Manual dispensing aid for a syringe

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger connected to the slide, the dispensing aid plunger being directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device having a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger;
• and
• a fine adjustment wheel that engagably contacts the slide.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger connected to the slide, the dispensing aid plunger being directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device having a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger;
• a drag brake pad selectively engagable with the slide to apply a drag braking force to the movement of the slide;
• an actuating arm attached to the drag brake pad;
• a drag brake adjustment control operable on the actuating arm to apply the drag braking force to the drag brake pad;
• a spring reacting between the dispensing aid body and the actuating arm;
• and
• means for adjusting a preload of the spring.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger connected to the slide, the dispensing aid plunger being directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device having a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger;
• a stop selectively engagable with the dispensing aid slide, the stop including;
• a screw shaft extending parallel to the slide and having external threads thereon;
• a block having internal threads thereon engaged to the external threads of the screw shaft;
• a set wheel engaged to the screw shaft such that turning of the set wheel causes the threaded block to traverse in a direction parallel to the screw shaft;
• means for selectively engaging the shaft, the means for engaging the shaft being mounted on the block;
• and
• means for activating the means for selectively engaging the shaft.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device comprising
• a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and having a first metallic electrode,
• a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger and having a second metallic electrode disposed in a facing relation to the first metallic electrode, and
• means for measuring a capacitance of a circuit including the first metallic electrode and the second metallic electrode and producing an output linear position signal responsive to the measured capacitance;
• a microprocessor which receives the output linear position signal of the means for measuring and produces a microprocessor output signal;
• a readout which receives the microprocessor output signal;
• and
• means for providing a volume calibration factor to the microprocessor.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device that produces an output linear position signal responsive to the relative position of the dispensing aid body and the dispensing aid plunger;
• an input terminal operable to receive a calibration value representative of the characteristics of a particular syringe;
• a microprocessor which receives the output linear position signal from the linear position measuring device and the calibration value from the input terminal, and produces a microprocessor output signal in which the linear position of the syringe plunger relative to the syringe body is corrected for the calibration value;
• and
• a display of the microprocessor output signal.

A method for dispensing liquids from a syringe, comprising the steps of:

• manufacturing a syringe to a nominal volume standard;
• determining a calibration value for an actual syringe volume as compared with the nominal volume standard of the step of manufacturing;
• providing a dispensing aid having a volume readout signal and means for utilizing the calibration factor to determine the volume readout signal;
• providing the calibration value to the dispensing aid;
• and
• manually dispensing liquid from the syringe using the dispensing aid;
• and
• the dispensing aid producing the volume readout signal concurrently with the step of manually dispensing, the means for utilizing of the dispensing aid correcting the volume readout signal for the calibration value.

A precision volumetric liquid measuring and dispensing system for dispensing liquids from a syringe, the syringe including a body with a bore therein and a plunger linearly displaceable along a plunger axis into and out of the bore, the system comprising in combination:

• a housing,
• means to secure the body of the syringe to said housing,
• a slide,
• means to secure said slide to said plunger with a long axis of said slide parallel to said plunger axis and adjacent said housing,
• said slide including indicia spaced along said long axis, the indicia correlating to a position of said indicia along said long axis, and
• a sensor secured to said housing, said sensor including:
• means to read said indicia adjacent said sensor,
• means to correlate said indicia adjacent said sensor with a position of said plunger along said plunger axis, and
• means to display plunger position information from said correlating means in visually perceptible form.

A method for dispensing precise quantities of liquid from a syringe which has a plunger that reciprocates linearly in a syringe body, the steps including:

• fixing the syringe body to a dispensing indicator housing,
• attaching a sensor on the dispenser indicator housing,
• attaching the syringe plunger to a dispensing indicator plunger,
• constraining the plungers to move linearly, parallel and in synchrony,
• orienting the dispensing indicator plunger to pass by the sensor on the dispenser indicator housing,
• sensing the dispensing indicator plunger's linear movement,
• displaying the linear movement on a visually readable output.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger connected to the slide, the dispensing aid plunger being directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• and
• an electronic linear position measuring device having a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger;
• wherein the electronic linear position measuring device relies on capacitance means and produces an output responsive to capacitance between the first portion and the second portion.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger connected to the slide, the dispensing aid plunger being directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device having a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger;
• and
• an adjustable stop that limits the linear movement of the dispensing aid plunger relative to the dispensing aid body.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger connected to the slide, the dispensing aid plunger being directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device having a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger;
• and
• a drag brake pad selectively engagable with the slide to apply a drag braking force to the movement of the slide.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device comprising
• a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and having a first metallic electrode,
• a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger and having a second metallic electrode disposed in a facing relation to the first metallic electrode, and
• means for measuring a capacitance of a circuit including the first metallic electrode and the second metallic electrode and producing an output linear position signal responsive to the measured capacitance;
• a microprocessor which receives the output linear position signal of the means for measuring and produces a microprocessor output signal;
• a readout which receives the microprocessor output signal;
• and
• an adjustable stop that limits the linear movement of the dispensing aid plunger relative to the dispensing aid body.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device comprising
• a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and having a first metallic electrode,
• a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger and having a second metallic electrode disposed in a facing relation to the first metallic electrode, and
• means for measuring a capacitance of a circuit including the first metallic electrode and the second metallic electrode and producing an output linear position signal responsive to the measured capacitance;
• a microprocessor which receives the output linear position signal of the means for measuring and produces a microprocessor output signal;
• and
• a readout which receives the microprocessor output signal;
• wherein the means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body to the syringe body includes a clip.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device comprising
• a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and having a first metallic electrode,
• a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger and having a second metallic electrode disposed in a facing relation to the first metallic electrode, and
• means for measuring a capacitance of a circuit including the first metallic electrode and the second metallic electrode and producing an output linear position signal responsive to the measured capacitance;
• a microprocessor which receives the output linear position signal of the means for measuring and produces a microprocessor output signal;
• and
• a readout which receives the microprocessor output signal;
• wherein said means for attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger includes means to move a plunger clip from a first open position to a second retained position on the plunger.

A releasably attachable manual dispensing aid operable with a syringe having a syringe body and a syringe plunger slidable within the syringe body, the dispensing aid comprising:

• a dispensing aid body;
• a slide that is slidable within the dispensing aid body;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid body directly to the syringe body;
• a dispensing aid plunger directly graspable and operable by a human hand to produce a linear motion of the slide;
• means for releasably attaching the dispensing aid plunger to the syringe plunger;
• an electronic linear position measuring device comprising
• a first portion fixed to the dispensing aid body and having a first metallic electrode,
• a second portion fixed to the dispensing aid plunger and having a second metallic electrode disposed in a facing relation to the first metallic electrode, and
• means for measuring a capacitance of a circuit including the first metallic electrode and the second metallic electrode and producing an output linear position signal responsive to the measured capacitance;
• a microprocessor which receives the output linear position signal of the means for measuring and produces a microprocessor output signal;
• a readout which receives the microprocessor output signal;
• and
• an output plug for the microprocessor output signal.

A dispensing aid for a syringe having a long axis and having a body carrying fluid in a bore coincident with the long axis, the syringe including a plunger which reciprocates in the bore, the dispensing aid comprising, in combination:

• a housing,
• means for holding the syringe body to the housing,
• a first indicator operatively coupled to said housing,
• means for removably fastening the syringe plunger to said first indicator such that said first indicator and the plunger move in synchrony and parallel to said long axis,
• a second indicator fixed on said housing,
• means for moving said first indicator with respect to said second indicator, and
• means for determining and displaying the positional relationship between said first and second indicators;
• wherein said means for holding the body to the housing includes a recess formed in the housing, said recess sized to support an enlargement on the body of the syringe in a manner restraining linear displacement of the syringe parallel to the long axis, and wherein said housing includes a clip adapted to secure said enlargement from translation non-parallel to the housing, whereby the body of the syringe is held securely to said housing.

A dispensing aid for a syringe having a long axis and having a body carrying fluid in a bore coincident with the long axis, the syringe including a plunger which reciprocates in the bore, the dispensing aid comprising, in combination:

• a housing,
• means for holding the syringe body to the housing,
• a first indicator operatively coupled to said housing,
• means for removably fastening the syringe plunger to said first indicator such that said first indicator and the plunger move in synchrony and parallel to said long axis,
• a second indicator fixed on said housing,
• means for moving said first indicator with respect to said second indicator, and
• means for determining and displaying the positional relationship between said first and second indicators;
• wherein said means for removably fastening the plunger to said first indicator includes a collet fastener and means to selectively expand and contract a diameter of the collet fastener to grasp and release a button on an end of the plunger.

A dispensing aid for a syringe having a long axis and having a body carrying fluid in a bore coincident with the long axis, the syringe including a plunger which reciprocates in the bore, the dispensing aid comprising, in combination:

• a housing,
• means for holding the syringe body to the housing,
• a first indicator operatively coupled to said housing,
• means for removably fastening the syringe plunger to said first indicator such that said first indicator and the plunger move in synchrony and parallel to said long axis,
• a second indicator fixed on said housing,
• means for moving said first indicator with respect to said second indicator, and
• means for determining and displaying the positional relationship between said first and second indicators;
• wherein said first indicator includes an elongate slide oriented with a long axis thereof parallel to the long axis of the syringe, said slide including means to coact with said second indicator to determine a relative distance between said first indicator and said second indicator.