Syringe holder and applicator

Claim 1

A syringe holder and applicator which comprises an outer cylindrical tube having a distal end into which a syringe may be inserted manually and having a proximal end through which a syringe needle may be extended automatically; an inner tubular syringe holder slideably fitted within said outer tube for axial movement in a cylindrical cavity provided by said outer tube, said tubular syringe holder having a distal end oriented toward the distal end of said outer tube and having a proximal end oriented toward the proximal end of said outer tube, and said tubular syringe holder being adapted to receive and hold the barrel of a syringe that has been inserted through the distal end of said outer tube into said tubular syringe holder with the syringe needle protruding through the proximal end of said of said tubular syringe holder; a coil spring member positioned within said cylindrical cavity axially of said tubular syringe holder and extending between the distal end of said outer tube and the adjacent distal end of said inner tubular syringe holder whereby positioning of said tubular syringe holder in a retracted position will result in compression of said coil spring; a trigger means integral with said outer tube, said trigger means having a first portion extending toward the distal end of said outer tube, said first portion having a locking element inclined inward to engage a portion of said tubular syringe holder to lock said tubular syringe holder in a retracted position toward the distal end of said cylindrical cavity when said tubular syringe holder is moved axially to that retracted position; said trigger means having another portion integral with and extending from said first portion toward the distal end of said outer tube and inclined outward toward the distal end of said outer tube, said second portion being so constructed and associated with said first portion that radially inward pressure on said second portion will result in said first portion being moved radially outward to release said locking element from a locking relationship with said tubular syringe holder to release said tubular syringe holder whereby said tubular syringe holder will be permitted to travel axially toward the proximal end of said outer tube under the force of said coil spring; and a cylindrical coil-spring retainer tube axially fitted within said outer tube, said retainer tube having a distal end positioned adjacent the distal end of said outer tube and having a proximal end oriented toward the proximal end of said outer tube, and said retainer tube extending from the distal end of said outer tube toward said tubular syringe holder, said coil spring being positioned within said retainer tube and seating against the retainer tube distal end and extending through the retainer tube proximal end into abutment with said tubular syringe holder; said trigger means comprising a strip integral with said outer tube, said trigger strip being integral at its ends with said outer tube and free to flex inward and outward with respect to said outer tube along the length of said strip, said first portion comprising the proximal half of said strip and said second portion comprising the distal half of said strip, and said strip having a hinge line thereacross between the two portions whereby said two portions may flex with respect to one another about said hinge line.