Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5725497?dq=7,292,151
Timestamp: 2014-03-14 22:53:14
Document Index: 792631013

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 93', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 93']

Patent US5725497 - Injection dart system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn implant dart has a head of solid material and a tubular body that contains one or more drug-delivery implant packages. The head has a blade at its front end with a chisel type point with a beveled end and a scooped face extending rearwardly to the body. The body is formed as a helical coil that makes...http://www.google.com/patents/US5725497?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5725497 - Injection dart systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5725497 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/473,347Publication dateMar 10, 1998Filing dateJun 7, 1995Priority dateJun 7, 1995Fee statusLapsedPublication number08473347, 473347, US 5725497 A, US 5725497A, US-A-5725497, US5725497 A, US5725497AInventorsKendra Beth Eager, David Alan Peterson, Keith F. WoodruffOriginal AssigneeAmerican Cyanamid CompanyExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (20), Referenced by (2), Classifications (12), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetInjection dart systemUS 5725497 AAbstract An implant dart has a head of solid material and a tubular body that contains one or more drug-delivery implant packages. The head has a blade at its front end with a chisel type point with a beveled end and a scooped face extending rearwardly to the body. The body is formed as a helical coil that makes the body tubular and permits the coil turns to be compressed and engage to make the body relatively rigid when the dart is injected into the subject. A passage from the head to the interior of the body provides fluid communication between the subject's body fluids and the implant packages. Wings extend from the head to guide entry of the dart into the subject and to lock it against withdrawal. The complete system comprises at least one dart and an injection mechanism which retains a subject's body part on a platen and feeds darts into the body part and generally parallel to the platen.
We claim: 1. A method for implanting a drug into an animal body, said method being performed with a system for injecting an implant dart into an animal body part composed of a layer of soft tissue over bone or cartilage, said system including a housing having an elongated bore dimensioned to receive the dart and terminating in a forward opening in said housing, engagement means for receiving and retaining the body part, means for positioning said engagement means relative to said housing, and means in communication with said bore near the rear of said housing for imparting a forwardly directed accelerating force to a dart which has been received in said bore, said forward opening being defined by a perimeter of said bore, said method comprising the steps of:positioning said engagement means relative to said housing so that the body part is retained on said engagement means and disposed in front of said opening with the cartilage or bone thereof outside the perimeter of the bore; pivoting said engagement means relative to said housing to vary a space defined between a first engagement surface on said housing and a second engagement surface on said engagement means for retaining the body part in said space; placing in said bore an implant dart containing said drug; and using said means in communication with said bore for accelerating said dart towards and out of said forward opening. 2. The method of claim 1 performed with an implant dart comprising:a head comprising a front end of said dart and having means for penetrating into body tissue so as to permit the entire dart to enter the body; a flexible tubular body comprising a rear end of said dart and having a compartment for holding at least one drug-delivery implant container; a passage through said head to the interior of said tubular body for providing access into said compartment by fluids within the animal body; and an opening at the end of the tubular body remote from the head to permit insertion of an implant into said tubular body. 3. A method for implanting a drug into an animal body, said method being performed with a system for injecting an implant dart into an animal body part composed of a layer of soft tissue over bone or cartilage, said system including a housing having an elongated bore dimensioned to receive the dart and terminating in a forward opening in said housing, engagement means for receiving and retaining the body part, means for positioning said engagement means relative to said housing, and means in communication with said bore near the rear of said housing for imparting a forwardly directed accelerating force to a dart which has been received in said bore, said forward opening being defined by a perimeter of said bore, said method comprising the steps of:positioning said engagement means relative to said housing so that the body part is retained on said engagement means and disposed in front of said opening with the cartilage or bone thereof outside the perimeter of the bore; placing in said bore an implant dart containing said drug; using said means in communication with said bore for accelerating said dart towards and out of said forward opening; said system further comprising a first engaging surface formed on said housing generally perpendicular to the length of said bore and an opposed second engaging surface formed on said engagement means, the body part being the ear of an animal, said positioning step further comprising positioning said engagement means and said housing relative to each other so as to capture a first portion of the ear between said first and second engaging surfaces so that an angular bend is formed in the ear in the vicinity of said forward opening. 4. The method of claim 3 performed with a system further comprising a third engaging surface formed on said engagement means so as to be generally perpendicular to said second engaging surface, said positioning step further comprising positioning said engagement means relative to said housing so that said third engaging surface engages a second portion of the ear and retains a target area of the ear within the perimeter of said bore.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a dart containing drug-delivery implants for insertion into the body of a subject, such as an animal, and a system for injecting the dart into the subject.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Animals, particularly animals in the wild, have long been injected with tranquilizers and other drugs through the use of hypodermic darts propelled by means of a rifle or similar device. Such darts are constructed to lodge into the skin of the animal and to release their drug charge upon impact. The dart needs to be removed from the animal shortly after use, in order to avoid infection or other injury to the animal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1-7, the dart 10 includes a solid head 20 generally having an overall cylindrical shape and a hollow tubular body 30. The dart is preferably of a biologically suitable plastic material such as a polycarbonate. The dart 10 is preferably made by injection molding and preferably in one piece. The dart head 20 is a solid piece with a top face 22 that curves downwardly in a scoop shape from a rear end 23 which is at the beginning of the front end of body 30. From the head rear end 23 there is a surface edge leading to concave radius 24 extending into a shallow, tapered surface 26. This terminates in an elongated projecting relatively narrow blade 27 having a sharpened cutting edge 28 with a downward bevel 29. The bottom surface of blade 27 is curved. A plow 25 creates a transition from the narrow blade 27 (see FIG. 1) to the cylindrical dart body 30 and serves a purpose to be described more fully below.
Body 30 is a coil of several turns 32 wound in a helix to form a hollow tube. The turns 32 of the coil have opposing stops 34 in the form of tabs. The tabs 34 have the same curved shape as the coil turns and are preferably spaced 90 stops 34 of one coil turn face those of the next adjacent turn and the stops engage when the body 30 is compressed lengthwise during insertion into the subject. This is shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of an implant dart applicator or insertion system 90 embodying the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a partially sectioned side view illustrating further details of the applicator system in use. System 90 broadly comprises a main body 91, which includes a chamber (not shown) adapted to receive a dart 10. At one end of body 91, a platen 92 is positioned and retained by means of a hinge member 98 so as to be pivotal relative to main body 91. The platen is the engagement means for receiving and retaining a part of an animal's body. Main body 91, opposite platen 92, also includes a propulsion mechanism (not shown) which is actuated to provide a propulsive force to the dart 10 inside main body 91, through a push bar 59, which accelerates the dart towards platen 92. The propulsion mechanism may be any type of conventional mechanism, but is preferably a spring operated device which may be loaded and then released, as by a trigger. As best seen in FIGS. 8-10, main body 91 includes a top part 93, which has a bore 97 in which dart 10 is accelerated towards platen 92. By means of hinge member 98, platen 92 may be conveniently pivoted relative to main body 91 so as to receive the ear (E) of the subject, into which the dart 10 is inserted. Ear (E) is then maintained flat against the top of platen 92 by means of arms 99, which engage it, and the ear is formed into a 90 front of the exit (within the projected perimeter) of bore 97. In this position, the ear is held captive between platen 92 and leg 95.
The use of the dart 10 will now be explained. While description is made relative to inserting the dart into the ear of a pig, the dart can be used on other body parts or on other types of subjects, including cattle, sheep, goats or other livestock, or domestic or wild animals. In FIGS. 9 and 10 the flat platen 92 lies opposite the top part 93 with a downwardly extending leg 95. The pig's ear (E) has been captured between an end 96 of the platen 92 and leg 95 and is retained in a flat position on top of the platen and formed into a 90
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the following specification in which:
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