Mechanical syringe accessory

Abstract

Described herein are syringe accessories that can be attached to standard syringes. These accessories utilize one or more mechanisms that can provide at least one additional sensory feedback to the user when performing an aliquot or dosed injection. In other embodiments, the accessories can prevent overdosing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An accessory for a syringe comprising:
 a finger flange portion configured to attach to a body of the syringe;   a track guide attached to the finger flange portion, the track guide having a lever arm;   a track configured to insert through the track guide, the track including valleys separated by a distance, wherein the distance corresponds to a pre-determined dose of a substance housed in the syringe; and   a plunger interface configured to attach the track to a plunger of the syringe.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the finger flange portion is configured to attach to a flange of the syringe. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the valleys are located on a top surface of the track. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 3 , wherein the lever arm is configured to lock in the valleys. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the valleys are formed between peaks having a long front surface and a short back surface. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the lever arm is configured to snap into each of the valleys to lock against the short back surface of each of the peaks. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the long front surface of each of the peaks has two or more ridges that are configured to provide first tactile feedback as the lever arm progresses across the peaks, and that are configured to provide second tactile feedback, different from the first tactile feedback, as the lever arm snaps into each of the valleys. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the valleys are located on a bottom surface of the track. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is configured to apply a force on a top surface of the track and cause a protrusion to engage with the valleys. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 9 , wherein a peak exists between each valley and the peak has a rounded shape that allows for bi-directional motion between the track and the track guide. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory of  claim 10 , wherein the rounded shape is configured to render the accessory reusable. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the plunger interface includes a cover configured to engage a proximal actuating end of the plunger of the syringe. 
     
     
         13 . An accessory for a syringe comprising:
 a flange portion configured to attach to a body of the syringe, the flange portion having opposing tabs that are configured to protrude radially outward from the body of the syringe when the flange portion is attached to the body;   a track guide attached to the flange portion, the track guide having an orifice;   a lever arm attached to the track guide and protruding radially inward in the orifice; and   a track configured to insert through the orifice of the track guide and extend along a longitudinal axis of the syringe, the track having a plurality of ratcheting teeth arranged axially along the track that are configured to slidably engage with the lever arm.   
     
     
         14 . The accessory of  claim 13 , wherein the flange portion is configured to circumferentially surround the body of the syringe. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory of  claim 13 , wherein the ratcheting teeth are configured to permit bi-directional relative movement between the track and the lever arm as the ratcheting teeth slide against the lever arm. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory of  claim 13 , wherein each tooth of the ratcheting teeth has two or more ridges, wherein a first ridge of the two or more ridges is configured to provide a first tactile feedback as the lever arm slides along the tooth, and a second ridge of the two or more ridges is configured to provide a second tactile feedback greater than the first tactile feedback as the lever arm snaps into a valley between a pair of the teeth. 
     
     
         17 . A syringe comprising:
 a body configured to contain an injectable substance;   a plunger having a plunger stem, a plunger head at a proximal end of the plunger stem, and a piston at a distal end of the plunger stem that is moveable within the body to urge the injectable substance out of the body;   a flange portion having opposing tabs protruding radially outward from the body;   a track guide attached to the flange portion;   a lever arm attached to the track guide; and   a track extending axially along the plunger stem and through the track guide, the track having a plurality of ratcheting teeth that are configured to slidably engage with the lever arm as the plunger stem is moved within the body.   
     
     
         18 . The syringe of  claim 17 , wherein the flange portion is surrounds the body of the syringe. 
     
     
         19 . The syringe of  claim 17 , wherein the ratcheting teeth are configured to permit bi-directional relative movement between the track and the lever arm as the ratcheting teeth slide against the lever arm. 
     
     
         20 . The syringe of  claim 17 , wherein each tooth of the ratcheting teeth has two or more ridges, wherein a first ridge of the two or more ridges is configured to provide a first tactile feedback as the lever arm slides along the tooth, and a second ridge of the two or more ridges is configured to provide a second tactile feedback greater than the first tactile feedback as the lever arm snaps into a valley between a pair of the teeth.