# US 11,298,515 B2 · Single-use suppository insertion device and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,515 B2 - Document ID: US11298515B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/098,623 - Filed: 2017-05-11 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-12 - Assignees: Cristcot LLC - Applicants: Cristcot LLC - Inventors: Jennifer J. Davagian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298515B2 ## CPC - A61M 31/007: {Injectors for solid bodies, e.g. suppositories} - A61B 2017/0023: {disposable} - A61M 5/31501: {Means for blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston (A61M5/5013 takes precedence)} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A single-use suppository insertion device includes a barrel, a plunger to be movably coupled to the barrel, and a disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger. The disabling feature may be activated during operational motion of the plunger relative to the barrel, such as during insertion of or withdrawal away from a suppository. The device can include a structural element of the barrel or the plunger to engage with the disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger during insertion of or withdrawal away from the suppository to activate the disabling feature. The disabling feature may be implemented in a number of ways to ensure single-use operation of the single-use suppository insertion device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A single-use suppository insertion device comprising: a barrel sized and shaped to fit within a patient's anal canal; a plunger axially movable relative to the barrel and configured to be movably coupled to the barrel; a disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger configured to be activated during operational motion of the plunger relative to the barrel and to render the suppository insertion device inoperable after one-time use, the plunger including a mid-portion, an insertion end that is wider than the mid-portion, and a finger interface end, wherein the disabling feature is positioned along the mid-portion of the plunger; and a structural element of the barrel or the plunger configured to engage irreversibly with the disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger to activate the disabling feature, wherein the structural element includes plural fins extending from an inner surface of the barrel at radially spaced intervals, each fin extending axially along a length of the barrel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the structural element of the barrel or the plunger is configured to engage with the disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger during insertion of or withdrawal away from a suppository to activate the disabling feature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the structural element includes four fins extending inward from the inner surface of the barrel at equally spaced intervals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the structural element is a spacing element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the disabling feature is a protrusion extending outward from an outer surface of the plunger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the disabling feature and the structural element form a ratchet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the structural element is coupled to or defined by the barrel, and wherein the disabling feature is coupled to or defined by the plunger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the structural element is configured to engage with the disabling feature during withdrawal of the plunger through the barrel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the structural element extends inward from an inside surface of the barrel and defines a slot to engage with the disabling feature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plunger is hollow. ### Claim 11 A method for disabling a single-use suppository insertion device after one-time use, the method comprising: activating a disabling feature of a barrel or a plunger during operational motion of the plunger relative to the barrel, the barrel being sized and shaped to fit within a patient's anal canal, the plunger being axially movable relative to the barrel and configured to be movably coupled to the barrel, activation of the disabling feature rendering the suppository insertion device inoperable after one-time use, the plunger including a mid-portion, an insertion end that is wider than the mid-portion, and a finger interface end, wherein the disabling feature is positioned along the mid-portion of the plunger, and wherein activating the disabling feature includes irreversibly engaging the disabling feature of the plunger or the barrel with a structural element of the barrel or the plunger during insertion of or withdrawal away from a suppository, wherein the structural element includes plural fins extending from an inner surface of the barrel at radially spaced intervals, each fin extending axially along a length of the barrel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the disabling feature of the plunger or the barrel engages with the structural element of the barrel or the plunger during insertion of or withdrawal away from a suppository. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the structural element includes four fins extending inward from the inner surface of the barrel at equally spaced intervals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising spacing the plunger from the barrel by using the structural element as a spacing element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising extending a protrusion outward from an outer surface of the plunger to provide the disabling feature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising using the disabling feature and the structural element to form a ratchet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling the structural element to the barrel or defining the structural element by the barrel, and coupling the disabling feature to the plunger or defining the disabling feature by the plunger. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein activating the disabling feature includes activating the disabling feature during withdrawal of the plunger through the barrel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the plunger is hollow. ### Claim 20 A single-use suppository insertion device comprising: a barrel sized and shaped to fit within a patient's anal canal; a plunger axially movable relative to the barrel and configured to be movably coupled to the barrel; and means for activating a disabling feature of the plunger or the barrel during operational motion of the plunger relative to the barrel, activation of the disabling feature rendering the suppository insertion device inoperable after one-time use, the plunger including a mid-portion, an insertion end that is wider than the mid-portion, and a finger interface end, wherein the disabling feature is positioned along the mid-portion of the plunger, and wherein the means for activating the disabling feature includes a structural element of the barrel or the plunger configured to engage irreversibly with the disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger, wherein the structural element includes plural fins extending from an inner surface of the barrel at radially spaced intervals, each fin extending axially along a length of the barrel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The device of claim 20, wherein the structural element of the barrel or the plunger is configured to engage with the disabling feature of the barrel or the plunger during insertion of or withdrawal away from a suppository. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The device of claim 20, wherein the plunger is hollow. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The device of claim 20, wherein the structural element includes four fins extending inward from the inner surface of the barrel at equally spaced intervals.