US3411503A - Collapsible mixing syringe with extrusion casing - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 L. s. SANTOMIERI 3,411,503

COLLAPSIBLE MIXING SYRINGE WITH EXTRUSION CASING Filed June 27, 1966 llllllllllllll INVENTOR. v 100/: .S 54/V70M/EE/ 43M raw United States Patent 3,411,503 COLLAPSIBLE MIXING SYRINGE WITH EXTRUSION CASING Louis S. Santomieri, Vallejo, Calif. (345 W. M St., Benicia, Calif. 94510) Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,642 4 Claims. (Cl. 128216) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A syringe, for medical use, comprising a bellows-type collapsible body containing a diluent and disposed in a case on which a hypodermic needle may be mounted in communication with said body, and a plunger in the case finger-movable in a direction to collapse the body; the plunger including means containing a soluble medicament initially separate from the diluent but which means releases the medicament into the body for mixture with the diluent upon such movement of the plunger prior to mounting of the hypodermic needle on said body.

This invention relates in general to an improved syringe unit adapted for medical use in connection with an initially separate hypodermic needle.

In particular, the invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel syringe unit wherein from the time of manufacture to the time of usea dry but soluble medicament and a diluent are maintained in sterile, enclosed and separated relation; the medicament being released into the diluent by a simple manipulation of the syringe unit. The resultant solution is thus prepared in a quick and ready manner for use and without any possible exposure to contamination. Such syringe unit is especially adapted for use with those medicaments which are required to be or are preferably placed in solution only shortly before use.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a syringe unit, as above, which includes a collapsible body containing the diluent and a cup on the body containing the dry but soluble medicament; there being a rupturable membrane between the cup and body and the cup opening into communication with the body upon rupture of said membrane caused by forceful, manual collapse of the body.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide a syringe unit which includes a collapsible body of substantially cylindrical, bellows-type form, and a protective substantially cylindrical, open-bottom case in which the bellows-type body is enclosed; the body having a plunger at the bottom, and the case having inside diameters such that the plunger is desirably radially free when in its initial and lowermost position but closely slidably guided in the case when pushed upwardly during use of the syringe unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a syringe unit which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable syringe unit and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a. perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the syringe unit, with the double-ended needle shown in position for attachment to said unit- FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the syringe unit; the view being taken online 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the syringe unit.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the syringe unit comprises a vertically elongated, cylindrical case 1 having atop 2; such case being full open at the bottom as shown.

At the front, the case 1 is formed with alongitudinal notch 3 open at its lower end to the bottom of the case;such notch 3 terminating adjacent but short of thetop 2 of said case 1. At the back of the case 1 is provided with a somewhat elongated slot 4. Thenotch 3 and slot 4 are for the purpose of permitting finger access into case 1 as will hereinafter appear.

A vertically elongated,collapsible body 5 of cylindrical, bellows-type form is disposed within the confines of case 1; thebody 5 including a top 6 permanently sealed to the underside of thetop 2 of case 1.

An internally threadedneck 7 is mounted centrally on and opens through thetop 2; thethroat 8 of the neck being closed at its inner end by a puncturable membrane 9. For transport or shelf storage, the syringe unit is provided with aremovable screw plug 10 threaded into theneck 7 from its outer end.

The bellows-type body 5, before use of the syringe unit, is fully expanded and is then of a length somewhat less than the case 1; the bottom 11 of saidbody 5 being permanently sealed to the topside of acircular plunger 12 having a dependingannular skirt 13. Theplunger 12 andskirt 13 form, in effect, a piston-like member on the lower end of the bellows-type body 5 and which member is disposed wholly within the case.

At the front, theskirt 13 has a downwardly opening, substantiallysemi-circular finger notch 14 therein which is symmetrical to and registers in the main with the verticallyelongated notch 3 in case 1.

Thecircular plunger 12 is formed with a central, dependingcup 15 closed at the top by arupturable membrane 16 whichuntil rupturedprevents communication and provides a seal between saidcup 15 and the interior of the bellows-type body 5.

As thecup 15 depends from theplunger 12, such cup serves as a central push button adapted for engagement from below by a finger projected laterally into the syringe unit through thenotches 3 and 14.

Thecup 15 contains a quantity of a dry but soluble medicament?17 which does not quite fill the cup and so that, as shown, a small void remains below therupturable membrane 16. The bellows-type body 5 is filled with a sterile diluent which remains separate from themedicament 17 as long asmembrane 16 is unruptured.

When the syringe unit is in its manufactured or initial condition, with thecup 15 holding themedicament 17 and the bellows-type body 5 filled with a sterile diluent, said body is fully expanded and theskirted plunger 12 occupies a position in the lower portion of the cylindrical case 1. Such lower portion of the case has abore 18 whose inside diameter is greater than the outside diameter of saidskirted plunger 12; thebore 18 extending to a point above said plunger. Consequently, the bellows-type body 5 can freely expand (due to temperature or atmospheric variation) and without the skirted plunger binding in the case. This is an important feature as it prevents accidental rupturing ofmembrane 16 by undue pressure increase in thebody 5.

Above the lower portion of the case, thebore 19 thereof is reduced in diameter to an extent sufiicient to receive theskirted plunger 12 in close but relatively slidable, guided relation.

The above described syringe unit is used in the following manner:

With the syringe unit in hand, one finger is extended through thenotches 3 and 14 and into engagement with the bottom ofcup 15; the latter then being forcefully pressed upward. This rapidly increases the pressure in the bellows-type body whereupon themembrane 16 ruptures, the diluent gains access to cup and themedicament 17 therein, and by then shaking the syringe unit the medicament passes into solution in the diluent and is ready for hypodermic injection.

Such injection of the solution is accomplished by removing thescrew plug 10 and replacing it with thescrew plug 20 of a double-endedhypodermic needle 21 of standard type. As thescrew plug 20 is threaded intoneck 7, the inner end portion ofneedle 21 punctures the membrane 9 and passes into the upper part of the bellows-type body 5. Thereafter, with the outer end portion ofneedle 21 medically inserted, theskirted plunger 12 is pressed into theguiding bore 19 of the case and slowly advanced by finger pressure against the bottom ofcup 15; the finger as before-extending throughnotches 3 and 14. As the plunger is so advanced, the bellows-type body 5 is shortened and the -solution therein is fed through theneedle 21 in a measured quantity indicated by ascale 22 marked exteriorly on case 1 adjacent the verticallyelongated notch 3, and on which scale the plunger reads.

Under certain conditions, it is necessary to partially expand or lengthen the bellows-type body 5 after theskirted plunger 12 has been advanced. This is done by placing fingers through both thefront notch 3 and rear slot 4, and then engaging and applying a light force to the bellows-type body 5 in a direction to expand or lengthen it.

The pre-filled syringe unit of the present invention is quick to use (important in an emergency), wholly avoids the necessity of filling the syringe at the time of use, and assures of a sterile solution for injection.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a syringe unit as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the syringe unit, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A syringe unit comprising a cylindrical case having a top, a cylindrical bellows-type body disposed in the case, the upper end of the bellows-type body being secured in sealed relation to the top of the case, means on the top of the case adapted to receive and support a hypodermic needle in communication with the interior of the bellows-type body, a plunger on the lower end of the bellows-type body, the case being formed to provide finger access to said plunger, a cup formed in the plunger and facing into the bellows-type body, and a pressure rupturable membrane closing the cup against communication with the interior of said body; the cup containing a soluble medicament, and the bellows-type body being filled with a diluent.

2. A syringe unit, as in claim 1, in which the cup depends from the plunger to provide a push button, the plunger being skirted, there being a finger notch in the skirt, and an elongated finger notch in the case; such notches being in register.

3. A syringe unit, as in claim 1, in which the lower portion of the bore of the case is of reater inside diameter than the diameter of the plunger, the plunger initially being disposed in said lower portion of the bore of the case, and the upper portion of the bore of the case being of a diameter to receive the plunger in close but relatively slidable, guided relation.

4. A syringe unit, as in claim 1, in which the case is formed with an elongated finger notch, the plunger being visible and accessible through such finger notch, and scale markings lengthwise on the case adjacent the finger notch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,129,119 9/1938 Davis 222 2,676,591 4/1954 Fox 1282l6 2,717,598 9/1955 Krasno 128-216 3,340,869 9/1967 Bane 128--216 3,351,058 11/1967 Webb 128272 FOREIGN PATENTS 294,187 7/ 19.28 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

M. MAJESTIC, Assistant Examiner.

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