Hypodermic fluid dispenser

Claim 2

A hypodermic fluid dispenser for receiving a sequence of collapsible bodies, each forming a chamber for holding a fluid, said dispenser comprising: pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to a sequential supply of said bodies to collapse said bodies in turn, to force fluid held in said chamber therefrom, said pressure application means including: repetitively charged storage means for storing electrical energy of relatively high value, said storage means being connectable to a primary source of electrical energy, the energy of said storage means being higher than the instantaneous energy available from said primary source; resilient means sequentially connectable to received collapsible bodies for expanding from a compressed state to collapse the bodies; motor means for advancing a ram means to compress said resilient means; and a source of electrical pulses having relatively high energy and short duration, said source being energized by said repetitively charged storage means and transmitting relatively high energy, short duration pulses to energize said motor.

Claim 3

A hypodermic fluid dispenser for receiving one or more collapsible bodies, each body including a chamber for holding a fluid, and for injecting said fluid, said dispenser comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially one or more of said bodies into said dispenser; pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to each of said one or more bodies to collapse said bodies in turn, to force hypodermic fluid from the respective chambers, said pressure application means including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized state to said received one or more collapsible bodies for collapsing the one or more bodies in response to the application of force of sufficient magnitude and duration to said resilient means; motor means for energizing ram means to compress said resilient means; and a source of electrical energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor to energize ram means to compress said resilient means to collapse the bodies to inject said fluid.

Claim 4

A hypodermic fluid dispenser for receiving one or more collapsible bodies, each body including a chamber for holding a fluid, and for injecting said fluid, said dispenser comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially one or more of said bodies into said dispenser; pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to each of said one or more bodies to collapse said bodies in turn, to force hypodermic fluid from the respective chambers, said pressure application means including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized state to said received one or more collapsible bodies for collapsing the one or more bodies in response to the application of force of sufficient magnitude and duration to said resilient means; motor means for energizing ram means to compress said resilient means; and a source of electrical energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor to energize ram means to compress said resilient means to collapse the bodies to inject said fluid.

Claim 5

A hypodermic fluid dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said insertion means further expels said one or more bodies into and out of said dispenser.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said insertion means includes a magazine for storing said bodies, and said sequence contains N collapsible bodies stored in said magazine.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said insertion means includes a magazine for holding N bodies and includes an initially vacant body holding part, and each of the N collapsible bodies is expelled into said initially vacated part at the completion of each of the injections

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said insertion means includes a magazine for holding N bodies, and said sequence of N collapsible bodies remain at their initial location in said magazine for all N injections, and means for moving said magazine through the dispenser for collapsing each cartridge per injection.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 6 and further including said magazine wherein the N collapsible bodies are a permanent part of said magazine.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said collapsible body in said dispenser further comprises output means for discharging fluid from said body when said body is at least partially collapsed.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 8 wherein said collapsible body in said dispenser comprises guard means near said output means for preventing contact between a patient's skin and said output means.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9 wherein said guard means comprises a guard ring.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 9 wherein said guard means has an interrupted pattern to prevent sliding between the dispenser and the skin.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 8 wherein said body in said fluid dispenser further includes outflow port means for defining a discharge from said body having enclosed collapsible bellows.

Claim 15

A hypodermic fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 4 and further including: means for counting the number of bodies remaining in said magazine during a series of injections, and for generating output signals in accordance with the count; and means responsive to output signals of said counting means for displaying the number of bodies remaining in said magazine.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said dispenser further comprises a disposable and replaceable exit nozzle for discharging fluid from the chambers of said collapsible bodies; wherein said resilient means apply sufficient pressure to said body to discharge an injection fluid from said chamber and through said disposable nozzle.

Claim 17

A hypodermic fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 2 wherein said dispenser is compact and hand-held during operation.

Claim 18

A hypodermic fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 2 wherein said motor means is operably connectable to a small battery source for producing said source of electrical energy for energizing said ram means to compress said resilient means.

Claim 19

A hypodermic fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 16 wherein said motor means is energizable from a low capacity energy source to supply an intermediate source of stored energy, and has engaging/disengaging means to preserve rotor momentum during intervals of resupplying the intermediate energy source.

Claim 20

A hypodermic fluid dispenser in accordance with claim 16 wherein the time period for compressing said resilient means increases as the motor means drive capability decreases and/or the capacity of said electrical energy source decreases.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said resilient means is spring means.

Claim 22

The invention according to claim 2 and further including monitoring means for monitoring the deformation of said resilient means to terminate the energy to said motor means when said deformation reaches a predetermined value, said monitoring means including a source of reference pulse signals having a first pulse rate, and a source of monitor pulse signals said source having a means for modifying the monitor pulse rate in accordance with the magnitude of the deformation of said resilient means.

Claim 23

A hypodermic fluid dispenser according to claim 20 wherein said source of monitor pulse signals comprises a variable inductance for setting the pulse rate of said monitor pulse signals, and wherein said inductance is varied as a function of the deformation of said resilient means.

Claim 24

A hypodermic fluid dispenser according to claim 20 wherein said dispenser includes means for displaying values which define the magnitude of deformation and the value of the stored mechanical energy of said resilient means.

Claim 25

A hypodermic fluid dispensing system having a hypodermic fluid dispenser and at least one collapsible body, said dispenser receiving a sequence of said collapsible bodies, each body having a chamber for holding a fluid and each body containing a hypodermic needle means, said dispensing system comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially said bodies into said dispenser; sheath means includes with each body for covering said needle means before and after collapse of each of said bodies in said dispenser; and pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to the sequential supply of said bodies to collapse said bodies in turn.

Claim 26

A hypodermic fluid dispensing system having a hypodermic fluid dispenser and at least one collapsible body, said dispenser receiving a sequence of said collapsible bodies, each body having a chamber for holding a fluid and each body containing a hypodermic needle means, said dispensing system comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially said bodies into said dispenser; sheath means includes with each body for covering said needle means before and after collapse of each of said bodies in said dispenser; and pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to the sequential supply of said bodies to collapse said bodies in turn.

Claim 27

The invention according to claim 23 further comprising: means for uncovering said needle means by said sheath means to expose said needle means and for moving said sheath means into communication with said body; said pressure application means being actuable to emit pressure to collapse said sheath means covering the needle means to extend said needle means to force fluid held in said chamber through said needle means.

Claim 28

The invention according to claim 23 in which said sheath means is bellows shaped.

Claim 29

The invention according to claim 23 wherein said means for applying pressure is deactuable to cause said sheath means to expand, to retract said needle means into said sheath means.

Claim 30

The invention according to claim 26 and further comprising means to prevent said needle means from being extended from said dispenser after said needle means had made an injection.

Claim 31

The invention according to claim 23 and further including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized state to collapse the ram means to compress said collapsible bodies.

Claim 32

The invention according to claim 28 and further including: motor means for advancing said ram means; and a source of energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor means to energize said ram means to produce the desired injection upon deenergization of said motor means.

Claim 33

The invention according to claim 28 wherein said body in said dispenser is formed of transparent material.

Claim 34

The invention according to claim 23 wherein said needle means is located in a second holding means of said collapsible body, said second holding means holding a second, non-liquid serum ingredient, and positioned to penetrate the other serum ingredient holder, said penetration occurring to cause said first and second ingredients being brought together in response to pressure applied to said body and wherein said sheath contains a liquid for converting the non-liquid serum in second holding means to a liquid serum, and wherein during operation of the dispense said needle means brings said sheath into communication with said second body to cause the liquid serum to enter said second body to produce said liquid serum when said sheath is collapsed.

Claim 35

Apparatus according to claim 23 and further including means within said body in said dispenser to prevent needle means form being operable after the needle means has been used.

Claim 36

A hypodermic fluid dispenser for receiving one or more collapsible cartridges, each cartridge including a chamber for holding a fluid, and for injecting said fluid, said dispenser comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially one or more of said cartridges into said dispenser; and pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to each of said one or more cartridges to collapse said cartridges in turn, to force hypodermic fluid from the respective chambers, said pressure application means including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized state to said received one or more collapsible cartridges for collapsing the one or more cartridges in response to the application of force of sufficient magnitude and duration to said resilient means; motor means for energizing ram means to compress said resilient means; and power switch means for selectively connecting a source of electrical energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor to said resilient means to collapse the cartridges to inject said fluid.

Claim 37

A hypodermic fluid dispenser for receiving one or more collapsible cartridges, each cartridge including a chamber for holding a fluid, and for injecting said fluid, said dispenser comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially one or more of said cartridges into said dispenser; and pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to each of said one or more cartridges to collapse said cartridges in turn, to force hypodermic fluid from the respective chambers, said pressure application means including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized state to said received one or more collapsible cartridges for collapsing the one or more cartridges in response to the application of force of sufficient magnitude and duration to said resilient means; motor means for energizing ram means to compress said resilient means; and power switch means for selectively connecting a source of electrical energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor to said resilient means to collapse the cartridges to inject said fluid.

Claim 38

A hypodermic fluid dispenser according to claim 33 and further including manually actuable means for actuating said power switch means for selectively connecting one source of electrical energy to said motor means to achieve the pressure needed to collapse said cartridges, and for deactuating said manually actuable means when said pressure to collapse said cartridges is attained.

Claim 39

A hypodermic fluid dispenser according to claim 33 and further including means actuable by said cartridges for actuating said power switch means to connect the source of electrical energy to said motor means.

Claim 40

A hypodermic fluid dispensing system having a hypodermic fluid dispenser and at least one collapsible body, said dispenser receiving one or more of said collapsible bodies, each body including a chamber for holding a fluid, and for injecting said fluid, said dispensing system comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially one or more of said bodies into said dispenser; pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to each of said one or more bodies to collapse said bodies in turn, to force hypodermic fluid from the respective chambers, said pressure application means including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized sate to said received one or more collapsible bodies for collapsing the one or more bodies in response to the application of force of sufficient magnitude and duration to said resilient means; motor means for energizing ram means to compress said resilient means; and a source of electrical energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor to energize said ram means to compress said resilient means to collapse the bodies to inject said fluid.

Claim 41

A hypodermic fluid dispensing system having a hypodermic fluid dispenser and at least one collapsible body, said dispenser receiving one or more of said collapsible bodies, each body including a chamber for holding a fluid, and for injecting said fluid, said dispensing system comprising: insertion means for inserting sequentially one or more of said bodies into said dispenser; pressure application means for sequentially applying pressure to each of said one or more bodies to collapse said bodies in turn, to force hypodermic fluid from the respective chambers, said pressure application means including: resilient means sequentially connectable from an energized sate to said received one or more collapsible bodies for collapsing the one or more bodies in response to the application of force of sufficient magnitude and duration to said resilient means; motor means for energizing ram means to compress said resilient means; and a source of electrical energy of sufficient magnitude and duration to energize said motor to energize said ram means to compress said resilient means to collapse the bodies to inject said fluid.