| A medical syringe employs
a capsule containing multiple doses of medication within a sealed
storage chamber formed between concentric inner and outer walls. The
inner wall forms a cavity including a delivery chamber from which
a single dose of medication is ejected. The syringe includes an ejection
port, an axial moveable plunger extending into the cavity and delivery
chamber, and a body with a compartment that holds the capsule. With
the plunger in a first position, the capsule is closed. With the plunger
in a second position, the delivery chamber is filled with a single
dose of medication. With the plunger in a third position, the single
dose of medication is ejected from the delivery chamber though the
injection port.
1. The combination of (a) a capsule made of material that is compatible
with long term storage therein of medication and containing multiple
doses of said medication, said capsule including a sealed wall portion,
and (b) a syringe including a body member that holds the capsule,
a delivery chamber accessible to the medication in the capsule upon
opening of said sealed wall portion upon assembly of the body member
and capsule, and a manual operable plunger member extending into the
delivery chamber that is displaceable therein to draw into the delivery
chamber said single dose upon displacement of the plunger member in
one direction and to eject said single dose from the delivery chamber
upon displacement of the plunger member in the opposite direction.
2. The combination recited in claim 1 where the capsule comprises
a glass chamber holding Insulin.
3. The combination recited in claim 2 where the glass chamber has
a substantially cylindrical configuration.
4. The combination recited in claim 3 where the plunger member
is axially oriented along a longitudinal axis of the glass cylindrical
chamber.
5. The combination recited in claim 1 where the plunger member
is at a proximal end of the syringe and an ejection port is at a
distal end of the syringe, said injection port including a detachable
needle.
6. The combination recited in claim 1 including a dose meter manually
setting the amount of medication delivery with each single dose
injection.
7. The combination of (a) a capsule made of an inert material and
containing multiple doses of medication, and including a passageway
therein and a sealed wall portion made of an inert, elastomeric
material, and (b) a syringe including a body member that holds the
capsule, a delivery chamber at least partially disposed within the
passageway of the capsule and accessible to the medication in the
capsule upon opening the sealed wall portion, and a manual operable
plunger member extending into the delivery chamber and manually
moveable within the delivery chamber to draw into the delivery chamber
from the capsule said single dose upon displacement of the plunger
member in a first direction and to eject said single dose from the
delivery chamber upon displacement of the plunger member in a second
direction.
8. The combination recited in claim 7 where said plunger member
has a plunger seal thereon that contacts an inside wall of the delivery
chamber to assist in creating at least a partial vacuum within the
delivery chamber as the plunger member moves in said first direction,
said medication in the capsule flowing into the delivery chamber
in response to said vacuum upon displacement of the plunger member
in said first direction a predetermined distance corresponding to
said single dose of medication.
9. The combination recited in claim 7 where the capsule is replaceable,
cylindrical, made of glass, and holds Insulin.
10. The combination recited in claim 9 where the plunger member
is axially oriented along a longitudinal axis of the glass cylindrical
capsule and said second direction is opposite said first direction.
11. The combination recited in claim 7 where the plunger member
is at a proximal end of the syringe and an ejection port at a distal
end of the syringe, said injection port including a detachable needle.
12. The combination recited in claim 11 including a two-component
connector, said capsule having at or near a distal end one component
two-component connector and the plunger member having at a distal
end the other component of the two-component connector, said two
components being connected upon displacement of the plunger member
in said second direction.
13. The combination recited in claim 11 where the injection port
includes a self-sealing seal that prevents medication in the capsule
flowing into the injection port and the plunger member has at a
distal end a needle element that pierces said self-sealing seal
upon displacement of the plunger member in said second direction.
14. The combination recited in claim 7 including a dose meter manually
setting the amount of medication delivery with each single dose
injection.
15. The combination recited in claim 14 where the body member has
a generally cylindrical configuration, a longitudinal axis, and
a threaded wall portion at or neat a proximal end of the body member,
and the dose meter includes a threaded ring element mounted on the
threaded wall portion of the body member for manually rotation to
move either towards or away from the proximal end of the body member
when rotated, the axial position of the ring element setting the
dosage of medication to be delivered, and an end cap member seated
on the proximal end of the body member and mounted to be manually
moveable axially along said longitudinal axis, said ring element
acting as a stop to limit the axial movement of the end cap member,
said end cap member upon engagement with the ring element enabling
the ring element to be manually rotated to change the dosage setting.
16. The combination recited in claim 15 where the plunger member
is attached to the end cap member.
17. A medical syringe comprising a body member including a capsule
made of an inert material and containing multiple doses of medication,
said capsule including a longitudinal passageway therein having
an access opening at a proximal end and a sealed wall portion made
of an inert, elastomeric material at a distal end, a tubular delivery
chamber at least partially disposed within the longitudinal passageway
of the capsule and accessible to the medication in the capsule upon
opening the sealed wall portion, and a manual operable plunger member
extending through the opening in the capsule into the tubular delivery
chamber and manually axially moveable within the tubular delivery
chamber to draw into the delivery chamber from the capsule said
single dose upon displacement of the plunger member in a first direction
and to eject said single dose from the delivery chamber upon displacement
of the plunger member in a second direction opposite said first
direction, said plunger member having a plunger seal thereon that
contacts an inside wall of the tubular delivery chamber to assist
in creating at least a partial vacuum within the delivery chamber
as the plunger member moves in said first direction, said medication
in the capsule flowing into the delivery chamber in response to
said vacuum upon displacement of the plunger member in said first
direction a predetermined distance corresponding to said single
dose of medication.
18. The combination recited in claim 17 where the capsule is replaceable,
cylindrical, made of glass, and holds Insulin.
19. The combination recited in claim 17 where the plunger member
is at a proximal end of the syringe and an ejection port at a distal
end of the syringe, said injection port including a detachable needle.
20. The combination recited in claim 19 including a two-component
connector, said capsule having at or near a distal end one component
two-component connector and the plunger member having at a distal
end the other component of the two-component connector, said two
components being connected upon displacement of the plunger member
in said second direction.
21. The combination recited in claim 19 where the injection port
includes a self-sealing seal that prevents medication in the capsule
flowing into the injection port and the plunger member has at a
distal end a needle element that pierces said self-sealing seal
upon displacement of the plunger member in said second direction.
22. A medical syringe for use with a capsule containing multiple
doses of medication, said syringe including a body member including
a compartment that holds a capsule inserted therein containing multiple
doses of medication, said body member having an ejection port at
a distal end of the syringe, a dose meter including axial displaceable
control element mounted at a proximal end of the syringe to rotate,
said compartment being between the distal and proximal ends, and
a delivery chamber in said body member that is interactive with
a capsule containing multiple doses of medication in the compartment
to draw into said delivery chamber from the capsule a single dose
of medication upon axial displacement of the dose meter, said dose
meter being manually attachable and detachable to the body member,
upon detachment of the dose meter, said compartment being exposed
to allow a capsule to be inserted into or removed therefrom and,
upon attachment of the dose meter, said compartment holding a capsule
containing multiple doses of medication, said dose meter upon rotation
setting the dosage of medication deliverable though the injection
port by axial displacement of the dose meter.
23. The medical syringe of claim 22 where the body member has a
generally cylindrical configuration, a longitudinal axis, and a
threaded wall portion at or neat the proximal end, and the dose
meter includes a threaded ring element mounted on the threaded wall
portion for manually rotation to move either towards or away from
the proximal end when rotated, the axial position of the ring element
setting the dosage of medication to be delivered, and an end cap
member seated on the proximal end of the body member and mounted
to be manually moveable axially along said longitudinal axis, said
ring element acting as a stop to limit the axial movement of the
end cap member, said end cap member upon engagement with the ring
element enabling the ring element to be manually rotated to change
the dosage setting.
24. The medical syringe of claim 22 including a two-component connector,
said capsule having at or near a distal end one component two-component
connector and the dose meter includes a plunger member, said plunger
member having at a distal end the other component of the two-component
connector, said two components being connected upon movement of
the dose meter from a first axial position to a second axial position
and disconnected upon movement of the dose meter from the second
position to the first position.
25. The combination recited in claim 22 where the injection port
includes a self-sealing seal that prevents medication in the capsule
flowing into the injection port and the dose meter includes a plunger
member, said plunger member having at a distal end a needle element
that pierces said self-sealing seal upon movement of the dose meter
from a first axial position to a second axial position and disengages
from the self-sealing seal upon movement of the dose meter from
the second position to the first position.
26. The medical syringe of claim 22 where the delivery chamber
includes a tubular element into which the plunger member extends,
said opener member engaging the tubular element and having a seal
fitting snug against the tubular element to grip said tubular element
and, in response to movement of the plunger member, drawing medication
from the capsule into the tubular element, said plunger member as
it is moved from the second position towards the ejection port forcing
medication in the tubular element out the injection port.
27. A, syringe comprising a body member including an ejection port
at a distal end and a plunger member at a proximal end and holding
a capsule containing multiple doses of medication, said capsule
having a cavity therein in which is seated a delivery chamber capable
of holding a single dose of medication, said plunger member having
a segment extending into the cavity of the capsule and interactive
with the delivery chamber, being axial moveable within the cavity
between a closed position preventing medication from flowing from
the capsule into the delivery chamber, a fill position where a single
dose of medication from the capsule is drawn into the delivery chamber,
and an ejection position where the single dose is injected from
the delivery chamber through the injection port.
28. The syringe recited in claim 27 where the capsule comprises
a glass chamber holding Insulin.
29. The syringe recited in claim 27 where delivery chamber is accessible
to the medication in the capsule upon opening of a sealed wall portion
to allow medication in the capsule to flow into the delivery chamber
in response to a vacuum being created in the delivery chamber and
where at least a partial vacuum is created in the delivery chamber
upon movement of the plunger member into the fill position in a
first direction a predetermined distance corresponding to said single
dose of medication.
30. The syringe recited in claim 27 where said capsule has at or
near a distal end one component a two-component connector and the
plunger member has at a distal end the other component of the two-component
connector, said two components being connected upon movement of
the plunger member in the ejection position.
31. The syringe recited in claim 27 where the injection port includes
a self-sealing seal that prevents medication in the capsule flowing
into the injection port and the plunger member has at a distal end
a needle element that pierces said self-sealing seal upon movement
of the plunger member in the ejection position.
32. A medical syringe comprising an ejection port at a distal end
of the syringe, a body member including a compartment that holds
a capsule including a sealed storage chamber containing multiple
doses of medication and having concentric outer and inner wall members
and a seal at or near a distal end of the storage chamber that upon
being opened provides access to the medication in the storage chamber,
said storage chamber being formed between said concentric wall members,
with said inner wall member forming a cavity within the capsule
accessible through an opening at a proximal end of the capsule,
and a delivery chamber in said cavity having opposed proximal and
distal ends, said proximal end being accessible through the opening
in the cavity and said distal end being accessible to the medication
in the chamber upon opening of the seal in the chamber, a plunger
member at a proximal end of the syringe, said plunger member having
a segment extending into the cavity of the capsule and into the
delivery chamber and interactive therewith, said plunger member
being axial moveable within the delivery chamber between a closed
position preventing medication from flowing from the capsule into
the delivery chamber, a fill position where a single dose of medication
from the capsule is drawn into the delivery chamber, and an ejection
position where the single dose is injected from the delivery chamber
through the injection port.
33. The syringe recited in claim 32 where the capsule comprises
a glass chamber holding Insulin.
34. The syringe recited in claim 32 where the medication in the
capsule flows into the delivery chamber in response to at least
a vacuum being created in the delivery chamber and where at least
a partial vacuum is created in the delivery chamber upon movement
of the plunger member into the fill position in a first direction
a predetermined distance corresponding to said single dose of medication.
35. The syringe recited in claim 32 includes a dose meter that
sets the amount of medication delivered with each injection said
single dosage of medication.
36. A medication capsule including a closed, sealed, and sterile
storage chamber holding multiple doses of medication and including
a cavity, said storage chamber formed between an outer wall member
and an inner wall member that are co-axial and concentric, with
the inner wall member forming at least a portion of the cavity,
said storage chamber having a seal at the distal end and a proximal
end that closes the storage chamber, said proximal end having an
opening therein to provide access to the cavity.
37. A medication capsule including a closed, sealed, and sterile
storage chamber including a central cavity and made of inert material,
said storage chamber holding multiple doses of Insulin and formed
between an outer cylindrical glass wall member and an inner cylindrical
glass wall member that are co-axial and concentric, with the inner
wall member forming at least a portion of the cavity, said inner
wall member having a first seal at a distal end that forms a bottom
of the cavity and an opening at a proximal end to provide access
to the cavity, and said outer wall opposite the first seal being
spaced from the first seal and having therein a second seal.
38. The inner wall member recited in claim 37 where the first and
second seals are made of an inert, self-sealing elastomeric material.
39. A medication capsule including a closed, sealed, and sterile
storage chamber made of inert material and including a central longitudinal
passageway extending through the capsule, said storage chamber holding
multiple doses of Insulin and formed between an outer cylindrical
glass wall member and an inner cylindrical glass wall member that
are co-axial and concentric, with the inner wall member having a
tubular configuration with opposed open ends, a seal at the distal
end of the capsule between distal ends of the inner and outer cylindrical
glass wall members.
40. The inner wall member recited in claim 39 where the seal is
made of an inert, self-sealing elastomeric material.
41. A method of administering medication comprising (a) providing
a medication capsule including a closed, sealed, and sterile storage
chamber holding multiple doses of medication and including a cavity,
said storage chamber formed between an outer wall member and an
inner wall member that are co-axial and concentric, with the inner
wall member forming at least a portion of the cavity, said storage
chamber having a seal at the distal end and a proximal end having
an opening therein to provide access to the cavity, (b) opening
the seal to enable the release of individual single doses of medication
from the sealed storage chamber of the capsule by placing said capsule
in a compartment of a syringe having at a distal end an injection
port including a detachable needle, (c) inserting into the cavity
a delivery chamber of the syringe, said syringe having a plunger
member with a distal end in the delivery chamber and a proximal
end extending outward from the cavity, said plunger member being
axial moveable within the delivery chamber between a closed position
preventing medication from flowing from the capsule into the delivery
chamber, a fill position where a single dose of medication from
the capsule is drawn into the delivery chamber, and an ejection
position where the single dose is injected from the delivery chamber
through the injection port, (d) moving the plunger from the closed
position to the fill position to fill the delivery chamber with
a single dose of medication, (e) sticking the detachable needle
into a patient and then moving the plunger from the fill position
to the ejection position to eject from the delivery chamber through
the detachable needle the single dose in said delivery chamber into
the patient and then withdrawing the needle from the patient, (f)
after withdrawing the needle from the patient, moving the plunger
member from the ejection position into the closed position and detaching
the needle from the syringe.
42. The method recited in claim 41 where the medication is Insulin.
43. A method of administering medication comprising (a) providing
a syringe with a detachable needle that is detached and replaced
with each injection, said syringe including a medication capsule
comprising a storage chamber holding multiple doses of medication
and a delivery chamber interactive with a plunger member that when
moved in a first direction draws a single dose of medication into
the delivery chamber and when moved in a second direction injects
medication from the chamber through the needle, (b) with the delivery
chamber holding a single dose of medication, sticking the needle
into the patient and moving the plunger in the second direction
to inject the single dose into the patient, (c) removing the needle
from the patient and detaching it from the syringe.
44. The method recited in claim 43 where the syringe is wiped with
a disinfectant prior to attaching another needle to the syringe.
45. The method recited in claim 44 where the medication is Insulin.
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