Patent ID: 7632245

Claim:
A device for injection of a fluid into a patient, comprising: (a) a syringe configured to hold the fluid and defining an outlet through which the fluid can exit therefrom, the syringe having a plunger slidably disposed therein and being adapted to be placed in fluid connection with the patient such that no more than one foot of connective tubing is required between the syringe and an injection point on the patient; (b) a pressurizing mechanism comprising a vacuum drive in operative connection with the plunger of the syringe for pressurizing the fluid therein, the vacuum drive including: (i) a housing defining at least one chamber therein in which a sealing member is slidably disposed, the sealing member being configured to retract from a closed end of the at least one chamber to a position away from the closed end and configured to enable at least a partial vacuum to be internally developed within the at least one chamber as the sealing member is slidably drawn away from the closed end thereof; and (ii) a force transfer member, linked to the sealing member within the at least one chamber, to which the plunger of the syringe operatively links when the syringe is secured to the housing; (c) an actuator connected to the outlet of the syringe, the actuator being configured to switch between a first state in which the fluid is prevented from flowing through the outlet and a second state in which the fluid can flow through the outlet; (d) a controller configured to control the state of the actuator; and (e) a flow regulator configured to regulate the rate at which the fluid flows from the outlet and thus into the patient; such that, upon the at least partial vacuum being established within the at least one chamber and the syringe being secured to the housing, when the actuator is switched to the second state, the force transfer member receives a force caused by the at least partial vacuum pulling the sealing member towards the closed end of the at least one chamber and transfers the force to the plunger of the syringe thereby causing the fluid contained therein to be expelled from the outlet.