Syringe for Direct Use with Medical Ampoules and Vials

Abstract

A syringe for use with a medical ampoule and/or a medical vial, the syringe haying: (a) a syringe body; (b) a syringe plunger having a hollow interior volume which is open at one end; and (c) an ampoule interface element configured for deployment between an outer surface of the ampoule and the surface of the hollow interior volume so as to hold the medical ampoule in the hollow interior volume. A method for the use of the syringe is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A syringe for use with a medical ampoule, the syringe comprising: (a) a syringe body: (b) a syringe plunger having a hollow interior volume which is open at one end; and (c) an ampoule interface element configured for deployment between n outer surface of the ampoule and the surface of said hollow interior volume so as to hold the medical ampoule in said hollow interior volume.

2. The syringe of claim 1, wherein said ampoule interface is configured as an ampoule sheath for deployment on the ampoule and said hollow interior volume is configured to accept insertion of the ampoule with said ampoule sheath deployed thereon.

3. The syringe of claim 1, wherein said ampoule interface has an inside diameter equal to an outside diameter of the ampoule and said ampoule interface has an outside diameter equal to an inside diameter of said hollow interior volume of said syringe plunger.

4. The syringe of claim 1, wherein said inside diameter of said hollow interior volume of said syringe plunger varies along a length so as to increase friction between said outside diameter of said ampoule interface and said inside diameter of said hollow interior volume.

5. The syringe of claim wherein said ampoule interface is breakable and configured for use with a breaking ampoule such that said ampoule interface is deployed on the breaking ampoule prior to breaking wherein said ampoule interface aids in a breaking process of the ampoule thereby providing added protection to a user during said breaking process.

6. An ampoule interface element for use holding a medical ampoule in a hollow interior volume of a syringe plunger, the ampoule interface comprising an inside surface configured to interact with an outside surface of the ampoule and an outside surface configured to interact with an inside surface of the hollow interior volume of the syringe plunger so as to hold the ampoule inside the hollow interior volume.

7. The ampoule interface element of claim 6, wherein said ampoule interface is configured for deployment on the medical ampoule prior to insertion of the ampoule, with said ampoule interface deployed thereon, into the hollow interior volume.

8. The ampoule interface of claim 6, wherein said ampoule interface is configure with an inside diameter equal to an outside diameter of the medical ampoule and the ampoule interface has an outside diameter equal to an inside diameter of the hollow interior volume.

9. The ampoule interlace of claim 8, wherein the ampoule interface is breakable and configured for use with breaking ampoules such that the ampoule interface is deployed on the breaking ampoule prior at breaking, wherein said ampoule interface aids in a breaking process of the ampoule thereby providing added protection to a user during said breaking process.

10. A method of deploying a medical ampoule in a syringe, the method comprising: (a) providing a syringe body; (b) providing a syringe plunger having, a hollow interior volume which is open at one end; and (c) providing an ampoule interface element configured for deployment between an outer surface of the medical ampoule and a surface of said hollow interior volume so as to hold the medical ampoule in said hollow interior volume; (d) deployment of said ampoule interface element; and (e) insertion of the medical ampoule into said hollow interior volume such that said ampoule interface element holds the medical ampoule therein.

11. The method of claim 10, further including providing said ampoule interface having an inside diameter equal to an outside diameter of the ampoule and said ampoule interface having an outside diameter equal to an inside diameter of said hollow interior volume of said syringe plunger.

12. The method of claim 10, further including providing said ampoule interface as breakable and configured for use with breaking ampoules and further including the steps of: (f) deploying said ampoule interface on the breaking ampoule prior at breaking; (g) breaking the ampoule wherein said ampoule interface aids in a breaking process of the ampoule thereby providing added protection to a user during said breaking process; and (h) inserting a medicine containing portion of the now broken ampoule into said hollow interior volume with a portion of said ampoule interface still deployed thereon.

13. A syringe for use with a medical vial, the syringe comprising: (a) a syringe body: (b) a syringe plunger having a hollow interior volume which is open at one end; and (c) a vial interface element configured for deployment between an outer surface of the medical vial and a surface of said hollow interior volume so as to hold the medical vial in said hollow interior volume the vial.

14. The syringe of claim 11, wherein said vial interface is configured for deployment on the medical vial and said hollow interior volume is configured to accept insertion of the medical vial with said vial interface element deployed thereon.

15. The syringe of claim 11, wherein said vial interface element has an inside diameter equal to an outside diameter of the medical vial and said vial interface element has an outside diameter equal to an inside diameter of said hollow interior volume as to hold the medical vial, upon which said vial interface element is deployed, in said hollow interior volume.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1A is a longitudinal section view of a first preferred embodiment of an ampoule sheath constructed and operational according to the teaching of the present invention, shown here after deployment on a breaking ampoule but prior to breaking;

[0020] FIG. 1B is a longitudinal section view of the ampoule sheath of FIG. 1A, shown here is the portion of the ampoule sheath deployed on the ampoule after breaking the ampoule and the ampoule sheath;

[0021] FIG. 1C is a top view of the ampoule and the ampoule sheath for FIG. 1B;

[0022] FIG. 2A is a longitudinal section view of a first preferred embodiment of a syringe constructed and operational according to the teaching of the present invention, shown here with an ampoule deployed in the plunger and the plunger deployed in the syringe body the plunger pulled out of the syringe body;

[0023] FIG. 2B is a longitudinal section view of the syringe of FIG. 2A, shown here with the plunger pulled out of the syringe body and the liquid drawn out of the ampoule and into the syringe barrel;

[0024] FIG. 3A is a longitudinal section view of a second preferred embodiment of a syringe constructed and operational according to the teaching of the present invention, shown here with an ampoule deployed in the plunger and the plunger pulled out of the syringe body;

[0025] FIG. 3B is a longitudinal section view of the syringe of FIG. 3A, shown here with the plunger deployed in the syringe body;

[0026] FIG. 4A is a longitudinal section view of a second preferred embodiment of an ampoule sheath constructed and operational according to the teaching of the present invention, shown here after deployment on a breaking ampoule but prior to breaking;

[0027] FIG. 4B is a longitudinal section view of the ampoule sheath of FIG. 4A shown here is the portion of the ampoule h deployed on the ampoule after breaking the ampoule;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section view illustrating a first exemplar variation of the ampoule sheath of FIGS. 1A-2B;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section view illustrating a second exemplar variation of the ampoule sheath of FIGS. 1A-2B; and

[0030] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section view of a third preferred embodiment of a syringe constructed and operational according to the teaching of the present invention, in which a medical vial, upon which an ampoule sheath of the present invention is deployed, is deployed in the plunger of the syringe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] The present invention is a syringe for direct use with medical ampoules and vials that includes an ampoule sheath and in which the syringe plunger is configured to accept insertion of the ampoule with an ampoule sheath deployed thereon.

[0032] The principles and operation of a syringe for direct use with medical ampoules and vials according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.

[0033] By way of introduction, it will be understood that numerous devices are in use today to aid users in safely breaking breakable medical ampoules. Likewise, there are syringe devices for use in extracting medicines from the broken ampoule. The syringe of the present invention comes to address both of these issues in a single device.

[0034] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1A illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the ampoule sheath 30 of the present invention that is directed to use with a breaking ampoule 40.

[0035] As illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, the ampoule sheath 30 of the present invention is deployed on breakable ampoule 40 such that the bottom portion 30a of the ampoule sheath 30 is deployed on the medicine containing bottom portion 40a of the ampoule and top portion 30b of the ampoule sheath 30 is deployed on the top breakaway portion 40b of the ampoule with the break lines 32 of the ampoule sheath 30 aligned with the break line of breakable ampoule 40.

[0036] FIG. 1B illustrates the bottom portion 30a of the ampoule sheath 30 is deployed on the medicine containing bottom portion 40a of the ampoule after breaking.

[0037] It will be appreciated that the ampoule sheath 30 can be fabricated from substantially any suitable material and variant embodiments may be rigid, brittle, pliable, flexible or elastic. When breaking the top off of the ampoule, the ampoule sheath 30 may be configured to break or tear along the break line, depending on the material from which it is fabricated.

[0038] As illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2B Syringe 2 includes a syringe body 10 and a syringe plunger 20.

[0039] The syringe plunger 20 is configured with a hollow interior volume 24 which is open at one end 22.

[0040] Among the unique features of the present invention, as illustrated here, is the deployment of the medicine containing portion 40a of breaking ampoule 40 directly in the hollow volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20. Once deployed, the medicine contained in the ampoule is drawn into the barrel 12 of the syringe body 10 through passageway 28 in the syringe plunger 20 by vacuum pressure that is created when the plunger 20 is drawing out of the syringe body 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2B. The use of passages and one way valves to allow ambient air pressure into the ampoule as the liquid is drawn out is well known in the art and will not be addressed herein.

[0041] To assist in the secure deployment of the ampoule 40a in the hollow volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20 an ampoule sheath 30 is provided. The ampoule sheath 30, therefore, acts as an ampoule interface element deployed between an outer surface of the ampoule 40a and the surface of the hollow interior volume 24 so as to hold the medical ampoule 40a in the hollow interior volume. Additionally, but not necessarily, the ampoule sheath may provide a seal between the ampoule 40a in the hollow volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20.

[0042] As discussed above, the ampoule sheath 30 is configured for deployment on the ampoule prior to insertion of the ampoule into the hollow volume 24. It will be appreciated that ampoule interface that is deployable in the hollow volume 24 prior to insertion of ampoule is considered within the scope of the present invention.

[0043] Returning now to the Figures, the ampoule sheath 30 is configured with an inside surface having a diameter 34 equal to an outside diameter of the ampoule 40 and an outside surface having diameter 36 equal to an inside diameter of the hollow interior volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20. Configured thusly, the inside surface 34 interacts with an outside surface of the ampoule 40 and the outside surface 36 interacts with an inside surface of the hollow interior volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20.

[0044] Due to the numerous variations on sizes on medical ampoules, especially diameters, the syringe plunger 20 is manufactured such that the inside diameter of the hollow volume 24 is constant and the thickness of the wall 38 of the ampoule sheath 30 is varied to accommodate the size of the ampoule to be used. Therefore, the ampoule sheath 30 serves to adapt the size of the medical ampoule 40 to fit snugly into the generic size of the hollow volume 24. This first variation of the ampoule sheath 30a is best illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0045] A second variation of the ampoule sheath 30 is illustrated in FIG. 6. As seen here, the ampoule sheath 30a does not extend the full length of the ampoule 40a.

[0046] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the syringe of the present invention, it will be understood that elements shown here that correspond to elements of the first preferred embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B are numbered the same. As illustrated here, the outside diameter 36 of the ampoule sheath 30a and the inside diameter of the hollow interior volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20 are complimentarily varied along their common length, so as to enhance the interface action by increasing friction between the ampoule sheath 30a and the surface of the hollow interior volume 24, and thereby provide a better fit between the two elements.

[0047] As shown herein, the variance in the inside diameter of the hollow interior volume is illustrated as a step change in area 26 of the syringe plunger. However, it should be understood that this illustration is not intended as a limitation to such a design and that substantially any variation of the outside diameter 36 of the ampoule sheath 30 and the inside diameter of the hollow interior volume 24 of the syringe plunger 20 along their common length is within the scope of the present invention.

[0048] It will be appreciated that the tip of the syringe barrel 12 is configure to receive a standard medical needle for injection of the medicine draw from the ampoule, as is well known in the art.

[0049] Due to the numerous variations on sizes on medical ampoules, especially diameters, the syringe together with the ampoule sheath may be provided to the user as a kit containing a syringe body, a syringe plunger configured with a generically sized hollow interior volume and a plurality of ampoule sheaths of varying sizes so as to accommodate use with a range of differing sizes of medical ampoules.

[0050] The steps for use of the syringe kit of the present invention are as follows:

[0051] Step 1choose an ampoule sheath of the correct size for the medical ampoule to be used.

[0052] Step 2deploy the ampoule sheath on the medical ampoule, generally by sliding the ampoule sheath ever the medical ampoule.

[0053] Step 3break the breakaway top of the medical ampoule together with the top portion 30b of the ampoule sheath 30.

[0054] Step 4insert the medicine containing bottom portion 40a, with the bottom portion 30a of the ampoule sheath still deployed thereon, into the hollow interior volume 24 of the plunger 20 with the open end of the ampoule facing into he hollow interior volume 24.

[0055] Step 5draw the plunger 20 out of the syringe body so as to draw medicine from the ampoule into the barrel 12 of the syringe body.

[0056] Step 6attach an injection needle to the tip of the barrel 12 of the syringe body.

[0057] Step 7inject the medicine.

[0058] Regarding the numerous variations in size of medical vials in use today, the current state of the art is directed to devices that are dedicated to a particular size. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the feature of the sheath, here a vial sheath 90, of this embodiment 50 of the present invention may be used to benefit as an interface element for adapting substantially any size medical vial 80 for use with the standardized diameter of the hollow interior volume 74 of the syringe plunger 70.

[0059] It will be readily understood that once the vial 80, with the vial sheath 90 deployed thereon, is inserted into the hollow interior volume 74 the operation of this embodiment is essentially the same as that of the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0060] It will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended only to serve as examples and that many other embodiments are possible within the spirit and the scope of the present invention.