Dose clip assembly for syringe

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first member and a second member. The first member is configured to receive a portion of a syringe barrel and includes a first stop surface. The second member includes a second stop surface. Each stop surface is configured to engage the portion of a plunger to thereby arrest longitudinal movement of the plunger relative to the syringe barrel. The second member is operable to move relative to the first member from a first position to a second position. The second member remains coupled with the first member while in both the first position and the second position. The second stop surface engages the portion of the plunger when the second member is in the first position. The second stop surface does not prevent the portion of the plunger from reaching the first stop surface when the second member is in the second position.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 (a) grasping an assembly, the assembly including:
 (i) a dose clip assembly, the dose clip assembly including:
 (1) a first member, and 
 (2) a second member coupled with the first member, and 
 
 (ii) a syringe, the syringe including:
 (1) a barrel, and 
 (2) a plunger, the plunger being slidably disposed in the barrel; 
 
   (b) retracting the plunger proximally relative to the barrel to thereby draw fluid from a fluid source into the barrel, the plunger being retracted to a first longitudinal position;   (c) inserting the barrel of the syringe into the first member of the dose clip assembly;   (d) decoupling the fluid source from the barrel;   (e) with the barrel of the syringe disposed in the first member of the dose clip assembly, and with the second member being in a first position relative to the first member, advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to a second longitudinal position, the plunger engaging the second member in the second longitudinal position, the second member in the first position preventing further distal advancement of the plunger relative to the barrel;   (f) moving the second member relative to the first member from the first position to a second position, the second member in the second position no longer preventing further distal advancement of the plunger relative to the barrel; and   (g) with the second member in the second position, advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel from the second longitudinal position to a third longitudinal position.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , the second member being in the second position during the act of inserting the barrel of the syringe into the first member of the dose clip assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising coupling the barrel with a fluid delivery instrument. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , the act of coupling the barrel with a fluid delivery instrument being performed after the act of decoupling the fluid source from the barrel and before the act of advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to the second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , the act of advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to the second longitudinal position providing a priming of a fluid path from the barrel to a fluid delivering portion of the fluid delivery instrument. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , after the act of advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to the second longitudinal position, the second member further preventing proximal retraction of the plunger relative to the barrel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , the second member including a catch, the catch preventing proximal retraction of the plunger relative to the barrel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , the act of advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to the second longitudinal position comprising traversing a cam surface of the catch with a portion of the plunger. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , the act of moving the second member relative to the first member from the first position to the second position comprising pivoting the second member relative to the first member. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , the second member remaining pivotably coupled with the first member after the act of moving the second member relative to the first member from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , the first member including a boss, the boss being configured to restrict pivotal movement of the second member relative to the first member, such that the boss arrests pivotal movement of the second member when the second member reaches the second position. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising moving the second member from the second position to the first position before performing the act of advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to the second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , the first member arresting distal movement of the plunger upon the plunger reaching the third longitudinal position, such that the first member prevents further distal advancement of the plunger relative to the barrel. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , the act of retracting the plunger proximally relative to the barrel to thereby draw fluid from the fluid source into the barrel further comprising retracting the plunger from a fourth longitudinal position to the first longitudinal position. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , the fourth longitudinal position being distal to the third longitudinal position. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , the act of decoupling the fluid source from the barrel being performed before the act of inserting the barrel of the syringe into the first member of the dose clip assembly. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , the acts of moving the second member relative to the first member from the first position to the second position and advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel from the second longitudinal position to the third longitudinal position being performed using only a single hand. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 20 , the fluid source comprising a fluid selected from the group consisting of a leading bleb fluid and therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         38 . A method comprising:
 (a) grasping an assembly, the assembly including:
 (i) a dose clip assembly, the dose clip assembly including:
 (1) a first member, and 
 (2) a second member coupled with the first member, and 
 
 (ii) a syringe, the syringe including:
 (1) a barrel, and 
 (2) a plunger, the plunger being slidably disposed in the barrel; 
 
   (b) retracting the plunger proximally relative to the barrel to thereby draw fluid from a fluid source into the barrel, the plunger being retracted to a first longitudinal position;   (c) inserting the barrel of the syringe into the first member of the dose clip assembly;   (d) decoupling the fluid source from the barrel;   (e) with the barrel of the syringe disposed in the first member of the dose clip assembly, and with the second member being in a first position relative to the first member, advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to a second longitudinal position, the plunger engaging the second member in the second longitudinal position, the second member in the first position preventing further distal advancement of the plunger relative to the barrel, the second member further preventing proximal retraction of the plunger relative to the barrel;   (f) moving the second member relative to the first member from the first position to a second position; and   (g) with the second member in the second position, advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel from the second longitudinal position to a third longitudinal position.   
     
     
         39 . A method comprising:
 (a) grasping an assembly, the assembly including:
 (i) a dose clip assembly, the dose clip assembly including:
 (1) a first member, and 
 (2) a second member coupled with the first member, and 
 
 (ii) a syringe, the syringe including:
 (1) a barrel, and 
 (2) a plunger, the plunger being slidably disposed in the barrel; 
 
   (b) retracting the plunger proximally relative to the barrel to thereby draw fluid from a fluid source into the barrel, the plunger being retracted to a first longitudinal position, the fluid source comprising a fluid selected from the group consisting of a leading bleb fluid and therapeutic agent;   (c) inserting the barrel of the syringe into the first member of the dose clip assembly;   (d) decoupling the fluid source from the barrel;   (e) advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel to a second longitudinal position;   (f) moving the second member relative to the first member from the first position to a second position, the second member in the second position no longer preventing further distal advancement of the plunger relative to the barrel; and   (g) with the second member in the second position, advancing the plunger distally relative to the barrel from the second longitudinal position to a third longitudinal position.