US5393497A — Device for containing and opening a glass ampule …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 195 words

A device for containing and opening a glass ampule containing a liquid, and for transferring a portion of the liquid to the interior of a container, the ampule including a base, a tip and a neck therebetween, the device comprising; an ampule containing a liquid and having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween; a container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the pharmaceutical component being a substrate other than the liquid; means for increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure a body to which the container is mountable; means, coupled to the body, for housing the ampule in a region; means for breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region; means for fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container; and a pierceable septum positioned along the fluid path for fluidly accessing the interior of the container, the pierceable septum being exposed so that a syringe may be used to pierce the septum and extract a liquid mixture from the container.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 195 words

A device for containing and opening a glass ampule containing a liquid, and for transferring a portion of the liquid to the interior of a container, the ampule including a base, a tip and a neck therebetween, the device comprising; an ampule containing a liquid and having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween; a container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the pharmaceutical component being a substrate other than the liquid; means for increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure a body to which the container is mountable; means, coupled to the body, for housing the ampule in a region; means for breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region; means for fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container; and a pierceable septum positioned along the fluid path for fluidly accessing the interior of the container, the pierceable septum being exposed so that a syringe may be used to pierce the septum and extract a liquid mixture from the container.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 154 words

A method for transferring at least a portion of a liquid contained within a glass ampule to the interior of a container, the ampule including a base, a tip and a neck therebetween, the method comprising the following steps: housing an ampule in a region of a body, the ampule containing a liquid; coupling a container to the body, the container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the interior of the container occupying a space which is independent and separate from the region in which the ampule is housed; increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure; breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region; and fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container under the influence of the pressure above ambient pressure.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 154 words

A method for transferring at least a portion of a liquid contained within a glass ampule to the interior of a container, the ampule including a base, a tip and a neck therebetween, the method comprising the following steps: housing an ampule in a region of a body, the ampule containing a liquid; coupling a container to the body, the container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the interior of the container occupying a space which is independent and separate from the region in which the ampule is housed; increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure; breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region; and fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container under the influence of the pressure above ambient pressure.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 2 wherein: the pressure increasing step is carried out with a telescoping structure and collapsing the telescoping structure over the ampule to create a positive pressure within the region.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 2 wherein: the ampule breaking step includes snapping off the tip of the ampule and breaking the base of the ampule.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 2 further comprising: filtering the liquid as the liquid flows along the flow path.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 2 further comprising: preventing fluid flow along the flow path from the container to the region.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 2 further comprising: fluidly accessing the interior of the container through a syringe septum positioned along the flow path while the container remains coupled to the body; and preventing a fluid flow from the region to the second position along the fluid path during fluidly accessing of the interior of the container.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 204 words

A device for opening a glass ampule, containing a liquid, and transferring at least part of the liquid to a vial, the ampule including a tip, a base, and a neck therebetween, the vial including a pierceable vial septum and an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the device comprising: a vial including a pierceable vial septum and an interior containing a pharmaceutical component; an ampule containing a liquid and having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween; a body defining a collapsible, substantially air-tight region therein, the ampule being housed within the region of the body, the body including first and second telescoping elements movable from an extended position to a collapsed position thereby reducing the size of the region so as to increase the pressure in the region; means for breaking the ampule within the region; a vial body, mountable to the body, including a vial spike for piercing the vial septum when the vial is mounted to the vial body; and the body and the vial body defining a selectively openable flow path which is selectively opened so that the liquid in the region will flow from the region, through the flow path, through the vial spike and into the vial.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 204 words

A device for opening a glass ampule, containing a liquid, and transferring at least part of the liquid to a vial, the ampule including a tip, a base, and a neck therebetween, the vial including a pierceable vial septum and an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the device comprising: a vial including a pierceable vial septum and an interior containing a pharmaceutical component; an ampule containing a liquid and having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween; a body defining a collapsible, substantially air-tight region therein, the ampule being housed within the region of the body, the body including first and second telescoping elements movable from an extended position to a collapsed position thereby reducing the size of the region so as to increase the pressure in the region; means for breaking the ampule within the region; a vial body, mountable to the body, including a vial spike for piercing the vial septum when the vial is mounted to the vial body; and the body and the vial body defining a selectively openable flow path which is selectively opened so that the liquid in the region will flow from the region, through the flow path, through the vial spike and into the vial.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 46 words

The device of claim 8 wherein: the ampule breaking means includes an eccentric member carried by the first telescoping part and a post carried by the second telescoping part, the eccentric member engagable with the tip and the post engagable with the base of the ampule.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

The device of claim 8 further comprising: means for accessing the contents of the vial through the vial spike.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 13 words

The device of claim 8 further comprising: a filter along the flow path.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 8 further comprising: a one-way valve at a first position along the flow path.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 42 words

The device of claim 12 further comprising: a syringe access device including a syringe septum at a second position along the flow path between the first position and the vial spike to permit fluid access to the vial through said syringe septum.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 151 words

An ampule containing, opening and transferring device comprising: an ampule containing a liquid, the ampule having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween; a container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the pharmaceutical component being a substance other than the liquid; a body to which the container is mountable; means, coupled to the body, for housing the ampule in a region; means for increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure; means for breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region; means for fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container under the influence of the pressure above ambient pressure thereby mixing the liquid and the pharmaceutical component; and means for filtering a fluid flow along the flow path.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 151 words

An ampule containing, opening and transferring device comprising: an ampule containing a liquid, the ampule having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween; a container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the pharmaceutical component being a substance other than the liquid; a body to which the container is mountable; means, coupled to the body, for housing the ampule in a region; means for increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure; means for breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region; means for fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container under the influence of the pressure above ambient pressure thereby mixing the liquid and the pharmaceutical component; and means for filtering a fluid flow along the flow path.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 48 words

The device of claim 14 wherein: the pressure increasing means includes a telescoping element, mountable over the ampule, movable from an extended position to a collapsed position so that the volume of the region decreases thereby increasing the pressure within the region to the pressure above ambient pressure.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 38 words

The device of claim 15 wherein: the ampule breaking means includes means, carried by the telescoping element, for applying a lateral force on the ampule as the telescoping element moves from the extended position to the collapsed position.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 32 words

The device of claim 16 wherein: the ampule breaking means includes means for breaking a base of the ampule as the telescoping element moves from the extended position to the collapsed position.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The device of claim 1 wherein: the fluidly coupling means includes a pierceable septum positioned along the flow path.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

The device of claim 18 wherein: the flow path is defined in part by a hollow valve spike having a sharpened end, used to pierce the septum, and an exit end.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 39 words

The device of claim 19 wherein: the flow path includes a check valve which permits fluid flow from the region to the interior of the container but prevents fluid flow from the interior of the container to the region.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 20 wherein: the check valve includes a flap of flexible material positioned adjacent the hollow valve spike at the exit end.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

The device of claim 19 wherein: the flow path is defined in part by a hollow vial spike having a sharpened vial end and an entrance end.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 22 wherein: the exit end and the entrance end open into a common region.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-02-27	1998-08-29	1999-02-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-02-27	2002-08-29	2003-02-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-02-27	2006-08-29	2007-02-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Device for containing and opening a glass ampule and for transferring liquid within the ampule to a container

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