Apparatus and method for painless intramuscular or subcutaneous injections

A painless injection apparatus comprising:

• a first injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a numbing agent;
• a second injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a medication;
• a housing accommodating the first and second injectors;
• a plunger actuation device coupled to both the first and second injectors, the plunger actuation device operable to sequentially actuate the plungers of the first and second injectors to first inject the numbing agent at a first predetermined depth and to second inject the medication at a second predetermination depth into a patient's tissues, and wherein the plunger actuation device includes a mechanism for retracting the needles of the first and second injectors within the housing;
• a light source operable to emit a light through the storage chamber of the second injector and the medication contained therein;
• a light detector operable to detect the light and generate a detection signal indicative of whether the light is detected;
• and
• a control circuit operable to receiving the detection signal and generating an actuation signal operable to advance the plunger of the second injector in response to the light detector detecting the light.

A painless injection apparatus, comprising:

• a first injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a numbing agent;
• a second injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a medication;
• a housing accommodating the first and second injectors;
• a plunger actuation device coupled to both the first and second injectors, the plunger actuation device operable to sequentially actuate the plungers of the first and second injectors to first inject the numbing agent at a first predetermined depth and to second inject the medication at a second predetermination depth into a patient's tissues, and wherein the plunger actuation device includes a mechanism for advancing and retracting the needles of the first and second injectors within the housing in a predetermined sequential manner, wherein the mechanism, wherein the mechanism comprises:
• a plurality of finger projections coupled to the storage chamber of the first injector, the plurality of finger projections defining an opening through which the plunger of the first injector is accessible;
• an actuation rod coupled to the plunger actuation device, the actuation rod having an enlarged end larger than the opening defined by the plurality of finger projections;
• and
• whereby the plunger actuation device is operable to advance the actuation rod toward the storage chamber of the first injector and causing the actuation rod to push against the plurality of finger projections and thus advancing the storage chamber and needle of the first injector to an injection position, the continued advancement of the actuation rod causing the enlarged end of the actuation rod to be forced past the plurality of finger projections through the opening defined thereby, whereby the plunger actuation device is further operable to retract the actuation rod away from the storage chamber of the first injector and causing the actuation rod to be pulled against the plurality of finger projections and thus retracting the storage chamber and the needle of the first injector to a retracted position, the continued retraction of the actuation rod causing the enlarged end of the actuation rod to be forcibly extracted past the plurality of finger projections.

A painless injection apparatus, comprising:

• a first injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a numbing agent;
• a second injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a medication;
• a housing accommodating the first and second injectors;
• a plunger actuation device coupled to both the first and second injectors, the plunger actuation device operable to sequentially actuate the plungers of the first and second injectors to first inject the numbing agent at a first predetermined depth and to second inject the medication at a second predetermination depth into a patient's tissues, and wherein the plunger actuation device includes a mechanism for retracting the needles of the first and second injectors with in the housing;
• a mechanism for advancing and retracting the first and second injectors and the plungers thereof in a predetermined sequential manner, wherein the mechanism comprises:
• a plurality of finger projections coupled to the storage chamber of the second injector, the plurality of finger projections defining an opening through which the plunger of the second injector is accessible;
• and
• an actuation rod coupled to the plunger actuation device, the actuation rod having an enlarged end larger than the opening defined by the plurality of finger projections;
• and
• whereby the plunger actuation device is operable to advance the actuation rod toward the storage chamber of the second injector and causing the actuation rod to push against the plurality of finger projections and thus advancing the storage chamber and the needle of the second injector to an injection position, the continued advancement of the actuation rod causing the enlarged end of the actuation rod to be forced past the plurality of finger projections through the opening defined thereby, whereby the plunger actuation device is further operable to retract the actuation rod away from the storage chamber of the second injector and causing the actuation rod to be pulled against the plurality of finger projections and thus retracting the storage chamber and the needle of the second injector to a retracted position, the continued retraction of the actuation rod causing the enlarged end of the actuation rod to be forcibly extracted past the plurality of finger projections.

A painless injection apparatus comprising:

• a first injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a numbing agent;
• a second injector having a needle, a plunger, and a storage chamber storing a medication;
• a housing accommodating the first and second injectors;
• a plunger actuation device coupled to both the first and second injectors, the plunger actuation device operable to sequentially actuate the plungers of the first and second injectors to first inject the numbing agent at a first predetermined depth and to second inject the medication at a second predetermination depth into a patient's tissues, and wherein the plunger actuation device includes a mechanism for retracting the needles of the first and second injectors within the housing;
• a handle portion housing the plunger actuation device;
• and
• a disposable portion housing the first and second injectors.

A method for painless injections, comprising:

• automatically inserting a needle of a first injector into a patient's skin to a first predetermined depth and then automatically advancing a plunger of the first injector to inject a numbing agent stored in a storage chamber of the first injector;
• automatically inserting a second needle of a second injector positioned in close proximity to the needle of the first injector into the patient's tissues to a second predetermined depth;
• automatically retracting a plunger of the second injector a predetermined displacement to aspirate for blood;
• determining the presence of aspirated blood in a storage chamber of the second injector by automatically emitting a light adapted to pass through the storage chamber of the second injector and the medication contained therein and automatically detecting the light and generating a detection signal in response thereto;
• and
• automatically actuating the plunger of the second injector to inject a medication stored in the storage chamber of the second injector to the second predetermined depth in the patient's tissues in response to an absence of aspirated blood.

A method for painless injections, comprising:

• automatically inserting a needle of a first injector into a patient's skin to a first predetermined depth and then automatically advancing a plunger of the first injector to inject a numbing agent stored in a storage chamber of the first injector;
• automatically actuating the plunger of the first injector to retract the needle from the patient's skin;
• automatically inserting a second needle of a second injector positioned in close proximity to the needle of the first injector into the patient's tissues to a second predetermined depth, retraction of the needle of the first injector being made prior to inserting the needle of the second injector;
• automatically retracting a plunger of the second injector a predetermined displacement to aspirate for blood;
• determining the presence of aspirated blood in a storage chamber of the second injector;
• and
• automatically actuating the plunger of the second injector to inject a medication stored in the storage chamber of the second injector to the second predetermined depth in the patient's tissues in response to an absence of aspirated blood.

A method for painless injections, comprising:

• automatically inserting a needle of a first injector into a patient's skin to a first predetermined depth and then automatically advancing a plunger of the first injector to inject a numbing agent stored in a storage chamber of the first injector;
• automatically inserting a second needle of a second injector positioned in close proximity to the needle of the first injector into the patient's tissues to a second predetermined depth, retraction of the needle of the first injector being made prior to inserting the needle of the second injector;
• automatically retracting a plunger of the second injector a predetermined displacement to aspirate for blood;
• determining the presence of aspirated blood in a storage chamber of the second injector;
• automatically actuating the plunger of the second injector to inject a medication stored in the storage chamber of the second injector to the second predetermined depth in the patient's tissues in response to an absence of aspirated blood;
• and
• automatically actuating the plunger of the second injector to retract the needle from the patient's tissues after injecting the medication therein.

A method for painless injections, comprising:

• automatically inserting a needle of a first injector into a patient's skin to a first predetermined depth and then automatically advancing a plunger of the first injector to inject a numbing agent stored in a storage chamber of the first injector;
• automatically actuating the plunger of the first injector to retract the needle from the patient's skin and completely into an injector housing;
• automatically inserting a second needle of a second injector positioned in close proximity to the needle of the first injector into the patient's tissues to a second predetermined depth, retraction of the needle of the first injector being made prior to inserting the needle of the second injector, retraction of the needle of the first injector being made prior to inserting the needle of the second injector;
• automatically retracting a plunger of the second injector a predetermined displacement to aspirate for blood;
• determining the presence of aspirated blood in a storage chamber of the second injector;
• automatically actuating the plunger of the second injector to inject a medication stored in the storage chamber of the second injector to the second predetermined depth in the patient's tissues in response to an absence of aspirated blood;
• and
• automatically actuating the plunger of the second injector to retract the needle from the patient's tissues and completely into the injector housing after injecting the medication.

A method for painless injections, comprising:

• generating a first actuation signal adapted to advance and insert a needle of a first injector into a patient's skin and injecting a numbing agent into the patient's skin;
• generating a second actuation signal adapted to advance and insert a needle of a second injector positioned in close proximity to the needle of the first injector into the patient's skin to a desired depth, the first injector being an integral unit with the second injector;
• generating a third actuation signal adapted to retract a plunger of the second injector a predetermined amount to aspirate for blood;
• detecting the presence of aspirated blood;
• and
• generating a fourth actuation signal adapted to advance the plunger of the second injector and injecting a medication to the desired depth in the patient's tissues in response to not detecting the presence of aspirated blood.

An injection apparatus comprising:

• an injector having a housing, a storage chamber storing a medication, a needle, and a plunger;
• a plunger actuation device coupled to the injector, the plunger actuation device being adapted to automatically and sequentially advance the needle into a patient's tissues, withdraw the plunger to aspirate for blood, advance the plunger to inject the medication into the patient's tissues at the desired depths, and withdraw the needle into the housing;
• a control circuit operable to generate an actuation signal operable to control the plunger actuation device to advance and retract the plunger;
• and
• a mechanism for advancing and retracting the needle and the plunger in a predetermined sequential manner, wherein the mechanism comprises:
• a plurality of finger projections coupled to the storage chamber of the injector, the plurality of finger projections defining an opening through which the plunger of the second injector is accessible;
• and
• an actuation rod coupled to the plunger actuation device, the actuation rod having an enlarged end larger than the opening defined by the plurality of finger projections;
• whereby the plunger actuation device is operable to advance the actuation rod toward the storage chamber of the injector and causing the actuation rod to push against the plurality of finger projections and thus advancing the storage chamber and the needle of the injector to an injection position, the continued advancement of the actuation rod causing the enlarged end of the actuation rod to be forced past the plurality of finger projections through the opening defined thereby, whereby the plunger actuation device is further operable to retract the actuation rod away from the storage chamber of the second injector and causing the actuation rod to be pulled against the plurality of finger projections and thus retracting the storage chamber and the needle of the injector to a retracted position, the continued retraction of the actuation rod causing the enlarged end of the actuation rod to be forcibly extracted past the plurality of finger projections.