US3272322A - Syringe package - Google Patents

Description

P 13, 1966 R. w. OGLE 3,272,322

SYRINGE PACKAGE Filed Aug. 25, 1964 fi. J. 22% Z,

INVENTOR 2&5667 0625 47' Jae/145145 United States Patent 3,272,322 SYRINGE PACKAGE Robert W. Ogle, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to Syn-Pair Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 392,056 1 Claim. (Cl. 20643) This invention relates to a syringe package and more particularly to a device which will house a syringe and maintain its sterility until ready for use and which has tamper-proof means which will indicate to a doctor or a nurse that the syringe has been tampered with and the contents thereof either removed or diluted.

It is unfortunately a current problem that when prepackaged syringes are provided filled with expensive drugs these syringes are tampered with :and the expensive drugs stolen therefrom. This has the additional difliculty in that if the surgeon or nurse does not note that the syringe has been tampered with they may be injecting tap water rather than expensive drugs into the patient.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a simple, economical package for housing a syringe, preferably a preloaded syringe, so as to give positive proof of any tampering.

These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the annexed specification in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a package embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an expanded plan view partly in section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section along the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a syringe package 10, the external members of which are a needle sheath 11 and a cylindrical member 12 having a close end 13 and an open end 14. This package is designed to contain a syringe 15 which may be of any type, but which will conventionally include a barrel 16, a boss 17 and a needle 18 protruding from the boss and a plunger 19. The sheath 11 has four radially outstanding wings 19 and a central portion tapering to a hole 20 which is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the needle 18, so as to receive the tip of the needle with a press fit and seal the same. The upper end of the cavity in the sheath 11 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the boss 17 so as to be pressed thereon with a press fit and also seal against contamination or infection. The cylindrical member 12 at its lower end is Patented Sept. 13, 1966 provided with an outstanding flange 21 and the upper end of the needle sheath 11 is provided with an annular groove 22 which extends radially outward as at 23 to provide an annular space. The sheath 11 is preferably formed of a semi-resilient material such as polyethylene plastic and when the device is assembled the cylindrical member 12 is received within the annular space with a flange 21 snapping into the annular space 23 with an audible click. After the device has been thus assembled two electrodes approach the device in the region of the collar 24 from opposite sides and spot weld the interior of the collar 24 to the flange 21. By reason of this fusion it is necessary for the operator to twist the cylindrical member 12 while holding the sheath 11 stationary or, vice versa, to first break the juncture after which the cylindrical member 12 may be removed and the sheath 11 may be removed and the syringe is ready for use. If a doctor or nurse finds that the fuse connection is already broken he or she is immediately vapprise-d of the fact that the syringe and presumably its contents have been tampered with.

While there has been described what is at present considered a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention and it is intended to cover herein all such changes and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A syringe package comprising a syringe with a needle attached to its end; a needle sheath covering and sealing the needle; said needle sheath having a collar; an annular groove in the inner Wall of said collar; a cylindrical member positioned over the syringe, said cylindrical member having a closed end and an open end; an outstanding flange on said cylindrical member immediately adjacent its open end, said flange being received in said annular groove securing said cylindrical member to said needle sheath; said needle sheath being spotwelded to said cylindrical member at a plurality of points.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,838,825 12/1933 Goldstein 20643 2,558,742 7/ 1951 Ericsson 206-43 3,101,841 8/1963 Baldwin 20643 3,111,240 11/1963 Whitton 220 X 3,123,205 3/ 1964 Ehrsam 22060 X 3,163,160 12/1964 Cohen 206--63.2

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

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