US2616420A - Disposable hypodermic syringe - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4, 1952 J. w. HART DIsPosABLE HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed Nov. l, 1951 Pieri 8 JNVENTOR.

f@ Armen/Ev JOHN W. HART BY MM Ear@ Patented Nov. 4, 1952 2,616,420 DISPOSABI'IE HYPODERMIC SYRVING .lohn W. Hart,` Albany, N. Y.,v assignor to Sterling' Drug Inc., New York, N. Y, a corporation of Delaware Application November 1, 1951, serial No. '254,410

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and improved disposable hypodermic syringes and the principal object of the present invention is to provide such a syringe which is small, simple in construction and use, and which is inexpensive to manufacture so that it may be used and disposed of, preferably after a single use, and an exact quantity of content may be injected in the patient or expressed for testing purposes, etc.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of such a syringe comprising an ampoule preferably made of plastic or other convenient material and itself providing the syringe barrel and other parts as will become more apparent hereinafter, said ampoule having an open end closed by a plunger and a closed end forming a diaphragm, there being an open-ended tube extending outwardly from the diaphragm and receiving a double-ended needle, and guide means for the needle engaging the inner wall of the tube, in combination with a needle guard itself in the `form of a tube having an open end which enters the first-named tube and completely encloses the needle for storage, transmissiometc., said needle guard being easily and quickly depressed by means of the finger of the operator to engage the needle guide and move the same and the needle to cause the distal end of the latter to penetrate and pierce the diaphragm so that the device is set to inject or express the content thereof upon removal of the needle guard.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of the disposable syringe in which the needle guard is provided with means adjacent the open end thereof for engagement with the plunger so that the needle guard, being removed from the ampoule tube after causing the needle to pierce the diaphragm, may be engaged with said plunger for aspirating or injection in the usual manner of a syringe.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation showing the device in storage condition, part being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the needle guard in the act of causing the needle to pierce the diaphragm;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the needle guard removed from the syringe;

Fig. 5 illustrates the needle guard secured to the plunger and in position for use of the syringe;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale through the ampoule tube and needle guard and showing the parts in position prior to actuation of the latter;

Fig. 7 is a similar View but shows the needle guard having caused the piercing of the diaphragm; and

Fig. 8 is a section on an enlarged scale through the plunger illustrating the needle guard secured thereto and actuating the same.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is provided an ampoule generally indicated at I0 and having an open end at I2, a reduced neck I4, and an integral outwardly extending open-ended tube I6. Between this tube and the reduced neck I4 there is a diaphragm I8 which effectively closes this end of the ampoule. It is seen that this ampoule is made in one piece and it is preferably of a molded plastic material such as polyethylene or similar material that is easily molded and slightly flexible and springy so that a good sliding friction iit may be occasioned by a rubber plunger as shown at 20 without the danger of leakage under ordinary conditions.

Hence, although the plunger is movable within the body of the ampoule, it nevertheless effectively closes the same and prevents any accidental escape of ampoule content under usual conditions. At the same time the diaphragm I8 may be readily pierced by a needle but it is not fracturable and when pierced by a needle will tend to hold the same in position due to the resilience of the material itself.

The tube I6 receives a needle guide 22 with a sliding frictional t. The needle guide 22 is preferably metal and centrally secured to it is the needle itself indicated at 24. This needle has an end at 26 which is sharpened suiiiciently to penetrate and pierce the diaphragm I8 and of course the opposite end at 28 performs the injection. The needle guide 22 holds the needle in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6 at all times when the device is not in use, i. e. during storage, transportation, etc. The needle guide 22 may be pushed within the tube I6 from the Fig. 6 position to that of Fig. 7 wherein it is seen that the inner end of the needle has pierced the diaphragm so that communication is made between the needle and the interior of the ampoule.

A hollow tubular needle guard 30 is provided and this element may have a light frictional sliding t in the tube I6. There is little resistance to sliding of the needle guard 30 in tube I6 but there is sufficient resistance to normally maintain these parts in the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The needle guard 30 is closed by an enlarged end 32 which acts as a button or means by which the same may be engaged by the operators lingers, see Fig. 3, for the purpose of pushing needle guide 22 together with its needle downwardly to cause the needle to pierce the diaphragm. This is accomplished by the inner end of the needle guard 30 as at 34 engaging the top of the needle guide 22 as shown most clearly in Fig. 7. This puncturing or piercing action is ordinarily achieved by holding the device between the thumb and forenger and exerting a light compressive pressure thereon as will be clear. The needle guard clearly and completely encloses and protects the needle as long as the guard is in place as so far described.

The needle guard 30 is provided with some means such as external threads 35 which are formed integrally therewith, for engagement with internal threads 38 in the plunger 20. Any other positive connection would cause the same result, i. e. connecting the open end of the needle guard 30 with the plunger whereby the latter may be moved in either direction for aspiration or injection, and the device is held, manipulated, and operated just about as is the usual syringe.

It will be seen that this invention provides a relatively simple disposable and preferably single use syringe which takes little space and which needs no other parts to operate it. It need not be opened as this is accomplished by the needle itself in piercing the diaphragm i8; it requires no external syringe parts at all; it is cheaply and easily made, and very easily stored, prepared for use, and handled in general. The needle is kept covered and sanitary at all times when not in use, and the needle guard itself has a dual function as clearly explained above.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A disposable hypodermic syringe comprising a plastic one-piece ampoule having an open end, a closed end in the nature of a diaphragm, and a tube extending outwardly from the diaphragm and terminating in an open end, a plunger closing the open end of the ampoule, a double ended needle, a needle guide for the needle, said needle guide having a sliding frictional fit in the tube with the distal end of the needle free of the diaphragm but adjacent thereto, a needle guard slidably arranged with respect to the tube and completely closing the same, said needle guard being slidable manually to engage the needle guide and move the needle to pierce the diaphragm, said needle guard being removable from 'the tube and engageable with the plunger to actuate the same to express the content of the ampoule through the needle.

2. A disposable hypodermic syringe comprising a plastic one-piece ampoule having an open end, a closed end in the nature of a diaphragm, and a tube extending outwardly from the diaphragm and terminating in an open end, a plunger closing the open end of the ampoule, a double pointed needle, a needle guide for the needle, said needle guide having a sliding frictional t in the tube with the distal end of the needle free of the diaphragm but adjacent thereto, a needle guard slidably arranged with respect to the tube and completely closing the same and an enlarged head on the needle guard for digital engagement and consequent motion to cause the needle guard to engage and slide the needle guide consequently to cause the needle to pierce the dia phragm, said enlarged head being capable of being grasped to retract the needle guard and remove the same from the tube, and means on the needle guard to engage the plunger, said enlarged head then being digitally engageable to to cause motion of the plunger.

JOHN W. HART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 19,219 Smith June 19, 1934 1,687,502 Marey Oct. 16, 1928 2,550,394 Young et al Apr. 24, 1951

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