US3470874A - Mixing syringe - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1969 A, FLAACCETTA 3,470,874

MIXING SYRINGE Filedqune 24. 1966 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O 3,470,874 MIXING SYRINGE Anthony F. Accetta, 375 Oakford St., West Hempstead, N.Y. 11552 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 532,177, Mar. 7, 1966. This application June 24, 1966, Ser. No. 564,484

Int. Cl. A61m 5 /30; A61j 3/ 00 U.S. Cl. 12S- 173.1 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 532,177, filed Mar. 7, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention is directed to a novel syringe. It is particularly concerned With a syringe for applying two or more liquids and/ or solid materials and for applying the admixed material for various purposes.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, medicinal solutions and therapeutic preparations are frequently composed of two or more ingredients, which must be freshly admixed just prior to application. Thus, for example, it has been proposed to administer freshly mixed solutions of sodium chloride and of hydrogen peroxide or freslhly mixed solutions of chromic trioxide (CrO3) and of a disinfectant, such as potassium permanganate, to diseased mouth tissue in the treatment of pyorrhea, gingivitis, Vincents angina, or trench mouth.

As is well known in the art, there are other plural ingredient liquid medicaments and industrial preparations that must be freshly admixed at the time of application, because they tend to deteriorate or lose strength upon storage for an appreciable time. In the field of medicine, for example, the Pitman and Moore measles vaccine involves the use of two ingredients in separate vials and a lhypodermic syringe. In practice, the syringe is used to withdraw from one vial a measured amount of diluent or solvent. Fllhis diluent or solvent is then transferred to another vial containing the Measles vaccine in powdered form. After admixture and solution, the now dissolved vaccine is again drawn into the syringe and then injected via the hypodermic needle into the patient. It will be readily appreciated that such a method of application involves a plurality of operations that could advantageously be eliminated. Also, such plurality of operations serves only to increase the possibility of contamination and infection.

Likewise, in many industrial applications it is desirable to apply freshly admixed materials. For example, in the use of epoxy type adhesives, the resin is admixed with a catalyst or setting agent just prior to application. The amount and type of catalyst, of course, dictates the immediacity between the admixture and application of the mixture, i.e., the pot life. Numerous other admixtures are well known in the art wherein admixing should closely be followed by application of the mixture, e.g., a mixture of plastic, solvent therefor, coloring or pigment, and catalyst, if needed.

A convenient and feasible means of handling the ingredients of a mixture that must be freshly prepared, in accordance with this invention, is by the use of a pluralcompartmented vial or ampule. The various ingredients ice of a preparation, which can be solutions, or solids and solvents therefor, can be kept in segregated storage in such a vial and be admixed only when desired. The syringe of this invention provides for the admixing of the segregated ingredients to provide an applicable solution and for the application of the solution, without the necessity of opening the vial, or of transferring vial contents, with a concomitant loss of sterility.

Accordingly, it is a broad object of this invention to provide a novel syringe. Another object is to provide a syringe that will deliver a freshly admixed solution for various applications. A further object is to provide a surgical syringe adapted to admix two or more cornponents and deliver the admixture to diseased and inflamed tissue. A specific object is to provide a syringe containing a plural-compartmented vial or ample containing a plurality of ingredients of a medicinal, industrial, or therapeutic mixture, that admixes said ingredients and delivers the resultant mixture. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from the following detailed description, considered in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. l is a planview of a typical embodiment of the syringe of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a typical embodiment of the syringe; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a typical storage and mixing, plural compartmented vial utilizable in the syringe.

This invention provides a syringe comprising, in a housing therefor, means for admixing a plurality of ingredients of a mixture contained in segregated storage in a plural-compartmented vial to produce a mixture, a fluid discharge outlet, and means for delivering said mixture from said vial to said fluid discharge outlet under air propulsion.

In the drawings, in which like parts lhave the same designation in each gure, FIG. l shows a housing defining a compression area 1, -a solution mixing area 2, and a rotatable nozzle 3, or other uid discharge means, as more fully discussed hereinafter.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 2, in its essential elements, the syringe comprises a vial receiving chamber 11, a compression chamber 12, a rigid vial-piercing tube 13 connected with the compression chamber 12, and a second rigid vial-piercing delivery tube 14 connected with a liquid discharge outlet 15 in the discharge means 3.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the compression chamber 12 comprises a manually operated plunger 16 and a piston 17, which is activated in a normal open position via a spring 18. There is provided an air inlet opening 19 connected with the compression chamber 12, which is provided with a check valve means 20.

In operation, a vial 21 containing fa plurality of segregated ingredients ('three are exemplified in the figure) is inserted into the vial receiving Ichia-.naher 11 to rest against a gasket 11a and secured with .a lclap 5. The vial 21, in the embodiment shown for a three-component mixture (FIGS. 2 .and 3), comprises 1an upper seal 22, a Alirst luid component zone 23, an inner seal 24, another fluid component zone 25, Ia second inner seal 24a and a final mixing zone 25a which `can contain liquid or solid ingredient. As the vial 21 is inserted into the vial receiving chamber 11 to rest against a gasket 11a, the vial-piercing tube 13 penetrates the upper seal 22 'and rthe inner seals 24 and 24a. The fluid component in fluid component zone 23 then flows through an orifice 26 (one or more can be used) in the tube 13 into the [final mixing zone 25a. Likewise, the liuid component zone 25 llows through lan oritice 26a (one or more can lbe used) in the Itube 13 into *the final mixing zione 25a. *In the final mixing zone or compartment 25a, the fluid components of fluid component acens 23 |and 2S become admixed 'with a iluid or solid component in the inal mixing zone 25a to ,form a freshly admixed material in the zone 25a.

When pressure, las by thumb, is exerted upon the plunger 16, the piston 17 is torced against the spring 18, thus closing the check valve 20 by air pressure. Thereupon, the air compressed by the movement of the piston 17 is forced through the tube 13 and discharged into the compartment 25a. The pressure of the lair introduced into the compartment 25a forces the freshly admixed material in compartment 25a through the vial piercing delivery tube 14 and out through the liquid discharge outlet 3 via, in this embodiment, a plurality of oriiices 26, from which the ldischarged freshly admixed material can be directed to the diseased and inflamed material.

This Kinvention has been described with regard to a triple component mixture in the vial 21 land with a rnanually operated mechanism in the compression chamber 12. It is within the lcontemplation of this invention, however, that less than or more than three ingredients, i.e., a plurality may be employed in the vial 21. In such a case, the vial 21 will have additional Iinner seals 24. For each component zone, e.g. 23, orifices 26 are provided in tube 13 to permit admixture of the components in the iinal zone 25a.

In another embodiment, it is contemplated that, instead of supplying compressed air via 1a manually operated piston, tube 13 can be connected with an external air supply and manipulated by la suitable valve #arrangement (not shown). Also, air can be supplied by means of a resilient squeeze bulb.

lFor ease in cleaning and sterilizing, provision can be made Ifor ready disassembly of the syringe. Thus, the plunger 16 and the piston 17 can be removed by unscrewing a retainer cap 6. rI`he solution mixing area 2 can be disassembled by removing a cap 5 and unscrewing the housring 4 vi'a threaded area 4a. The rotatable nozzle or other discharge outlet 3, is suitably provided with a pressure or snap dit so that it can be readily disengaged for cleaning and sterilizing.

Although It-he mixing syringe of this invention has been described with respect Ito la rotatable nozzle as the liquid discharge outlet 3, other types of outlets (not shown) are contemplated, depending upon the particular use to which the syringe is being put. Thus, when used to apply a vaccine or other medicinal or therapeutic preparation intravenously, the discharge outlet 3 can be a hypodermic needle, preferably disposable. When freshly mixed solutions lare to be :applied to a surface (e.g. a plastic mixture to a solid surface or a medicinal preparation to the skin, ia wound etc.), the discharge outlet 3, can be a hollow brush device having .an internal feed. In other means of application, the discharge outlet 3 can be a simple discharge tube of suitable dimensions or a fixed spray head. Other discharge outlet means will become apparent to those skilled in the art, depending upon the particular use to which the mixing syringe is to be put. Other than for selection of the desired discharge means, the operation of the mixing syringe of this invention is substantially the same to freshly adrnix solutions and to apply them.

The syringe of this invention has been described with reference to mix yand deliver a plural component spray mixture. It will be 'appreciated that the syringe can also be used, if desired, to deliver a single, pre-mixed solution.

Although this invention has been described with certain embodiments, modifications `and variations `as laforedescribed lare contemplated, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate. Such variations rand modiiications are considered to be within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mixing syringe comprising:

(a) housing with lair pumping means, .a plural-compartmented vial, :and ia fluid discharge outlet located therein;

(fb) ra irst tube means extending through said pluralcompartmented vial, the interior of said tube ymeans being in communication with each compartment of said plural-compartmented vial and with said air pumping means; and

(c) =a second tube means extending through said pluralcompartmented vial, the interior of said second tube means being in communication With a compartment of said vial yand with said fluid discharge outlet.

2. A mixing syringe defined in claim 1, wherein said iiuid discharge outlet means is a spray nozzle.

3. A mixing syringe defined in claim 1, wherein said spral nozzle is :a rotatable spray nozzle.

4. A mixing syringe defined in claim 1, wherein ysaid uid discharge outlet means is la hypodermic needle.

5. A mixing syringe defined in claim 1, wherein said delivery means is a manually operated air compressing piston.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,066,868 1/1937 Whittaker 128-234 XR 2,193,322 3/1940 Lozier et 'al 128-272 XR 3,144,867 8/1964 Trupp et al 128-234 3,012,695 12/1961 Lerner 222-129 3,076,456 2/1963 Hunt.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner MARTIN F. MAJESTIC, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

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