Granted Patent B2

US 7,811,260 · App. 11/190,331 · Granted Oct 12, 2010

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. An apparatus for delivering a quantity of medication to bone marrow of a bone comprising:

a driver assembly including a single motor;

a plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism rotatably engaged with the driver assembly, both driven by the single motor;

a cartridge assembly having a drive connector attached thereto;

the drive connector operable to be releasably engaged with the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism and operable to be rotated by the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

a bone penetrating needle engaged with the cartridge assembly opposite from the drive connector whereby rotation of the cartridge assembly inserts the bone penetrating needle into the bone and bone marrow;

a plunger operating assembly having a first, cocked position and a second, released position;

a first spring operable to move the plunger operating assembly from its first position to its second position;

a retractable sleeve operable to slide longitudinally relative to the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

a second spring operable to bias the retractable sleeve to move from a retracted position to an extended position;

a pawl latch assembly having a first position which releasably engages the plunger operating assembly in its first position;

the pawl latch assembly having a second position which allows movement of the plunger operating assembly from its first position to its second position;

a third spring operable to bias the pawl latch assembly in its first position; and

a ramp formed on an inner surface of the retractable sleeve, the ramp operable to, in response to rotation of the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism and longitudinal movement of the retractable sleeve, move the pawl latch from its first position to its second position in order to release the plunger operating assembly from the first, cocked position to the second, released position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bone penetrating needle comprises a closed tip having at least one cutting edge operable for drilling into the bone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bone penetrating needle comprises a longitudinal bore having side ports extending therefrom.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver assembly further comprises a power source, and a gearbox.

5. An apparatus for delivering a quantity of medication to bone marrow of a bone comprising:

a housing defined in part by a first end and a second end;

a single motor disposed in the housing proximate the second end of the housing;

a drive shaft coupled to and extending from the motor;

a rotational drive housing having a first end and a second end with the second end securely engaged with the drive shaft;

a plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism including the drive housing, a retractable sleeve, a plunger operating assembly and a pawl latch assembly;

a cartridge assembly having a fluid reservoir with a bone penetrating needle releasably coupled thereto;

the cartridge assembly having a drive connector attached thereto;

the drive connector operable to releasably engage the cartridge assembly with the first end of the drive housing;

the drive housing operable to transmit rotational forces from the drive shaft to the cartridge assembly;

the retractable sleeve slidably disposed in and extending from the first end of the drive housing such that the retractable sleeve is operable to slide longitudinally relative to the drive housing;

the plunger operating assembly slidably disposed within a longitudinal bore of the drive housing;

the plunger operating assembly having a first retracted portion and a second released position, the plunger operating assembly operated by the single motor;

the pawl latch assembly having a first position operable to releasably hold the plunger operating assembly in the first retracted position;

the pawl latch assembly having a second position which allows movement of the plunger operating assembly from the first retracted position to the second released position;

a ramp formed on an inner surface of the retractable sleeve, the ramp operable to, in response to rotation of the drive housing and longitudinal movement of the retractable sleeve, move the pawl latch from its first position to its second position in order to release the plunger operating assembly from the first retracted position to the second released position; and

the cartridge assembly and the drive connector operable to be released from the plunger operating assembly after inserting the bone penetrating needle into the bone marrow of the bone.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism operable to deliver a fluid contained in the fluid reservoir to the bone marrow after the bone penetrating needle has been inserted into the bone marrow.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism comprises a spring loaded plunger operating assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism comprises a spring loaded retractable sleeve.

9. An apparatus for delivering a quantity of medication to bone marrow of a bone comprising:

a housing with a driver assembly disposed therein;

the housing having a plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism disposed therein;

the driver assembly including a single motor connected to a gear box;

the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism including a retractable sleeve, a plunger operating assembly and a pawl latch assembly;

the housing including a receiver portion having a generally hollow, tubular configuration;

the receiver portion having a first, open end with portions of the retractable sleeve slidably disposed therein and one end of the retractable sleeve extending from the first end of the receiver portion such that the retractable sleeve is operable to slide longitudinally relative to the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

the receiver portion having a second, closed end to protect components associated with the driver assembly and the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

the housing including a handle extending from the receiver portion;

the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism rotatably engaged with the motor of the driver assembly;

a cartridge assembly operable to be releasably engaged with the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

the cartridge assembly including a bone penetrating needle operable to extend from the one end of the retractable sleeve when the cartridge assembly is releasably engaged with the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism operable to apply rotational force from the single motor to the cartridge assembly and the bone penetrating needle when the cartridge assembly is releasably engaged with the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism;

a ramp formed on an inner surface of the retractable sleeve, the ramp operable to, in response to rotation of the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism and longitudinal movement of the retractable sleeve, move the pawl latch from a first position that releasable holds the plunger operating assembly in a retracted position to a second position that releases the plunger operating assembly from the retracted position to a released position; and

the bone penetrating needle operable to deliver the quantity of medication from the cartridge assembly to the bone marrow of the bone.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the plunger operating assembly further comprises a plunger shaft and a piston.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the fluid reservoir is releasably engaged with a hub including a luer fitting.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for releasably engaging the cartridge assembly with the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

the cartridge assembly having a fluid reservoir defined in part by a first end and a second end;

the bone penetrating needle engaged with the first end of the fluid reservoir and extending from the first end of the fluid reservoir;

the cartridge assembly having a drive connector engaged with the second end of the fluid reservoir;

the drive connector operable to be engaged with and rotated by the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism during insertion of the bone penetrating needle into the bone marrow of the bone; and

the drive connector operable to be released from the plunger operating and cartridge drive mechanism after insertion of the bone penetrating needle into the bone marrow of the bone.

Assignments (7)