A medication dispenser includes a hollow body having an open first end and a second end opposing the first end. A hollow open-ended tube is coupled to the second end of the hollow body. A vial having one end sealed with a piston and one end sealed with a rupturable element is slidably disposed in the hollow body with the rupturable element being adjacent to one open end of the tube. A plunger body is indexed to an outer surface of the hollow body for axial movement with respect thereto. The plunger body includes a rod disposed therein for engaging the piston in the vial. An amount of medicine can be provided in the vial.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to medication dispensers, and more particularly to a pre-filled medication dispenser for dispensing medication via one of a variety of delivery modes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Administering medication via injection requires the filling of an injection needle's vial from a supply of medicine. However, in emergency and/or field situations, time and/or sanitation is compromised if an injection needle needs to be filled prior to use. Pre-filled single-dose injectors typically have a removable cap slid over the injector's needle. Unfortunately, existing pre-filled single-dose injectors are not robust enough for the rough handling that can be associated with emergency and/or field environments. Furthermore, there are other emergency and/or field applications that require medicine to be dispensed via an atomizer or intravenous drip line in which case the pre-filled needle-tipped injector is no longer of value.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a medication dispenser.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a medication dispenser that is readily adapted to disperse a medicine any of a variety of delivery modes.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a medication dispenser whose integrity is maintained during pre-use handling thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, a medication dispenser includes a hollow body having a first end and a second end opposing the first end with the first end being open. A hollow open-ended tube is coupled to the second end of the hollow body. A vial having one end sealed with a piston and one end sealed with a rupturable element is slidably disposed in the hollow body with the rupturable element being adjacent to one open end of the tube. A plunger body is indexed to an outer surface of the hollow body for axial movement with respect thereto. The plunger body includes a rod disposed therein for engaging the piston in the vial. An amount of medicine can be provided in the vial.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, simultaneous reference will be made toFIGS. 1-10where an assembled multi-mode medication dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIG. 1and its various components are shown in isolated views inFIGS. 1A-10. The assembled medication dispenser is referenced generally by numeral10. As will be explained further below, medication dispenser10is pre-filled with a fluid medicine100that can be dispensed to a patient (not shown) in a variety of delivery modes. For example, medicine100could be delivered via an atomizer, an injection needle, an intravenous drip line, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, medication dispenser10is constructed to permit a delivery mode's appropriate attachment to be coupled to medication dispenser10at time of use.

Medication dispenser10includes a hollow body20(FIGS. 2-4), a plunger body40(FIGS. 5-7), a vial60used to hold medicine100(FIGS. 8-9), and an axial restrainer80that can be tethered to a cap90(FIG. 10). Each of the above components will be described for the illustrated embodiment of medication dispenser10. However, it is to be understood that some of the features described herein can be omitted and/or can be realized in a variety of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Hollow body20is made from a rigid material (e.g., plastic, metal, composite, etc.) and can be cylindrical as shown. One end22of hollow body20is open and the opposing end24thereof is sealed with a luer fitting26that will be explained further below. Luer fitting26can be attached to or integrated with end24without departing from the scope of the present invention. An open-ended rigid and hollow tube28is supported in luer fitting26. More specifically and with reference toFIG. 1A, tube28has one open end28A disposed in hollow body20and its opposing open end28B disposed in luer fitting26. Open end28A can be pointed (as shown) for reasons that will be explained further below.

The exterior surface of hollow body20can have one or more axially-extending guides30(e.g., raised ridges as shown) for engaging plunger body40as will be explained later herein. Hollow body20can also have a radial hole32for receiving axial restrainer80. A window34can also be provided in hollow body20such that a portion of vial60containing medicine100can be viewed. One or more stops36can also be provided on the exterior surface of hollow body20. As will be explained further below, stops36define one or more axial locations on hollow body20that will engage with a portion of plunger body40to define, for example, initial, intermediate, and stopping positions of plunger body40. Movement of plunger body40past both the initial and intermediate positions is accomplished by the application of sufficient force to the end of plunger body40as will be explained further below.

Plunger body40is also made from a rigid material (e.g., plastic, metal, composite, etc.) that can be the same or different than the material used for hollow body20. In general, plunger body40is sized/shaped to form a sliding indexed fit with the exterior surface of hollow body20. For example, if hollow body20is cylindrical, the interior surface of plunger body40will also be cylindrical as is the case in the illustrated embodiment. Plunger body40has an open-end42sized/shaped to engage/receive open end22of hollow body20. The opposing end44of plunger body40is closed. The exterior portion44A of closed end44can define a depression that will be engaged by a person's thumb during dispensing of the medication. A rod46coupled to or integrated with closed end44extends axially along and within plunger body40. Rod46can be hollow (as shown) or solid without departing from the scope of the present invention. Rod46terminates in an outboard end46A that can be closed or open (as shown) without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Plunger body40can also include features that cooperate with some of the above-described features of hollow body20. For example, inner surfaces of plunger body40can have axial channels48defined therein where channels48are indexed to guides30on hollow body20. Channels48are sized/shaped for sliding engagement with guides30. Open end42can have axial slits50defined therein to thereby define spring arms52. The outboard end of each spring arm52has tab54configured to engage stops36on hollow body20as will be explained further below.

Vial60can be made from a rigid material that is generally transparent or translucent such that medicine100can be viewed from the outside of vial60. One end of vial60is sealed with a rupturable seal62and the other end of vial60is sealed with a piston64that is capable of axial movement within vial60while maintaining a seal therewith. Piston64can be made from a semi-rigid material (e.g., rubber) and configured to include annular ridges64A that essentially function like o-rings to form a seal with the interior surface of vial60. Separate o-rings (not shown) could be used in addition to or in place of annular ridges64A without departing from the scope of the present invention. Piston64can be positioned partially within vial60(as shown) or at the end thereof depending on the amount of medicine100to be contained within vial60.

Vial60is sized/shaped such that it can slide axially within hollow body20. When medication dispenser10is in its assembled form, seal62is adjacent to open end28A of open-ended tube28. Plunger body40is then slid over hollow body20until tabs54engage the first set of tabs36on hollow body20to thereby place plunger body40in its initial position. Outboard end46A of rod46is sized to fit within vial60in order to engage piston64at the point where it seals vial60.

Prior to use, it may be necessary to restrain vial60from axial movement within hollow body20to thereby prevent inadvertent puncturing of rupturable seal62by open end28A of tube28. Accordingly, axial restrainer80is inserted into hollow body20via radial hole32in order to keep vial60from axial movement towards open end28A and/or serve as a block between open end28A and rupturable seal62. Axial restrainer80can include a cradle80A that seats on tube28. Axial restrainer80protrudes from hollow body20to facilitate its removal prior to using dispenser10.

Cap90is a protective (e.g., rigid material) covering for luer fitting26. That is, cap90is releasably coupled to luer fitting26such that it remains in place prior to use, but can be readily removed when dispenser10is to be used. It is to be understood that the particular type of releasable coupling between cap90and luer fitting26is not a limitation of the present invention. Cap90can be tethered to axial restrainer80by an integral tether92. In this way, when cap90is removed, cap90can secondarily serve as a grip for the removal of axial restrainer80. Cap90can include a depressed region94so that a user can use their thumb to push cap90off of luer fitting26.

As just described, once cap90is removed, luer fitting26is ready to receive and cooperate with an attachment that will couple to luer fitting26and open end28B of tube28. For example, the attachment can be an atomizer12(FIG. 11), an injection needle14(FIG. 12), or an intravenous drip line16(FIG. 13). The various attachments, luer fitting26, and the mechanisms used for their cooperative attachment are well known in the art. After a selected attachment is coupled to open end28B of tube28, cap90can be used to pull axial restrainer80out of hollow body20. Once this occurs, axial pressure can be applied to closed end44of plunger body40(e.g., against depression44A) as indicated by arrow200(FIG. 1). Once pressure200is sufficient, tabs54will spring radially away from hollow body20to clear the first stops36. As outboard end46A of rod46engages piston64, vial60is moved axially towards open end28A of tube28. As axial movement of vial60continues, open end28A pushes through seal62. The ruptured opening of seal62is limited to the diameter of tube28by making open end28A pointed as shown. Once vial60engages end24of hollow body20(i.e., bottoms out in hollow body20) and pressure200is continually applied, rod46drives piston64into vial60thereby pressurizing medicine100in vial60to force it out through tube28and through one of the attachments coupled to open end28B. Medicine100can be completely dispensed or partially dispensed. For example, if additional/intermediate stops36are provided on hollow body20as is the case in the illustrated embodiment, the positions of the additional/intermediate stops can be calibrated to predetermined dosing levels of medicine100.

The advantages of the present invention are numerous. The medication dispenser is pre-filled with medicine and is protected from inadvertent dispensing prior to use. The dispenser can be outfitted with a delivery mode attachment of choice thereby making the dispenser suitable for use in a variety of applications. The dispenser provides crush-resistant and robust packaging, and a versatile multi-mode dispensing capability that will make it an invaluable addition to the practice of emergency medicine and/or field medicine. Since the medication dispenser is completely self-contained, it can be used in low-light or no-light environments.

Although the invention has been described relative to a specific embodiment thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. For example, a delivery vehicle attachment could be pre-attached to open end28B. The assembled medication dispenser could also be packaged in an outer hard shell for additional pre-use protection. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.