Volume reducing adapter for power syringe

Claim 1

An adapter (34; 134) for adjusting the internal volume of a syringe of a type known per se containing a liquid contrast medium for use in uroangiographic procedures, said syringe being for use with a power injector of a type known per se and including a piston (32) which slides within a cylindrical barrel (30) of said syringe and has a backer plate (60) with a machine grippable protrusion (36, 38) thereon, and said power injector (45) having piston engaging and gripping means (43) for gripping and engaging the grippable protrusion (36, 38) on said piston (32), said adapter comprising a generally elongate body configured for insertion into said barrel (30) and comprising: (a) a front disc (86) having centrally disposed on one side thereof, and extending outwardly from the adapter body, gripping means capable of engaging the grippable protrusion (36, 38) on the piston (32) to maintain the adapter (34; 134) and the piston (32) in an abutting relationship, said gripping means comprising a pair of resilient clips (90; 136) for engaging and holding the machine grippable protrusion (36, 38) on the piston (32) and a pair of abutment members (92; 138) located on opposite sides of the resilient clips (90; 136) and extending forward from the front disc (86); (b) a rear disc (88) which is disposed coaxially with the front disc (86), said rear disc (88) having centrally disposed on one side thereof and extending outwardly from the adapter body a machine grippable protrusion (40, 42) for engagement by the piston engaging and gripping means (43) of the power injector (43); and (c) a central body portion (80) connecting said front disc (86) and said rear disc (88).

Claim 7

A method of reducing the volume of a syringe of a type known per se containing a liquid contrast medium for use in uroangiographic procedures with a power injector (45) of a type known per se, said syringe including a piston (32) which slides within a cylindrical barrel (30) of said syringe and has a backer plate (60) with a machine grippable protrusion (36, 38) thereon, and said power injector (45) having piston engaging and gripping means (43) for gripping and engaging the grippable protrusion (36, 38) on said piston (32), which method comprises interposing between said piston (32) and said piston engaging and gripping means (43) an adapter (34; 134) comprising a generally elongate body configured for insertion into said barrel (30) and comprising: (a) a front disc (86) having centrally disposed on one side thereof, and extending outwardly from the adapter body, gripping means capable of engaging the grippable protrusion (36, 38) on the piston (32) to maintain the adaptor (34; 134) and the piston (32) in an abutting relationship, said gripping means comprising a pair of resilient clips (90; 136) for engaging and holding the machine grippable protrusion (36, 38) on the piston (32) and a pair of abutment members (92; 138) located on opposite sides of the clips (90; 136) and extending forward from the front disc (86); (b) a rear disc (88) which is disposed coaxially with the front disc (86), said rear disc (88) having centrally disposed on one side thereof and extending outwardly from the adapter body a machine grippable protrusion (40, 42) for engagement by the piston engaging and gripping means (43) of the power injector; and (c) a central body portion (80) connecting said front disc (86) and said rear disc (88); wherein said machine grippable protrusion (40, 42) on said rear disc (88) is engaged and gripped by said piston engaging and gripping means (43) of said power injector (45), said grippable protrusion (36, 38) on said piston (32) is gripped by said pair of resilient clips (90; 136), and said backer plate (60) is engaged by said abutments (92).

Claim 8

A method of reducing the volume of a syringe of a type known per se containing a liquid contrast medium for use in uroangiographic procedures with a power injector (45) of a type known per se, said syringe including a piston (32) which slides within a cylindrical barrel (30) of said syringe and has a backer plate (60) with a machine grippable protrusion (36, 38) thereon, and said power injector (45) having piston engaging and gripping means (43) for gripping and engaging the grippable protrusion (36, 38) on said piston (32), which method comprises interposing between said piston (32) and said piston engaging and gripping means (43) an adapter (34; 134) comprising a generally elongate body configured for insertion into said barrel (30) and comprising: (a) a front disc (86) having centrally disposed on one side thereof, and extending outwardly from the adapter body, gripping means capable of engaging the grippable protrusion (36, 38) on the piston (32) to maintain the adaptor (34; 134) and the piston (32) in an abutting relationship, said gripping means comprising a pair of resilient clips (90; 136) for engaging and holding the machine grippable protrusion (36, 38) on the piston (32) and a pair of abutment members (92; 138) located on opposite sides of the clips (90; 136) and extending forward from the front disc (86); (b) a rear disc (88) which is disposed coaxially with the front disc (86), said rear disc (88) having centrally disposed on one side thereof and extending outwardly from the adapter body a machine grippable protrusion (40, 42) for engagement by the piston engaging and gripping means (43) of the power injector; and (c) a central body portion (80) connecting said front disc (86) and said rear disc (88); wherein said machine grippable protrusion (40, 42) on said rear disc (88) is engaged and gripped by said piston engaging and gripping means (43) of said power injector (45), said grippable protrusion (36, 38) on said piston (32) is gripped by said pair of resilient clips (90; 136), and said backer plate (60) is engaged by said abutments (92).

Claim 11

A method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the machine grippable protrusion (42) extending outwardly from the rear disc (88) comprises a stem (42) having a button (40) affixed to the end thereof.

Claim 12

A method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the central body portion (80) comprises a back plane (84) and a plurality of ribs (82) extending between the front disc (86) and rear disc (88), said ribs (82) intersecting the back plane (84) at right angles.