Angiographic injector and angiographic syringe for use therewith

An angiographic syringe for use in combination with an angiographic injector in which at least one syringe can be supported for an injection operation, said angiographic injector including drive means for effecting an injection operation, said syringe comprising:

• a tubular body having a discharge end;
• a plunger movably positioned in the tubular body, said plunger being retractable in said tubular body to draw contrast media into said syringe for the injection operation and being advanceable through said tubular body for forcing the contrast media from the discharge end of said tubular body in the injection operation;
• and
• quick release means disposed at one end of said plunger for forming a part of a releasable drive connection between said drive means of said angiographic injector and said plunger such that said drive means can selectively be drivingly connected with said plunger to enable retraction of said plunger in said tubular body and to enable advancement of said plunger in said tubular body to force the contrast media from the discharge end of said tubular body in the injection operation, said quick release means being selectively releasable from said plunger at any time during the injection operation and at any position of the plunger, without substantial force being applied thereto, such that said drive means can be retracted relative to said plunger in said tubular body after the injection operation has been completed, without retraction of said plunger.

An apparatus for injecting a contrast media into the vascular system of an animal, said apparatus comprising:

• at least one angiographic syringe including a plunger movably positioned in said syringe for forcing a contrast media from said syringe;
• mounting means for supporting said syringe for an injection operation;
• actuating means adjacent said mounting means for controlling the movement of said plunger in said syringe;
• drive means disposed at one end of said actuating means for causing retraction of said plunger in said syringe and advancement of said plunger in said syringe to force the contrast media from said syringe in the injection operation;
• and
• quick release means forming respective mating parts of said plunger and said drive means for selectively placing said plunger in a driven state by said drive means such that said drive means can retract said plunger in said syringe, and in an undriven state by said drive means such that said drive means can be retracted relative to said plunger without retraction of said plunger, the mating parts of said quick release means cooperating so that said plunger can be placed in its driven state or in its undriven state at any time during the injection operation and at any position of the plunger, without substantial force being applied therebetween.