FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of single use syringes.

DEFINITIONS

As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used indicate otherwise.

Auto Disable Syringe: The term “Auto Disable Syringe” used hereinafter in this specification refers to a syringe which is designed to be automatically locked after a single use and prevents reuse.

BACKGROUND

The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.

Typically, a hypodermic syringe is conventionally employed for delivering a liquid medicament into a subject. The hypodermic syringe generally comprises a plunger provided at its distal end with a gasket, and a cylindrical barrel provided at its distal end with a needle engaging means. In order to deliver or transfer a desired quantity of liquid medicament stored in the barrel, the plunger is pressed in forward direction towards the gasket. However, the plunger reciprocates in the barrel and sliding movement of the plunger in a reverse direction may draw some liquid medicament and blood back into the barrel, thereby causing concerns related to spread of infections. Further, the rearward displacement of the plunger facilitates re-use of the single use syringe which poses more risk of spread of dreadful diseases like AIDS, hepatitis and the like and is therefore not at all desired.

To overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, a plurality of barriers is configured on internal portion of the barrel. These barriers lock the rearward pull of the plunger and prevent reuse of the single use syringe. However, the barriers cause uneven suction and delivery force generation during suction and delivery of medicine. Further, these internal barriers do not provide smooth displacement of the plunger and therefore do not allow smooth transfer of medicament which causes pain and discomfort to the subject.

There is, therefore, felt a need for an auto disable single use syringe that prevents reuse thereof and that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.

OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that prevents reuse thereof.

Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that gets disabled after single usage.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable syringe that prevents the risk of spreading of dreadful diseases.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that provides smooth delivery of medicament into a body.

Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that avoids uneven force generation during suction and delivery of medicament.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that can be safely disposed.

Still yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that is cost effective.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide an auto disable single use syringe that prevents rearward pull of the plunger after dispensing medicament.

Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. SUMMARY

The present disclosure envisages an auto disable single use syringe. The syringe comprises a cylindrical barrel, a locking means, and a plunger. The cylindrical barrel has a nozzle at an operative front end, an internal bore, and an open operative rear end. The locking means is configured at the rear end. The plunger is defined by a shank, a first flange, a second flange configured on the shank. The displacement of plunger in the barrel causes the first flange and the second flange to enter the barrel and the locking means restricts pulling out of the plunger from the barrel.

In an embodiment, the first flange is spaced apart from the second flange.

In an embodiment, the barrel is prefilled with a medicament.

In an embodiment, the plunger includes a piston having a gasket provided thereon.

In an embodiment, the second flange when entered into the barrel rests onto the locking means to allow the first flange, the second flange, and the piston to remain inside the barrel.

In an embodiment, the first flange is configured proximal to the piston. In another embodiment, the second flange is configured distal to the piston.

In an embodiment, the flaps configured to compress the first flange and the second flange during entry. In another embodiment, the flanges expand once entered the barrel.

In an embodiment, the locking means include flaps tapered inside the rear end to allow entry of the first flange and second flange into the barrel.

In an embodiment, the flaps taper at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis of the barrel.

In an embodiment, the predetermined angle is in the range of 5° to 85° with respect to the axis of the barrel.

In an embodiment, the flanges are circumferential. In another embodiment, the flanges circumscribes partially or wholly with respect to the shank.

In an embodiment, the outer dimension of the piston and the flanges is complementary to the internal dimensions of the bore of the barrel. In an embodiment, the piston and the gasket provide constant rate of change of volume of the medicament with respect to linear forward displacement of the plunger in the barrel.

In an embodiment, the displacement of the plunger allows the first flange to enter the barrel via the locking means to dispense a fixed dose of medicament.

In an embodiment, the further displacement of the plunger allows the second flange to enter the barrel via the locking means to dispense remaining medicament and allow locking of the plunger inside the barrel.

In an embodiment, the barrel, the plunger, and the locking means are of a material selected from the group consisting of a medical grade Polypropylene (PP), High density poly ethylene (HDPE), cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC), cyclo-olefin polymer (COP), transparent Polypropylene, and any combination thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

The an auto disable single use syringe of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of the single use syringe;

Figure 2 illustrates an exploded side view of a barrel and a locking means of the syringe of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a side view of a plunger of the syringe of Figure 1 depicting a first flange and a second flange configured thereon; and

Figure 4 illustrates a section view of the syringe of Figure 1 depicting the first flange and the second flange of Figure 3 outside the barrel of Figure 2;

Figure 5 illustrates a section view of the syringe of Figure 1 depicting the first flange of Figure 3 displaced inside the barrel of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 illustrates a section view of the syringe of Figure 1 depicting the first flange and the second flange of Figure 3 displaced inside the barrel of Figure 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 100 - Auto disable single use syringe

101 - Bore

102 - Barrel

I - Front end

II - Open rear end

104 - Locking means

104 A - Flaps

106 - Plunger

106 A - Shank

108 - First flange

110 - Second flange

112 - Piston

114 - Gasket

116 - Nozzle

118 - Gripper

120 - Head

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.

The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises", "comprising", “including”, and “having”, are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, operations, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The terms first, second, third, etc., should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure as the aforementioned terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another component, region, layer or section. Terms such as first, second, third etc., when used herein do not imply a specific sequence or order unless clearly suggested by the present disclosure.

Terms such as “inner,” “outer,” "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used in the present disclosure to describe relationships between different elements as depicted from the figures.

The present disclosure envisages an auto disable single use syringe. The auto disable single use syringe (herein after referred to as “syringe 100”) will now be described with reference to Figure 1 through Figure 6.

Figure 1 depicts the syringe 100 comprising a cylindrical barrel 102, a locking means 104, and a plunger 106.

Figure 2 depicts the cylindrical barrel 102 having an operative front end I and an open operative rear end II. The rear end II defines an internal bore 101 therein. In an embodiment, a nozzle 116 is configured at front end I of the barrel 102 to allow medicament to dispense therefrom. In an embodiment, the barrel 102 is prefilled with a medicament. A gripper 118 extends from either side of the rear end II of the barrel 102. The gripper 118 allows proper gripping of the syringe 100 during injection of the medicament. Figure 2 further depicts the locking means 104 which is configured at the rear end II and forms an integral part of the barrel 102. In an embodiment, the locking means 104 includes flaps 104A tapering inside the rear end II. In an embodiment, the flaps 104A taper at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis of the barrel 102. In an embodiment, the predetermined angle is in the range of 5° to 85° with respect to the axis of the barrel 102. In an embodiment, the outer dimension of the locking means 104 is complementary to the inner dimension of the open operative rear end II of the barrel 102.

Figure 3 depicts the plunger 106 defined by a shank 106 A. The shank 106 A has a first flange 108 and a second flange 110 configured thereon. In an embodiment, the first flange 108 is spaced apart from the second flange 110. In an embodiment, the plunger 106 includes a piston 112 having a gasket 114 provided thereon for dispensing medicament through the barrel 102. In an embodiment, the first flange 108 is configured proximal to the piston 112. In another embodiment, the second flange 110 is configured distal to the piston 112. In an embodiment, the flanges 108, 110 are circumferential. In another embodiment, the flanges 108, 110 circumscribes partially or wholly with respect to the shank 106 A.

Figure 4 depicts the portion of the plunger 106 having the first flange 108 and the second flange 110 being outside the barrel 102.

Figure 5 depicts the displacement of plunger 106 in the barrel 102 causes the at least first flange 108 to enter the barrel 102 via the flaps 104A and the locking means 104 restricts pulling out of the plunger 106 from the barrel 102.

Figure 6 depicts the second flange 110 entered into the barrel 102 upon further displacement of the plunger 106, allows the second flange 110 to rest onto the internal flange (not shown in figures) configured at operative open rear end II of the barrel 102 to allow the first flange 108 and the plunger head 112 to remain inside the barrel 102. In an embodiment, the flaps 104A prevent the flanges 108, 110 to come out of the barrel 102 upon rearward pull of the plunger 106. In an embodiment, the flaps 104A allow entry of the second flange 110 and allow the plunger head 112 with gasket 114 to reach and fix at the operative front end I of the barrel 102 and prevent further rearward pull of the plunger 106. In an embodiment, the flaps 104A are configured to compress the first flange 108 and the second flange 110 during entry. In another embodiment, the flanges 108, 110 expand once entered the barrel 102. The flaps 104A allow the entry of the first flange 108 and second flange 110 into the barrel 102. In an embodiment, the outer dimension of the piston 112 and the flanges 108, 110 is complementary to the internal dimensions of the bore 101 of the barrel 102.

In an embodiment, the piston 112 and the gasket 114 provide constant rate of change of volume of the medicament with respect to linear forward displacement of the plunger 106 in the barrel 102. More particularly, the piston 112 and the gasket 114 prevent upstream travel of the medicament towards the rear end II.

The plunger 106 includes a head 120 configured at the end opposite to the head 112 near the second flange 110. The head 120 allows a thumb to rest thereon during injection of the medicament through the barrel 102.

The transfer of medicine from barrel 102 to human body will occur with uniform application of force on the head 120 and the barrel 102 being of no internal locking steps as in conventional syringes. The bore 101 allows smooth movement of the plunger piston 112 and the gasket 114 allow constant internal volume variance of the syringe 100 during usage.

The volume of the syringe barrel 102 = Vb

Linear moment of the plunger 106 = Lb

Then rate of change of volume dV of the barrel 102 with respect to linear moment dL of the plunger 106 i.e., dV/dL = constant.

This allows the transfer of medicament occurs constantly from barrel 102 to human body without variance that usually occurs in conventional syringe mechanisms.

In an embodiment, the outer dimension of the piston 112 including the gasket 114, the first flange 108, and the second flange 110 is complementary to the internal dimensions of the bore 101 of the barrel 102.

In an embodiment, the displacement of the plunger 106 allows the first flange 108 to enter the barrel 102 via the locking means 104 to dispense a fixed dose of medicament. In an embodiment, the further displacement of the plunger 106 allows the second flange 110 to enter the barrel 102 via the locking means 104 to dispense remaining medicament and allow locking of the plunger 106 inside the barrel 102 and prevent rearward pull of the plunger 106. In an embodiment, the barrel 102, the plunger 106, and the locking means 104 are of a material selected from the group consisting of medical grade Polypropylene (PP), High density poly ethylene (HDPE), cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC), cyclo-olefin polymer (COP), transparent Polypropylene, and any combination thereof.

In an operative configuration, when a surgeon has to inject a medicament via the syringe 100 into a subject, the portion of the plunger 106 having flanges 108, 110 initially lie outside the barrel 102. The barrel 102 is prefilled with the medicament. As the surgeon grips the syringe 100 via the gripper 118 and presses the head 120, the plunger 106 displaces inside the barrel 102 which causes the first flange 108 to enter the barrel 102. As the first flange 108 enters the barrel 102, a fixed dose of medicament is dispensed through the nozzle 116. The first flange 108 once entered into the barrel 102 cannot be pulled out of the barrel 102 and the flaps 104A of the locking means 104 restricts the rearward pull of the plunger 106. Upon further pressing of the head 120, the second flange 110 of the plunger 106 enters the barrel 102 to dispense the remaining medicament and securely holds the second flange 110, the first flange 108 inside the barrel 102. The second flange 110 rests on the internal flange of the rear end II and fixes the head 112 with gasket 114 at the front end I of the barrel 102. The flaps 104A of the locking mechanism 104 prevents rearward pulling of the first flange 108 and the second flange 110 of the plunger 106 of the barrel 102 to automatically disable the syringe 100 and thus prevents the reuse of the syringe 100.

The locking means 104, the first flange 108, and the second flange 110 allows safe disposal of the syringe 100. The syringe 100 prevents spread of transmissible diseases that result due to reuse of the single use syringes. The syringe 100 is cost effective in terms of manufacturing as it is possible to manufacture the components such as the locking means 104, the plunger 106 having the first flange 108, and the second flange 110 for different volumes of barrels 102. Further, the locking means 104 is at the rear end II of the barrel 102, the barrel 102 is free from any internal locking mechanical structures as in conventional syringes, and therefore avoids uneven force generation during suction and delivery of the medicament.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS

The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of an auto disable single use syringe, that:

• prevents reuse thereof;

• gets disabled after single usage;

• prevents risk of spread of dreadful diseases;

• provides smooth delivery of medicament into a body;

• avoids uneven force generation during suction and delivery of medicine;

• can be safely disposed;

• is cost effective; and

• prevents rearward pull of the plunger after dispensing medicament.

The embodiments herein, the various features, and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein. The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.