Abstract:
The invention provides a lightweight, inexpensive syringe holder for substantially simultaneous multiple injections such as, but not limited to, intramuscular injections for immunizations. The syringe holder can be molded as a single unit, and can be disposable or reusable, and easily cleanable and/or sterilizable, as desired. The syringe holder can securely accommodate two or more syringes, and two or more substantially simultaneous injections can be performed easily by the administrator using only one hand. Thus, it is possible for the administrator to use two hands, and perform four or more injections that are substantially simultaneous, thus reducing pain, stress and trauma.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application, Ser. No. 60/922,778, filed Apr. 11, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It has long been recognized by the medical community that the multiple immunization inoculations required for children, as well as booster inoculations required for adults, often necessitate multiple successive single injections. These multiple injections are not only time-consuming for the person administering the injections, but also can result in pain, stress and trauma to both the patient and the administrator. 
         [0003]    In response to this problem, attempts have been made to provide a device that holds multiple syringes in order to produce simultaneous injections. As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,394, there is a well-known phenomenon of the two-point threshold of pain or pressure, defined as the distance at which the surface pain sensors of the human body cannot distinguish between single and multiple locations of pain. In other words, when applied to certain locations on the body, a person cannot distinguish between the applications of two or more needles when these needles are disposed comparably close with one another and, therefore, the person experiences a single sensation of pain. The two-point sensation of pain distance varies over different parts of the body. In some parts of the body, for example, the thigh and upper arm, the two-point threshold of pain may involve a distance of up to about 68 mm. 
         [0004]    However, injection devices designed to take advantage of this phenomenon heretofore have been relatively complicated to produce, and some require sterilization between uses. Therefore, there is still a need for a device that can take advantage of the two-point threshold of pain or pressure by providing substantially simultaneous multiple injections, especially for use in providing pediatric and adult immunization inoculations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The invention provides a lightweight, inexpensive syringe holder for substantially simultaneous multiple injections such as, but not limited to, intramuscular injections for immunizations. As defined herein, “substantially simultaneous injections” means that two or more injections can be performed by the administrator in a motion that enables the needles attached to two or more syringes to penetrate the skin and/or muscle of a person at essentially the same time, such that the person experiences a single sensation of pain. 
         [0006]    A syringe holder according to the invention has an “open” design that does not require that the syringe barrels be enclosed in the holder or to be an integral part of the holder. The syringe holder can be molded as a single unit, and can be disposable or reusable, and easily cleanable and/or sterilizable, as desired. The syringe holder can securely accommodate two or more syringes, and two or more substantially simultaneous injections can be performed easily by the administrator using only one hand. Thus, it is possible for the administrator to use two hands, and perform four or more injections that are substantially simultaneous, thus reducing pain, stress and trauma. 
         [0007]    In particular, the invention provides a syringe holder for multiple injections, that comprises (a) a substantially flat housing comprising a top edge, a bottom edge, two side edges and a front surface, wherein the housing has a width sufficient to accommodate two or more substantially parallel syringes spaced apart from each other in a plane parallel to the front surface, wherein each syringe comprises a syringe barrel, a syringe plunger and an injection needle; (b) a first set of substantially horizontal adjacent ledges contiguous with the front surface of the housing, wherein the first set of adjacent ledges is linearly separated by a set of first spaces, each of the first spaces being of sufficient width to accommodate the syringe barrel but not of sufficient width to accommodate a syringe lip contiguous with the syringe barrel, and wherein the first set of adjacent ledges is optionally contiguous with at least a portion of the top edge of the housing; (c) a plurality of flexible stabilizing devices contiguous with the front surface of the housing and aligned with the set of first spaces for releasably securing the two or more substantially parallel syringes to the housing, wherein the injection needles comprise needle tips extending substantially an equal distance below the bottom edge of the housing, and wherein at least two of the injection needles are spaced apart from each other at a distance that is at or within a two-point threshold of pain or pressure distance; (d) a depressible push apparatus comprising a plunger shaft and an associated cross piece, wherein the cross piece is configured to be in alignment with the two or more syringe plungers for substantially simultaneous depression of the plungers; and (e) a plunger shaft stabilizing device contiguous with the front surface of the housing for slideably engaging the plunger shaft. 
         [0008]    In other non-limiting arrangements of the syringe holder, each of the first set of adjacent ledges can further comprise a ledge wall for containing the syringe lip within a first space between two adjacent ledges; and/or the top edge of the housing can comprise a contiguous lateral extension that comprises a grip surface; and/or the housing can further comprise a side wall contiguous with the housing at a side edge and the side wall can optionally comprise a grip surface. Further, the side wall can comprise a contiguous lateral extension that comprises a grip surface. In further non-limiting arrangements of the syringe holder, the housing can further comprise a bottom wall contiguous with the bottom edge of the housing. The bottom wall can comprise a set of second spaces, each of the second spaces being in direct opposition to a corresponding first space of the first set of substantially horizontal adjacent ledges, each of the second spaces being of sufficient width to accommodate a syringe needle hub but not of sufficient width to accommodate the syringe barrel. 
         [0009]    In each of the arrangements of the syringe holder, the cross piece associated with the plunger shaft can be contiguous with the plunger shaft and, further, can comprise a first lateral cross piece section and a second lateral cross piece section, wherein the cross piece sections are offset from each other along the plunger shaft and each of the cross piece sections can be contiguous with the plunger shaft. This type of arrangement can be used for syringes having different sizes. 
         [0010]    In a particularly useful arrangement, all of the components of the syringe holder, with the exception of the depressible push apparatus, can comprise a single molded unit. That is, the syringe holder can comprise one piece that is inexpensive to produce and lightweight to use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a syringe holder according to the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates another arrangement of the syringe holder of  FIG. 1  containing two syringes. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates elements of a syringe to be contained in the syringe holder. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top elevation view of the horizontal ledges upon which the syringe lips can rest. Also illustrated is an opening in one of the ledges for passage of a depressible push apparatus. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates the position of the depressible push apparatus in relation to the syringe plungers of the filled syringes. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates the position of the depressible push apparatus after substantially simultaneous expulsion of the syringe contents. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a top view of an arrangement of the syringe holder illustrating the rotationability of the depressible push apparatus. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate alternative stabilizing devices for the depressible push apparatus. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  illustrates another arrangement of the syringe holder, comprising a bottom wall. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  illustrates the arrangement of  FIG. 11 , with the presence of two syringes. 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  illustrates an arrangement of the syringe holder for use with syringes of different sizes. 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  illustrates the position of the depressible push apparatus in relation to the syringe plungers of filled syringes of different sizes. 
           [0023]      FIG. 15  illustrates the position of the depressible push apparatus after substantially simultaneous expulsion of the syringe contents. 
           [0024]      FIG. 16  illustrates an arrangement of the syringe holder having a top wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Several arrangements of the syringe holder according to the invention are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 16 . In particular, various arrangements of the syringe holder are illustrated and these arrangements, as they respectively correspond with their uses for multiple injections, are also illustrated. For convenience, many of the respective elements of the syringe holder and syringes are given the same descriptive numbers in the arrangements shown. 
         [0026]    In the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the syringe holder  10  comprises a substantially flat housing  11 , having a top edge  12 , a bottom edge  13 , two side edges  14 ,  15 , and a front surface  16 . The housing  11  has a width sufficient to accommodate two or more substantially parallel syringes  17  spaced apart from each other in a plane parallel to the front surface  16 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Each of the syringes  17  has a syringe barrel  18 , a syringe plunger  19 , and an injection needle  20  having a needle tip  21 . Each syringe  17  also has a syringe lip  22  that is contiguous with the syringe barrel  18 . The syringes illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and show the syringe plunger  19  partially extended to accommodate syringe contents for injection (not shown). 
         [0027]    The housing  11  further has a set of substantially horizontal adjacent ledges  23  linearly separated by a set of spaces  24 A,  24 B. The set of adjacent ledges  23  are contiguous with the front surface  16  of the housing  11  and can be positioned at or below the top edge  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively, as well as in other illustrated arrangements herein. The width of each of the spaces  24 A,  24 B between the ledges is sufficient to accommodate the syringe barrel  18  but not of sufficient width to accommodate the syringe lip  22 . Thus, each of the syringe lips  22  can rest on two adjacent ledges  23 , and contain the associated syringe barrel  18  within a space  24 A,  24 B. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , one or more of the set of ledges  23  can optionally have a vertically extending ledge wall  25  that acts as a barrier to contain a syringe lip  22  within a space  24 A,  24 B. 
         [0028]    The housing  11  further has flexible stabilizing devices  26  contiguous with the front surface  16  and aligned with the set of spaces  24 A,  24 B for releasably securing each of the syringes  17  to the housing  11 . The stabilizing devices  26  can be any type of fastener such as, but not limited to, flexible clips, tubes, rings and the like. Although only one pair of stabilizing devices  26  is shown for each syringe  17  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is recognized that the housing may contain any number of any type of stabilizing devices per syringe, as necessary. 
         [0029]    The syringe holder  10  further can have one or two side walls  27 ,  28  being respectively contiguous with the housing  11  at a side edge  14 ,  15 . In the arrangement of the syringe holder illustrated in  FIG. 1 , one or both of the side walls  27 ,  28  can extend beyond the top edge  12  to provide one or more grip surfaces  29 ,  30  for ease of handling by the administrator of the injections. For example the grip surface(s)  29 ,  30  can be grasped by the administrator using one or more fingers, while leaving a thumb or palm free to depress a push apparatus  33  (described below). The grip surface(s)  29 ,  30  can comprise a grooved or roughened surface. In another arrangement, the grip surface(s)  29 ,  30  can be replaced with or supplemented by one or more grip surfaces  31 ,  32  on the surface of one or more of the side walls  27 ,  28 , such as by a grooved or roughened surface on one or more of the side walls. 
         [0030]    The syringe holder further has a depressible push apparatus  33 .  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a suitable, but not limiting, push apparatus  33  that comprises a plunger shaft  34  and an optional head piece  35  for conveniently accommodating the thumb, palm or finger of the injection administrator. In this arrangement, the push apparatus  33  comprises a cross piece  36  preferably contiguous with the plunger shaft  34 , that has a width sufficient to overlap two or more syringe plungers  19  associated with the two or more syringe barrels  18 , such as those illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , for stabilization of the push apparatus  33 , an opening  37  is provided in at least one of the set of ledges  23 , the opening  37  having a size and shape sufficient to accommodate slideable passage of the plunger shaft  34 . Further, one or more plunger shaft stabilizing devices  38  are provided that are contiguous with the front surface  16  of the housing  11  for slideably engaging the plunger shaft  34 . The stabilizing device  38  is not limited in shape or size. For example, in the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 , the stabilizing device  38  is a flexible clip. However, other non-limiting arrangements, such as a closed tube  38 A or an open tube  38 B illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , can be employed. There is no limitation on the shape of the plunger shaft  34  or the head piece  35 . That is, the plunger shaft can have an angular, squared or rectangular shape, or can be ovoid or tubular in shape. The shape of the stabilizing device  38  and of the opening  37  in the set of ledges  23  is appropriate to the shape of the plunger shaft  34  to allow slideable and/or rotational passage of the plunger shaft  34 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate the use of the depressible push apparatus  33  to substantially simultaneously expel contents of the two syringes  17  through each of the injection needles  20  during injection. The needle tips  21  extend substantially an equal distance below the bottom edge  13  and the two injection needles  20  are spaced apart from each other at a distance that is at or within a two-point threshold of pain or pressure distance. If more than two syringes  17  are employed, each of the injection needles  20  is respectively spaced apart from its nearest neighbor by this same distance. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 7 and 8  is a top view of an arrangement of the syringe holder  10  illustrating the depressible push apparatus  33  is both slideable and rotatable in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction, respectively, to allow clearance from the cross piece  36  for releasable attachment of the two syringes  17  to the syringe holder  10 , especially when used with a stabilizing device that allows rotation of the plunger shaft such as, but not limited to, stabilizing devices  38 A and/or  38 B shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
         [0033]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate alternative arrangements of the syringe holder  10  in which the plunger shaft stabilizing device  38  comprises a closed tube  38 A or an open tube  38 B. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate another arrangement of the syringe holder  10  that includes features according to any of  FIGS. 1 through 10  and/or  13  through  16 , respectively, but also includes a bottom wall  39  contiguous with the bottom edge  13  of the housing  11  and substantially perpendicular to the front surface  16  of the housing  11 . The bottom wall  39  can be contiguous with one or both of the side walls  27 ,  28 . The bottom wall  39  comprises a set of spaces  40 A and  40 B that are directly opposed to and aligned with the set of spaces  24 A and  24 B, respectively, between the set of ledges  23 , and the respective stabilizing devices  26 . The set of spaces  40 A and  40 B have a width sufficient to accommodate a syringe needle hub  41  but not sufficient to accommodate a syringe barrel  18 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 13  illustrates another arrangement of the syringe holder  10  that accommodates two syringes having different sizes. As shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , syringe  42  is larger in length and diameter than syringe  43 . To accommodate the smaller syringe  43  having a shorter length, two ledges  44 ,  45  of the set of ledges  23  are located below the ledges  46 ,  47  that accommodate the longer syringe  42 . Both the space  48  between the two ledges  44 ,  45  and the flexible stabilizing device  49  aligned with the space  48  are narrow, to accommodate the smaller diameter syringe barrel  50  of syringe  43 . The two ledges  44 ,  45  are positioned such that the needle tip  51  of the injection needle  52  of the smaller syringe  43  extends substantially an equal distance below the bottom edge  13  of the housing  11  as the needle tip  21  of the injection needle  20  of the larger syringe  42 . The two injection needles  52  and  20  are spaced apart from each other at a distance that is at or within a two-point threshold of pain or pressure distance. 
         [0036]    The cross piece of the plunger shaft  53  of the depressible push apparatus  33 , illustrated in  FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15 , comprises a first lateral cross piece section  54  and a second lateral cross piece section  55 , offset from each other along the plunger shaft  53  such that the first cross piece section  54  is in contact with the syringe plunger  56  of syringe  42  at the same time as the second cross piece section  55  is in contact with the syringe plunger  57  of the syringe  43 .  FIGS. 14 and 15  illustrate the use of the depressible push apparatus  33  to substantially simultaneously expel contents of the two syringes  42 ,  43  through each of the respective injection needles  20  and  52  during injection. 
         [0037]      FIG. 16  illustrates another arrangement of the syringe holder  10  in which the top edge  12  has a contiguous top wall  58  that comprises the set of substantially horizontal adjacent ledges  59  linearly separated by a set of spaces  60 A,  60 B. The set of adjacent ledges  59  are contiguous with the front surface  16  of the housing. In this arrangement, side walls may or may not be present. The top wall  58  can extend laterally beyond at least one of the side edges  61 ,  62  to provide one or more grip surfaces  63 ,  64  for ease of handling by the administrator of the injections. All other elements of this arrangement are the same as those shown in any of the previous figures. 
         [0038]    In each of the arrangements illustrated in the Figures above, various elements of the syringe holder are interchangeable, without limitation. As a non-limiting example, the position of the top edge and/or the ledges can be varied; the presence of the bottom wall is optional; the grip surfaces can be formed by an extension of a top wall or a side wall, if present; the stabilizing devices can vary in number and shape; the depressible push apparatus can vary in size, shape and position; and the cross piece can comprise more than one section. Although the Figures illustrate the use of the syringe holder with two syringes, more than two parallel syringes can be accommodated by increasing the width of the housing and by adding the respective elements associated with containment of the additional syringe(s). 
         [0039]    The syringe holder described above is light weight and can be inexpensively produced and all elements, excluding the depressible push apparatus, can be produced as a single molded piece, from a thermoplastic or thermoset plastic material. Similarly, the depressible push apparatus can be molded as a single piece and separately fitted to the syringe holder. The syringe holder, including or excluding the depressible push apparatus, can be disposable or can be reused. It can be easily cleaned in soapy water or gas sterilized, such as by hydrogen peroxide vapor or ethylene oxide gas. If sterilization by autoclave is desired, it is preferred that a thermoset material or a lightweight glass be employed. 
         [0040]    This written description sets forth the best mode of carrying out the invention, and describes the invention so as to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, by presenting examples of the elements recited in the claims. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples, which may be available either before or after the application filing date, are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they have elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.