Plastic syringe with overcap

Details Plastic syringe with overcap Plastic syringe with overcap

1997-06-23

2000-05-30

Stright, Jr., Ronald K.

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

604192, 604238, 604244, 604256, 604263, 264478, A61M 524

Patent

active

060686146

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a syringe and in particular to a plastic syringe suitable for use as a pre-filled product.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been significant shifts in medical practice due to an increasing awareness of the risks of transfer of various transmissible viruses such as AIDS--HIV and hepatitis especially when treating a number of patients. In particular, medical practitioners are increasingly alert to the risks of virus transfer associated with the re-use of surgical and other medical apparatus. For this and other reasons, there are stronger calls for reliable and easy to use medical and surgical appliances which are disposable after a single use. This is particularly so when it comes to hypodermic syringes. As hypodermic needles come into contact with bodily fluids there is a risk of cross infection if the same syringe is used more than once--even if the actual hypodermic is disposed of after each use. Pre-filled disposable syringes are in demand for these and other reasons. A single dose product already accurately filled and labelled with the name of the injectable is convenient and moreover safer to use as there is lower risk of incorrect dosing on administration. It is used once and discarded. There is no need to re-sterilize the equipment and there is no need to carefully transfer the injectable from a separate ampoule.
An example of a pre-filled syringe is described in the Applicant's Australian patent 595096. The syringe described in that patent is sealed at one end by al stopper and at the other by a closure which is integral with the syringe. The closure is adapted to be removed so that after removal a hypodermic needle may be fitted to the end of the syringe for injection of the contents. The closure is described as being removable by twisting with an appropriate shaped tool or by snap action.
A further example of a pre-filled syringe is described in the Applicant's Australian patent 635631 wherein the syringe described is also fitted with an integral closure. The closure is adapted to be broken from the end of the syringe on the application of a hypodermic needle onto the needle fitting on the syringe. The closure is moved into the syringe and retained within a chamber at the needle end of the syringe.
Whilst both of the aforementioned products represented significant improvements over other prior pre-filled syringes, the present invention relates to a variation in syringe design which brings with it certain advantages (in some applications) over both of the previously described products which will be apparent from the following more detailed discussion.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves the use of a protective overcap which can be used to remove an integral closure on a pre-filled syringe. The invention has particular application in conjunction with a syringe of the type described and defined in Australian patent 635631 but is not limited to such a syringe. It is especially suited to applications where the pre-filled syringe is intended to be used without a hypodermic needle such as when introducing a pharmaceutical solution from a syringe into an intravenous drip.
Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a plastic pre-filled syringe which includes: at the other end by a closure frangibly connected to the syringe; and at least the end of the closure such that upon removal of the overcap from the rest of the syringe the closure will be separated so to reveal the contents for injection.


DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferably, the overcap is adapted to move from a position in which it is fitted over the end of the closure but in which the closure is not retained within the closure retention means to a position where it is fitted over the end of the closure and the closure is firmly retained within the closure retention means.
Preferably, the closure is in the form of a stem which extends outwardly from the end of the syringe remote from the

REFERENCES:
patent: 2677374 (1954-05-01), Burnside et al.
patent: 4043334 (1977-08-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4084588 (1978-04-01), Koenig
patent: 4253459 (1981-03-01), Willis
patent: 4390016 (1983-06-01), Riess
patent: 5135496 (1992-08-01), Vetter et al.
patent: 5531707 (1996-07-01), Kers et al.
patent: 5624405 (1997-04-01), Futagawa et al.

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