Syringe with integrated needle

Abstract

A syringe ( 20 ) is disclosed including a needle ( 22 ) and a barrel ( 24 ). The needle can have an outside surface ( 32 ), a delivery outlet ( 34 ) at one end, a base ( 36 ) at the other end, and an internal passage ( 38 ) extending from the base to the delivery outlet. The barrel can have a generally cylindrical interior surface portion ( 40 ) defining a lumen. The barrel also can have a front passage ( 44 ) molded around and in fluid-sealing contact with the outside surface of the needle. A method of making such a syringe is also disclosed. A mold ( 80 ) for making the barrel defines a front opening of the barrel to be molded around and in fluid-sealing contact with the outside surface of the needle. The needle is positioned within the mold cavity, with its base abutting the core. The barrel is molded against the needle to join the barrel and the needle.

1 . A syringe comprising:
 a needle having an outside surface, a delivery outlet at one end, a base at the other end, and an internal passage extending from the base to the delivery outlet; and   a barrel having an interior surface portion defining a lumen and a front passage molded around and in fluid-sealing contact with the outside surface of the needle.   
     
     
         2 . The syringe of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap configured to isolate the delivery outlet of the needle from ambient air. 
     
     
         3 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the barrel comprises a generally hemispheric interior surface portion adjacent to the front passage. 
     
     
         4 . The syringe of  claim 3 , in which the base of the needle is at least substantially flush with the hemispheric interior surface portion of the barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The syringe of  claim 3 , further comprising a PECVD-applied barrier layer on at least the hemispheric interior surface portion of the barrel. 
     
     
         6 . The syringe of  claim 6 , in which the barrier layer forms a barrier between the base of the needle and the generally cylindrical interior surface portion of the barrel. 
     
     
         7 . The syringe of  claim 5 , in which the barrier layer comprises SiOx, in which x is from about 1.5 to about 2.9. 
     
     
         8 . The syringe of  claim 5 , in which the barrier layer is effective to provide an oxygen barrier. 
     
     
         9 . The syringe of  claim 5 , in which the syringe is prefilled with a fluid and the barrier layer is effective to reduce leaching of the material of the barrel into the fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The syringe  claim 1 , further comprising a PECVD-applied lubricity coating on at least a portion of the interior surface portion of the barrel. 
     
     
         11 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the needle outside surface has a non-cylindrical portion within at least a portion of the barrel front passage for anchoring it within the barrel. 
     
     
         12 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the needle is a hypodermic needle. 
     
     
         13 . The syringe of  claim 2 , in which the delivery outlet of the needle is seated on the cap when the cap is secured on the barrel. 
     
     
         14 . The syringe of  claim 2 , further comprising a flexible lip seal at the base of the cap for seating against the barrel when the cap is secured on the barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The syringe of  claim 2 , further comprising a coupling having a detent on one of the barrel and the cap and a projection on the other one of the barrel and the cap, the projection being adapted to engage the detent when the cap is in its seated position on the barrel. 
     
     
         16 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the barrel is injection molded. 
     
     
         17 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the barrel comprises a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) layer and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer. 
     
     
         18 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the barrel comprises a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) outer wall and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) inner wall. 
     
     
         19 . The syringe of  claim 1 , in which the interior surface portion of the barrel is cylindrical. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a syringe comprising:
 providing a needle having an outside surface, a delivery outlet at one end, a base at the other end, and an internal passage extending from the base to the delivery outlet;   providing a mold for making a barrel having an interior surface portion defining a lumen and a front passage, the mold comprising a mold core and a mold cavity;   positioning at least a portion of the needle within the mold cavity, with its base abutting the mold core or extending into the mold core and at least a portion of its outside surface exposed within the mold cavity; and   injection molding the barrel by injecting moldable material into the mold cavity, forming the portion of the barrel defining the front opening against the portion of the needle outside surface exposed within the mold cavity to join the barrel and the needle.