Cartridge and adapter for introducing a beneficial agent into an intravenous delivery system

Claim 2

An adapter for placing an intravenous delivery system including a fluid source, a fluid conduit and a receptacle in the fluid conduit, in fluid communication with a chamber having a beneficial agent therein, said adapter defining flow path means between the receptacle and the chamber and comprising: (a) a rigid cannula having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a shell spaced from said cannula intermediate of said cannula inlet and said cannula outlet, with said cannula and said shell defining a channel therebetween, about the exterior of said cannula, said channel including a channel inlet short of said cannula outlet and a channel outlet short of said cannula inlet; (c) cannula holder means secured to said cannula; (d) extension means extending between said cannula holder and said shell and securing said cannula relative to said shell, there being an open flow path through said channel, including said channel inlet and said channel outlet; (e) wherein said channel inlet and said cannula outlet are both adaptable to pierce a single opening in a first injection site, associated with the receptacle of the delivery system; and (f) wherein said channel outlet and said cannula inlet are both adaptable to pierce a single opening in a second injection site, associated with the chamber.

Claim 3

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein said shell and said channel inlet extend far enough toward said cannula outlet to permit said shell to pierce said first injection site, yet wherein said shell and said channel inlet are spaced sufficiently from said cannula outlet such that the portion of the cannula adjacent said cannula outlet may be liquid-sealingly engaged about the exterior thereof, within the receptacle, while still permitting fluid flow into said channel inlet.

Claim 4

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein the exterior of said cannula outlet is liquid-sealingly engaged when said adapter is mounted to the receptacle, so that fluid entering the receptacle enters said channel inlet and cannot directly enter said cannula outlet.

Claim 5

The adapter as in claim 1 wherein at least part of said cannula holder is disposed about said cannula between said defined channel outlet and said cannula inlet.

Claim 6

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein said cannula holder is disposed about said cannula at least partially outside said shell.

Claim 7

The adapter as in claim 5, wherein the portion of said cannula holder outside of said shell includes a tapered portion to facilitate insertion through one of said first and second resilient injection sites.

Claim 8

The adapter as in claim 5 wherein the portion of said cannula holder outside said shell is disposed no more than about 0.010 inch from the end of said shell, defining said channel outlet.

Claim 9

The adapter as in claim 5, wherein the portion of said cannula holder outside said shell is disposed between about 0.005 inch and 0.010 inch from the end of said shell, defining said channel outlet.

Claim 10

The adapter as in claim 5, wherein the portion of said cannula holder outside said shell is spaced from the end of said shell, defining said channel outlet, creating a substantially horizontal opening for fluid exiting said channel outlet.

Claim 11

The adapter as in claim 9, wherein said channel outlet is substantially 360°.

Claim 12

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein said cannula holder is disposed at least partially inside said shell.

Claim 13

The adapter as in claim 11, wherein that portion of the cannula holder interior of said shell includes a substantially polygonal cross-section such that corners defined by the polygonal cross-section of said cannula holder fixedly engage said shell, wherein said cannula holder comprises said extension means.

Claim 14

The adapter as in claim 12, wherein said shell includes an interior shell wall defining said channel and having a generally arcuate cross section along at least a portion of the length of said shell, such that said arcuate portion engages said corners of said cannula holder.

Claim 15

The adapter as in claim 13, wherein the polygonal cross-section of said cannula holder interior of said shell is sunstantially a square.

Claim 16

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said cannula inlet and said cannula outlet is substantially pointed to facilitate piercing the associated injection site.

Claim 17

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein said cannula and said shell are substantially coaxial.

Claim 18

The adapter as in claim 1, wherein said shell extends far enough toward said cannula outlet to permit said shell and said cannula outlet to pierce the first injection site, such that the portion of the shell adjacent said cannula outlet may be liquid sealingly engaged about the exterior thereof, further including said defined channel inlet being disposed through the side wall of said shell, spaced sufficiently from said cannula outlet so as to permit fluid flow into said channel inlet from the receptacle.

Claim 19

The adapter as in claim 17, wherein that portion of the shell adjacent said cannula outlet is a separate part from the remainder of said shell and abuts the remainder of said shell but which includes an opening defining said channel inlet.

Claim 20

The adapter as in claim 18, wherein said shell portion includes at least one post abutting the remainder of said shell, such that said post defines said channel inlet.

Claim 21

An adapter for placing an intravenous delivery system including a fluid source, a fluid conduit and a receptacle in the fluid conduit, in fluid communication with a chamber having a beneficial agent therein, said adapter defining flow path means between the receptacle and the chamber and comprising: (a) hollow rigid tube means; (b) a plate mounted within said tube, transverse of the tube length; (c) a rigid cannula extending through said plate within said hollow tube, said rigid cannula having an inlet on one side of said plate and an outlet on the other side of said plate; (d) a shell extending from said plate and spaced from said cannula intermediate of said cannula inlet and said cannula outlet, said cannula and said shell defining a channel therebetween, about the exterior of said cannula, said channel including a defined channel inlet on the same side of said plate as said cannula outlet and a defined channel outlet on the same side of said rigid plate as said cannula inlet; (e) cannula holder means secured to said cannula; (f) extension means extending between said cannula holder and said shell and securing said cannula relative to said shell, there being an open flow path through said channel, including said channel inlet and said channel outlet; (g) wherein said channel inlet and said cannula outlet are both adaptable to pierce a single opening in a first injection site, associated with the receptacle of the delivery system; and (h) wherein said channel outlet and said cannula inlet are both adaptable to pierce a single opening in a second injection site, associated with the chamber.

Claim 22

An adapter for placing an intravenous delivery system including a fluid source, a fluid conduit and a receptacle in the fluid conduit, in fluid communication with a chamber having a beneficial agent therein, said adapter defining flow path means between the receptacle and the chamber and comprising: (a) hollow rigid tube means; (b) a plate mounted within said tube, transverse of the tube length; (c) a rigid cannula extending through said plate within said hollow tube, said rigid cannula having an inlet on one side of said plate and an outlet on the other side of said plate; (d) a shell extending from said plate and spaced from said cannula intermediate of said cannula inlet and said cannula outlet, said cannula and said shell defining a channel therebetween, about the exterior of said cannula, said channel including a defined channel inlet on the same side of said plate as said cannula outlet and a defined channel outlet on the same side of said rigid plate as said cannula inlet; (e) cannula holder means secured to said cannula; (f) extension means extending between said cannula holder and said shell and securing said cannula relative to said shell, there being an open flow path through said channel, including said channel inlet and said channel outlet; (g) wherein said channel inlet and said cannula outlet are both adaptable to pierce a single opening in a first injection site, associated with the receptacle of the delivery system; and (h) wherein said channel outlet and said cannula inlet are both adaptable to pierce a single opening in a second injection site, associated with the chamber.

Claim 23

An adapter as in claim 20, wherein the chamber is slidable relative to said cannula and said shell within said hollow tube.

Claim 24

The adapter as in claim 21, wherein said shell is fixed relative to said plate.

Claim 25

The adapter as in claim 22, wherein said plate is a stop to movement of the chamber in the direction of said shell.

Claim 26

The adapter as in claim 20, wherein said tube engages the chamber and the receptacle when the chamber and the receptacle are in fluid communication.

Claim 27

The adapter as in claim 20, wherein said adapter accomodates slidable mounting of the chamber within said hollow tube.

Claim 28

The adapter as in claim 20, further comprising said chamber slidably mounted within said hollow tube.

Claim 29

A cartridge for introducing a beneficial agent into a fluid conduit and comprising; (a) a rigid hollow tube; (b) a plate extending across said rigid tube; (c) adapter means including (i) a rigid cannula having a inlet and an outlet, (ii) a shell extending from said plate and spaced from said cannula intermediate of said cannula inlet and said cannula outlet, said cannula and said shell defining a channel therebetween, said channel including a defined channel inlet on the same side of said plate as said cannula outlet and a defined channel outlet on the same side of said plate as said cannula inlet, (iii) cannula holder means secured to said cannula, and (iv) extension means extending between said cannula holder and said shell and securing said cannula relative to said shell, there being an open flow path through said channel, including said channel inlet and said channel outlet; and (d) a chamber containing a beneficial agent, slidably mounted within said tube and closed at one end by an injection site; (e) wherein said chamber is slidable from a first postion spaced from said channel outlet and said cannula inlet to a second position wherein said defined channel outlet, said shell and said cannula inlet have pierced the injection site to said chamber.

Claim 30

A cartridge for introducing a beneficial agent into a fluid conduit and comprising; (a) a rigid hollow tube; (b) a plate extending across said rigid tube; (c) adapter means including (i) a rigid cannula having a inlet and an outlet, (ii) a shell extending from said plate and spaced from said cannula intermediate of said cannula inlet and said cannula outlet, said cannula and said shell defining a channel therebetween, said channel including a defined channel inlet on the same side of said plate as said cannula outlet and a defined channel outlet on the same side of said plate as said cannula inlet, (iii) cannula holder means secured to said cannula, and (iv) extension means extending between said cannula holder and said shell and securing said cannula relative to said shell, there being an open flow path through said channel, including said channel inlet and said channel outlet; and (d) a chamber containing a beneficial agent, slidably mounted within said tube and closed at one end by an injection site; (e) wherein said chamber is slidable from a first postion spaced from said channel outlet and said cannula inlet to a second position wherein said defined channel outlet, said shell and said cannula inlet have pierced the injection site to said chamber.

Claim 31

The cartridge as in claim 27, wherein said shell and said channel inlet extend far enough toward said cannula outlet to permit said shell as well as said cannula outlet to pierce an injection site in an associated receptacle in the fluid conduit, yet wherein said shell and said channel inlet are spaced sufficiently from said cannula outlet such that said cannula outlet may be liquid-sealingly engaged about the exterior thereof within the receptacle, while still permitting fluid flow into said channel inlet from the administration set upstream of said channel inlet.

Claim 32

The cartridge as in claim 27, wherein said shell and cannula pierce said chamber injection site substantially in the center of said injection site.

Claim 33

The cartridge as in claim 27, wherein said shell extends far enough toward said cannula outlet to permit said shell and said cannula outlet to pierce the injection site of the associated receptacle, such that the portion of the shell adjacent said cannula outlet may be liquid-sealingly engaged about the exterior thereof, wherein said defined channel inlet is disposed through the sidewall of said shell, spaced sufficiently from said cannula outlet so as to permit fluid flow into said channel inlet from the receptacle.

Claim 34

The cartridge as in claim 30, wherein that portion of the shell adjacent said cannula outlet is a separate part from the remainder of said shell and abuts the remainder of said shell but which includes an opening defining said channel inlet.

Claim 35

The cartridge as in claim 31, wherein said shell portion includes at least one post abutting the remainder of said shell, such that said post defines said channel inlet.