Front load pressure jacket system with syringe holder

Abstract

The pressure jacket systems of the invention are used to permit the front loading and removal of a syringe from an injector and include a first jacket segment and a second jacket segment surrounding the exterior surface of the syringe, interior surfaces conformable to the exterior surface of the syringe, a mechanism which allows movement of the first jacket segment in relation to the second jacket segment to permit insertion and removal of the syringe from the pressure jacket, and a mechanism for securing the first and second jacket segments in a fixed relationship upon insertion of the syringe.

We claim:  
     
       1. Fluid injection apparatus for injecting fluid from a syringe including a rear end and an opening formed therein a front end having a syringe neck, and a plunger disposed in the syringe the fluid injection apparatus comprising: 
       an injector head having a housing and a front opening in said housing for connection to said rear end of said syringe, drive means extendible through said front opening and through said opening in said rear end of the syringe for imparting motive force to said syringe plunger; and  
       a pressure jacket for holding the syringe to the injector head, the pressure jacket including:  
       a jacket cylinder having an open front end for receiving the syringe, and a rear end coupled to the injector head;  
       a first tie rod having a front end, and a rear end pivotally attached to said injector head;  
       a second tie rod having a front end, and a rear end pivotally attached to said injector head;  
       a front retaining plate joined to said front ends of said first and second tie rods, said retaining plate and said tie rods pivotable between a closed position for holding the syringe within said jacket cylinder and an open position to allow the insertion and removal of the syringe from said jacket cylinder.  
     
     
       2. The injection apparatus of claim  1  wherein said front retaining plate includes an opening formed therein to permit said syringe neck to protrude therethrough when said plate and said tie rods are in said closed position. 
     
     
       3. The injection apparatus of claim  2  wherein said opening of said front retaining plate is a slot formed from a lateral margin of said plate through a center thereof, said slot formed in the direction of pivot of said retaining plate and tie rods. 
     
     
       4. The injection apparatus of claim  1  wherein said injector head further includes an annular collar and said rear ends of said tie rods are pivotally affixed to said annular collar. 
     
     
       5. Fluid injection apparatus for injecting fluid from a syringe including a rear end and an opening formed therein, a front end having a syringe neck, and a plunger disposed in the syringe, the fluid injection apparatus comprising: 
       an injector head having a housing and a front opening in said housing for connection to said rear end of said syringe, drive means extendible through said front opening and through said opening in said rear end of the syringe for imparting motive force to said syringe plunger; and a pressure jacket for holding the syringe to the injector head, the pressure jacket including:  
       a jacket cylinder having an open front end for receiving the syringe and a rear end coupled to the injector head by a first coupling attachment;  
       at least one arm member having a front end, and a rear end coupled to the injector head by a second coupling attachment; and  
       a front retaining plate attached to the front end of the arm member;  
       wherein at least one of the first coupling attachment and the second coupling attachment is a pivot means for permitting relative angular movement between the jacket cylinder and the arm member.  
     
     
       6. A fluid injection apparatus for use with a syringe, the fluid injection apparatus comprising: 
       
         a housing; and  
       
       
         a pressure jacket assembly for operably associating the syringe with the housing, the pressure jacket assembly comprising:  
       
       
         a jacket cylinder comprising a first end associated with the housing and a second end defining an opening for receiving the syringe;  
       
       
         a first arm member comprising a front end and a rear end pivotally associated with the housing;  
       
       
         a second arm member comprising a front end and a rear end pivotally associated with the housing; and  
       
       
         a retaining member associated with the front ends of the first and second arm members, the retaining member and the arm members being movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       7. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  6  wherein the retaining member defines an opening therein to permit at least a portion of the syringe to protrude therethrough when the retaining member and the arm members are in the closed position. 
     
     
       8. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  7  wherein the at least a portion of the syringe comprises at least a neck portion of the syringe. 
     
     
       9. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  7  wherein the opening defined in the retaining member comprises a slot formed from a lateral margin of the retaining member through a center thereof. 
     
     
       10. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  6 , further comprising an annular collar associated with the housing, the rear ends of the arm members being associated with the annular collar. 
     
     
       11. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  6  wherein the first and second arm members comprise tie rods. 
     
     
       12. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  6  wherein the retaining member comprises a retaining plate. 
     
     
       13. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  6  wherein the front ends of the arm members are associated with the retaining member at substantially opposed ends thereof. 
     
     
       14. A fluid injection apparatus for use with a syringe, the fluid injection apparatus comprising: 
       
         a housing; and  
       
       
         a pressure jacket assembly for operably associating the syringe with the housing, the pressure jacket assembly comprising:  
       
       
         a jacket cylinder comprising a first end associated with the housing by a first coupling connection and a second end defining an opening for receiving the syringe;  
       
       
         at least one arm member comprising a front end and a rear end associated with the housing by a second coupling connection; and  
       
       
         a retaining member associated with the front end of the at least one arm member;  
       
       
         wherein at least one of the first coupling connection and the second coupling connection allows relative movement between the jacket cylinder and the at least one arm member to allow the syringe to be inserted into and removed from the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       15. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14  wherein the second coupling connection comprises a pivoting mechanism, and further wherein the at least one arm member and the retaining member are movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
     
     
       16. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14  wherein the first coupling connection comprises a pivoting mechanism, and further wherein the jacket cylinder is movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
     
     
       17. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14  wherein both of the first and second coupling connections comprise pivoting mechanisms, and further wherein the jacket cylinder, the at least one arm member and the retaining member are movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
     
     
       18. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14  wherein the retaining member defines an opening therein to permit at least a portion of the syringe to protrude therethrough when the retaining member is in the closed position. 
     
     
       19. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  18  wherein the at least a portion of the syringe comprises at least a neck portion of the syringe. 
     
     
       20. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  18  wherein the opening defined in the retaining member comprises a slot formed from a lateral margin of the retaining member through a center thereof. 
     
     
       21. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14 , further comprising an annular collar associated with the housing, the rear end of the at least one arm member being associated with the annular collar. 
     
     
       22. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14  wherein the retaining member comprises a retaining plate. 
     
     
       23. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  14  wherein the at least one arm member comprises two arm members. 
     
     
       24. A fluid injection apparatus for use with a syringe, the fluid injection apparatus comprising: 
       
         a housing; and  
       
       
         a pressure jacket assembly for operably associating the syringe with the housing, the pressure jacket assembly comprising:  
       
       
         a jacket cylinder comprising a first end associated with the housing and a second end defining an opening for receiving the syringe;  
       
       
         at least one arm member comprising a front end and a rear end pivotally associated with the housing; and  
       
       
         a retaining member associated with the front end of the at least one arm member, the at least one arm member and the retaining member being movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       25. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  24  wherein the retaining member defines an opening therein to permit at least a portion of the syringe to protrude therethrough when the retaining member is in the closed position. 
     
     
       26. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  25  wherein the at least a portion of the syringe comprises at least a neck portion of the syringe. 
     
     
       27. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  25  wherein the opening defined in the retaining member comprises a slot formed from a lateral margin of the retaining member through a center thereof. 
     
     
       28. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  24 , further comprising an annular collar associated with the housing, the rear end of the at least one arm member being associated with the annular collar. 
     
     
       29. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  24  wherein the retaining member comprises a retaining plate. 
     
     
       30. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  24  wherein the at least one arm member comprises two arm members. 
     
     
       31. The fluid injection apparatus of claim  24  wherein the at least one arm member comprises a tie rod. 
     
     
       32. A method of mounting a syringe on an injector, the method comprising: 
       
         obtaining access to an injector comprising a housing and a pressure jacket assembly for operably associating the syringe with the housing, the pressure jacket assembly comprising a jacket cylinder comprising a first end associated with the housing and a second end defining an opening for receiving the syringe, at least one arm member comprising a front end and a rear end pivotally associated with the housing, and a retaining member associated with the front end of the at least one arm member, the at least one arm member and the retaining member being movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder;  
       
       
         placing the retaining member in the open position;  
       
       
         inserting a rear end of a syringe into the opening of the jacket cylinder; and  
       
       
         moving the retaining member from the open position to the closed position to retain the syringe within the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       33. The method of claim  32 , further comprising: 
       
         moving the retaining member from the closed position to the open position to allow the syringe to be removed from the opening of the jacket cylinder; and  
       
       
         removing the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       34. The method of claim  33 , further comprising: 
       
         inserting a second syringe into the opening of the jacket cylinder; and  
       
       
         moving the retaining member from the open position to the closed position to retain the second syringe with the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       35. The method of claim  32  wherein the at least one arm member comprises two arm members. 
     
     
       36. A method of mounting a syringe on an injector, the method comprising: 
       
         obtaining access to an injector comprising a housing and a pressure jacket assembly for operably associating the syringe with the housing, the pressure jacket assembly comprising a jacket cylinder comprising a first end associated with the housing by a first coupling connection and a second end defining an opening for receiving the syringe, at least one arm member comprising a front end and a rear end associated with the housing by a second coupling connection, and a retaining member associated with the front end of the at least one arm member, wherein at least one of the first coupling connection and the second coupling connection allows relative movement between the jacket cylinder and the at least one arm member to allow the syringe to be inserted into and removed from the jacket cylinder;  
       
       
         moving one or more of the jacket cylinder, the at least one arm member and the retaining member to place the retaining member in the open position to allow insertion of the syringe into the jacket cylinder;  
       
       
         inserting a rear end of a syringe into the opening of the jacket cylinder; and  
       
       
         moving one or more of the jacket cylinder, the at least one arm member and the retaining member from the open position to the closed position to retain the syringe within the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       37. The method of claim  36 , further comprising: 
       
         moving one or more of the jacket cylinder, the at least one arm member and the retaining member from the closed position to the open position to allow the syringe to be removed from the opening of the jacket cylinder; and  
       
       
         removing the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       38. The method of claim  37 , further comprising: 
       
         inserting a second syringe into the opening of the jacket cylinder; and  
       
       
         moving one or more of the jacket cylinder, the at least one arm member and the retaining member from the open position to the closed position to retain the second syringe with the jacket cylinder. 
       
     
     
       39. The method of claim  36  wherein the second coupling connection comprises a pivoting mechanism, and further wherein the at least one arm member and the retaining member are movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
     
     
       40. The method of claim  36  wherein the first coupling connection comprises a pivoting mechanism, and further wherein jacket cylinder is movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
     
     
       41. The method of claim  36  wherein both of the first and second coupling connections comprise pivoting mechanisms, and further wherein the jacket cylinder, the at least one arm member and the retaining member are movable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the insertion and removal of the syringe from the jacket cylinder. 
     
     
       42. The method of claim  36  wherein the at least one arm member comprises two arm members.