Particulate material delivery system and method

Abstract

In order to deliver porous particulate material into a cavity via a thin tube without substantially crushing the porous particulate material, a two-step process and an apparatus for use therein are provided. The two-step process involves inserting a first rod into the thin tube to push the porous particulate material therein; removing the first rod from the tube; and (a) inserting a second rod into the thin tube, or (b) joining a second rod with the first rod, and inserting the joined first rod and second rod, to push the porous particulate material which remains in the thin tube. In (a), the first rod has a cross sectional area significantly smaller than that of the thin tube, and the second rod has a cross sectional area which is about equal to that of the thin tube. In (b), each of the first rod and the second rod has a cross sectional area about half of the thin tube.

Claims

1. A method for delivering porous particulate material through a tube comprising a major section having a channel of a uniform cross section, said method comprising filling the porous particulate material in said tube; inserting a first rod into said channel from one end of said tube to push said porous particulate material filled in said channel, causing a portion of said porous particulate material to exit from another end of said tube, wherein said first rod has a cross sectional area which is 20-50% of that of said channel, and said method further comprising withdrawing said first rod from said tube; and inserting said first rod into said channel again to push said porous particulate material remains in said channel, causing a further portion of said porous particulate material to exit from said another end of said tube; and optionally repeating said withdrawing and said inserting to cause more said porous particulate material to exit from said another end of said tube.

2. A method for delivering particulate material through a tube comprising a major section having a channel of a uniform cross section, said method comprising filling the particulate material in said tube; inserting a first rod into said channel from one end of said tube to push said particulate material filled in said channel, causing a portion of said particulate material to exit from another end of said tube, wherein said first rod has a cross sectional area which is 20-50% of that of said channel, and said method further comprising removing said first rod from said tube; and inserting a second rod into said channel from said one end of said tube to push said particular material which remains in said channel, causing a further portion of said particulate material to exit from said another end of said tube, wherein said second rod has a cross sectional area which is 80-100% of that of said channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said particulate material is porous particulate material.

4. A method for delivering particulate material through a tube comprising a major section having a channel of a uniform cross section, said method comprising filling the particulate material in said tube; inserting a first rod into said channel from one end of said tube to push said particular material filled in said channel, causing a portion of said particulate material to exit from another end of said tube, removing said first rod from said tube; and inserting a second rod into said channel from said one end of said tube to push said particular material which remains in said channel, causing a further portion of said particulate material to exit from said another end of said tube, wherein each of the first rod and the second rod has a cross sectional area of 30-70% of a cross sectional area of said channel, and a combined cross sectional area of the first rod and the second rod is less than or equal to the cross sectional area of said channel, wherein the first rod is joined to the second rod after the first rod being removed from said tube, and the second rod with the first rod joined thereto is inserted into said channel from said one end of said tube, wherein the first rod and the second rod cross sectional area are about 50% of the cross sectional area of said channel, and the combined cross sectional area of the first rod and the second rod is about equal to the cross sectional area of said channel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said particulate material is porous particulate material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a granule delivery system (hereinafter abbreviated as GDS) constructed according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective views showing the GDS in FIG. 1 being assembled.

(3) FIG. 3 shows illustrative cross sectional outer profiles of various designs of a first rod and a second rod for use in the GDS of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows illustrative cross sectional inner profiles of various designs of tubes for use in the GDS of the present invention corresponding to the plungers (rods) shown in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a first rod having a circular cross section and a second rod having an annular cross section for use in the GDS of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is an illustrative cross sectional view showing an outer profile of a first rod and an inner profile of a tube of a GDS constructed according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention in step 1 of a delivery method of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is an illustrative cross sectional view showing an outer profile of a second rod and an inner profile of a tube of a GDS constructed according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention in step 1 of the delivery method of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a granule delivery system constructed according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) A granule delivery system (hereinafter abbreviated as GDS) constructed according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, wherein the GDS comprises a tube 10 having a major portion having a channel 11 of a uniform circular cross section, a first rod 5, a second rod 6 and a perforated cap 3. The tube 10 has a funnel like proximal end to facilitate the filling of porous granules (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) into the channel 11 thereof. The perforated cap 3 is used to hold the porous granules having been filled in the channel 11 of the tube 10, and allows the porous granules to be wet by liquid (e.g. blood) through perforations formed on the perforated cap 3. The rod 5 and the rod 6 are identical to each other in this embodiment, each of which has a half circular cross section and a half circular flange at a proximal end thereof, so that they can be joined to form a plunger adapted to be inserted into the tube 10 from the funnel like proximal end thereof by holding the joined half circular flanges. The joined plunger has a cross sectional area about 80-98% of that of the channel 11 of the tube 10. In addition to the half circular cross section and the circular cross section used in this embodiment, other shapes are also possible, which are all shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. A two-step method for delivering the porous granules through the channel 11 of the tube 10 is developed in the present invention, which includes (1) inserting the first rod 5 into the channel 11 from the funnel like proximal end and till another end of the tube 10 to push the porous granules which have been filled in said channel 11, causing a portion of the porous granules to exit from another end of the tube; (2) removing the first rod 5 from the tube 10, joining the first rod 5 and the second rod 6 to form a plunger, and inserting the plunger (the joined first rod 5 and second rod 6) into the channel 11 from the funnel like proximal end of the tube 10 to push the porous granules which remain-in the channel 11 of the tube 10, causing a further portion of the porous granules to exit from the another end of the tube 10. The inserting in the step (2) is stopped when a desired amount of the porous granules exits from the another end of the tube 10, or is all the way till the another end of the tube 10 to empty the tube. Whenever some “resistance” is felt during the step (2) inserting, one can easily go back to the step (1) by pushing only one of the two half rods 5, 6 from there, clear the resistance and then continue the step (2) inserting without pulling out the plunger (the joined first rod 5 and second rod 6). This “resistance clearing” procedure can be carried out repeatedly until all the remaining porous granules are injected.

(10) In addition to the combination of two half circular cross sections used in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible to use a different combination. As shown in FIG. 5, a first rod 50 has a circular cross section and a second rod 60 has an annular cross section having a central hole matching the circular cross section of the first rod 50, so that the first rod 50 and the second rod 60 can be joined to form a plunger having a circular cross section. The first rod 50 and the second rod 60 shown in FIG. 5 can play the same roles as the first rod 5 and the second rod 6 shown in FIG. 1 in the aforesaid two-step method for delivering the porous granules, and the aforesaid “resistance clearing” procedure.

(11) Apparently, the step (2) of the delivery method of the present application can be carried out by using a circular cross sectional plunger corresponding to the joined plunger formed by the first rod 5 (50) and the second rod 6 (60). Alternatively, the circular cross sectional plunger for replacing the joined plunger of the first rod 5 (50) and the second rod 6 (60) in the step (2) may have a cross sectional area which is smaller than that of the joined first rod 5 (50) and second rod 6 (60).

(12) It is not necessary that the ratio of the cross sectional areas of the first rod to the second rod is about 50%: 50% as shown in FIG. 3. Instead of 50%: 50%, the ratio can be, for examples, 20%: 80%, 30%: 70%, 40%: 60%, 60%: 40%, 70%: 30%, or 80%: 20%. It might be also workable in the delivery method of the present application, when the ratio of the cross sectional areas of the first rod to the second rod is 20%: 70%, 30%: 60%, 40%: 50%, 50%: 40%, 60%: 30%, 70%: 20%, or the like.

(13) A GDS constructed according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention except the first rod 5 and the second rod 6 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the second preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 7, a first rod 500 has a circular cross section having a cross sectional area about 30-60% of that of the channel 11 of the tube 10, and a second rod 600 has a circular cross section having a cross sectional area about 80-98% of that of the channel 11 of the tube 10. The delivery method of the present invention is carried out by using the first rod 500 in the above-mentioned step (1) and using the second rod 600 in the above-mentioned step (2).

(14) A GDS constructed according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2; however, the distal end of the GDS is curved so that it is adapted to reach a site which cannot be or is difficult to be reached linearly. In the third preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the GDS has a tube 10′ having a curved section 12 at a distal end thereof; a first rod 5′ having a half circular cross section 51 having a cross sectional area about 50% of that of a channel 11 of the tube 10′, and a thinner section 52 having a reduced cross-sectional area in comparison with that of the section 51; and a second rod 6′ identical to the first rod 5′. The thinner section 52 has a strength enough to allow the first rod 5′ to push the porous granules filled in the channel 11 of the tube 10′, and a flexibility to allow a distal end of the first rod 5′ to enter the curved section 12 of the tube 10′. The delivery method of the present invention is carried out by using the first rod 5′ in the above-mentioned step (1) and using a joined plunger formed by the first rod 5′ and the second rod 6′ in the above-mentioned step (2).

(15) Apparently, the step (2) of the delivery method of the present application can be carried out by using a single plunger having a structure corresponding to the joined plunger formed by the first rod 5′ and the rod 6′.

Example 1: Plastic Tubes and Plungers Made by Rapid Prototyping (RP)

(16) In this example the tubes and the plungers were made of plastic material by rapid prototyping (RP).

(17) Comparative One-Step Method

(18) Porous granules having sizes between 0.8 to 0.42 mm filled in a thin tube having a length and an inner diameter as shown in Table 1. The weights of the filled tube and the empty tube were measured, so that the weight of the porous granules filled in the tube could be calculated (W0). The porous granules were then wet with water, and were pushed by a circular plunger having a length longer that of the tube and a diameter matches the inner diameter of the tube. The wet granules exited from the tube were dried by baking, gently broken into granules, and screened to obtain granules having a size less than 0.42 mm, which was weighed (W1). The percentage of (W0-W1)/W0 was calculated and listed in Table 1 as the granule delivery yield.

(19) Two-Step Method

(20) Porous granules having sizes between 0.8 to 0.42 mm filled in a thin tube having a length and an inner diameter as shown in Table 1. The weights of the filled tube and the empty tube were measured, so that the weight of the porous granules filled in the tube could be calculated (W0). The porous granules were then wet with water, and were pushed by a first rod, and a second rod after removing the first rod from the tube. The shapes of the cross sections of the first rod and the second rod are both circular; however, the cross sectional area of the first rod is smaller than that of the second rod which has a diameter matching the inner diameter of the tube, as listed in Table 1. The wet granules exited from the tube were dried by baking, gently broken into granules, and screened to obtain granules having a size less than 0.42 mm, which was weighed (W1). The percentage of (W0-W1)/W0 was calculated and listed in Table 1 as the granule delivery yield.

(21) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 1.sup.st 2.sup.nd plunger plunger Tube cross-section cross-section Granule Tube inner area (mm.sup.2) area (mm.sup.2) delivery Delivery length dia. (1.sup.st step (2.sup.nd step yield method (mm) (mm) insertion) insertion) (%) One step 180 5.0 19.6 — 39 (conventional one plastic plunger One step 180 4.0 12.6 — 32 (conventional one plastic plunger) One step 180 3.0 7.1 — 0 (conventional one plastic plunger) One step 180 2.5 4.9 — 0 (conventional one plastic plunger) Two-step (two 180 3.0 4.9 7.1 10 round plastic plungers) Two-step (two 180 3.0 3.1 7.1 12 round plastic plungers) Two-step (two 180 3.0 0.8 7.1 15 round plastic plungers) Two-step (two 180 2.5 3.1 4.9 23 round plastic plungers)

(22) The results shown in Table 1 indicate that the conventional one-step method is difficult or impossible to deliver the porous granules through tubes having a length of 180 mm and an inner diameter of 5 mm or less. By using the two-step method of the present invention with the first thinner plunger and the second matching plunger, it becomes possible to deliver the porous granules through tubes having a length of 180 mm and an inner diameter of 3 mm or 2.5 mm.

Example 2: 316 Stainless Steel Tubes and Plungers

(23) In this example the tubes and the plungers were made of 316 stainless steel.

(24) Porous granules having sizes between 0.8 to 0.42 mm filled in a thin tube having a length and an inner diameter as shown in Table 2. The weights of the filled tube and the empty tube were measured, so that the weight of the porous granules filled in the tube could be calculated (W0). The porous granules were then wet with water, and were pushed by a first rod (1.sup.st plunger). A second rod identical to the first rod was joined with the first rod after removing the first rod from the tube, and then the joined first rod and second rod (2.sup.nd plunger) was inserted into the tube to push the porous granules remaining in the tube. The wet granules exited from the tube were dried by baking, gently broken into granules, and screened to obtain granules having a size less than 0.42 mm, which was weighed (W1). The percentage of (W0-W1)/W0 was calculated and listed in Table 2 as the granule delivery yield.

(25) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 1.sup.st plunger/ 1.sup.st 2.sup.nd plunger plunger combination Tube cross-section 2.sup.nd cross-section Granule Tube inner area (mm.sup.2) plunger area (mm.sup.2) delivery length dia. (1.sup.st step cross-section (2.sup.nd step yield Delivery method (mm) (mm) insertion) area (mm.sup.2) insertion) (%) One-step (conventional one 200 3.0 7.1 — — 0 circular steel plunger) One-step (conventional one 200 4.0 12.6 — — 31.1 circular steel plunger) One-step (conventional one 200 5.0 19.6 — — 39.6 circular steel plunger) Two-step (two semi-circular 200 3.0 3.55  3.55  7.1 63.4 steel plungers) Two-step (two semi-circular 200 4.0 6.3 6.3 12.6 65.7 steel plungers) Two-step (two semi-circular 200 5.0 9.8 9.8 19.6 95.3 steel plungers)

(26) The results shown in Table 1 and Table 2 indicate that the 316 stainless steel can provide a better delivery yield in comparison with the RP plastic material as evidenced by the runs using tubes having an inner diameter of 3 mm. The results in Table 2 also show that the delivery yield is satisfactory by using the two-step method of the present invention with the two semi-circular rods to deliver the porous granules through tubes having a length of 200 mm and an inner diameter of 3.0 mm, and is as high as 95.3% when the inner diameter is 5.0 mm.