Abstract:
A syringe protection device has telescoping tubes with legs and surfaces compressively engaging syringe finger grips providing protection and economy.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a reusable container for protecting a medical syringe in a charged or uncharged condition. The container protects the syringe against accidental breakage, discharge or spoilage through exposure to light. The container also enhances protection offered by needle sheaths in reducing the likelihood of unwanted contact with a needle. The invention also provides for identification of the condition of charge in the syringe contained therein. 
     Prior art syringe protection devices are generally designed to meet three different objectives. The three purposes shown by prior art devices are: preserving sterility; tamper resistance or tamper evidence and reduction of unwanted contact with used syringes and needles. Prior art solutions sometimes combine two or three of these attributes. The prior art generally adopts a &#34;use once and dispose&#34; approach varying only to the extent the devices may be opened and locked closed once for destructive reopening under controlled conditions. 
     An example of a sterility preserving device is shown in Soren U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,277 which uses tear away seals. Multiple sealing media and collapsible members are also used in Thackston U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,652. 
     Various configurations of needle sheaths are used to cover needles on syringes in combination with break-away elements. Typical of these approaches are Hamilton U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,488, Brown U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,997 and Vanderbeck U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,239. Other approaches are devices which retract the needles as shown in Armel U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,775 and Leeson U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,971. 
     Other needle sheath approaches include Staebler U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,910, Ogle U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,322, Brown U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,311 and Landis U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,259 and Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,722. An additional tamper resistant structure is shown in Horner U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,408. 
     In certain situations there is a need to provide protection for charged and uncharged syringes with needles in place where the container, syringe and needle, either in combination or separately, can be reused. In these, the syringe itself, a separate needle sheath and the operator&#39;s procedures accomplish the object of sufficient sterility. In some situations there may be relatively low risk of infection from accidental contact, and adequate controls commensurate with risk of tampering are present. Under these circumstances a reusable device is desirable. One circumstance in particular is where an intervenes insulin user self-administered, prescribed insulin. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One advantage of the invention is that it protects a charged or uncharged syringe assembly complete with needle, body and plunger. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that it is reusable. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that photo sensitive spoilage is reduced. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that an indication of the charged and discharged position of the syringe plunger is provided. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that standardized syringes may be accommodated. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that presence or absence of a syringe in the container is indicated. 
     Another advantage of the invention is that it provides for compact storage of a syringe, and 
     another advantage of the invention is that it provides for top and bottom orientation of a syringe in the container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective cut away view of the container with a syringe therein. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational views of the container. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container taken substantially on line 4--4 of FIG. 8. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the container taken substantially on line 5--5 of FIG. 8. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the top tube of the container in its open position. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the bottom tube of the container in its open position. 
     FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the container in its closed position. 
     FIG. 9 is an elevational view of two parts of container. 
     FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a syringe. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a syringe container having a top tube (11) and bottom tube (12). The top tube has a top end and a female opening receiving the bottom tube (12). The bottom tube has a male end (15) and a bottom end (16). 
     In the preferred embodiment a pair of slots (17) are provided in the walls (18) of the tube (11). Two elongate legs (19) and (20) extend from the tube (11) thereby defining the pair of slots (17) between them. 
     In the preferred embodiment the inner surface (21) and (22) of the elongate legs (19) and (20) are internally threaded to join with the bottom tube (12). Other alternative tube joining arrangements may be utilized such as adapting the legs (19) and (20) and male end of the bottom tube (12) to provide a bayonet fastening. 
     The joining between the top (11) and bottom (12) tubes is provided by external threads (23) on the male end (15) of the bottom tube (12). The end surface (24) of the bottom tube (12) abuts the finger grips of a syringe as will be shown in other Figures. The opposite surface of the finger grip in turn abuts the inner arcuate end surface (25) of each slot (17). 
     FIG. 2 is a cut away view of the container (10) with a syringe (31) contained therein. The syringe comprises a body (32) which has a plunger (33) in an opening at one end. Remote therefrom is the needle fitted to the opposite end (34). In this view the needle sheath (35) commonly supplied with the syringe (31) completely encases the needle carried at the needle end (34). The plunger (33) includes a shaft (36) and surface (37) for compressing the syringe assembly by applying pressure of thumb against the surface (37) while holding the body (31) by a pair of finger grips (30). Opposite the surface is a piston end (40) which exerts compression on the liquid contained in the syringe when the plunger is depressed. 
     The finger grips of the syringes are typically composed of a somewhat resilient material such as nylon or another plastic. Rotating the tube (11) and tube (12) relative to one another compresses the finger grip (30) between the surface (24) and surface (25). Rotation in the opposite direction releases the compression and permits disengagement of the two tubes (11) and (12). 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container (10) with its syringe (31) in place. Apparent in this view are the external (23) threads of the bottom (12) tube and the legs (18) of the top tube (11). In this view the syringe is present and the finger grip (30) compressed between surface (24) and the opposite surface on the top tube not visible in this view. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view looking along the axis of the container (10) from the top (13) at line 4--4 of FIG. 8. In this view the opening co-extensive with the interior (41) of the renders the surface (24) of the lower tube (12) visible. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the container (10) at line 5--5 of FIG. 8. The bottom end (16) of the bottom tube (12) is adapted with an opening (42). The top tube (11) has a larger diameter than the bottom tube (12) and is visible in this view. From the bottom the slots (17) are separated by the elongated legs (19) and (20). Also visible are the end surfaces of (25) of the slots (17). 
     Orientation of the syringe shown in FIG. 6 with its plunger at the top adapts the opening (40) as a viewing port to easily identify if the syringe has its plunger and surface, previously identified positioned to indicate a charged, or extended, position. Thus if the operator carries more than one syringe-container assembly he or she can easily determine whether one or the other is ready for use. In addition the opening being co-extensive with the interior surface (41) provides for ease of cleaning through manual or automatic means. 
     The opening (42) in the bottom tube (12) defined by the interior walls (43) as shown in FIG. 7 provides a visual indication of the presence of a syringe. This portion also verifies whether a syringe was placed in the container with a needle sheath thereon. 
     The presence of openings in the two tubes also permits ready cleaning by manual or automatic means. 
     FIG. 8 is a view of the respective ends of the tubes in their connected condition. The end (15) of tube (12) has the external threads (23) visible in this view. Visible with respect to the top tube (11) are the elongate legs (19) and (20) defining slots (17) between them. The slots (17) have end surfaces (25). 
     FIG. 9 shows a container (10) cut away to show internal threads (21). This view may be seen relative to the syringe (31) in FIG. 10. It is noted that the length of top tube (11) from the end (13) to the slot surfaces (25) in FIG. 9 relates to the distances from the finger grips (30) to plunger surface (37) of the extended plunger (35) in FIG. 10 in such a manner as to enclose the plunger completely in the top tube (11) as well as that portion of the body (32) which extends above the finger grips (30). The length of the bottom tube (12) from the inner surface (24) to the bottom end (16) in FIG. 9 is slightly greater than the distance from syringe finger grips (30) to the end of the needle sheath (35) in FIG. 10 such that the body and needle sheath of the syringe is completely enclosed in the tube (12). The interior diameter of the bottom tube is less than the diameter of the plunger surface (37) to prevent insertion of the plunger surface (37) in FIG. 10 in the tube (12) in FIG. 9 thereby preventing inversion of the syringe (31) relative to the container (10) which could otherwise result in the unwanted abutment of the longer body (31) and needle sheath (35) assembly with the end (13) of the top tube (11) or extension through the opening (40) in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6.