Side-angle decapping of pre-filled syringe
AssigneePortal Instruments, Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Dyer, Andrew Coats
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An injector cartridge is configured for sterile storage and transfer of a fluid in a pre-filled syringe. The injector cartridge includes a first housing section and a second housing section and is configured to move the pre-filled syringe from a sterile storage position to a fluid transfer position upon linear displacement of the first housing section relative to the second housing section.
Claims20
An injector cartridge for sterile storage and transfer of a fluid in a pre-filled syringe having a first end and a second end with a needle covered by a removable cap, the injector cartridge comprising:
- an attachment member configured to pivotally constrain the first end of the pre-filled syringe;
- a first housing section configured to axially retain the cap on the second end of the pre-filled syringe and including a syringe chamber configured to receive and axially retain the needle in a deployed position when the cap is removed from the second end;
- a spring positioned to rotationally bias the second end of the pre-filled syringe from the cap toward the syringe chamber around a pivot formed at the attachment member;
- the first housing section securing the cap and the syringe chamber in a fixed relationship to one another;
- and
- a second housing section coupled to the attachment member, the second housing section coupled in a sliding relationship to the first housing section, wherein, when the pre-filled syringe is placed between the attachment member and the first housing section, the syringe is decapped by the first housing section and rotated by the spring into alignment with the syringe chamber upon a first linear displacement of the second housing section away from the first housing section, and wherein the needle of the syringe is inserted into the syringe chamber by a subsequent linear displacement of the second housing section toward the first housing section.
An injector cartridge comprising:
- a first section;
- a second section slidably coupled to the first section permitting sliding of the second section in a sliding direction relative to the first section;
- wherein the injector cartridge is configured to receive an elongated liquid-filled capsule having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, such that the capsule is pivotably coupled at the first end to the second section and mechanically biased to align the capsule with the sliding direction, and having an opening at the second end;
- and
- wherein the injector cartridge is configured such that sliding the second section relative to the first section causes the injector cartridge to transform from a first configuration to a second configuration, and then sliding the first section relative to the second section causes the injector cartridge to transform from the second configuration to a third configuration different than the first configuration, and
- in the first configuration of the injector cartridge, the injector cartridge causes the capsule to be angularly offset in direction from the sliding direction, and the second end of the capsule to be engaged in the first section of the housing such that the opening at the second end of the capsule is closed,
- in the second configuration of the injector cartridge, the injector cartridge causes the capsule to be aligned with the sliding direction and the second end of the capsule to be free of the first section, and
- in the third configuration of the injector cartridge, the injector cartridge causes the capsule to be aligned with the sliding direction and the second end of the capsule to be engaged in the first section such that the opening at the second end of the capsule permits transfer of fluid from the capsule.
A method for preparing an injector cartridge for use, the injector cartridge having a first section, a second section slidably coupled to the first section permitting sliding of the second section in a sliding direction relative to the first section, and an elongated liquid-filled capsule having a first end a second end opposite the first end, the capsule pivotably coupled at the first end to the second section and mechanically biased to align the capsule with the sliding direction, and having an opening at the second end, the method comprising:
- accepting the injector cartridge in a first configuration in which the capsule is angularly offset in direction from the sliding direction, and the second end of the capsule is engaged in the first section of the housing such that the opening at the second end of the capsule is closed;
- sliding the second section relative to the first section to cause the injector cartridge to transform from the first configuration to a second configuration in which the capsule is aligned with the sliding direction and the second end of the capsule is free of the first section;
- and
- sliding the second section relative to the first section to cause the injector cartridge to transform from the second configuration to a third configuration different that the first configuration in which the capsule is aligned with the sliding direction and the second end of the capsule is engaged in the first section such that the opening at the second end of the capsule is open permitting transfer of fluid from the capsule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.