the support arm to prevent the support arm from uncontrollably moving to the second position.

Another embodiment of the fluid injection device includes a housing and a pressure jacket assembly connected to the housing to secure the syringe during the injection operation. The pressure sleeve assembly may include a pressure sleeve connected to the housing, at least one support arm protruding outward from the syringe housing, and at least one light source connected to the at least one support arm, the light source being positioned to illuminate The syringe, especially the fluid, and any air bubbles that may be in the fluid, are received in the pressure jacket. The light source can be multiple light-emitting diodes, a small fluorescent light bar, a fiber-optic bed, and so on.

The at least one support arm may include a pair of support arms. At least one of the support arms may have the at least one light source. The support arm can move between a first position extending laterally along the longitudinal side of the pressure sleeve and a second position hanging below the pressure sleeve, so that when the support arm is in the first position, the syringe is injecting It can be illuminated substantially along its central axis during operation.

In order to diffuse the light entering the syringe through the wall of the pressure sleeve, a light diffusion device may be connected to the pressure sleeve. The light diffusion device can be connected to the inner wall (or inner surface) or outer wall (or outer surface) of the pressure sleeve, or set between the inner wall (or inner surface) or outer wall (or outer surface) of the pressure sleeve . In one embodiment, the light diffusion device may be a lens attached to the inner surface of the pressure sleeve and extending longitudinally along the inner surface of the pressure sleeve. In another embodiment, the light diffusion device may be an etching area formed on the inner surface of the pressure sleeve and extending longitudinally along the inner surface of the pressure sleeve. In still another embodiment, the light diffusing device may be a light diffusing strip made of white polycarbonate material, for example. The inner wall (or inner surface) of the pressure sleeve may form a groove, which extends longitudinally along the inner surface. The light diffusing strip may be provided in the groove to diffuse the light passing through the pressure jacket wall. The groove may have a trapezoidal cross-section and have two convex portions facing inwardly for holding the light diffusion strip in the groove.

Another embodiment of the fluid injection device of the present invention includes one or more of a syringe, a syringe plunger movably connected to the syringe, a syringe, and a pressure sleeve assembly. The syringe has a cylindrical body with an injection section, the injection section including a conical part and an injection neck. The conical part forms an alignment flange or tab piece. The alignment flange is preferably used as a directional "key" that is received in the syringe receiving groove in the syringe holder of the pressure sleeve assembly. The syringe plunger is located in the cylindrical body and has a connecting end, the connecting end is provided with a pair of rigid or flexible couplings, and a groove is formed between the couplings, such as US Patent Nos. 4,677,980 and 5,873,861 As shown and described in the two patents, the contents of these two patents are incorporated herein for reference. When the groove is substantially aligned with the alignment flange, the alignment flange provides an indication of the orientation of the pair of grooves, such as a visual indicator. When the "key" or alignment flange is aligned with or received in the syringe receiving groove, the syringe plunger is substantially oriented to drive the piston and the syringe relative to the drive piston of the syringe (that is, the desired installation position) The plunger can be engaged correctly and reliably.

The syringe includes a housing forming an opening and a piston extending through the central opening, and the piston extends into the central opening to apply power to the syringe plunger provided in the syringe body. The pressure sleeve assembly is connected with the housing to fix the syringe during the injection operation. The pressure sleeve assembly includes a pressure sleeve connected to the housing and aligned with the opening, at least one supporting arm connected to the housing and extending outward from the housing, and a needle connected to the at least one supporting arm Cylinder holder. The syringe holder forms a syringe receiving groove for receiving the injection neck of the syringe and for observing at least a part of the injection section. The injection neck of the syringe can also form at least one opening spaced radially outward from the syringe receiving groove for observing the injection section, for example, to see whether there is fluid or air in the syringe body. The at least one support arm can move between a first position and a second position, preferably selectively. In the first position, the syringe holder can prevent the syringe from being detached from the pressure sleeve. Open, and in the second position, the syringe can be removed from the pressure sleeve. The alignment of the alignment flange with the syringe receiving groove in the syringe holder automatically orients the coupling in the desired position and orients the groove therebetween to receive the drive piston.

The conical part of the barrel body preferably further includes a photosensitive fluid point as the optical auxiliary device 215. The alignment flange can protrude sufficiently from the conical portion to be grasped by the syringe user and used as a handle for manipulating the syringe. The coupling members may each have an inwardly projecting engagement arm for engaging the driving piston. The coupling may be a flexible coupling.

The present invention also generally relates to a pressure sleeve for receiving a syringe used in a fluid injection operation. The pressure jacket of the present invention includes an elongated body and a light diffusion device or mechanism arranged on the body. The elongated body is made of substantially transparent plastic. The light diffusing device or mechanism is suitable for diffusing the light emitted by an external light source and passing through it. The light diffusion device or mechanism may be a lens, and the lens may be provided on the inner surface of the body and extend longitudinally along the inner surface of the body. The lens can also be arranged on the outer surface of the body or between the inner surface and the outer surface of the body. Or the light diffusion device or mechanism can also be an etching area on the body. The etching area is arranged on the inner surface of the body and extends longitudinally along the inner surface of the body. A groove can be formed on the inner surface of the body. The light diffusing device or mechanism may also be a light diffusing strip arranged in the groove. The groove may extend longitudinally along the inner surface of the body. The light diffusion strip is white polycarbonate material. The groove may have a trapezoidal cross-section and have two convex portions facing inwardly for holding the light diffusion strip in the groove.

Alternatively, the present invention relates generally to syringes for use with pressure sleeves, preferably front-loaded pressure sleeves, and fluid injection devices in combination with pressure sleeves, preferably front-loaded pressure sleeves. The syringe of the present invention generally includes a body, a plunger, and an alignment flange. The body is preferably a cylindrical body. A cone part is connected to the main body, and a discharge port is connected to the cone part. The plunger is movably disposed in at least a part of the main body. The alignment flange is provided on at least a part of the conical part and protrudes outwardly therefrom. A hollow area is formed in the alignment flange. The hollow area can be used to trap air bubbles in it. The syringe can be disposable (ie, single use) or reusable to inject the liquid medium into the patient.

In another embodiment, the barrel includes a body having a distal end and a proximal end. The body has an injection section at the distal end and an expansion section at the proximal end. The injection section and the expansion section are connected by a middle section (or body) with a relatively uniform outer diameter. The wall thickness of the body is preferably narrowed to a reduced wall thickness in the expansion section, so that the inner diameter of the expansion section is larger than the inner diameter of the middle section, so that the expansion section is placed in the expansion section in the syringe plunger Time can expand.

The reduced wall thickness preferably enables the expansion section to be expanded to an outer diameter not greater than approximately the outer diameter of the middle section when the plunger is arranged in the expansion section. The body can be made of a deformable material, so that the expansion section can expand to an outer diameter that is not greater than approximately the outer diameter of the middle section when the plunger is arranged in the expansion section. The body can be made of substantially transparent plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polycarbonate, and so on.

The outer surface of the body may be tapered or stepped inward toward the central axis of the body, and the inner surface of the body may be tapered or stepped outwardly away from the central axis of the body, thereby forming a reduced wall thickness. Alternatively, only the inner surface of the body may be tapered or stepped outwardly away from the central axis of the body to form a reduced wall thickness. Another alternative is to only bevel or step the outer surface.

The plunger is preferably movably received in the body and installed to be stored in the expansion section of the barrel body. The plunger may have a connecting end that includes a pair of coupling members forming a groove therebetween. The groove is preferably substantially aligned with the alignment flange so that the alignment flange provides an indication of the orientation of the groove when the syringe is loaded into a pressure sleeve, such as a front-loaded pressure sleeve.

Another embodiment of the syringe includes a cylindrical body and a plunger movably received in the cylindrical body. The body has an injection section at a distal end and an expansion section at a proximal end. The plunger can be arranged to be stored in the expansion section. The injection section and the expansion section are connected by a cylindrical middle section (or main body) with a relatively uniform outer diameter. The injection section includes a conical part and an injection neck. The conical portion preferably includes an alignment flange projecting outwardly from at least the translation of the conical portion. The plunger has a connecting end, and the connecting end is preferably provided with a pair of flexible coupling members, and a groove is formed between the pair of flexible coupling members for engaging a driving piston of a syringe. The groove is preferably substantially aligned with the alignment flange so that the alignment flange can provide an indication of the orientation of the groove, such as a visual indicator, to facilitate engagement of the flexible coupling with the drive piston of the syringe. The coupling members may each have an inwardly facing or protruding engagement arm for engaging the driving piston of the syringe. The wall thickness of the body is preferably narrowed to a reduced wall thickness at the expansion section, so that the inner diameter of the expansion section is greater than the inner diameter of the middle section, so that the expansion section can be in the radial direction applied by the plunger. Expanding under the action of outward force.

In addition, the present invention generally relates to a method of loading a syringe onto a syringe. The syringe includes a cylindrical main body, a conical part connected to the main body, and a discharge port connected to the conical part. A plunger is movably arranged in at least a part of the main body. An alignment flange is provided on at least a part of the conical portion and protrudes outwardly therefrom. The syringe includes a pressure sleeve assembly that includes a pressure sleeve connected to the syringe, at least one support arm connected to the syringe and extending outward from the syringe, and a needle connected to the at least one support arm Cylinder holder. The syringe holder forms a syringe receiving groove for receiving a discharge port of the syringe. The at least one support arm can move between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the syringe holder can prevent the syringe from being detached from the pressure sleeve, and in the second position, Remove the syringe from the pressure sleeve. The method includes the following steps: inserting the proximal end of the syringe into the pressure sleeve; aligning the alignment flange on the syringe with the syringe receiving groove in the syringe holder; and aligning the at least one support arm with the needle The cartridge holder moves from the second position to the first position. The method also includes the steps of: moving the at least one support arm and the syringe holder from the first position to the second position, and detaching the syringe from the pressure sleeve. In addition, the method further includes the following steps: connecting the plunger to the driving piston of the syringe, and advancing the driving piston to move the plunger in the barrel. In addition, the present invention may include the step of retracting the plunger in the barrel with the driving piston.

Another embodiment of the fluid injection device of the present invention generally includes a housing and a pressure jacket assembly connected to the housing. The housing forms an opening through which a driving piston of the syringe can extend to apply power to a syringe plunger provided in the syringe. The pressure sleeve assembly connected with the housing fixes the syringe during the injection operation. The pressure sleeve assembly generally includes a pressure sleeve connected to the housing and aligned with the opening, at least one supporting arm pivotally connected to the housing and protruding outward from the housing, and supporting the at least one A syringe holder to which the arm is pivotally connected. The syringe holder forms a syringe receiving groove for receiving the injection neck of the syringe and for observing at least a part of the injection section. The at least one support arm can move between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the syringe holder can prevent the syringe from being detached from the pressure sleeve, and in the second position, Remove the syringe from the pressure sleeve.

The syringe holder may be between a syringe holding position coordinated with the injection section of the syringe and a pivot position that is sufficiently detached from the injection section to enable the at least one support arm to pivot to the second position Pivot. The at least one supporting arm may include a proximal end pivotally connected to the housing and a distal end protruding outward from the housing. The cross-section of the proximal end is increased relative to the cross-section of the distal end, so that an upward moment is formed around the mechanism pivotally connected to the housing for holding the at least one support arm in the first position. The at least one support arm preferably extends laterally along the longitudinal side of the pressure sleeve in the first position.

A device such as a spring device (that is, a spring) may be provided between the syringe holder and the at least one support arm for orienting the syringe holder with respect to the at least one support arm. The spring is adapted to bias the syringe holder to a position substantially perpendicular to the at least one support arm. The spring can be a leaf spring, a coil spring, a torsion spring, and so on. The spring may be provided in a cavity formed in the barrel holder near the distal end of the at least one support arm.

The at least one supporting arm may be pivotally connected to a panel connected to the housing or connected to the housing. The pressure sleeve can be detachably connected to the panel. The pressure jacket assembly may further include a coupling member adapted to detachably connect the pressure jacket to the panel. The pressure sleeve can be detachably connected with the coupling piece through a threaded connection mechanism. The connector can be detachably connected to the panel through a bayonet socket connection mechanism. The pressure sleeve can be detachably connected with the panel and can move axially relative to the panel.

The at least one support arm may also include a pair of support arms, each of the support arms having a proximal end pivotally connected to the housing and a distal end protruding outward from the housing. The cross section of the proximal end of the support arm and the cross section of the distal end are made to generate an upward moment around the mechanism pivotally connected to the housing to keep the support arm in the first position. The barrel holder may be pivotally connected to the distal ends of the support arm and interconnect these distal ends. A pair of springs (ie, elastic devices) or similar devices can respectively act between each support arm and the syringe holder to orient the syringe holder relative to the support arm. A spring or similar device may be adapted to bias the syringe holder to a position substantially perpendicular to the support arm. The spring may be provided in a corresponding cavity formed in the barrel holder near the distal end of the support arm.

A needle barrel receiving opening is formed at a distal end of the pressure sleeve for receiving the needle barrel. The distal end of the pressure sleeve may form an inclined surface portion, and the inclined surface portion forms an acute angle with respect to the central axis of the pressure sleeve. When the at least one supporting arm is in the first position, the syringe holder can pivot between a syringe holding position and a pivot position. In the syringe holding position, the syringe holder of the syringe holder The facing side basically cooperates with the injection section and can prevent the syringe from being detached from the pressure sleeve, and in the pivot position, the syringe holder leaves the injection section and pivots toward the inclined surface portion to make the at least one The root support arm can pivot to the second position. The inclined surface portion may form an acute angle of approximately 60° or less with respect to the central axis of the pressure sleeve.

The support arm may include at least one light source positioned to illuminate the syringe received in the pressure sleeve and extend laterally along the longitudinal side of the pressure sleeve in the first position. The syringe holder may include at least one light source to illuminate the syringe received in the pressure sleeve. As mentioned earlier, the pressure sleeve is preferably made of substantially transparent plastic, such as acrylic, polyethylene, and polycarbonate. The pressure jacket may also include a light diffusing device for diffusing light from a light source outside the pressure jacket.

In addition, after reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, other details and advantages of the present invention will become clear. In the accompanying drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different embodiments are denoted by primed numerals.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fluid injection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a syringe and a pressure sleeve assembly associated with the fluid injection device shown in Figure 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the fluid injection device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pressure sleeve assembly of the fluid injection device shown in Fig. 1 Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figure 5 seen from the other end; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figures 5 and 6, the syringe support structure of the pressure jacket assembly shown in the figure is in support The syringe barrel engagement position of the syringe; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the pressure sleeve assembly shown in Figures 5 and 6, and the syringe support structure of the pressure jacket assembly shown in the figure is in the syringe disengagement position; Figure 9 is the syringe support structure A cross-sectional view of a part of the support arm, the support arm shown in the figure is in the first position; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the support arm shown in FIG. 9 shown in an intermediate position; FIG. 11 is a second position that shows the pivot Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the support arm; Figure 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the fluid injection device and pressure jacket assembly of the present invention, the syringe support structure of the pressure jacket assembly shown in the figure is in support of the syringe barrel Engagement position; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the pressure sleeve assembly shown in Figure 12, the syringe support structure shown in the figure is in the syringe disengagement position; Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of the pressure sleeve assembly shown in Figures 12 and 13; Figure 15 is a side view of the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figure 12;

Figure 16 is a side view of the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figure 12, the syringe holder of the syringe support structure shown in the figure is in a pivot position; Figure 17 is a side view of the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figure 12, Figure The syringe support structure shown in Figure 18 is from the syringe disengagement position; Figure 18 is a top sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the pressure sleeve assembly shown in Figure 12; Figure 19 is along the line 19- in Figure 18 19 is a cross-sectional view; Figure 20 is a perspective view of the spring device used in the syringe support structure of the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figure 12; Figure 21 is a syringe associated with the fluid injection device and the pressure jacket assembly shown in Figures 1 and 12 Figure 22 is a perspective view of the syringe shown in Figure 21 seen from the other side; Figure 23 is a perspective view of a pressure sleeve associated with the pressure sleeve assembly of the present invention; Figure 24 is along the line in Figure 23 Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 25-25 in Fig. 23; Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 26-26 in Fig. 23; Fig. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 26-26 in Fig. 23; A plan view cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the syringe; Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 28-28 in Figure 21; Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 29-29 in Figure 21; Figure 30 is the present invention A cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the fluid injection device and the pressure jacket assembly, in this embodiment, the pressure jacket assembly and the pressure jacket are directly coordinated with the panel of the fluid injection device; and FIG. 31 is the pressure jacket assembly and the panel shown in FIG. 30 A cross-sectional view showing the position of the pressure sleeve during the operation of the fluid injection device.

detailed description

Figure 1 shows a fluid injection device 10 according to the present invention. The fluid injection device 10 includes an injection head 12 that can be supported on a support structure (not shown). The injection head 12 includes a syringe housing 14 with a front end 16. A panel 18 is attached to the front end 16 of the syringe housing 14 and closes the front end 16 of the syringe housing 14. The panel 18 can be fixed on the front end 16 of the syringe housing 14 by conventional means (ie, mechanical fasteners, etc.), or can be formed integrally with the syringe housing 14.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the syringe housing 14 has a central opening 20 that is aligned with a central channel 21 formed by the panel 18, and the syringe driving piston 22 of the injection head 12 can extend and contract through the opening. . The details of the injection head 12, and more specifically the syringe drive piston 22, are described in US Patent No. 5,383,858, and the content of the patent is incorporated herein for reference in advance. As described further below, the injection head 12 is generally used to actuate a fluid injection operation, such as a syringe 24 used in angiography.

A pressure jacket assembly 30 is associated with the injection head 12. The pressure sleeve assembly 30 supports the syringe 24 and installs the syringe 24 on the injection head 12. Generally, the pressure jacket assembly 30 projects outwardly from the front end 16 of the syringe housing 14 and is used to support the syringe 24 during fluid injection operations. The pressure sleeve assembly 30 generally includes the aforementioned panel 18, a cylindrical pressure sleeve 32, a coupling member 34 for connecting the pressure sleeve 32 to the panel 18, and a syringe support structure 36 for supporting the syringe 24.

The pressure sleeve 32 is generally a cylindrical structure, and the structure has a front end (or distal end) 42 and a rear end (or proximal end) 44. The distal end 42 of the pressure sleeve 32 forms a syringe receiving port or hole 45 to receive the syringe 24 in the pressure sleeve 32. The proximal end 44 of the pressure sleeve 32 faces the panel 18 and is configured to be fixedly engaged with the coupling 34. For this purpose, the proximal end 44 may be provided with an externally threaded portion 46. The inner diameter of the pressure sleeve 32 is made to receive the outer diameter of the syringe 24 smoothly and snugly. A typical gap between the outer diameter of the barrel 24 and the inner diameter of the pressure sleeve 32 may be about 0.005 inches. The pressure sleeve 32 is preferably made of a material that can limit the outward expansion of the syringe 24 during the injection operation. As previously mentioned, the syringe 24 itself is generally unable to withstand the high pressure associated with certain injection procedures (such as angiography). As is well known in the prior art, the pressure sleeve 32 is used to limit the radial expansion of the syringe 24, and such radial expansion would otherwise cause rupture or leakage as described above.

The syringe 24 can be made of relatively inexpensive medical grade plastic, and can be disposable (that is, only used once). Alternatively, the syringe 24 may be a syringe used by multiple patients. Typical plastics used for the syringe 24 include polypropylene, polyethylene, and polycarbonate. The pressure jacket 32 is preferably reusable and made of materials that can withstand pressures up to about 1200 psi and higher. For example, the pressure jacket 32 may be made of metal such as steel or aluminum. However, as explained further below, it is advantageous for the syringe 24 to be visible through the pressure sleeve 32 so that the operator of the fluid injection device 10 can observe the syringe 24 during the injection operation. Therefore, the pressure sleeve 32 is preferably made of a substantially transparent plastic such as polycarbonate to allow the syringe 24 to be viewed during the injection operation.

The coupling 34 is cylindrical, similar to the pressure sleeve 32. The coupling member 34 has a front end (or distal end) 48 for connecting the pressure sleeve 32 and a rear end (or proximal end) 50 for connecting to the panel 18. The distal end 48 includes internal threads forming an internally threaded portion 52. The threaded portion 46 at the proximal end 44 of the pressure sleeve 32 cooperates with the internal threaded portion 52 of the coupling 34 to fix the pressure sleeve 32 to the coupling 34. The threaded connection between the pressure sleeve 32 and the coupling member 34 is currently a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and an equivalent connection method can also be used to replace the above-mentioned threaded connection. Suitable equivalent connection methods include, but are not limited to: permanent bonding, interference press fit, traditional mechanical fasteners, and so on. The coupling member 34 can be made of any of the materials described above with respect to the pressure jacket 32. In an alternative embodiment, the coupling 34 may be omitted and the pressure sleeve 32 is directly connected to the panel 18, one such example is shown in Figures 30 and 31 described below.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the coupling 34 is detachably connected to the panel 18 attached to the front end 16 of the syringe housing 14. The currently preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a bayonet socket connection between the coupling 34 and the panel 18. Specifically, for this purpose, the proximal end 50 of the coupling 34 includes a pair of oppositely facing bayonet projections 54, 56. The bayonet projections 54 and 56 are arranged to cooperate with a flange 58 projecting outward from the panel 18. The flange 58 forms a pair of opposite recesses 60 and 62 for receiving the bayonet projections 54 and 56 in the flange 58. The flange 58 also includes a pair of bayonet receiving grooves 64,66. The bayonet projections 54 and 56 can be inserted into the flange 58 through the recesses 60 and 62 and can be rotated to engage the bayonet receiving grooves 64 and 66 to fix the coupling to the panel 18. The bayonet receiving grooves 64 and 66 may be formed such that after the coupling member 34 is inserted into the recessed portions 60 and 62, for example, a quarter turn of the coupling member 34 fixes the coupling member 34 to the panel 18.

The bayonet receiving grooves 64, 66 are preferably configured such that when the bayonet projections 54, 56 are received in the bayonet receiving grooves 64, 66 and the threaded portion 46 of the proximal end 44 of the pressure sleeve 32 is screwed into the thread of the coupling 34 When part 52, the bayonet projections 54, 56 are completely seated in the bayonet receiving grooves 64, 66. Therefore, the engagement of the bayonet projections 54, 56 in the bayonet receiving grooves 64, 66 facilitates screwing the proximal end 44 of the pressure sleeve 32 into the distal end 48 of the coupling 34. The threaded connection between the pressure sleeve 32 and the coupling member 34 may be conventional (that is, rotate clockwise to engage, and counterclockwise to unscrew). However, the conventional arrangement can also be reversed according to the present invention. In addition, any suitable equivalent mechanical connection can be used to replace the bayonet socket connection between the coupling 34 and the panel 18, such as threaded connection, magnets, traditional mechanical fasteners, buckles and so on.

The syringe 24 used in the fluid injection device 10 generally includes an elongated cylindrical syringe body 70 having a front end (or distal end) 72 and a rear end (or proximal end) 74. The barrel body 70 has an injection section 76 formed at the distal end 82. As will be discussed further herein, the barrel body 70 preferably includes a distended section 78 at the proximal end 74. The substantially cylindrical middle section (or body) 80 of the syringe body 70 connects the injection section 76 and the expansion section 78. The middle section (ie, the main body) 80 has a relatively uniform outer diameter. The injection section 76 is tapered to form an elongated injection neck 82 whose diameter is relatively small compared to the inner diameter of the middle section 80. The injection section 76 and the injection neck 82 generally form the discharge port of the syringe 24. The syringe support structure 36 is configured to support the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70.

The syringe support structure 36 includes at least one, preferably two support arms 90, 92, which extend outward from the syringe housing 14. Specifically, the support arms 90, 92 extend through the corresponding front openings 94, 96 formed in the panel 18 attached to the syringe housing 14. The front openings 94 and 96 in the panel 18 are oriented substantially vertically so that the support arms 90 and 92 can pivot up and down relative to the syringe housing 14. The rear ends (or proximal ends) 98 and 100 of the support arms 90 and 92 respectively extend into the syringe housing 14, and the distal ends 102 and 104 thereof respectively protrude outward from the syringe housing 14. The distal ends 102 and 104 of the support arms 90 and 92 are interconnected by a barrel holding wall (or holder) 106. The syringe holder 106 may be attached to the support arms 90, 92 by conventional mechanical fasteners (ie, bolts) or the like. The syringe holder 106 forms a central syringe receiving groove 108 that is oriented substantially vertically and configured to receive and support the injection neck 82 of the injection section 76. The syringe holder 106 also forms one or more openings 110 that are spaced radially outward from the syringe receiving groove 108. The syringe receiving groove 108 and the opening 110 allow the operator of the fluid injection device 10 to observe the syringe 24 during an injection operation. More importantly, the barrel receiving groove 108 and the opening 110 allow the operator to observe the injection section 76 during the injection operation.

1-11, the proximal ends 98, 100 of the support arms 90, 92 extend into the syringe housing 14 as described above. The support arms 90, 92 are generally configured to be movable between a first position (Figure 7) and a second rotational position (Figure 8). In the first position, the syringe holder 106 receives the injection neck 82 and interacts with it. The injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 cooperates to prevent the syringe 24 from being detached from the pressure sleeve 32; in the second position, the injection neck 82 and the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 receive the groove 108 and the holder from the syringe 106 is sufficiently disengaged so that the syringe 24 can be detached from the pressure sleeve 32. Specifically, in the second position, the injection neck 82 is sufficiently disengaged from the syringe receiving groove 108 and the injection section 76 is sufficiently separated from the syringe holder 106 so that the syringe 24 can be easily loaded from the front end. Remove the sleeve 32. Preferably, in the second position, the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are spaced a distance below the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24.

When the support arm is in the first position, the syringe support structure 36 is in the syringe engagement position. When the support arms 90 and 92 move to the second position, the syringe support structure 36 is generally in the syringe disengagement (or disengagement) position (or configuration).

The support arms 90, 92 generally perform a two-dimensional (ie X and Y) movement between their first and second positions. Specifically, the support arms 90, 92 are configured to move from the panel 18 substantially distally or straight forward, and then rotate substantially downward from the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24 to move from the first (ie, The needle cylinder engages) position moves to the second (that is, the needle cylinder disengages) position. Similarly, the support arms 90, 92 are configured to rotate upward toward the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24, and then move the panel 18 proximally, so that the injection neck 82 is received in the syringe receiving groove 108 again and retains the member. 106 cooperates with the injection section 76 to fix the syringe 24, so that the support arms 90, 92 return to the first position.

The shaft assembly 112 is interconnected with the proximal ends 98, 100 of the support arms 90, 92 to facilitate the two-dimensional movement of the support arms 90, 92 as described above. The shaft assembly 112 is located in the syringe housing 14 and is connected to the inward-facing side 114 of the panel 18. The shaft assembly 112 generally includes a shaft connecting rod 116, a pair of circular members 118 and 120, a pair of support frames 122 and 124 and an actuating handle 126.

The shaft assembly 116 includes a U-shaped base member 128 having two outwardly extending shafts 130 and 132, and each of the supporting arms 90 and 92 is provided with a shaft. The base member 128 forms an opening (or recessed portion) 134 through which the syringe drive piston 22 of the injection head 12 extends and retracts to actuate the syringe plunger located in the syringe 24, As will be discussed further in this article. The shafts 130 and 132 each include a polygonal portion 136 for engaging the circular members 118 and 120.

The proximal ends 98, 100 of the support arms 90, 92 form corresponding circular holes 138, 140, which are configured to receive the circular members 118, 120, respectively. The circular members 118 and 120 are arranged to be rotatable in the circular holes 138 and 140. The circular members 118 and 120 respectively form polygonal holes 142 and 144 to receive the polygonal portions 136 of the shafts 130 and 132. At least one of the shafts 130, 132 (the shaft 130 in this case) is configured to support the actuation handle 126. For this purpose, the shaft 130 projects outwardly from the syringe housing 14. The actuation handle 126 is disposed on the end of the shaft 130 and is preferably fixed to the shaft 130 so that the rotation applied on the actuation handle 126 can be transmitted to the shafts 130, 132. Sleeves 146 and 148 can be arranged on the shafts 130 and 132 to facilitate the rotation of the shafts 130 and 132 relative to the supporting frames 122 and 124.

In the assembled shaft assembly 112, the proximal ends 98, 100 of the support arms 90, 92 are received in the recesses 150, 152 formed by the support frames 122, 124. The support frames 122 and 124 are generally U-shaped in horizontal section, and each has two side walls 154 and 156 interconnected by one end wall 158. The side walls 154 and 156 of each support frame 122 and 124 form aligned holes 160 and 162. The side walls 154 and 156 and the end walls 158 of the support frames 122 and 124 form corresponding recesses 150 and 152. The shafts 130, 132 extend through aligned holes 160, 162 in the support frames 122, 124 to interconnect the proximal ends 98, 100 of the support arms 90, 92.

The U-shaped base member 128 of the shaft connecting rod 116 is located between the support frames 122 and 124, and the opening 134 formed by the base member 128 is aligned with the central channel 21 of the panel 18, so that the syringe driving piston 22 can be removed from the syringe housing 14 extends and retracts into the housing. The support brackets 122 and 124 are fixed on the inward-facing side surface 114 of the panel 18 to support the shaft assembly 112. The support brackets 122 and 124 can be fixed to the inward-facing side 114 of the panel 18 by conventional mechanical fasteners 164 (that is, bolts) or the like. The opening 134 formed by the base member 128 enables the syringe driving piston 22 to expand and contract regardless of the position of the syringe support structure 36 (that is, the syringe engagement or disengagement position). The base member 128 is generally square or rectangular, and the opening 134 is formed by two substantially semicircular channels formed in the rectangular base member 128.

The circular members 118, 120 facilitate the two-dimensional movement of the support arms 90, 92 as described above. As mentioned earlier, the support arms 90, 92 move distally away from the panel 18 first, and then move down to a second position hanging under the pressure sleeve 32 and the barrel 24, and can usually be moved from the first (ie, needle The cylinder engagement) position moves to the second (ie, the syringe disengagement) position. The circular pieces 118 and 120 enable the support arms 90 and 92 to move axially or distally to the cam. The circular pieces 118 and 120 also allow the support arms 90 and 92 to rotate or pivot to a second position suspended below the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24, which enables the syringe 24 to be detached from the pressure sleeve 32. The distal or axial movement of the support arms 90, 92 is important, because this movement causes the syringe holder 106 to disengage from the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70, and can be mounted on the support arms 90, 92 When rotating to a second position hanging under the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24, the distal end 42 of the pressure sleeve 32 is avoided.

As previously mentioned, when the handle 126 is actuated, the circular members 118, 120 rotate on their respective shafts 130, 132. The holes 142, 144 through which the respective shafts 130, 132 pass are offset from the center of the circular pieces 118, 120. Therefore, the center of the circular members 118, 120 is a distance away from the rotation axis of the circular members 118, 120 (that is, the shafts 130, 132). This distance is the "throw" of the circular members 118 and 120 that are "camming", and the support arms 90 and 92 are moved away from the distal end or in a straight line under the cam action of the circular members 118 and 120. The axial distance of the panel 18. As mentioned earlier, this axial distance enables the syringe holder 106 to be disengaged from the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 and to avoid the distal end 42 of the pressure sleeve 32 when the support arms 90, 92 are pivoted to the second position. .

Please refer to FIGS. 9-11 for details, which show one of the circular members 118, 120 (that is, the circular member 120) and one of the support arms 90, 92 (that is, the support arm 92). FIG. 9 shows that the circular member 120 is in the "closed" position, which generally corresponds to the state in which the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are in the first (or syringe engagement) position. Figure 10 shows that the circular member 120 is in an "open" position, which generally corresponds to the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 in the middle position moving from the panel 18 to the distal end, or in the second position (ie Syringe unloaded position) state. Figure 11 shows the orientation of the support arm 92 after it has moved completely to the second position. The movement of the support arm 90 is the same as the movement of the support arm 92.

As described above, in the closed position of the circular members 118, 120, the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are in the first (ie, syringe engagement) position, in which the syringe holder 106 engages the needle The injection section 76 of the barrel body 70. In order to move the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 to the second (that is, the syringe detached) position, for example, the handle 126 can be turned clockwise. This clockwise rotation causes the circular members 118, 120 to rotate relative to their corresponding shafts 130, 132. The support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are moved distally or straight forward to the intermediate position by the cam action of the circular members 118, 120. The intermediate positions of the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 generally correspond to the fully rotated "open" positions of the circular members 118, 120 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Once the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are in the intermediate position, they can be fully rotated or pivoted to the second position. The support members 90, 92 can be moved to the second position by simply applying outward pressure on the support arms 90, 92. The support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 rotate around the circular members 118, 120 to move to a second position hanging under the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24, preferably downward enough to allow easy access from The pressure sleeve 32 loaded at the front end unloads the syringe 24. Therefore, the actuating handle 126 is mainly used to "open" the circular members 118, 120 that act as cams and to move the support arms 90, 92 and the holder to an intermediate position. After that, the operator provides motive power to move the syringe support structure 36 out of the path taken by the syringe unloading operation.

The rotation of the circular members 118, 120 in the circular holes 138, 140 is preferably restricted. To this end, the circular members 118, 120 form corresponding grooves 166, 168, which extend through the circular members 118, 120. The grooves 166, 168 are generally arc-shaped, and preferably form a circular arc. The side walls 154 and 156 of the corresponding support frames 122 and 124 each form a pin receiving hole 170. A pair of pins 172, 174 extend through the pin receiving holes 170 in the respective brackets 122, 124 and the slots 166, 168 in the respective circular pieces 118, 120. The pins 172, 174 cooperating with the pin receiving hole 170 and the grooves 166, 168 limit the rotation of the circular members 118, 120 in the circular holes 128, 140 to approximately a quarter of the circle in the circular holes 138, 140 (i.e., Quarter turn). The grooves 166, 168 prevent the circular members 118, 120 from rotating excessively by setting hard stops, which restrict the rotation of the circular members 118, 120. Preferably, the hard stop corresponds to the open and closed positions of the circular members 118,120. Therefore, a hard stop generally corresponds to a state in which the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are in the first (or called syringe engagement) position and the circular members 118, 120 are in the closed position. The second hard stop is located at the end of the axial movement of the support arms 90 and 92 (that is, the middle position). The grooves 166, 168 generally work like guide rails, which guide and limit the rotation of the "cam-acting" circular members 118, 120.

The proximal ends 98, 100 of the support arms 90, 92 preferably form corresponding guide rails 176, 178, and these guide rails leave to the distal end or straight away when the support arms 90, 92 are under the influence of the circular members 118, 120. The panels 18 guide their movement as they move. The guide rails 176, 178 form the precise path that the support arms 90, 92 follow when the support arms 90, 92 move from the first (or cylinder engagement) position to the intermediate position. The guide rails 176, 178 also form and limit the movement of the support arms 90, 92 when the support arms 90, 92 are fully pivoted to the second (or cylinder disengaged) position. A pair of cross pins 180 and 182 cooperate with the guide rails 176 and 178, respectively. The cross pins 180, 182 pass through the panel 18 to extend in cooperation with the guide rails 176, 178, respectively. The cross pins 180 and 182 are preferably fixed to the panel 18.

The path formed by the guide rails 176, 178 generally allows the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 to move distally or linearly away from the panel 18, and slightly vertically downward from the first position (Figure 9) to the middle. Location (Figure 10). In order to move the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 completely to the second position, the operator of the fluid injection device 10 applies an outward force on the support arms 90, 92. The cross pins 180, 182 and the guide rails 176, 178 serve as a guide and stop mechanism to prevent the support arms 90, 92 from hitting the panel 18 downward in the vertical front openings 94, 96. As shown in Figure 11, the cross pins 180, 182 are placed in the upper ends of the guide rails 176, 178 during the downward movement of the support members 90, 92, which limits the downward movement of the support arms 90, 92 to a specific distance in.

Preferably, the supporting arms 90 and 92 also form engaging holes (or recessed portions) 184 and 186 respectively, which are generally located under the guide rails 176 and 178 and offset from the guide rails 176 and 178. The engaging holes 184 and 186 cooperate with a pair of ball clips 188 and 190 attached to the panel 18. The ball clips 188 and 190 are generally located under the cross pins 180 and 182 and fixed to the panel 18. When the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 move to the intermediate position, the ball clips 188, 190 are matched with the engaging holes (or recessed portions) 184, 186. The mating connection between the ball clips 188, 190 and the engaging holes 184, 186 can move the support arms 90, 92 before the support arms 90, 92 are completely moved to the second position by applying a downward force to the support arms 90, 92 92 remains in the middle position. The ball clips 188, 190 also provide a tactile, preferably sound indication, indicating that the support arms 90, 92 are correctly set in the middle position and the circular members 118, 120 are set in the open position.

The mating connection between the ball clips 188, 190 and the engaging holes 184, 186 enables the fluid injection device 10 to be operated with one hand. For example, in the operation of loading the syringe, once the syringe 24 is loaded in the pressure sleeve 32, the support arms 90, 92 can be rotated upward with one hand until the ball clips 188, 190 match the engagement holes 184, 186. , This can support the support arms 90, 92 by the actuation handle 126 until the circular members 118, 120 are turned to the closed position by the actuation handle 126, and the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are moved distally Return to the first (or barrel joint) position.

The circular members 118, 120 form corresponding ball clip receiving holes 192, 194, and a second ball clip 196 is located in the receiving hole. When the circular members 118, 120 are in the closed position (FIG. 9), the ball clip 196 cooperates with the ball clip holes (or recesses) 198 formed in the side walls 154, 156 of the support frames 122, 124. The mating connection between the ball clip 196 and the engaging hole 198 provides a tactile, preferably sound indication, indicating that the circular members 118, 120 are in the closed position, and further indicates that the supporting arms 90, 92 and the retaining member are arranged on the first One (or barrel joint) position. These tactile and sound prompts enable the operator of the fluid injection device 10 to recognize when the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 are in the correct positions to start the fluid injection operation.

Please refer to Figures 12-20, which show a second embodiment of the fluid injection device 10' and the pressure jacket assembly 30' of the present invention. In FIGS. 12-20, the injection head 12' and the syringe housing 14' are omitted to simplify the description of the fluid injection device 10', but these parts are still considered to be part of the fluid injection device 10'. The coupling 34' and the panel 18' of the pressure jacket assembly 30' cooperate in the same manner as the coupling 34 and the panel 18 described above. The panel 18' is basically the same as the aforementioned panel 18, except that the support arms 90', 92' are directly pivotally connected to the panel 18' in this embodiment, instead of being interconnected in the syringe housing 14' and supported on the panel 18' On the inward-facing side 114'. To this end, the circular holes 138', 140' in the proximal ends 98', 100' of the support arms 90', 92' are made smaller and aligned with the side holes 200, 202 formed in the side surface of the panel 18', respectively. The proximal ends 98', 100' of the support arms 90', 92' are pivotally connected to the panel 18' by a pivotal connecting device 203 (that is, a mechanical fastener such as a bolt). The pivotal connection device 203 between the proximal ends 98', 100' of the support arms 90', 92' and the panel 18' enables the support arms 90', 92' to move between the aforementioned first and second positions. However, the movement of the support arms 90', 92' in the fluid injection device 10' between the first and second positions is basically pivoting or rotation in this embodiment, rather than the aforementioned translation and rotation.

The pressure jacket 32 and the coupling 34 cooperate in the same manner as described above with respect to the first fluid injection device 10. However, the pressure jacket 32' is slightly modified from the aforementioned pressure jacket 32. The distal end 42' of the pressure sleeve 32' forms a beveled portion 204 in this embodiment. The beveled portion 204 generally includes approximately half of the circumference of the distal end 42' of the pressure sleeve 32'. As shown in the figure, for example, in FIG. 15, the inclined surface portion 204 forms an acute angle θ with respect to the central axis L of the pressure sleeve 32'. The inclined surface portion 204 preferably forms an acute angle between about 5° and 60° with the axis L of the pressure sleeve 32'. Generally speaking, the inclined surface portion 204 enables the syringe holder 106' to pivot or rotate between a syringe holding position and a pivoting position. In the syringe holding position, the syringe holder 106' can prevent the needle from being removed. The pressure sleeve 32' of the barrel 24 is disengaged; in the pivoted position, the upper part of the syringe holder 106' is spaced apart from the injection section 76 of the syringe 24, which enables the support arms 90', 92' and the syringe holder 106' to Rotate down to the second position (or called the syringe unloaded) position, as described above. When the support arms 90', 92' and the syringe holder 106' are rotated downward from the pressure sleeve 32', the inclined surface portion 204 can generally provide the syringe holder 106' to escape from the injection section 76 of the syringe 24 and avoid it. The required axial distance of the distal end 42' of the pressure sleeve 32'.

The threaded connection between the external threaded portion 46' at the proximal end 44' of the pressure sleeve 32' and the internal threaded portion 52' of the coupling 34' is preferably configured as follows: when the proximal end 44' is completely screwed into the internal threaded portion At 52', the inclined surface portion 204 forms the lower part of the pressure jacket 32' (that is, when the pressure jacket 32' is installed on the panel 18', it is located below a horizontal plane that bisects the cylindrical pressure jacket 32'). The pressure sleeve 32' is configured to receive the syringe 24 in the same manner as the pressure sleeve 32 previously described.

The difference between the syringe holder 106' and the aforementioned syringe holder 106 is that the syringe holder 106' is pivotally connected to the support arm 90' by a pivot connection device 205 (ie, mechanical fasteners, etc.) , 92' distal ends 102', 104'. The pivot connection device 205 enables the upper part of the syringe holder 106 to pivot away from the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 and the lower part thereof to pivot toward the inclined surface portion 204. As mentioned above, this pivoting movement generally enables the syringe holder 106' to be disengaged from the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 (ie, the syringe holding position). The beveled portion 204 correspondingly provides the necessary clearance for the syringe holder 106' for the distal end 42' of the pressure sleeve 32' to move from the first position to the support arm 90', 92' and the syringe holder 106' Pass at the second position or vice versa.

As shown, for example in FIGS. 13 and 19, a barrel facing side 206 of the barrel holder 106' is generally formed to cooperate with the conical shape of the injection section 76 of the barrel body 70. The barrel facing side 206 of the barrel holder 106' forms corresponding cavities 207, 208 near the distal ends 102', 104' of the support arms 90', 92'. The cavities 207 and 208 accommodate corresponding springs 209 (ie, spring devices) such as leaf springs. The spring 209 is positioned to act between the distal ends 102', 104' of the support arms 90', 92' and the barrel holder 106'. Specifically, the spring 209 is adapted to bias the syringe holder 106' to a position oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support arms 90', 92'. For example, when the syringe holder 106' pivots toward the inclined surface portion 204 (that is, the pivot position), the spring 209 provides a reaction force that acts to bias the syringe holder 106' back against the support arm 90' and 92' are basically 90° positions. The spring 209 may be replaced by any equivalent spring device such as a compression coil spring.

In short, the spring-biased syringe holder 106' moves between a first position (or known as the syringe holding) position and a second position (or known as the pivoting) position. In the first position, the syringe The holder 106' cooperates with the injection section 76 and can prevent the syringe 24 from being detached from the pressure sleeve 32'; in the second position, the syringe of the syringe holder 106' faces the side 206 of the injection from the syringe 24 The section 76 is disengaged, so that the syringe holder 106' and the support arms 90', 92' can be moved to the second (or syringe unloading) position, so that the syringe 24 can be detached from the pressure sleeve 32' .

The support arms 90', 92' are preferably formed to have a moment that holds the support arms 90', 92' and the syringe holder 106' in the first position (or the syringe engagement) position. In the first position, the support arms 90', 92' are oriented substantially parallel to the barrel 24. As shown, for example in FIG. 15, the cross-section of the support arm 90' at its distal end 102' is reduced, and its cross-section is increased at the proximal end 98'. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of the portion 210 of the support arm 90' close to the distal end 102' is reduced, and the mass is also reduced, while the cross-section of the portion 211 of the support arm 90' close to the distal end 102' of the Also increase. The difference in mass between the distal end 102' and the proximal end 98' of the support arm 90' generates a moment of pivoting the connecting device 203 relative to the panel 18'. The other support arm 92' also has a similarly reduced cross-sectional portion 210 at its distal end 104'. The moment generated by the support arms 90', 92' keeps the support arms 90', 92' oriented substantially parallel to the pressure sleeve 32' and the syringe 24, thereby holding the syringe holder 106' in substantially engagement with the syringe 24 The needle barrel remains in place.

Other features of the syringe 24 associated with the fluid injection device 10, 10' will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 2-4, 21, and 22. As mentioned above, the syringe 24 can be a single-use or multiple-use syringe. The injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 generally tapers inward toward the central axis L of the syringe body 70. The injection section 76 includes a conical portion 212 that tapers from a cylindrical middle section (or body) 80 to the injection neck 82. The conical portion 212 forms an alignment flange (or tab member) 214. In a preferred embodiment, a hollow space or area is formed in the alignment flange (or called a tab member) 214. An alignment flange (or called a tab member) 214 is provided as a device for observing the fluid in the syringe 24. In addition, the alignment flange (or tab member) 214 is used as a visual indicator to correctly align the syringe 24 in the pressure sleeve 32, 32'. In addition, the alignment flange (or tab member) 214 also provides a convenient handle for manipulating the syringe 24 and inserting it into the pressure sleeve 32, 32'. Secondly, the hollow space formed by the alignment flange 214 can function as a bubble trap. Preferably, the alignment flange (or tab member) 214 extends substantially between the middle section 80 of the barrel body 70 and the injection neck 82. A fluid dot, such as a fluid dot 215 that can be brightened in the dark, may be formed in the cone portion 212 as an optical auxiliary device.

The syringe plunger 216 is configured to connect to the syringe drive piston 22. As mentioned above, the syringe drive piston 22 may extend through the central channel 21 in the panel 18 to apply power to the syringe plunger provided in the syringe 24. Therefore, the syringe drive piston 22 is preferably mechanized. The syringe drive piston 22 includes a rectangular syringe end plate 218 that is adapted to grasp the syringe plunger 216 and apply power to it. The end plate 218 includes an integral axially positioned light source 219 for illuminating the fluid contained in the syringe 24. The syringe plunger 216 has a generally conical shape to cooperate with the conical portion 212 of the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70. The syringe plunger 216 includes a base member 220 that is substantially closed by a cover 222 that forms the conical shape of the syringe plunger 216 and is made of rubber, for example. The syringe plunger 216 includes a connecting end 224 facing the proximal end 74 of the syringe body 70. The syringe plunger 216 may be transparent to allow light emitted from the illuminated syringe end plate 218 to pass through. In a preferred embodiment, a pair of flexible protrusions (or couplings) 226 protrude outward from the connecting end 224 to engage the syringe drive piston 22, or more specifically, to engage and attach to the syringe drive piston. The end plate 218 of 22 is as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,873,861 and 5,947,935, the contents of these two patents are incorporated herein by reference. The coupling member 226 is flexible and may be integrally formed with the base member 220. In alternative embodiments, the coupling may be substantially fixed or rigid, as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,677,980, the content of which has been incorporated herein by reference. The coupling members 226 each have an engagement arm 228. A groove 230 is formed between the coupling pieces 226. The groove 230 is configured to receive the syringe end plate 218 attached to the syringe drive piston 22. The aligning flange or tab member 214 provides the last resort to prevent air pollution when the distal end (ie, the cover 222) extends into the cone portion 212 and "bottom out" therefrom. During the operation of the injection head 12, any unnoticed bubbles will accumulate in the hollow area formed by the alignment flange (or tab member) 214.

In order to facilitate the alignment of the groove 230 with the rectangular syringe end plate 218 of the syringe drive piston 22, the groove 230 is preferably aligned with the alignment flange (or tab member) 214, so that the alignment flange (or known as The tab piece) 214 provides a visual indication of the orientation of the slot 230. Therefore, the operator of the fluid injection device 10, 10' can see the position of the counter groove 230 when inserting the syringe 24 into the pressure sleeve 32, 32' and trying to place the syringe plunger 216 in alignment with the syringe drive piston 22 Visual instructions. When the syringe 24 is inserted into the pressure sleeve 32, 32', the alignment flange 214 automatically orients the coupling 226 in the desired installation position aligned with the rectangular syringe end plate 218. The aligning flange 214 preferably protrudes sufficiently outward from the conical portion 212 so as to be grasped by the operator of the fluid injection device 10, 10' and used as a handle for manipulating the syringe 24, especially when holding the syringe 24 In the process of installing the pressure jackets 32, 32'. The alignment flange 214 and the syringe plunger 216 are preferably oriented such that the alignment flange 214 is oriented substantially vertically when the syringe 24 is loaded into the pressure sleeve 32, 32'. Therefore, in this "loading position, the slot 230 is also oriented vertically to engage the syringe end plate 218. In addition, in the preferred loading position of the syringe 24, the bird's-eye structural feature of the alignment flange 214 is maximized.

In order to install the syringe 24 into the pressure jacket assembly 30 as shown in FIGS. 1-11, the following steps are generally performed. The support arms 90 and 92 of the syringe holder 106 are located at the second position (or called the syringe unloading) position suspended downward from the pressure sleeve 32. Because the distal end 42 of the pressure sleeve 32 is exposed to allow the syringe 24 to be inserted into the syringe receiving hole 45. The front end of the syringe 24 is loaded into the syringe receiving hole 45, and the alignment flange 214 is substantially aligned with the vertical direction. This aligns the coupling 226 of the syringe plunger 216 in the desired installation position in which the slot 230 is vertically aligned with the rectangular syringe end plate 218 attached to the syringe drive piston 22. Once the syringe 24 is properly seated in the pressure sleeve 32, the operator rotates the support arms 90, 92 (and the syringe holder 106) upward to the intermediate position. Then, the operator turns the actuation handle 126 counterclockwise, for example, to move the support arms 90, 92 proximally toward the panel 18, and move them back to the first position where the syringe is engaged, in which the syringe holder 106 engages the conical portion 212 of the barrel 24. The injection neck 82 of the syringe body 70 is received in the syringe receiving groove 108 formed by the positioning member 106. The alignment flange 214 is preferably aligned with the syringe receiving groove 108 that aligns with the coupling 226 to engage the syringe end plate 218. The syringe 24 can then be placed in fluid communication with the fluid to be injected into the patient. Once the syringe 24 is filled with the desired fluid, the operator can see the fluid in the injection section 76 of the syringe body 70 through the opening 110 in the positioning member 106 and the syringe receiving groove 108 to ensure that there is no fluid in the syringe 24 air.

Once the fluid injection device 10 is placed in fluid communication with the patient's body, the operator can actuate the syringe drive piston 22. When the syringe drive piston 22 moves forward through the central channel 21 in the panel 18, the syringe end plate 218 contacts the engagement arm 228 of the coupling 226. When the syringe driving piston 22 continues to move forward, the syringe end plate 218 pushes the flexible coupling apart until the syringe end plate 218 is seated in the vertical groove 230 between the coupling members 226. The syringe drive piston 22 can then apply power to the syringe plunger 216 to inject fluid into the patient. The engagement arm 228 ensures the engagement between the syringe drive piston 22 and the syringe plunger 216 during the injection operation, and enables the plunger 216 to retract (that is, if necessary, move the needle proximally at the end of the injection operation). The fluid in the barrel 24 can be illuminated by a light source integrated in the syringe end plate 218.

Once the fluid injection operation is completed, the operator of the fluid injection device 10 turns the actuation handle 126 clockwise, and the actuation handle 126 moves the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 to an intermediate position. In the intermediate position, the syringe holder 106 is partially disengaged from the conical portion 212 of the syringe 24. Then, the operator applies a downward force on the support arms 90, 92 to move the support arms 90, 92 and the syringe holder 106 to a position hanging below the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe 24 (that is, the second position (Or called the syringe unloaded position). Then, once the syringe end plate 218 is disengaged from the syringe plunger 216, the syringe 24 can be removed from the pressure sleeve 32.

The fluid injection device 10' can operate in a substantially similar manner to the fluid injection device 10 described above. The difference between the operation of the fluid injection device 10' and the operation of the fluid injection device 10 is that the syringe holder 106' pivots relative to the support arms 90', 92', and the support arms 90', 92' are relative to the syringe housing 14 and The panel 18 pivots without moving axially toward or away from the syringe housing 14 and the panel 18. The general operation of the fluid injection device 10' will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 12-20.

When the support arms 90', 92' are in the first position and the syringe holder 106' is in the syringe holding position, the syringe holder 106' supports the injection neck and prevents the syringe 24 from being detached from the pressure sleeve 32'. The spring 209 holds the syringe holder 106' in a syringe holding position oriented substantially perpendicular to the support arms 90', 92'. During the injection operation, the syringe 24 will move forward distally, contact and exert a force on the syringe-facing side 206 of the syringe holder 106'. The barrel facing side 206 is generally formed to cooperate with the conical portion 212 of the barrel 24. The moment provided by the non-continuous cross-section support arms 90', 92' is generally sufficient to maintain the support arms 90', 92' and the syringe holder 106' in the first position or the syringe engagement position and prevent the syringe holder 106' The relative support arms 90 , 92 pivot around the pivot connection device 25.

When the injection operation is completed, the syringe 24 can be removed from the pressure sleeve 32'. The operator of the fluid injection device 10' grasps the syringe holder 106' and pivots the syringe holder 106' from the syringe holding position to the pivoted position to achieve this operation, as shown in FIG. 13, for example. The syringe holder 106' rotates around the pivot connection device 205, so that the upper part of the syringe holder 106' on the side 206 facing the syringe is disengaged from the injection section 76 of the barrel body 70, and the syringe is facing side 206 The lower portion is rotated or pivoted to the inclined surface portion 204 of the pressure sleeve 32'. When the syringe holder 106' is basically disengaged from the syringe 24 at this time, the operator can rotate the syringe holder 106' and the support arms 90', 92' to a position where it hangs downward from the pressure sleeve 32' (also That is the second position (or called the syringe unloaded) position). In this movement, the support arms 90', 92' pivot about the pivot connection device 203 that connects the proximal ends 98', 100' of the support arms 90', 92' to the panel 18'. The beveled portion 204 provides the necessary clearance for the barrel holder 106' to avoid the distal end 42' of the pressure sleeve 32'. The used syringe 24 can be removed and replaced with a new syringe 24 for the next injection process. The aforementioned process can be reversed to return the syringe holder 106' and the support arms 90', 92' to the correct position for another injection operation. As mentioned earlier, the supporting arms 90', 92' can be automatically oriented to the first position (or called syringe engagement) by the moments generated by the discontinuous cross-sectional portions 210', 211' of the supporting arms 90', 92' The position in which the syringe holder 106' will be placed in the correct position to cooperate with the conical portion 212 of the syringe 24. When the support arms 90', 92' return to the first position (or the syringe engagement) position, the spring 209 will automatically orient the syringe holder 106' relative to the support arms 90', 92' and the syringe 24.

Figures 5-8 show additional devices of the fluid injection device 10, 10' of the present invention. The following discussion will refer to the first embodiment 10 of the fluid injection device, but these discussions are equally applicable to the second embodiment 10' of the fluid injection device and the aforementioned pressure jacket assembly 30'. During the fluid injection operation, it is particularly advantageous that the operator of the fluid injection device 10 can see the fluid content of the syringe 24. It is particularly important that the operator can observe the fluid in the syringe 24. Therefore, the fluid injection device 10 includes an illumination device for illuminating the syringe 24 during the fluid injection operation.

As shown in FIGS. 5-8, the pressure jacket assembly 30 further includes at least one light source 240 attached to one or both of the support arms 90 and 92 and facing the pressure jacket 32. Preferably, the support arms 90 and 92 each include a plurality of light sources 240. The light sources 240 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "light sources 240") are a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The support arms 90, 92 in the first position (ie the syringe engagement position) preferably extend laterally along the lateral sides 242, 244 of the pressure sleeve 32, and are preferably substantially parallel to the side of the syringe 24 The central axis L is also basically the central axis of the pressure sleeve 32. The inventors have discovered that illuminating along the central axis L of the syringe 24, and therefore along the central axis of the pressure sleeve 32, can provide the best light diffusion in the syringe body 70. Therefore, the pressure sleeve 32 is preferably made of substantially transparent plastic, so that light can penetrate into the barrel body 70. As described above, the light source 240 may be a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). However, any equivalent light source may be used instead of light emitting diodes (LEDs), such as a small fluorescent light bar 245, which is schematically shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Another possible light source 240 is a fiber optic bed. In addition, the light source 240 may be disposed on the syringe holder 106 and face the conical portion 212 of the syringe 24. For example, the light source 240 may be attached to the barrel facing side 206' of the barrel holder 106', as shown in FIGS. 12-20.

5-8 and 23-26, in order to enter the fluid in the syringe 24, the light emitted from the light source 240 must pass through the wall 246 of the pressure jacket 32 and the body wall 248 of the syringe body 70. The difficulty with using an external light source to illuminate cylindrical structures such as the pressure sleeve 32 and the syringe body 70 is that all areas of the cylindrical structure are not illuminated equally, especially when the cylindrical structure is When the structure is filled with fluid. In order to ensure that the light is sufficiently diffused in the syringe 24, the present invention includes one or more diffusing elements connected to or combined with the pressure sleeve 32. In an alternative embodiment, the diffusing element may be provided on the inner or outer wall of the pressure jacket 32 or integrated in, for example, the inner or outer wall of the pressure jacket 32, or embedded between the inner wall and the outer wall. Several embodiments of the pressure jacket 32 are discussed below with reference to Figs. 23-26. These embodiments are marked with lowercase letters "a", "b" and "c", respectively.

Fig. 24 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a first light-diffusing pressure sleeve according to the present invention, the pressure sleeve being labeled 32a. The pressure sleeve 32a includes a lens 269 on the inner surface 262 of the pressure sleeve wall 246. The lens 260 can be attached to the inner surface 262 of the pressure jacket wall 246 by using an adhesive, or can be formed integrally with the pressure jacket wall 246. The lens 260 extends longitudinally along the inner surface 262 of the pressure sleeve wall 246 and diffuses the light entering the pressure sleeve 32a from the light source 240. Preferably, the lens 260 extends substantially over the distance between the distal end 42 and the proximal end 44 of the pressure sleeve 32a. However, in alternative embodiments, the lens 260 may be segmented, or multiple lenses may be provided along the pressure sleeve 32a. In addition, the lens 260 is preferably located on the inner surface 262 directly opposite to the light source 240. Once through the lens 260, the light diffuses and enters the syringe body 70 to completely illuminate the fluid in the syringe body 70 without the existence of "dead spots" (or shadow areas) or enhanced glare "Over the bright spots."

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 25, which is designated by the reference numeral 32b. In this embodiment, the inner surface 262 of the pressure jacket wall 246 is roughened or etched to form a roughened area or an etched area 263. Specifically, the inner surface 262 of the pressure jacket wall 246 is roughened by chemical and mechanical methods, so that a rough area 263 is formed in the originally transparent smooth surface. The degree and area of the roughness can be made as wide as necessary to scatter or diffuse the light entering the syringe body 70 from the light source 240. The rough area 263 may also be segmented, and is preferably arranged to be substantially opposite to the light source 240.

Figure 26 shows a currently preferred embodiment of the pressure jacket, which is labeled 32c. According to this embodiment, the pressure sleeve 32c includes a light diffusion strip 264 attached to the inner surface 262 of the pressure sleeve wall 246. The light diffusion strip 164 may be attached to the inner surface 262 by an adhesive, for example. The light diffusion strip 264 extends longitudinally along the inner surface 262 of the pressure jacket wall 246 and diffuses the light entering the pressure jacket 32c from the light source 240. Preferably, the light diffusing strip 264 extends substantially over the distance between the distal end 42 and the proximal end 44 of the pressure jacket 32c. However, in alternative embodiments, the light diffusing strips 264 can also be segmented, or multiple strips can be provided along the pressure jacket. In addition, the light diffusion strip 264 is preferably located on the inner surface 262 directly opposite to the light source 240.

A preferred way of attaching the light diffusion strip 264 is to place the light diffusion strip 264 in a groove 266 (or multiple grooves if multiple strips 264 are used), The groove extends longitudinally along the inner surface 262 of the pressure jacket wall 246. The groove 266 preferably has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section and is provided with inwardly facing protrusions 268 and 270 for holding the light diffusion strip 264 in the groove 266. Preferably, the light diffusion strip 264 is a white polycarbonate material. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the width of the groove 266 and the light diffusion strip 264 can be increased as needed to completely diffuse the light entering the syringe body 70.

Referring to FIG. 27, as mentioned above, the prior art syringe (such as the syringe 280) used for injection operations usually stores a pre-positioned syringe plunger 282. A problem faced by the current disposable syringes 280 is that these syringes 280 will undergo plastic creep over time, especially during the sterilization heat cycle. This will cause the plastic syringe 280 to expand in the plunger area 284 around the syringe plunger 282. Due to the expansion 286 in the plunger area 284 where the syringe plunger 282 is stored, it is often difficult to load the prior art plunger 280 in the pressure jacket loaded at the front end.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 20, 21, 28, and 29, the syringe 24 of the present invention overcomes this problem by storing the syringe plunger 216 in the expansion section 78. The expansion section 78 is preferably formed near the cylindrical middle section 80 of the syringe body 70 at the proximal end 74 of the syringe body 70. However, the expansion section 78 may be formed or provided at any position in the syringe body 70 where the syringe plunger 216 is to be stored. At the expansion section 78, the wall 248 of the barrel body 70 narrows from the thickness t to a reduced wall thickness tr. In this way, the inner diameter IDes of the expanded section 78 is larger than the inner diameter IDcs of the cylindrical middle section (or body) 80. The reduced wall thickness tr at the expansion section 78 enables the expansion section 78 to expand outward under the force exerted by the syringe plunger 216, but the outer diameter ODes of the expansion section 78 does not become larger than that of the needle. The outer diameter ODcs of the middle section 80 of the cylinder body 70 is large. As shown in Figures 20 and 21, the outer surface 290 of the wall 248 of the syringe body 70 and the inner surface 292 of the wall 248 of the syringe body 70 are beveled or stepped at the expansion section 78 to form a reduced thickness tr . Specifically, the outer surface 290 of the wall 248 of the syringe body 70 is tapered or stepped inwardly toward the central axis L of the syringe body 70, while the inner surface 292 of the wall 248 of the syringe body 70 leaves the syringe outwardly. The central axis L of the body 70 is tapered or stepped to form a reduced wall thickness tr. An alternative structure of the foregoing method is to only make the inner surface 292 of the wall 248 of the syringe body 70 beveled or stepped outwardly away from the central axis L of the syringe body 70. Another alternative is to only bevel or step the outer surface 290.

The reduced wall thickness tr at the expansion section 78 of the syringe 24 can adapt to the expansion and plastic creep of the plastic syringe body 70 even after long-term storage. Even after a long period of storage, the syringe 24 with the pre-positioned syringe plunger 216 can be quickly and easily inserted into a front-loaded pressure jacket system, such as the aforementioned pressure jacket assembly 30, 30'. As mentioned above, the syringe plunger 216 is stored in the expansion section 78. When the syringe 24 is inserted into the pressure sleeve 32, 32' and is ready for use, the syringe plunger 216 is engaged by the syringe drive piston 22 in the aforementioned manner and moves forward from the expansion section 78 to the middle of the syringe 24 The section (or main body) 80, and the middle section (or main body) 80 may be referred to as the "working section of the syringe 24.

Referring to Figures 30 and 31 (and Figures 4-6), as previously indicated, there is shown an alternative connection between the pressure sleeves 32, 32' and the panels 18, 18'. The alternative structure shown in Figures 30 and 31 allows the pressure sleeves 32, 32' to move axially (i.e., distally or proximally) relative to the panels 18, 18'. Under higher pressure, the syringe support structure 36, 36' in the corresponding embodiment of the fluid injection device 10, 10' will be slightly distal due to the stretching of the support arms 90, 92 and 90', 92' Move forward. This stretching occurs when the syringe 24 is pushed forward against the syringe holder 106, 106' in the syringe support structure 36, 36'. In addition, under higher pressure, the syringe 24 will also expand and frictionally engage the inner wall of the pressure sleeves 32, 32'. The frictional engagement between the syringe 24, and more specifically the main body 80 of the syringe 24 and the pressure sleeves 32, 32' will pull the pressure sleeves 32, 32' as the syringe 24 moves forward. If the pressure sleeves 32, 32' are not allowed to move forward by an increased amount, conventional stick-slip will be formed. In this case, the syringe 24 is temporarily prevented from advancing by friction until the friction is overcome. . After that, the syringe 24 slides forward and hits the syringe holder 106, 106'.

As noted earlier, the arrangement shown in Figures 30 and 31 attaches the pressure sleeves 32, 32' directly to the panels 18, 18'. The pressure sleeves 32, 32' may be formed with bayonet projections 54, 56 and 54', 56' on the proximal ends 44, 44', which are used to communicate with the opposite recesses 60, 62 and 60 on the panels 18, 18' 60', 62' and bayonet receiving grooves 64, 66 and 64', 66' cooperate. However, the bayonet receiving grooves 64, 66 and 64', 66' are preferably formed in this embodiment so that the proximal ends 44, 44' of the pressure sleeves 32, 32' can be positioned in the grooves 64, 66 and 64', The 66' central axis moves a short distance to avoid the aforementioned stick-slip problem. Only a small axial distance "A" is needed to alleviate the stick-slip problem. For example, the axial distance may be about 0.050 inches.

Although the description has been made with reference to the preferred embodiments of the fluid injection device and the syringe used with it, those skilled in the art can modify and change the present invention without exceeding the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the above detailed description is for illustration rather than limitation. The present invention is defined by the appended claims, and all changes falling within the meaning and equivalent scope of the claims shall be covered by the protection scope of the claims.