US2874694A - Hypodermic syringes - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 24, 1959 s. N. BLACKMAN 2,874,694

HYPODERMIC SYRINGES Filed June 24, 1957 frag/vans United States Patent() HYPODERMIC SYRINGES Seymour N. Blackman, Teaneck, N. J., assignor to Omega Precision Medical Instrument Co., Inc., Passaic, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 24, 1957,` Serial No. 667,633 14 Claims. (Cl. 12s-218) This invention relates to hypodermic syringes.

As is well known, the needles of hypodermic syringes conventionally are removed for sterilization after each use. In addition, the needles occasionally are sharpened, and for dierent purposes different sized needles must be employed` The foregoing necessitates the use of sterilizing and sharpening equipment which is both costly and time-consuming to use. Still further, needles of many dilterent sizes must always be kept ready to use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a syringe which will obviate the need for field sterilization and 4sharpening equipment and for resterilization of a needle after use. Y

It is another object of the'present inventionto provide a syringe of the character described in which a needle of a given length has several predetermined elfective lengths, so that the syringe can be used for the different purposes for which dilferent sized needles are required without changing the needles.

It is another object of-the present invention to provide a syringe of the character described which is sturdy and long-lasting. e

i It is another object of the present` invention to provide a syringe of the character described which is smoothworking and simple to useand inexpensive to manufacture. r

It is another object of the present invention to provide a syringe of the character described in which a resilient piston located in a disposable barrel is uniquelycouplable with an actuating stem in avmanner such that `the inter- ,engagement and disengagement of the stem and barrel is completely automatic.

It is another object of the present invention to provide i a syringe of the character described in which the resilient piston and the actuating stem aresomutually constructed that, regardless of the material of the piston, the sides thereof willpress against the walls of the barrel with a force sufficient to enable a substantial hydrostatic pressure to be developed in the syringe. Y

It is an ancillaryobjectof the present invention to provide a syringe of Vthe character described having a disposable needle-carrying barrel which can Ibe located in any of a plurality of predetermined positions with respect to a reusable frame. p

Other objects of thepinvpention will be in part obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in features of construction, combinationsof elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the hypodermic syringe hereinaftern described and of which` the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is an exploded perspective view of a syringe constructed in accordance `with the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an assembled perspective view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the 2,874,694 Patented Feb. 24, 1959' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 but illusl trating the piston coupled to the stem;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially |along the line 5-,5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and l Y Fig. 7 is a top view of the piston.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes a hypodermic lsyringe constructed in accordance with the instant invention. Said syringe includes two parts, to wit, a reusable frame 12 and a disposable needle-carrying barrel 14. The lbarrel preferably is fabricated from' a pellucid synthetic and desirably a plastic which is heat sterilizable, e. g., a polyamide resin. The barrel has an open rear end 16` and a closed front end`18. The latter includes a through opening 20 in which the base of a` hypodermic needle22 is tightly per- Vmanently secured. Diametrically opposite radially projec- The forward end of the piston is closed and the rear end open. When the lbarrel is sold, the piston is located in its open rear end asfshown'in Fig. 3. Pursuant to a feature of the invention, said piston includes laterally outwardly extending integral protuberances, e. g., flanges 28, projecting from adjacent the rear end beyond the Wall of the barrel. Desirably the side' walls of the piston Vare externally annular-1y ribbed.

` The reusable frame' preferably is fabricated from metal, e. g. stainless steel, although it can be made of a durable hard plastic, such as a polyamide resin. The frame comprises 'a front end wall 30, a fragmentary bottom wall 32 and a pair of curved side walls 34, 36 spaced apart a distance suicient for the barrel to be received between them. The side walls are joined at their tops by a tubular head section 38 located at the rear end of the frame. The head section includes a capv 40 from which finger ilanges 42 extend.

The bottom Wall has a forward opening 44 and the front Walla central opening-.45, the two openings being connected by a wedge-shaped slot 46 in the front wall. A series of bayonet slots 48 is provided along'the upper edge V"of, each side wall, each slot in one side wall beingregistered with a slot in the other side wall. The bayonet slots include upwardly extending vertical portions 50 and forwardly extending horizontal portions 52. The latter portions are non-circular in cross section and are soa-dimen- Vsioned as to be capable ofsnugly slidably and non-rotatably receiving the ears 24 of the barrel. Desirably the ears and portions S2 likewise have rectangular cross-sections.

A stem 54 fabricated, for example, from metal is `journalledefor axially slidable movement dn the cap 40,

a bearing 56 being provided in the cap to guide the stem for forward and rearward movement. The plunger includes a thurrrbrest 60 at the rear end thereof andrav disc `62 at the front end. Said disc has a slightly larger diamlongitudinal axis and that of the frame into coincidence, the needle 22 first traversing the slot 46 and then entering the opening 4S during this operation. Now the barrel is shifted forwardly to bring the ears against the bottom ofthe slots 48.

The next step is to move the stem .forwardly untilthe disc 62 there`of afbuts vthe bottom of the piston;

To complete assembly of the syringe, thestem isnioved further forwardlyy to lock the disc 62 tothe piston. Continued forward movement of the stem causes the piston to move forwardly, pulling the anges 23 into the barrel. The latter is not large enough to accommodate the flanges so that the anges swing or are compressed into the barrel behind the disc, as shown in Fig. 4. Due tol this arrangement it is impossible accidentally to` pull the piston ou't of the barrel. i

Attention is directed to the slightly oversize diameter of the disc 62. The piston 26 is asnug fit in the barrel. However, repeated sterilization may somewhat lower the resiliency of the material of which it is composed. Moreover, when the piston is fabricated from polyethylene, it tends, after a time, to lessen its pressure'against the barrel walls. Both of these difficulties are counteracted by the oversize disc which each time it enters the piston'expands the same against the barrel.

The barrels are furnished empty and their needles' are in sterile condition. The needles are protected against contamination in any conventional way, as by' furnishing the entire barrel, including the needle, in an air-tight container or by disposing a sleeve over the needle alone. When it is desired to use the syringe, a 'barrel is selected and assembled to the carrier as described above. The stem is pushed all the way forward, the needle is inserted into the medicament and the stem pulled back until sufficient medicament has been sucked upV into the barrel. The medicament is injected into the patient'in the usual manner.

After a single use the barrel is discarded. To do this, the stem is withdrawn as far as it will go so that the" disc is automatically uncoupled from the piston. The barrel then is tilted by pushing the back upwardly, andl the barrel is withdrawn from the frame.

It will be' apparent from the foregoing thatl a convenient and simple construction has been provded-where by the costly and time-consuming 'eld sterilizn'gand sharpening of hypodermic syringe needles is completely eliminated.

The provision of a plurality of pairs of registered bayonet slots in the frame enables the user of the syringe to vary the effective length of the needle in accordance with the requirements of the use to which the syringe is to be put. Thus, a barrel having a needle with a fixed length can be disposed and locked in lvarious positions in the frame whereby the effective length of the needle, i. e., the length projecting from the frontend of the Vfratrie, is different. The number of different effective lengths` for any given actual length of needle will be controlled by the number of ldifferent pairs of registered bayonet slots. Moreover, the distance between adjacent slots Vcan be varied and need not be the same for each adjacent'pair of slots'.

It thus will be seen that there is provided a hypodermic syringe which achieves the several objects of the invention'and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as `various'changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all mattery herein described, or shown in' the accompanying drawings, is to be interpretedas illustrative 'and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described' the invention, there is claimed as new and desired to Vbe secured by Letters Patent:

l. `A hypodermic syringe comprisinga disposable'barrel havin'gfanope'n end and a closed end with athrough'aperture, a hypodermicV needle permanently secured tothe closed end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, said end having a bore communicating with the interior of the barrel, an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and a front end, cooperating means associated with said barrel and frame for detachably mounting said barrel in said frame in'. selectable positions along the longitudinal axis of the frame with said open end remote fromr the frontl end of the frame, a piston in said barrel, a stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, and cooperating means associated with the piston and stem for releasably coupling the stem to the piston.

2. A hypodermic' syringeA comprising a disposable barrel having an open end and a closedv end with a through aperture, a hypodermic needle permanently secured to the closed end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, said end having a bore communicating with the interior of the barrel, an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and a front end, cooperating means associated with saidl barrel and frame for detachably mounting said barrel in said framein selectable positions along the longitudinal axisk of the frame with said open end remote from the frontend of the frame, the part of said means associated with the barrel comprising diametrically oppositer'adially projecting ears on the barrel adjacent the closed end thereof, and the part of the means associated with the frame comprising a series of angled slots disposed longitudinally of the frame on each side thereof, each slot on one side being registered with a slot on the other side, a piston in saidv barrel, a stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, and' cooperating means associated Withthe piston and stem for releasably coupling the stem to the piston; t

3. A hypodermic syringe comprising a disposable barrel having an open endl and a'crlosed end with a through aperture, a hypodermic needleA permanently secured tothe close'd end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, said end having a bore communicating with the interior of the barrel, an elongated reusable frame including alh'andle endand'al front end, cooperating means associated 'with said'barrel and frame for detachably mounting said barrel in said frame in selectable positions along the longitudinal axis of the frame with said'open end remote from'the front end of the frame, the part of said means associated with the barrel com pris'ing diametrically opposite radially projecting ears on the barrel-adjacent the closed end thereof, and the part of the means associated with the frame comprising a series of angledfslots disposed longitudinally ofthe frame on each side thereof, each slot on one side being registered with a slot on the other side, said angled slots including upwardly extending'vertical portions and frontwardly extending horizontal portions, a piston in said barrel, a stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally ofthe frame, and cooperating means associatedwith the piston and stem for'releasably coupling the stemto the piston.

4. A hypodermic syringe` comprising a' ldisposable barrel having an open'end and a closed end with a through aperture, a hypodermic needle permanently secured to the "clos'ed end-ofthe barrel with an end `thereof in said aperture, said'end Yhaving'a bore communicating with' the interiorV of the' barrel, an elongated reusable frame including alhandle end 'and a front end, cooperating'=means associated withsad barrel and frame for detachably mounting said 'barrel in said 'frame in selectable positions along the longitudinal'axis of the frame with said open end remote from the front end of the frame, an elastomeric -piston in said barrel, a stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally of the' frame, said piston including laterally outwardly extending pro'tubera'nces'.projecting beyond the wall of the barrel from Aadjacent' the rear end thereof when the j pistovnandf'stem are in uncoupled condition,` said stem having an end facing the piston', said end having a diameterfless than the inner diametenof the barrel whereby on forward movement of the stein said facing end abuts thepiston and moves the sainev forwardly in the barrel and entry of the protuberances into the barrel releasably locks Vsaid endrof the stem to the piston without relative rotationof the piston and" stem.

5 lA ,hypodermic syringe comprising a disposable barrel having `an open end and a closed end with a I facing the piston, said disc having a lesserlength than the t through aperture, a hypodermic needle permanently seeuredto the closed end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, saidlendhaving a bore communicating with the interiorroffthe barrel, an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and a front end, cooperating means associated with' said barrel and frame .for de tachably lmounting said barrel in said frame in selectable 'positions along thelongitudinal axis of the frame with said ropen end remote from the front end of the frame, an elastomeric piston in said barrel, a stem `mounted in the'handle end of the`frame for movement longitudinally 'of the frame, said piston including laterally outwardly extending protuberances projecting beyond the wall of the barrel from 4adjacent the rear end thereof lwhen the piston end stem are in uncoupled condition, said stem having an end facing `the piston, saidend having `a diameter less than the nnerdiameter of the barrel and being laterally engaged by the piston when the protuberances of the piston are directed inwardly upon engagement of the protuberances-withfthe barrel-as theft-piston moves for wardly therein, whereby on forward movement of the stem, the stem and piston automatically are coupled and are automatically uncoupled onvreverse movement of the stem when the piston reaches the open end of the barrel.

6. A hypodermic syringe comprising a disposable barrel having an open end and a closed end with a through aperture, a hypodermic needle permanently secured to the closed end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, said end having a bore communicating with the interior of the barrel, an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and a front end, cooperating means associated with said barrel and frame for detachably mounting said barrel in said frame in selectable positions along the longitudinal axis of the frame with said open end remote from the front end of the frame,

. j E 6. d thereof when the piston andstem aref in uncoupled con dition, said stem including a disc at` the end thereof inner length of the cup formed by Vthe piston and being receivable in the cup on forward movement of the stem, wherebyron forward movement thereof the disc abuts the closed end of the piston and moves the same forwardly in the barrel and entry of the protuberances into the barrel releasably locks the disc to the piston.A f

8. A hypodermic syringe comprising a disposable barrel having an open end and a closed end with a through aperture, a hypodermic needle permanently secured to the closed end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, saidfend having a bore communicating with the interior of the barrel, an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and` a front` end, cooperating means associated with said barrel andY frame for detachably mounting said barrel in said frame in selectable positions alongthe longitudinal axis of the frame with said open end remote from the front end of the frame, a cupshaped elastomeric piston in said barrel, a` stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, theopen end of said piston facing the `handle end of saidV frame, said .piston including laterally outwardly extending Vprotuberances projecting beyond the wall of the barrel Vfrom adjacent the open end thereof when the piston and stem are in uncoupled condition, said stem having a head facing ,the piston, said -head having a lesser diameter than the inner diameter ofthe barrel, the side wall of said piston having a greater thickness than the difference between the diameter of the head andthe inner diameter ofthe barrel, whereby .onvforward movement of the stemthe head abuts the piston and moves the same forwardlyA inthe barrel and an elastomeric piston in said barrel, a stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, said piston including laterally outwardly extending protuberances projecting beyond the wall of the barrel from adjacent the rear end thereof when the piston and stem are in uncoupled condition, said stem including a head facing the piston, said head having a diameter less than the inner diameter of the barrel, whereby on forward movement of the stern the head abuts the piston and moves the same forwardly in the barrel and entry of the protuberances into the barrel releasably locks the head to the piston.

7. A hypodermic syringe comprising a disposable barrel having an open end and a closed end with a through aperture, a hypodermic needle permanently secured to the closed end of the barrel with an end thereof in said aperture, said end having a bore communicating with the interior of the barrel, an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and a front end, cooperating means associated with said barrel and frame for detachably mounting said barrel in said frame in selectable positions along the longitudinal axis of the frame with said open'end remote from the front end of the frame, a cup-shaped elastomeric piston in said barrel, a stem mounted in the handle end of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, the open end of said piston facing the handle end of said frame, said piston including laterally outwardly extending protuberances projecting beyond the wall of the barrel from adjacent the open end entry of the protuberances into the barrel releasably locks the head to the piston, and said piston is expanded against the inner wall of the barrel so as to be snugly contained therein.

9. In a hypodermic syringe, a barrel having an open end, an elongated frame in which the barrel is detachably receivable, an elastomeric piston in said barrel, a stem mounted at the back of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, and means releasably coupling the piston to the stem, said means comprising laterally outwardly extending protuberances projecting beyond the wall of the barrel from adjacent the open end thereof when the piston and stem are in uncoupled condition, said means further comprising an end of said stem facing the piston and having a diameter less than the inner diameter of the barrel, whereby on forward movement of the stem, the stem and piston automatically are coupled and are automatically uncoupled on reverse movement of the stem when the piston reaches the open Vend of the barrel.

10. In a hypodermic syringe, a barrel having an open end, an elongated frame in which the barrel is detachably receivable, a cup-shaped elastomeric piston in said barrel, a stem mounted at the back of the frame for movement longitudinally of the frame, and means releasably coupling the piston to the stem, said means comprising laterally outwardly extending protuberances projecting beyond the wall of the barrel from adjacent the open end thereof when the piston and stem are in uncoupled condition, said means further comprising a head on` said stem facing the piston and having a diameter less than the inner diameter of the barrel, the side wall of said piston having a greater thickness than the difference between the diameter of the head and the inner diameter of the barrel, whereby on forward movement of the stem the head abuts the piston and moves the same forwardly in the barrel and entry of the protuberances into the barrel releasably locks the head to the piston, and Ysaid piston is expanded against the inner wall of the barrel so as to be snugly contained therein.

11. For use with a hypodermic syringe including an elongated reusable fratriey including a handle endgxanda frontv endl a' disposable' barrel" hyin'g a .f clo'sednend with a through aperture;4 hypod'er'inic needle `pferrjnanently seeured to Y s ai'denl o f the barrel with an en'd thereof in said aperture, aidji. `having a'boe communicating within@ interior- `i the barrera stem' munj *d inthe handle end' of the for movement longitudinallyof the frame', a n d' m st onusaidv barrel `c'cope'fable with means on said frame for det'ah'ably mounting ,the bfarrel in selectable positionsalong the longitudinal axis of the fra'rne,y Vthe needlejprojejctiggfroin the front end of the frame' in all positions of thefbarrelin the frame. l2. For use' with a hypode'rmic syringe including an elongated reusable frame including a handle end and a. fr bnt @ndgadsposabl handhaving a closed end with a throughLapertur'e', a hypoderrnic needle permanently secured tonsaid endof the barreliyith an end thereof in said aperture', saidfneedlehavinga A b'c'nfe communicating with the"V interiorpf the' barrel,^ a stern mounted in the handle end of the frarne for rnoyernent longitudinally of the f raine,V and diarrietrically opposite radially project'- ing ears onivsaid barrel cooperable with' rneans on lsaid Vframe to' detachably n iount the barrel in selectable positionsv along the longitudinal axis of the frame, the needle projecting` fromv the front end of vthe frame in all positions' vof the barrel Iin fthe frame. v

13.7*For use with a'hypoderniic Vsyringe including a disposable barrel having a closed end with a through aperture and a hypoderrnic needlel permanently secured to said closed endtof the barrel ywith an end thereof in said ap ertu1 "e,'said needle having a bore communicatingwith the interior of the barrel: an elongated reusable frame' including a' handleend and a front end, a stem mounted in the handle end for movementlongitudinally 0fA ,the .frame,and means iatedwith the frameaild eperab1e'with m`easj a` ltea with si'ci barr; rer detachablyJ mounting saidbrrel in `Sf ,d fr'anie' in 4sf cftable positions" alrig thfezl" ngit'udi'na 'axis of they fratrie, theneedle projecting romjhe'end of'the fr'ar'ne in all positions of thev b arrel in fra1 1`1fe.

i4. 4For use with;p hpdfmie-1synge including adi;- pos'ble barrel having a closed ,l'ld with a th'roiig'haiierture, .said barrelhaving diainetrically opposite radially projecting ears, and a liypodermic needle permanently secured to said closed end ofthe barrel with an end thereof in said aper'tire, sai d needle hayirig av bore orrirnunicating with the interior of lthe barrel.: an elongated reusable frame including a handle end, 'a'.front endy and a. tubular slide wall having wide longitudinal slot,l a Stern rnount'ed in the handle endl o'f the frarne for xiioveirient longitudinally lof thelfrain'e, Asaid fir-aine also' ineluding a series of separate narrow angled slots disposed long itudinally of the vframe on eachf side thereofandcornjniunicating with the 'ed'gesof the 5101; for ySflugly' rg. ceiyi'rig said ears, eaehnarrow slot on one sideI being registered withav narrow Vslot on themoth'er side, said registered narrow slots cooperating with said ,ears l to de tachably rno'untthev barrel said frame inselectable positionsalongnthe longitudinalaxis of 4vthe frani'e, the needle projecting from the frontend of thefrarne in all positions of the barrel in the frame.

References inl l c?? I P aft. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,529,659 Marcy Mar. 17, 1925 2,068,927 Nevin Ian. 26, 1937 2,804,074 Hill Allg. 27, 19'57

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