Syringe for mixing two components and for retaining a vacuum in a storage condition
Inventors
Larsen, Kristian • Elle, Lise Sjørup • Jensen, Thomas Ingemann
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10918796-B2
Publication Date
2021-02-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
A syringe for mixing two substances which have been retained separately inside the syringe is described, for instance in a storage condition. The syringe is used for 1) retaining a dry composition in a vacuum, and 2) mixing the dry composition with an aqueous medium to form a flowable substance. One embodiment, a syringe for retaining and mixing first and second substances comprises a barrel comprising a sealable and/or closable distal outlet and a vacuum chamber for holding a first substance, a plunger incorporating a reservoir chamber for holding a second substance and configured to be axially displaced through a proximal end of the barrel, a membrane separating the vacuum chamber and the reservoir chamber, and a pointed member, such as one or more needles, for penetrating the membrane, wherein the syringe is configured such that the membrane and the pointed member are axially slidable in relation to each other.
Core Innovation
The syringe retains a first substance in a vacuum chamber of a barrel and holds a second substance in a reservoir chamber incorporated in a plunger. The vacuum chamber and the reservoir chamber are separated by a membrane, and a pointed member is provided for penetrating the membrane. The barrel includes a sealable and/or closable distal outlet, and the plunger is axially displaced through a proximal end of the barrel.
The syringe is configured so that the vacuum in the vacuum chamber pulls the plunger without involvement of a manual force on the plunger. This vacuum-driven axial displacement moves the plunger from a first position, in which the pointed member does not penetrate the membrane, to a predefined second position in the barrel. At the predefined second position, the axial displacement penetrates the membrane and establishes a fluid passageway between the reservoir chamber and the vacuum chamber.
After the fluid passageway is established, the vacuum aspirates the second substance into the vacuum chamber. This transfers the second substance from the reservoir chamber into the vacuum chamber without displacement of the plunger from the predefined second position, thereby enabling mixing of the aspirated second substance with the first substance retained under vacuum.
Claims Coverage
The document contains one independent claim (clm-00001) and dependent claims (clm-00002 through clm-00025). The independent claim covers an overall syringe architecture and a vacuum-driven plunger movement that causes membrane penetration, fluid passageway establishment, and aspiration of the second substance without further plunger displacement. The dependent claims further narrow the syringe with bypass channels, sealed engagement, an internal plug defining the reservoir chamber, positional locking, and dry/aqueous medicament component configurations.
Vacuum chamber retaining first substance with membrane-separated plunger reservoir
A barrel comprising a sealable and/or closable distal outlet and a vacuum chamber for retaining the first substance in a vacuum, and a plunger incorporating a reservoir chamber for holding the second substance, with a membrane separating the vacuum chamber and the reservoir chamber.
Vacuum-driven plunger displacement to predefined position and membrane penetration
A pointed member for penetrating the membrane, where the syringe is configured such that the vacuum in the vacuum chamber pulls the plunger without involvement of a manual force on the plunger to effectuate axial displacement from a first position to a predefined second position.
Fluid passageway establishment and aspiration without further plunger displacement
The axial displacement to the predefined second position penetrates the membrane by the pointed member and establishes a fluid passageway between the reservoir chamber and the vacuum chamber, whereupon the vacuum aspirates the second substance into the vacuum chamber transferring the second substance without displacement of the plunger from said predefined second position.
Liquid bypass channels in the pointed member for liquid communication
The syringe includes one or more liquid bypass channels in the pointed member configured to provide liquid communication between the reservoir chamber and the vacuum chamber upon membrane penetration.
Membrane and pointed member sealed engagement with axial separation from bypass channels
The membrane and the pointed member form a sealed engagement when the pointed member penetrates the membrane, with the membrane axially separated from the bypass channels.
Axially slidable plug sealably defining the reservoir chamber
The syringe further comprises an axially slidable plug inside the plunger, sealably engaged so the plug inside the hollow plunger defines the reservoir chamber.
Removable locking member restricting plunger to first and predefined second positions
A removable locking member is configured to engage and restrict the plunger’s distal axial displacement in two different axial positions: the first position and the predefined second position.
Prefilled syringe with dry medicament component and aqueous wet component
The syringe is prefilled with the first and second substances, where the first substance is a dry medicament component and the second substance is an aqueous medium wet component of the medicament.
Across the independent and dependent claims, the core inventive coverage centers on a syringe where vacuum in a vacuum chamber pulls a plunger to a predefined position, penetrates a membrane with a pointed member, creates a fluid passageway, and aspirates the second substance into the vacuum chamber without further plunger displacement, with further narrowing through bypass channels, sealed engagement, internal plug-based reservoir definition, removable plunger-position locking, and dry/aqueous medicament component prefill.
Stated Advantages
Compactness/simplicity
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?