CA1054009A - Pressure injector apparatus having improved trigger mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PRESSURE INJECTOR APPARATUS
HAVING IMPROVED TRIGGER MECHANISM

Abstract of the Disclosure The present invention relates to a pressure injection mechanism of the type which, when triggered, expresses predetermined dosages of liquid under high pressure from a dosage orifice at speeds enabling the same to penetrate an injection site which may be the skin of a human or an animal, the stalk or other sur-face of a plant and so forth. The apparatus is charac-terized by a novel triggering mechanism which assures that the apparatus may be triggered to effect a dosage administering cycle only when the dosage orifice is posi-tioned against the injection site with a predetermined orientation. Furthermore, the triggering device, by preventing triggering unless proper orientation is achieved, enables the provision of a multiple dosage unit wherein two or more dosages may be simultaneously administered into the same or different injection sites, administered of the dosages by triggering of the mechan-ism being possible only if both of the injection sites are in proper dosage receiving relationship to the apparatus.

Description

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The present invention is in -the field pressure injectors, relating particularly to a mechanism for introducing effective dosages of liquid medicament into the skin of a human or an animal or the stalk or other surface of a plant and so Eorth without the use of hypodermic needles.
It is known, in lieu of hypodermic needles, to administer dosages by directing a stream of medicament, for example, under high pressure against the skin of the subject.
The total amount of fluid expelled from the dosage orifice may not be effectively introduced into the body of ;
the subject. Additionally, the depth of penetration and the direction of penetration of a dosage into a subject varies the physiological effect of the medication on the subject. As further noted in the above mentioned application, the effective dose administered may depend on the angle of the orifice with respect to the subject at the instant of transfer, as well as the pressure with which the orifice contacts the subject.

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'' ' ' . ,, ' . ,`, The pre~ent lnventlon 13 dlreotsd to ~n lmproYed inJeotor o~ th~ pressure Jet type, charaoterized by a no~el trîggering mechanl~m whloh permlt~ d~s~har~e of the app0.ratus only whe~ the apparatus 18 held 6galn3t the subJeot with a predetermlned or~entatlon and mor~ par-tloularl~ 1~ substantlally perpendlcular ko the skln surface o~ the sub~e~t. As a reRult of ths improved triggerln3: apparatus, it 18 po~slble simultaneously to dose two or more uncooperatlve ~ubJeots, trle;~s:ering belng autom~tlc~ efreoted rc~ponsive tothe proper po~ltlo~-l~g o~ the~sub3ects relatl~e to tha ~oz~l~ ass~mbly.
The ~ozzle assembly and the trl~g~rlng oompo~
ents thereo~ are 80 connsoted and ~rranged th~t the inJectl~g ~y~le oan~ot be lnltlated unless all reoipiants ~ .
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are properly po~itloned.
me lnventlon ~urther r~lates to an lmproved - ~riggering nozzLe sssembly for a devl~e o~ the type dèRcrlbed ~hich may be manually ad~usted to vary the pre~sur~ sqlth ~hich the apparatus mu~t be for~ed agalnst the subJeot bc~ore a dis¢harge oycle l~ in~tlated.
In accordance wlth the lnvenl;lon, the dosage - . ~
.: no2zle or orir~ca proJe~ts rorwardly through the open :- - mouth pnrtlon of an othsrwi~e sea1ed ohamber, there b~in~;
~: de~ined bet~esn the orlfioe alld the mouth portion an ~:
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. annu1ar or partl-annul~r spa~a.
A BOllr~e Or trlg~er alr unaer predetermln~d pressure l~ lntrodu~ed into the oham~ert ~rom ~hloh it leak~ or ~ape~ to the atmo3phere throu~h the ~pa~o in 3û ~he mouth ~urround~n6 l;he dl~o~ar3e orl~ioe.

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Whan the nozzle assembly 1~ po~ition~d a~alnst ths skln Or the sub3ect, t~e d~sch~r~e orlrioe ~lr~t engage~ the ~ubJeot ~nc~ lt i~ the rorwardmost portlon the nozzl0. As the nozzle i8 pressed agalnst the ~ubJe~t wlSh pro6resslvely lncre~sing rorOe, whl~h may be extremely sli~ht, the ~k~ Or the ~ubje~t 18 de~ormed And rlowæ or molds ~round the nozzle 80 as to seal or ; partlally se~l the mouth portlon o~ the ehamber ~urrou~d-lng the noææle.
Mea~s are pro~ided to ~ense pressure bulld-up~
ln the trlggar alr ~upply and to trigger th~ ln~ector ~ :
throu~h an operative cycle only where pressure bu~ld-up Or ~ predetermined ma~nitude ls sensed. Suoh build-up 1~, ln turn, posslblQ only Nhfln the ~ozzle hQ8 bee~
pressed ag~l~st the skin to ~ sufficlent depth to permit the surrounding skin surrace to seal the chQmber.
The apparatu~ iæ suitable ror use aæ a~ ~nJector r simultaneouYly doslng t~o or more ~ubJe~ts by provid-~4g multlple ~ozzla~ wlth a common ~rlggar alr æuppl~ ~Q .:
connacted th~t leakage to the atmosphere may be ~rrente~
betwson alter~te path~ derined betw~en the ~ub~ects and : the nozzle a~emblieY, ~hereb~ trlg~erlng ~111 be possl ~ :
ble o~ly af~er ~11 nozzle a~emblles ha~e been appropri- ' : a~ely sealed. ~ :
By varyln~ the amount by which the orl~lce ~xtend~ forwardl~ Or the mouth portlon, th~re 18 auto- ¦
matlo~lly ~aried the pre~sure neceæ~ary to seal the mouth ¦~
port~on ~urroundln~ the orl~ice.

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By provldlng a cont1nuovs trlgger alr bleed area or areas ~urroundln6 the nozzle, or by provlding leaka3O paths rlnglng tha noææle eQch Or which must be ~ealed to achleve the requlslte pr~ssure lncraa~e, there ls ~ssured a precise perpendlcularlty between the orlflce and the sub~ect, lt being appreciated that any t1lting wiLl permlt a le~kage between the noted parts.
Accordi~gl~, ~t 13 an ob~ect o~ th~ inventlon to pr~vlde a pres~ure ln~ector mecha~lsm havlng an lm-proved trl6g;erl~g devlce.
I~ ls ~ further ob~eot o~ the lnYe~tion to pro~
vide an lmpro~ed triggering devicè ~or a pressuxe ln~ea-tor mechanlsm wherein administxation of a dose can be e~ected onLy after the ~ppar~tus is posltioned a~atnst the re-ciplen~ so that there e~lsts a substantiaL perpendi~,u larlty bet~een the reoipient's skln portion and the in~ector. - -; Stlll a ~urther obJect o~ the in~e~tion is the provision o~ an i~ector o~ the type desoribed ha~in~
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multlpLe no2zles ~ed with dosa~es from a common dosage suppLy chamber~ ths noz~les eaGh lncLuding mu~uaLly inter~
connected ~rlggarln~ olrcul~s whareby a dosage CAn be adminisb~red only ~hen each o~ the nozzLes i8 propexl~
posltloned against a ~ub~eot.
To attain these ob~ects and su~h furthex ob~ec~s as may appear herei~ or be herelna~ter po~nted out~ re~er-ence ls mad~ to the accompanyln3 drawlngs 1~1 whic~
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Fl~. L i~ a perspeotlve ~lsw o~ an l~Jactlon apparatus in nccoraanGe wlth the inventlon;

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Fi~;~ 2 1~ a magnlfl~d ~ront el~atîonal ~e~
o~ an ln~ector rlozzle a3~embl~;
:Flg. 3 i~ ~ ~action taksn on the llns 3~-3 o~

~ 1~. 4 i~ a vertlcal sectlo~ taken on thff lllle ~--4 Or ~1~5. l; .
; 18 a sohaslatio ~rle~ o~ the l~ector me~ m an~l lt8 oo~neGtlo~s w~th the varlous ~uppl~ a~d con.txol meohA~ms;
Fl~;8. 6 and 7 ara e~ rged diagrammatlc vle~.
~ o:~ khe posi~io~ o:e the nozz~e r~l~tlve to the epld~rmis ... .
o~ the ~ubJle~t xe~pe4tl~el~ ln the ~pacea ~d oo~taoti~g :
r operAtiv~ po8itlo~8 0~ the inJector mechanl~m.
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~e~s~ri~g ~ow to the drawl)l83, thero i8 8hOT~
1~ Flg~ 1 a~ l~Je~tox me~hanl~ lQ ~30mpri~ ;e~rally a bod~ portiox~ Ll ha~ln~ a palr o~ ln~tor ~oz~la a~s3~blles 12, 12~ ~t o~ end thereo~0 Wh~le ~h~ illu~tr~ted embodl~
me~t dl~lose~ a dual ~y tem ~heraln thers are prorided -. ~ ~
. . separator i~e~tor ~ozzl~ as3emblie~ 12, 12' Por the ~mul- :
tia~leOU8 llaOt:U~ OJ~l Or t~o ~ubJeo~3, 8u~h a8 ~o~l, 3~1va~to~, ~o., it lfill ba readlly r~o~;~iz~d that cert~ f' t~
.: :`. b~na~it~ o~ th~ l~ta~t ln~e~tlo~ will be reallzed i~
--. . conne~tlon with a sl~le rlo:;21e de~oe.
- The~ hl~h pressura 1~3ector o~ th* 1~stant l~
t~o~, a~ i8 the o~se ~rlth the a~or~mentiQ~ea ~op~
appllca~ior~ cludes a ~l~chare;e no~le 13 h~ a~
e:~ernal ~ac~ 14~ ~ di~ohar~5e orl~loe 15 ~l~ thxolle;h th~
- ~ozæle l~ aia orlflce op~ at the ~ace 14. ~ponsl~e to ope~at~o~ oX the de~lce, ~ plungar mecha~lsm hexei~a~tex : - :
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;, ~l~S40~9 ~ ~nerally d98crib~ drlva~ ~ predeterml~d qua~tltg o~
~edlcRm~nt ou~wardly through the ~scharg~ orl~ice 15~
nce th~ no~31a a3s~bl~3 12 and 12' ~r~ identical, a ~ . cl~c.rlptlon o~ o~e ~ u~loe.
', ~9 tha m~na for supplyl~$ medi~me~t dos~3 under hlgh p~o~ure to the nozzle~ 12~ 12' 1~ ~ulLy and 40~pl~ely dls410sed 1~ the aforem~ntioned ~ppllaatlo~, ~0~ P~l;~lt; NOD 3~859~996, dated January 14, 1975 , detailed dlso~sion thereo~ ~ill ~ot b~ here repeated.
It 1~ co~sidsred ~uX~lcle~t to ~ote that ~ ~ipple ~embl~
. 16 19 thr~ad2d l~to a~ l~le~ ~upplg port 17 ~ormed 1~ the bod~ ~1 Or the inJ~ctor mbcha~l~m~ The 1~1et nipple 18 ~o~nectea throu~h a condu1t 18 to ~ sour4e of medlc~e~t~
o~e way ~l~e l9 being lnterposed between the cond~t 18 a~d po~t 17~
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20 ~9 ~ ~h~m~er ~ormed l~ ths bodg portio~ lL~
which cha~ber l~ ~illed wlth a m~a3ured do~e o~ m~dlcament respQ~sl~e to retraction o~ the expuLslon pl~to~ 21~ A
pi~to~ dri~e ~eGhanl~m 18 loc~ted l~ kh~ drive ~h~mb0~ 22, the dr~e ~echa~ism being power~d b~ compre3~ed alr ox a llke po~er Bour~a admlttea to the ~hambar 22 t ~ o~gh ~he ~o~d~lt 23~ A ~o~trol or trl~gering a~embl~ 24 l~ ate~
a~ ope~i~e cyole, as more ~ully explRined hereins~ar.
the l~Rdi~g portion o~ the o~ele~ p~t~ 2 ~` ', 18 8hl~tea to the rlght to the po~ltlon sho~ o 4 $ .` ~ich mo~em~n~ l~ a~Gompa~ed by the l~roduotio~ o~
~`~ medlc~me~t ~luid thro~h ~o~dult 18 p~st o~e w~ ~e~
~l~e 1~ a~d l~t~ the r~er~olr or chamber 20. ~po~
~ trlggerl~g Or ~ adml~lstexl~ Gle, pl~to~ 21 i~ drlve~

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l~S~g from right to left, displacing under high pressure medica-ment contained in -the chamber 20. The dosage administered is a function of the amount of retractile (rightward) movement of the piston 21, and means are provided to con-trol the stroke length and hence the dosage.
Fluids emerging from the chamber 20 pass through conduit 25, unseating high pressure check valve 26, whereupon they are admitted to discharge conduit 27. In the illustrated embodiment, the conduit 27 leads to a T connection 28, the branches of the T leading respectively to discharge conduit branches 29 and 29' which are operatively connected to discharge orifices 15, 15', respectively.
The branches 29, 29' are formed in a yoke 30 threadedly connected at 31 to a complemental fitting 32 formed on the body portion 11. The yoke 30 includes side-wisely open . .
discharge ports 33,33', within which ports are mounted the ., L shaped nozzle receiver conduits 34, 34'.

The nozzle receiver conduits include internal bores 35,35', respectively, extending from the branches 29, 29' -~t ~ 20 operatively connected to receive the ejected medicament, - to a threaded nozzle assembly receiver fitting 36, 36'.

~ The nozzle assembly 12 includes a plug member 37 .
having an extending threaded tailpiece 38 received on the ~` complementally threaded fitting 36. An O ring 39 or like gasket is tightly sandwiched between the rearwardly facing ` annular shoulder 40 of the plug 37 and the forwardly facing ; ~ shoulder 41 of the conduits 34. The plug 37 includes an . . ~ ~
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~l~540~1g a~ lly e:~t~ndln~ alsoharge conall~t 42 ~hloh, 1~ the con~ected po~ltlo~, rorms ~ 40ntlnu~tlon 0~ the col~dult 35~
The plu~ 37, ad~csnt lt~ outer eJ~ olu~es ~1~ lnt~rn~11y threaaed boxe 43, Nlthin ~hioh boro i~ threE~dedly oonne~ted the disohar~e nez21e 13~ ~ultabl~ packln~s or ~;asketlll~ 44 b~lne osmpra~s~d bat~o~ ~he dlsohar~5e r~ozzle ~n~ tho pl~ 37-Fro~n ths arra~gement a.8 thu~ rar ~es~ribed, lt wlll be u:~darsteod th~t ~h~n medlc~ llea from the ch~ber or ~eae~olr 20 u~der the ~alrlu~n~e Or the ~iYe plgt;on i~l the course Or a~ opsr~ti~re str~a, tho same un~e0.ti th~ high pres3uro oheok ~al~e 26 pas~ s to ¢o~duit 27, b~a~Gh2s 29" 29' a~d then to the disoh~r3~
noz~le~ 15~ 15' throu~h tho m~dium o~ oonrleotlng pa~ages 30, 3,5, 42.
~I!ho present lnvelltlo~ 18 ~lreote~ pri~¢~pall~ to the lmpro~re~ means ~or trl~gerl~ a~ oper~tiYo or aam~n~
t~r~ OyG~
}~ererr$~l~; pQrtl~ularl;~ to Yi~. 3, the tri6~erl~8 :~ns l~oludes a~ a~ular ~ollar mombe~ 45 ha~8; lts l~ee ~nd 46 l~tor~lly thr~aaed as at 47, the throadsd portio~
-; 47 bei~ ~ ge~ ~ith a oomplemental e:~er~al thr~a~ 4 ~orm~a o~ tha pl~g 37~, It ~ill b~ ~ppre~iatea thE~t ~r rotat5o~ Or the ~ollar 45, l~ me ~a~ ba shl~ted s:~lally ror~r~rdl~ a~d rear~ardly r~latl~e to the plug 37 The oollar 45 pro~rab1y ~rr~s at it~ tr~
end 49 a r~llie~t, d~ro~m~bl~ gask0t 50 s~hioh i~ thr~d0a or d~rorme~ b~ th~ thre~ds 58. 1~ ~asket 50 ~tions ~; both ~8 a pre~rs ~al a~à a~ a ~s~n~ ~or Prlstlonallsr . 30 resl~'clng rotatlon o~ the ~oll~r~r~lat~e to ithe plug; 37.

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~ 8 mor~ rully ~et rorth h~rel~t~rD f'or~3rd arld r3ar~ar~ ~o~em~nt o~ th~ collar 45 relati~e to the plug 37 tunotion~ to ~o~trol th~ pre~sur~ wlth l~hlch th~ outer ~ace 14 o~ bh~ dlsoharge nozzls mu~t ba press~ ln~t the ~ubJoot ln ord3r to l;rlg~er ~n operatlve cyoleO
Plug 37 ln~ a ~pple 51 ha~in~S an l~tarnal air oond.ulb 52 10adll~5 to a~ a::tlally ~stendl~g alr bl~d bore 53. 1~ bl~ed bore ~3 op3rls to s.n a~ular ~paos 54 darln~d beb~e~ ann~lar ~houlder 55 o~ tha plug 37 alld rear~ard9.~r ~acl~g 0houl~r 36 rormo~ o~ the collisr 45. ~ ~
s~all~B 0 rln3 or 8ask3t 57 i8 pr~or~bl~ disposea bet~ee~
the ~ollar ~YId the plu~s;O
q!h~ oollar 45 l~l~le~ lan a:~lally e~t~ndln~ bore 58, termlIlatl~ a rim or mouth port~on~9~ he plu~3 37 ln~ludes n ~ylindrl~al ext~slo~ 60 ~in~ ~rlthi~ the bor0 58, the e~te~slo~ 60 and bor~ 58 bol~ 80 dlmo~lo~d a8 to pro~ide a~ a~nul~r ~3pacs or oh~mber C b~tl?~e~ the plug ~nd the 0~311ar. It ~'~ e appre~iated that the oham~0r C
op0llls ou~l7ardly at ~hs D10uth Sgo 0 ~ so~ce o~ trlgger a~r 18 oo~l:neot0~i to the ~oz~le ~8aemblie 12, l2~ thro~h th~ trl~3g~r ~lr OO~allit 61. The condlllt 61 1~lua~ a T ~ 62, th~ branoho8 63, 64 o~
~hl~h ~r0 oo~:n00tea to ~ozzl~s 12, 129 by trlgger ~iP
br~IIch ~o~duit~ 65, 66 ,, r~pe31;i~ h 67 o~ .
~o~ault 65 re~ota ~OIQ ~ittl~ 62 18 8~ aa o~r~r e~n ~-Larga~ h~d portioll 68 l~ th~ ~lpplo 51.
Op~ratloll Or ~he ~e~ioe ~rîll b~ ~p~ar~ ~ro~
the preo~di~g d~r~ptlo~.
Trigg~r alr oo~duit 61. l~ ~o~e~ked to ~he oo~trol ~sRem~lg 24 ~hloh :pro~d0s a 80UrO~I Or trl~er alr u~d~r .
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low pre~sure~ The ~ontrol ~ssembly i~cludes a pre~sure sensing me~hani~m operati~ely connec~ed with the llne 61, whl~h meohanl~m 1~ known per 8e, ~nd whlch 1~ connected to trl~ger the ~pparRtUs through an operative oycle respon~lre to a ~nsed pressure build-up Or ~ predetermlned magnltud~ ln the Line 61.
As m~y be peroelYed rrom an lnspectlon Or Fl~. 3, alr ~dmltted through co~dult 61, passln~ throu~h bra~ches 63, 66, 1B permitted to rlow throu~h the bore ~3 ~nd an nular chamber de~ined betwean the Goll~r 45 and plug 37, out o~ the mouth 59 l~to the atmosphar0. So long a~ the trlgger air 18 permltted to bleed oontlnuously to the atmosphere no pressure bulld-up i8 po~s~ble wlthln the ~ondult 6L. It 18 only when the mouth portion 59 of the ; :
nozzle assembLy L2 and 59' Or the nozzle a~sembly 125 are sealed or .substantially sealed that such pr~sure bu-ld up oan take place. From an l~spe~tlo~ of the illustrated .
: embodime~t, lt will be app~eclated bh~t unl~ss both of the mouth portions 5g and 59' are sealed, pressure build-up will not be permltted sinoe the t~o mouth portions proYlde alternate acce~s to the atmosphere~
Rererrlng ~ow to Fig8~ 6 and 7, ~herein th~
Legend S d~nots~ a subJe~t to be dosed~ lt wllL b~ seen that when th~ nozzle 13 ls touohed a~ainst the sub~ect, bleed air 18 ~till permltted to rlow outw~rdl~ ln the area between the mouth 59 and the ~ubJ~ot~ It 1~ only ~hen the nozzle a~sembly 12 has been pres~ed ~u~ri ole~tl~ agai~t the sub~eet (~ee Fi~. 73 that the skln o~ the subJect 1~ su~lciently indented by nozzLe 13 ; 30 ~h~t the skin rO118 or rolds l~to co~taet wlth the mouth . . .

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59 surroundln~ the ~ozzle 13 that ~ ~e~l o~ the mouth .
may be ar~e~ted.
~ pre~lously ~oted, ln ~ multlple d.o81~ ~pparatu~
both the mouth 59 ~n~ the ~outh 59' must b~ ~eale~ beror~
pre~suro bulld-up sui fi~1e~t to trl6ger ~4 operatlv~ oyol~
i~ developed ln the oonduit 61~
8e~r~ral lmpo~ant A~ tage~ derlve rrOm th~ U80 o~ th~ ~sseDIbl~ deserIbea.
~ lno~ the trie;g~r alr i~ fr~e to blae~ to th~
lo atmo~phere, lr a~y portlon of tho mouth 59' i8 u~esale~, the ~e~orlbed a~sem~ly precludes th~ possîbillt~ o~ trig~er-ing e~he~ the llozzle 18 tllted relatl~ to the sub~Gt- I~
the ~rollt o~ as~r ~u~h t~lt3 a seal m~ght be formed to o~e side Or the mout~ o~ ~ nozzl~ ~s~mbly but oth0r portlon~
o~ the ~ozzl~ ~o~ld be ~p~od ~rom th0 subJ~t, ~hereby pxo~idi~ p~8~a~0 rOr alr e~oape.
Th~ pressure oah~.~h 13 roq~ired to be esarted bel~ore seali~B Or the ~o~th port~ons 59, 59' i8 ~rarle~ b~
threaa~ the collar 45 ~or~ardl~ a~d r~ar~r~xdly wlth re~pee~ to tho plug 37. I~, bg w~y o~ e~c~mple, the eo~lar iR-thr~a~ed ~orstardly ~o that th3 ~a~e 1~ Or tho di3~har~0 -~ozzle 13 ~lush ~lth the pla~e oi~ l;ho mouth 19~, the dci~ -of 1;h~ s~b~ct ~111 se~l the mou~h ~lth onlg a rel~tilvel~ ~
or pressure~ ¢e little or ~o ~ ind~nt~tlo~
requlr~d to e~eot ~uoh ~al. I~" o~ the ol;har ha~ tha oollar 18 thxead.e~ rear~ardl;y to il~orease th~ pro3~otlo~
oP ~he disohargo nozzle ~or~ar~l~ of the Dlo~lth 597 it ~ill b~ ~ppare~ that the ~oroe ~ec~r~ ~o e~bed th~ har~e~
~02zle aeOply eYIOU~l lnto the ~u~Je~t to per~lt the 8U:r~
3 rou~d~2~g sk~ to ~orDI a ~eal ~11 b~ ællbsta~tially grsater ;

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~54~09 I~ th~ double he6~ded de~loe lllustrat~d, lnooula-tio2:l Or t~o rowl" fQr l~tan~e, ~sy be r~dll~ accompLish~l by ri~ e; the posltlon Or the lnJe~tor apparatu~ and manllally mo~ th~ ro~l agalnst the no~zle ~ssemblie~
12, 12'. Sin~ the ~pp~QtU8 m~y not be trlg~erea u~tll both mouths 59, 5g~ are ~ealed, the t~sk Or the operator 18 groatl;~ s~nplirl~d as h0 lleed llot ¢are~ully podtlor the ro~rl rel6~ti~0 to t}~o ~ozzles but 18 a~ d by the trlggerl~g O~r a~ op0r~tl~e o~rcle thst proper po~ltionlllg ~as e~P~ctsd. , Optlo~lly, the de~io~ orpor~tos a~ i~dloator 69, AU~h ~ light, whl~h i'lashe~ or other~l6e 9ig~
the oporator that a dose admlnl~t~rlng oyole h~ beo~
oomplstfl~.
Whlle th~ devi~ ha~ been ~ stratod 1~ ~onneo-tloD. ~lth a two headed apparatus, lt wlll be readily appar~t that the ~til- ty theroo~ 1~ not ~o 3t~1t3d. It i8 rsaslble to ~mploJr a 9i~51~ h~aded ~it, ror ~ampl~, :` ~d derlve therarrom D~ y of tha b~n~lt~ herol~abo~e di~cu~d 1~ detall.
: ~ LlkePrise, ~ th~ lllu~tratod embod~ns~t l~corporatss a ~o~tinuou~ ~ular ~p~e ror th~ ~s~ap~ Or ble~d alr, lYhereb~ tiltiag of the de~loe relat~ ko th~
~J~ot pr~emt~ act~ti.o~ Or the deYloe, it l~ill be erstoo that a co~iguratlo~ Or e3~pe E~a~83g~ l~hi~h ~ro~de~ alr e:~ll;8 ~t ~pa~ed ~ol~ts 8urrou~dl~6 the dl~-charge ~ozzle ~111 ru~ o~ 1~ tlle ~lred ma~er~, wheth~
or not the l~Leed pa88a$~ oonti~uo~
~ro~ the ~oxe~ol~e lt ~ill be u~d~r~tooa that th~re i8 proYld~d autom~tl~ t~ ;erin~ m~ or a :

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pressure in~ector apparatus ~hlch as~ure~ thAt the npp~ratus rannot be dl~oh~r3ed unle~8 po~ltloned aK~lnst the subJ~ct, wlth a predetermlned orlentatlon.
Furthermore, a8 the nozzle mu~t be poæltloned a~aln~t the ~ub~ect ~or the do~e to be i~Jeoted, there 18 a reduced pos~lbillty of relatlve movement between the sub~eot and the preQsure de~loe ln the oourse o~ ~d-minlstratlon Or the doæe. This 18 an important ractox slnoe the ~et emerglng ~rom the dlschar~e oririce ~cts as a knl~e and relative mo~ement ln the course o~ lts admlnlstrat~on may raæult ln sub~tantial trauma to the subJeot.

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Claims (7)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a transdermal pressure injection mechanism including a body portion having a liquid reservoir, and discharge means for expelling predetermined dosages of liquid under high pressure form said reservoir to a dis-charge conduit, a self-triggering nozzle assembly fixed to an end of said body portion, said assembly comprising a collar member having an internal bore terminating in an outwardly facing mouth portion, a discharge nozzle mounted in said bore in spaced relation to said collar and extend-ing substantially parallel thereto, said nozzle including a face portion projecting through said mouth portion, said nozzle including an orifice extending through said face portion and connected to said discharge conduit, said nozzle and collar defining therebetween a chamber opening outwardly through said mouth, trigger conduit means for introducing air under pressure into said chamber, and sensor means operatively connected to said trigger conduit means for energizing said discharge means to expel a dosage of liquid through said orifice responsive to a pressure variation of a predetermined magnitude sensed in said con-duit means as a result of substantially sealing said mouth portion of said chamber by positioning of said mouth against an injection site.

2. Article in accordance with claim 1 wherein said nozzle and the mouth portion of said collar define therebetween a continuous circumferential space surrounding said nozzle whereby said chamber may be substantially sealed only when all portions of said space are pressed against the injection site.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said collar is circular in transverse section, said dis-charge nozzle is coaxially aligned with said collar, said nozzle and collar defining therebetween an annular space, the axis of said orifice coinciding with the axis of said collar.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said mouth portion is planar in transverse section.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 and including adjustment means interposed between said collar and discharge nozzle whereby the distance which said dis-charge nozzle projects beyond said mouth portion may be varied.

6. Artiole in accordance with claim 1 including adjustment means interposed between said collar and nozzle for varying the distance beyond said mouth portion which said nozzle projects and, hence, the pressure necessary substantially to seal said mouth portion.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mechanism includes a plurality of said self-triggering nozzle assemblies in parallel spaced relation, and said trigger conduit means is operatively connected to the chambers of each of said conduit means, whereby the chambers of each of said nozzle assemblies must be substantially sealed in order to develop a pressure variation in said conduit means of the magnitude required to energize said sensor means.