Patent ID: 7670313

Claim:
An actuator and containment device for a syringe of the type comprising at least a barrel and piston means displaceable within the barrel to expel any contents of the barrel, usually via a hollow needle, said device comprising a hollow body, a spring and a plunger, in which respect the hollow body has internal latching formations and is adapted to house the syringe barrel and piston means with any needle projecting outside the body, the spring is disposed to act between the body and the syringe barrel, which barrel, in initial use of the device, is retained against the force of the spring by means of the latching formations, and the plunger is slidably located in the body to displace the piston means of the syringe, said plunger also having, at its forward end in direction of its insertion into the body, latch opening formations operative to disengage the latching formations of the body from the syringe barrel enabling the spring to retract the entire syringe, including any needle, into the hollow body, and said plunger also providing a chamber for reception of at least a portion of the syringe after the spring has so acted, wherein said plunger also has at its forward end in direction of its insertion into the body, and separate from said latch opening formations, deflectable edge members whereby it can abut and displace the piston rod and said hollow body has, separate from said latching formations which retain the syringe barrel, an internal deflector means which serves to deflect said deflectable edge members of said plunger out of the path of retraction of the syringe barrel.