US5456940A — System for lubricating a syringe barrel

Claim 1

Independent Claim 106 words

A system for lubricating interior surfaces of a syringe barrel having an open rear end and an open front end, said system comprising: a fixture for receiving and supporting a syringe barrel; first spray means for delivering a lubricant spray into the open rear end of the syringe barrel supported by said fixture; and second spray means for delivering a counterflow spray into the syringe barrel through the open front end thereof, in opposition to the lubricant spray, to result in turbulent dispersal of the lubricant spray within the syringe barrel so that interior barrel surfaces are coated with a substantially uniform surface coating of lubricant.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 106 words

A system for lubricating interior surfaces of a syringe barrel having an open rear end and an open front end, said system comprising: a fixture for receiving and supporting a syringe barrel; first spray means for delivering a lubricant spray into the open rear end of the syringe barrel supported by said fixture; and second spray means for delivering a counterflow spray into the syringe barrel through the open front end thereof, in opposition to the lubricant spray, to result in turbulent dispersal of the lubricant spray within the syringe barrel so that interior barrel surfaces are coated with a substantially uniform surface coating of lubricant.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said fixture supports the syringe barrel in a generally vertical orientation with the open front end thereof presented in an upward direction.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second spray means include a pair of spray nozzles mounted on said fixture in opposed, generally coaxially aligned relation.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system of claim 3 wherein said fixture supports the syringe barrel with the open rear and front ends thereof and an open end of narrower diameter than said rear end, said mounting step including said first and second spray nozzles, respectively.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said second spray means delivers a counterflow air spray through the open front end of the syringe barrel.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said first spray means delivers a liquid-based lubricant spray into the syringe barrel.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

The system of claim 1 further including control means for simultaneously operating said first and second spray means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 62 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the syringe barrel comprises a generally cylindrical barrel body defining said open rear end and having a forward end connected by a neck of reduced cross sectional size to said open front end, and wherein said fixture includes a support wall defining a laterally open recess for seated reception of the neck of the syringe barrel.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 87 words

A system for lubricating interior surfaces of a hollow device having opposite open ends, said system comprising: a fixture for receiving and supporting the device; first spray means for delivering a lubricant spray into one end of the device; and second spray means for delivering a counterflow spray into the opposite end of the device, in opposition to the lubricant spray, to result in turbulent dispersal of the lubricant spray so that interior surfaces of the device are coated with a substantially uniform surface coating of lubricant.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 87 words

A system for lubricating interior surfaces of a hollow device having opposite open ends, said system comprising: a fixture for receiving and supporting the device; first spray means for delivering a lubricant spray into one end of the device; and second spray means for delivering a counterflow spray into the opposite end of the device, in opposition to the lubricant spray, to result in turbulent dispersal of the lubricant spray so that interior surfaces of the device are coated with a substantially uniform surface coating of lubricant.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 9 wherein the lubricant spray is a liquid lubricant, and wherein the counterflow spray is air.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 9 wherein said wherein said first and second spray means include a pair of spray nozzles mounted on said fixture in opposed, generally coaxially aligned relation.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system of claim 11 wherein said fixture supports the device in a generally vertical orientation positioned between, and aligned with, said first and second spray nozzles, respectively.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The system of claim 9 further including control means for simultaneously operating said first and second spray means.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 73 words

A method of lubricating interior surfaces of a device having opposite open ends, said method comprising the steps of: spraying a lubricant spray into one end of the device; and spraying a counterflow spray into the opposite end of the device, in opposition to the lubricant spray, to result in turbulent dispersal of the lubricant spray so that interior surfaces of the device are coated with a substantially uniform surface coating of lubricant.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 73 words

A method of lubricating interior surfaces of a device having opposite open ends, said method comprising the steps of: spraying a lubricant spray into one end of the device; and spraying a counterflow spray into the opposite end of the device, in opposition to the lubricant spray, to result in turbulent dispersal of the lubricant spray so that interior surfaces of the device are coated with a substantially uniform surface coating of lubricant.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 14 wherein said lubricant spraying step comprise spraying a liquid lubricant into the device, and wherein said counterflow spraying step comprises spraying a counterflow air flow into the device.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 15 including the step of mounting the device on a fixture in a vertical orientation.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 16 wherein said lubricant spraying step comprises spraying the lubricant upwardly into the device, and wherein said counterflow spraying step comprises spraying the counterflow spray downwardly into the device.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the device is a syringe barrel having an open rear end and an open end of narrower diameter than said rear end, said mounting step including mounting the syringe barrel on the fixture in a vertical orientation with the front end presented upwardly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-10-09	1999-04-10	1999-10-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-10-09	2003-04-10	2003-10-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-10-09	2007-04-10	2007-10-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System for lubricating a syringe barrel

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