Patent US5456940A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5456940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for lubricating a syringe barrel
Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Inc
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Filing: 1994-03-28
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Granted: 1995-10-10
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Expires: 2014-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A system and related method are provided for lubricating an interior surface of a device, such as the inner diameter surface of a syringe barrel. A fixture is provided for receiving and supporting the syringe barrel with an open rear end in alignment with a lubricant spray nozzle and an open front end in alignment with a counterflow air nozzle. Lubricant is sprayed via the lubricant spray nozzle into the syringe barrel in counterflow relation to an air flow discharged through the air nozzle, resulting in turbulent lubricant atomization and dispersal as a substantially uniform surface coating of interior surfaces of the syringe barrel.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey V. Funderburk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:57
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/178; A61M5/31; A61M5/3129; B; B05; B05B; B05B13/00; B05B13/06; B05B13/0627; B05B7/00; B05B7/02; B05B7/08; B05B7/0807; F; F16; F16N; F16N7/00; F16N7/30; F16N7/32; A61M2005/3131; B05B13/069
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
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.
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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) | 1998-10-09 | 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 |