EP0427457A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ampule for Needleless Hypodermic Injection Device
Assignee: Bioject Inc
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Filing: 1990-11-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A needleless injection device has a housing containing pilot valve connectable to a compressed gas source. A two stage power amplifying valve includes a main valve operatively connected the pilot valve. The pilot valve and main valve form a two-stage valve with the pilot valve activatable to open the main valve utilizing gas pressure. Compressed gas in a reservoir flows through the open main valve to drive a plunger into an ampule to inject an injectant through a patient's skin. Interlocks are provided to resist inadvertent actuation of the device and a indicator indicates whether there is sufficient gas pressure in the device for another injection.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Neal Mckinnon
- 👤 Takaaki Nakagawa
- 👤 Carl Evan Wilcox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:57
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/178; A61M5/24; A61M5/30; A61M2005/2485; A61M2005/2488; A61M5/31; A61M2005/3117; A61M2005/3118; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/58; A61M2205/583; A61M5/20; A61M5/2053; A61M5/3007; A61M5/48; A61M5/486
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
An injection device comprising: a housing; a pilot valve within said housing connectable to a compressed gas source; and a main valve operatively connected to said pilot valve, said pilot valve activable to open said main valve such that compressed gas may flow by said main valve to drive an injectant from said device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
54 words
An injection device comprising: a housing; a pilot valve within said housing connectable to a compressed gas source; and a main valve operatively connected to said pilot valve, said pilot valve activable to open said main valve such that compressed gas may flow by said main valve to drive an injectant from said device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The injection device of claim 1 further comprising a gas delivery tube extending from a cartridge chamber to a valve body associated with said pilot valve and said main valve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The injection device of claim 1 further comprising a liner having a liner seat, and a main valve piston with said main valve piston and said liner seat comprising said main valve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The injection device of claim 2 further comprising a piercing body spaced apart from sad valve body and forming a reservoir therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The injection device of claim 3 wherein at least said liner and said main valve piston form an annular chamber between said liner and said main valve piston with said annular chamber connected by at least one gas passageway to said reservoir.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The injection device of claim 5 wherein said gas passageway comprises a slot on said valve body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The injection device of claim 4 further comprising a spacer disposed within said reservoir to limit the volume of said reservoir.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The injection device of claim 2 further comprising a gas filter associated with said gas delivery tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The injection device of claim 3 wherein said main valve piston has a central counterbore.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The injection device of claim 3 wherein said main valve piston has sealing face including an elastomeric seal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The injection device of claim 1 wherein said pilot valve comprises a Schrader-type poppet valve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The injection device of claim 2 further comprising at least one bleed hole in said gas delivery tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
13 An injection method comprising the steps of activating a pilot valve; and allowing a main valve to open in response to activation of the pilot valve, thereby allowing compressed gas to pass by the main valve to drive injectant from an ampule.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
13 An injection method comprising the steps of activating a pilot valve; and allowing a main valve to open in response to activation of the pilot valve, thereby allowing compressed gas to pass by the main valve to drive injectant from an ampule.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of supplying compressed gas to the pilot valve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of supplying compressed gas to a reservoir.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of adjusting the volume of the reservoir.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 13 wherein compressed gas is supplied to the pilot valve by connecting a compressed gas cartridge to a gas delivery tube leading to the pilot valve.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of bleeding gas from the gas delivery tube to the reservoir.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of metering the compressed gas supplied to the pilot valve by passing it through an orifice.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of filtering the compressed gas supplied to the gas delivery tube.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of using the compressed gas flowing by the main valve to drive a plunger into an ampule.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of supplying compressed gas from the reservoir around the pilot valve to the main valve via a gas passageway.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
An injection device comprising: A valve for releasing compressed gas to drive an injectant; means for releasably attaching an ampule to the device; means for permitting actuation of the valve only when an ampule is attached to the device by the means for releasably attaching.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
An injection device comprising: A valve for releasing compressed gas to drive an injectant; means for releasably attaching an ampule to the device; means for permitting actuation of the valve only when an ampule is attached to the device by the means for releasably attaching.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 23 further comprising means for indicating the pressure of the compressed gas.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 23 wherein the means for indicating comprises a Bourdon tube and an indicator barrel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 23 wherein the means for releasably attaching comprises a plurality of hooks on a retainer for rotatably engaging flanges on an ampule.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
55 words
The device claim 23 wherein the means for permitting actuation of the valve only when an ampule is attached to the device comprises a detent collar rotatable within the retainer, at least one link biased against the detent collar, and at least one detent collar following disposed in the retainer and engaging the detent collar.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
50 words
The device of claim further comprising a slide having a groove and extending over the detent collar follower, with the slide alternately displaceable from a first position wherein the groove is displace from the detent collar follower, to a second position wherein the collar is adjacent the detent collar follower.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 28 wherein the slide is engageable to a trigger for actuating the valve.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 27 wherein the detent collar has at least one slot for receiving a key on an ampule with the slot adjacent the link.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 29 further comprising biasing means for biasing the slide towards the trigger.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
62 words
An Injection device comprising: a trigger for actuating a valve; first enabling means alternatively moveable between an enabling position and a lock position, the first enabling means movable to the enabling position only when an ampule is secured into the device; and second enabling means for enabling actuation of the trigger only when the first enabling means is in the enabling position.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
62 words
An Injection device comprising: a trigger for actuating a valve; first enabling means alternatively moveable between an enabling position and a lock position, the first enabling means movable to the enabling position only when an ampule is secured into the device; and second enabling means for enabling actuation of the trigger only when the first enabling means is in the enabling position.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
69 words
An ampule comprising: a generally cylindrical body having ampule walls substantially defining an injectant chamber; a throat extending and tapering from the injectant chamber to a nozzle at one end of the ampule; a plurality of cam flanges adjacent the other end of ampule for securing the ampule to an injection device; and at least one key on the ampule for disengaging a locking means on an injection device.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
69 words
An ampule comprising: a generally cylindrical body having ampule walls substantially defining an injectant chamber; a throat extending and tapering from the injectant chamber to a nozzle at one end of the ampule; a plurality of cam flanges adjacent the other end of ampule for securing the ampule to an injection device; and at least one key on the ampule for disengaging a locking means on an injection device.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ampule of claim 33 further comprising a nozzle land surrounding the nozzle.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ampule of claim 33 further comprising a shroud surrounding and spaced apart from the nozzle.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
The ampule of claim 33 wherein the key tab comprises at least one protrusion extending from the other end of the ampule.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
42 words
A injection device comprising: a housing; a pilot valve within said housing connectable to a compressed gas source; a main valve operatively connected to said pilot valve; a trigger engageable to the pilot valve; and means for locking and unlocking the trigger.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
42 words
A injection device comprising: a housing; a pilot valve within said housing connectable to a compressed gas source; a main valve operatively connected to said pilot valve; a trigger engageable to the pilot valve; and means for locking and unlocking the trigger.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
The injection device of claim 37 wherein said means docking and unlocking comprises a detent switch.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The injection device of claim 38 wherein the detent switch comprises a slide block having a slide block pin for releasably engaging the trigger.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
101 words
The injection device of claim 37 wherein said means for locking and unlocking comprises: a detent switch slidable with finger pressure from a locked position to an unlocked position; a slide block attached to the detent switch; a slide block pin extending from the slide block, the slide block pin engaging the trigger when the detent switch is in the locked position, thereby preventing the device from actuating, and the slide block pin released from the trigger when the detent switch is in the unlocked position, thereby allowing the trigger to be depressed by finger pressure to open the pilot valve.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
41 words
An ampule comprising: a generally cylindrical injectant chamber; a transition zone having a concave section adjoining the injectant chamber, a convex section adjoining the concave section, and a conical section adjoining the convex section; and a nozzle adjoining the conical section.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
41 words
An ampule comprising: a generally cylindrical injectant chamber; a transition zone having a concave section adjoining the injectant chamber, a convex section adjoining the concave section, and a conical section adjoining the convex section; and a nozzle adjoining the conical section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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