Injector systems and syringe adapters for use therewith

Abstract

An adapter includes a syringe carrier adapted to seat at least a portion of the syringe. The syringe carrier includes at least one rearward facing abutmer member to abut at least one forward facing surface on a syringe. The syringe carrie includes an opening therein to allow a drive member of an injector to communicate forward force to the plunger through abutment without connective engagement between the drive member and the plunger. The adapter further includes a releasable mounting mechanism positioned to the rear of the syringe carrier to mount the adapter in a desired position relative to the front wall of the injector. An adapter includes a first section and a second section that are rotatable relative to each other about a hinge axis generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the adapter. An adapter includes a first section and a second section that are generally the same in construction, the first section and the section being connectable to form a syringe carrier to seat at least a portion of the syringe.

1. An adapter for releasably attaching a syringe to an injector, wherein the syringe comprises a body, a cone region attached to a forward end of the body and a plunger slideably positioned within the body, and wherein the injector comprises a front wall, an opening formed in the front wall, and a drive member reciprocally mounted in the injector, the adapter comprising:
 a mounting mechanism positioned at a rear of the adapter to mount the adapter in a desired position relative to the front wall of the injector; and 
 a syringe carrier section associated with the mounting mechanism and adapted to seat at least a portion of the syringe, the syringe carrier section defining an opening along a top length thereof to allow placement of the syringe therein from the top, a forward portion of the syringe carrier section comprising two substantially opposed, linear shoulder portions each having first and second ends, the first ends of the shoulder portions being connected by a substantially arcuate member and the second ends of the shoulder portions cooperating to define an opening therebetween, the opposed shoulder portions abutting the cone region of the syringe so that the force exerted by the syringe on the adapter during an injection is generally symmetrical about an axis of the adapter, thereby reducing any bending moment about the mounting mechanism, the syringe carrier section further comprising a rear section defining an opening therein to allow the drive member of the injector to provide forward force to the plunger. 
 
     
     
       2. The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the two substantially opposed shoulder portions are positioned on a first lateral side and a second lateral side, respectively, of the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       3. The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the forward portion of the syringe carrier section further comprises a rib member to strengthen the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       4. The adapter of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate section operably connected to and disposed between the syringe carrier section and the mounting mechanism. 
     
     
       5. The adapter of  claim 4  wherein the syringe carrier section is removably or movably connected to the intermediate section. 
     
     
       6. The adapter of  claim 5  wherein the syringe carrier section and the intermediate section are movably connected via pin joints. 
     
     
       7. The adapter of  claim 5 , further comprising a locking member adapted to lock the syringe carrier section in a closed position. 
     
     
       8. The adapter of  claim 4 , further comprising a push rod at least partially disposed within the intermediate section for engaging the plunger of the syringe. 
     
     
       9. The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the syringe carrier section further comprises a retaining member for retaining the syringe within the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       10. The adapter of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing retaining section operably associated with the syringe carrier section, the biasing retaining section comprising at least one flexible retaining member adapted to engage the syringe body to secure the syringe within the adapter. 
     
     
       11. The adapter of  claim 10  wherein the at least one flexible retaining member comprises two retaining members. 
     
     
       12. The adapter of  claim 10  wherein the biasing retaining section is removably connected to the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       13. The adapter of  claim 1  wherein the syringe carrier section further comprises at least one flexible retaining member adapted to engage the syringe body to secure the syringe within the adapter. 
     
     
       14. The adapter of  claim 13  wherein the at least one flexible retaining member comprises two retaining members. 
     
     
       15. An adapter for releasably attaching a syringe to an injector, wherein the syringe comprises a body, a cone region attached to a forward end of the body and a plunger slideably positioned within the body, and wherein the injector comprises a front wall, an opening formed in the front wall, and a drive member reciprocally mounted in the injector, the adapter comprising:
 an intermediate section defining a passage within which a push rod can move to communicate force from the injector drive member to the plunger, 
 a mounting mechanism positioned at a rear end of the intermediate section to mount the adapter in a desired position relative to the front wall of the injector; and 
 a syringe carrier section hingedly connected to a front end of the intermediate section and being adapted to seat at least a portion of the syringe, the syringe carrier section defining a first opening in a rear section thereof to allow the drive member of the injector to communicate forward force to the plunger via the push rod, the syringe carrier section defining a second opening on a top thereof, a forward portion of the syringe carrier section abutting the cone region of the syringe during injection, the syringe carrier section being rotatable relative to the intermediate section to move the forward portion of the syringe carrier section out of contact with the cone region of the syringe to enable removal of the syringe from the adapter without retraction of the drive member. 
 
     
     
       16. The adapter of  claim 15  wherein the forward portion of the syringe carrier section comprises two substantially opposed shoulder portions, the opposed shoulder portions abutting the cone region of the syringe so that the force exerted by the syringe on the adapter during an injection is generally symmetrical about an axis of the adapter, thereby reducing any bending moment about the mounting mechanism. 
     
     
       17. The adapter of  claim 16  wherein the two substantially opposed shoulder portions are positioned on a first lateral side and a second lateral side, respectively, of the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       18. The adapter of  claim 15  wherein the forward portion of the syringe carrier section further comprises a rib member to strengthen the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       19. The adapter of  claim 15 , further comprising a locking member adapted to lock the syringe carrier section in a closed position. 
     
     
       20. The adapter of  claim 15  wherein the syringe carrier section further comprises a retaining member for retaining the syringe within the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       21. The adapter of  claim 15 , further comprising a biasing retaining section operably associated with the syringe carrier section, the biasing retaining section comprising at least one flexible retaining member adapted to engage the syringe body to secure the syringe within the adapter. 
     
     
       22. The adapter of  claim 21  wherein the at least one flexible retaining member comprises two retaining members. 
     
     
       23. The adapter of  claim 21  wherein the biasing retaining section is removably connected to the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       24. The adapter of  claim 15  wherein the syringe carrier section further comprises at least one flexible retaining member adapted to engage the syringe body to secure the syringe within the adapter. 
     
     
       25. The adapter of  claim 24  wherein the at least one flexible retaining member comprises two retaining members. 
     
     
       26. An adapter for releasably attaching a syringe to an injector, wherein the syringe comprises a body, a cone region attached to a forward end of the body and a plunger slideably positioned within the body, and wherein the injector comprises a front wall, an opening formed in the front wall, and a drive member reciprocally mounted in the injector, the adapter comprising:
 a mounting mechanism positioned at a rear of the adapter to mount the adapter in a desired position relative to the front wall of the injector; and 
 a syringe carrier section adapted to seat at least a portion of the syringe, the syringe carrier section defining an opening on a top thereof to allow placement of the syringe therein from the top, the syringe carrier section comprising an outer wall and at least one flexing retaining member disposed inward from the outer wall, the flexing retaining member adapted to place pressure on at least one side of the syringe to retain the syringe within the syringe carrier section, the syringe carrier section further comprising an opening in a rear section thereof to allow the drive member of the injector to communicate forward force to the plunger. 
 
     
     
       27. The adapter of  claim 26  wherein a forward portion of the syringe carrier section comprises two substantially opposed shoulder portions, the opposed shoulder portions abutting the cone region of the syringe so that the force exerted by the syringe on the adapter during an injection is generally symmetrical about an axis of the adapter, thereby reducing any bending moment about the mounting mechanism. 
     
     
       28. The adapter of  claim 27  wherein the two substantially opposed shoulder portions are positioned on a first lateral side and a second lateral side, respectively, of the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       29. The adapter of  claim 27  wherein the forward portion of the syringe carrier section further comprises a rib member to strengthen the syringe carrier section. 
     
     
       30. The adapter of  claim 26 , further comprising an intermediate section operably connected to and disposed between the syringe carrier section and the mounting mechanism. 
     
     
       31. The adapter of  claim 30 , further comprising a push rod at least partially disposed within the intermediate section for engaging the plunger of the syringe. 
     
     
       32. The adapter of  claim 30 , wherein the syringe carrier section is removably or movably connected to the intermediate section. 
     
     
       33. The adapter of  claim 32 , wherein the syringe carrier section and the intermediate section are movably connected via pin joints. 
     
     
       34. The adapter of  claim 32  further comprising a locking member adapted to lock the syringe carrier section in a closed position. 
     
     
       35. The adapter of  claim 26  wherein the at least one flexing retaining member comprises two retaining members.