Patent ID: 6196999
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: A61M,Y10S

Abstract:
An injector for injecting fluids from a syringe into an animal subject comprising:a plunger drive ram bidirectionally movable along an axis;a motor drivingly coupled to said drive ram to selectively advance and retract said drive ram along said axis;a syringe mount engageable with a syringe to position said syringe relative to said injector to permit said drive ram to engage and move a plunger within said syringe;a coupling mechanism located at and movable with the forward end of said drive ram for engagement with a coupling element extending rearwardly from the plunger of a syringe engaged by said syringe mount, said coupling mechanism including first and second movable members having faces spring-biased relative to each other, which each bear a plurality of teeth, movement of said members altering the distance between said faces to permit said faces to slide along and grip the rearwardly extending coupling element of a syringe plunger upon relative advancement of said ram toward said coupling element and to retract the syringe plunger with reduced lost motion therebetween upon initiation of relative rearward movement of the drive ram with respect to the syringe plunger; anda control circuit controlling said motor to selectively bidirectionally advance and retract said drive ram and syringe plunger to transfer fluid from and to said syringe respectively.