Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-20
2004-03-30
Casler, Brian L. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S236000, C604S011000, C604S288000, C604S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06712784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drug delivery device, more particularly to a drug delivery device that dispenses with the need to insert a finger into a body cavity during the delivery process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Suppositories are usually used for treating vaginal infections or diseases in the anus. Mainly, the suppository is inserted into the vagina or anus. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional way of delivering a drug
10
into a body cavity is done by aiming one end
11
of the drug
10
at the opening of the vagina or anus, after which a finger is used to push the drug
10
deep into the vagina or anus. However, this conventional way of delivering the drug
10
into the body cavity has the following disadvantages:
1. It is necessary to wash the hands thoroughly or to use sterilized hand gloves during the drug delivery process.
2. The inner wall of the vagina or anus is easily scratched and injured by the fingernail on the inserted finger, thereby resulting in pain.
3. The drug delivery process may induce emotional trauma.
4. Because the drug cannot be delivered to a proper depth and position due to the limited finger length, the effect of the drug is reduced, thereby prolonging the course of treatment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a drug delivery device that dispenses with the need to insert a finger into a body cavity during the delivery process and that is simple to use.
Accordingly, a drug delivery device of this invention comprises an insert tube and an elongate plunger. The insert tube has a tubular wall that confines a passage extending in an axial direction for receiving a drug in solid form. The tubular wall has a drug entrance end adapted for admitting the drug into the passage, and a drug release end opposite to the drug entrance end in the axial direction and adapted to be inserted into a body cavity. The drug release end has opposite first and second radial parts. The insert tube is provided with a flexible grating at the drug release end so as to hinder unforced removal of the drug from the passage via the drug release end. The flexible grating includes a set of first flexible strips that extend from the first radial part toward the second radial part, and a set of second flexible strips that extend from the second radial part toward the first radial part. The elongate plunger has a drug pushing end and an operating end opposite to the drug pushing end in the axial direction. The plunger is slidably extended into the passage via the drug entrance end of the tubular wall such that the drug pushing end is disposed proximate to the drug release end of the tubular wall, and such that the operating end is disposed outwardly of the passage and is adjacent to the drug entrance end of the tubular wall. The plunger is movable in the passage, and has a length sufficient to enable the drug pushing end to push the drug to move out of the passage at the drug release end and spread apart the first and second flexible strips of the flexible grating for delivering the drug into the body cavity.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2754822 (1956-07-01), Emelock
patent: 3347234 (1967-10-01), Voss
patent: 3667465 (1972-06-01), Voss
patent: 4318405 (1982-03-01), Sneider
patent: 4636202 (1987-01-01), Lowin et al.
patent: 5085640 (1992-02-01), Gibbs
patent: 6364854 (2002-04-01), Ferrer et al.
patent: 0 252214 (1988-01-01), None
Casler Brian L.
Maiorino Roz
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
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