Patent US5383851A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5383851A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Needleless hypodermic injection device
Assignee: Bioject Inc
•
Filing: 1992-07-24
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Granted: 1995-01-24
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Expires: 2012-07-24
Abstract
Abstract A needless injection device includes an initiator valve controlling flow of compressed gas into a reservoir. A poppet valve connecting to the reservoir has a gas pressure regulation end to regulate flow from the initiator valve into the reservoir. A clamp piston is driven forward by gas pressure from the reservoir and causes jaws to clamp onto a plunger extending into an ampule. The poppet valve opens when reservoir pressure reaches the cracking pressure of the poppet valve. Gas from the reservoir rushes through the popper valve into a drive chamber and forces a drive piston, containing the clamp piston and jaws, forward causing the plunger to slide into the ampule. A jet of injectant sprays out of the nozzle of the ampule and penetrates through the patient's skin.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles N. McKinnon, Jr.
- 👤 Steven F. Peterson
- 👤 Paul E. Smith
- 👤 Takaaki Nakagawa
- 👤 Victor L. Bartholomew
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:50
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/178; A61M5/30; A61M5/31; A61M5/315; A61M5/31511; A61M2005/31516; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/58; A61M2205/583; A61M5/20; A61M5/2053
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing: and a clamp piston slidably positioned within the driver piston for engaging the driver piston to the plunger regardless of plunger location.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing: and a clamp piston slidably positioned within the driver piston for engaging the driver piston to the plunger regardless of plunger location.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The injection device of claim 1 further comprising a valve within the housing and a means for actuating the means for mechanically linking, controlled by the valve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising clamp jaws adapted to engage a ramp drive on the clamp piston.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The injection device of claim 3 further comprising clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
139 words
A jet injector comprising: an injector housing; a initiator valve within an initiator valve housing in the injector housing; a supply duct leading from a compressed gas source to the initiator valve housing; a reservoir connectable to the initiator valve through a regulation port; a poppet valve having a dart engageable towards and away from the regulation port, and a poppet body sealably engageable against a poppet seat; a drive piston slidably positioned in a drive chamber connectable to the reservoir through the poppet valve; a clamp piston slidable within a clamp piston chamber in the drive piston, the clamp piston chamber connected to the reservoir; an ampule releasably attached to the injector housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the drive piston; and clamp means adjacent the clamp piston engageable onto the plunger.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
139 words
A jet injector comprising: an injector housing; a initiator valve within an initiator valve housing in the injector housing; a supply duct leading from a compressed gas source to the initiator valve housing; a reservoir connectable to the initiator valve through a regulation port; a poppet valve having a dart engageable towards and away from the regulation port, and a poppet body sealably engageable against a poppet seat; a drive piston slidably positioned in a drive chamber connectable to the reservoir through the poppet valve; a clamp piston slidable within a clamp piston chamber in the drive piston, the clamp piston chamber connected to the reservoir; an ampule releasably attached to the injector housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the drive piston; and clamp means adjacent the clamp piston engageable onto the plunger.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The injector of claim 5 further comprising teeth on the clamp means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The injector of claim 5 further comprising a shoulder on the plunger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The injector of claim 5 wherein the plunger has a cruciform cross section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The injector of claim 5 further comprising three lugs on the ampule for attaching the ampule to the injector, the lugs being approximately equally spaced circumferentially.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The injector of claim 9 wherein the lugs have a thickness in the range of 0.175 to 0.210 inches in a dimension parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ampule, circumscribing an outer diameter in the range of 0.65 to 0.90 inches.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The injector of claim 5 further comprising a shroud on a nozzle end of the ampule, the shroud surrounding the nozzle and in the range of 0.4 to 0.8 inches in diameter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The injector of claim 5 further comprising a Luer fitting on a nozzle end of the ampule.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The injector of claim 5 further comprising an injectant chamber in the ampule, having a diameter in the range of 0.27 to 0.35 inches.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
96 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing; an initiator valve for releasing compressed gas into a reservoir within the housing; a poppet valve for controlling flow of compressed gas from the reservoir to the driver piston; a clamp piston within the housing and having ramp surfaces; a pair of opposing clamp jaws slidable on the ramp surfaces; and clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing; an initiator valve for releasing compressed gas into a reservoir within the housing; a poppet valve for controlling flow of compressed gas from the reservoir to the driver piston; a clamp piston within the housing and having ramp surfaces; a pair of opposing clamp jaws slidable on the ramp surfaces; and clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 14 further comprising drive piston return biasing means for biasing the drive piston towards the popper valve, and clamp piston return biasing means for biasing the clamp piston into the drive piston.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The injection device of claim 14 further comprising a compressed gas supply duct extending from a compressed gas source chamber to the initiator valve, and a filter positioned in the supply duct.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The injection device of claim 14 further comprising: a slide block slidably displaceable on the housing, to actuate the initiator valve; and a cam pivotally mounted on the housing and engageable against the initiator valve.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing:, a clamp piston within the housing and having ramp surfaces; a pair of opposing clamp jaws slidable on the ramp surfaces; clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart; and a regulation valve attached to the poppet valve for regulating flow into a reservoir within the housing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing:, a clamp piston within the housing and having ramp surfaces; a pair of opposing clamp jaws slidable on the ramp surfaces; clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart; and a regulation valve attached to the poppet valve for regulating flow into a reservoir within the housing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
131 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing; a clamp piston within the housing and having ramp surfaces; a pair of opposing clamp jaws slidable on the ramp surfaces; clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart; a poppet valve for controlling flow of compressed gas from a reservoir within the housing to the driver piston, the poppet valve including: a poppet body having a sealing rim, a conical poppet seat and a spring for biasing the sealing rim of the poppet body against the poppet seat, with the poppet seat and poppet body forming at least in part, a poppet annulus.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
131 words
A needleless injection device comprising: a housing; a driver piston slidably contained within the housing; an ampule releasably attached to the housing; a plunger slidably extending from the ampule at least partially into the housing; a clamp piston within the housing and having ramp surfaces; a pair of opposing clamp jaws slidable on the ramp surfaces; clamp jaw biasing means for biasing the clamp jaws apart; a poppet valve for controlling flow of compressed gas from a reservoir within the housing to the driver piston, the poppet valve including: a poppet body having a sealing rim, a conical poppet seat and a spring for biasing the sealing rim of the poppet body against the poppet seat, with the poppet seat and poppet body forming at least in part, a poppet annulus.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of needleless injection comprising the steps of installing an ampule and plunger containing an injectant into an injector; releasing compressed gas into a reservoir and using it to mechanically engage a driver piston onto the plunger; releasing compressed gas from the reservoir when the gas pressure reaches a cracking pressure to act on the driver piston; and driving the plunger into the ampule substantially using compressed gas released from the reservoir.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of needleless injection comprising the steps of installing an ampule and plunger containing an injectant into an injector; releasing compressed gas into a reservoir and using it to mechanically engage a driver piston onto the plunger; releasing compressed gas from the reservoir when the gas pressure reaches a cracking pressure to act on the driver piston; and driving the plunger into the ampule substantially using compressed gas released from the reservoir.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of filtering the compressed gas before releasing it into the reservoir.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of venting compressed gas from the reservoir through a muffler, after the injection.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of detaching the driver piston from the plunger and returning it to a reset position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-23 | 1998-07-25 | 1999-01-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-23 | 2002-07-25 | 2003-01-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-23 | 2006-07-25 | 2007-01-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |