Hand-Actuated Fluid Delivery Device

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A hand-actuated fluid delivery device comprising:

a barrel;

a plunger that is movable relative to said barrel;

a handle assembly interconnected with and operable to move said plunger relative to said barrel in both a discharge direction and an aspiration direction, wherein said handle assembly comprises a pivot, a first handle member, and a second handle member, wherein said pivot is fixed to said second handle member, and wherein said first handle member is pivotable relative to said second handle member about said pivot;

a locking spring wrapped around said pivot and comprising first and second end portions, wherein said first end portion is anchored relative to said first handle member; and

an actuator mounted on said first handle member, movable between locking and unlocking positions, and engaged with said second end portion of said locking spring at least when in said locking position.

12 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 11 , wherein disposing said actuator in said locking position tightens said locking spring about said pivot, and wherein disposing said actuator in said unlocking position loosens said locking spring about said pivot.

13 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 11 , wherein a locking force provided by said locking spring is entirely sliding friction between said locking spring and said pivot.

14 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 11 , wherein said actuator is movably mounted on said first handle member.

15 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 11 , further comprising at least one biasing element that biases said actuator to said locking position.

16 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 11 , wherein said actuator is manually movable from said locking position to said unlocking position.

17 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 11 , wherein said handle assembly is operable to move said plunger in said aspiration direction with said actuator being in said unlocking position.

18 - 27 . (canceled)

28 . A method of operating a hand-actuated fluid delivery device comprising a plunger, a locking spring, a handle assembly comprising first and second handle members that are pivotally connected by a pivot that is fixed to said second handle member, and an actuator, wherein said locking spring is mounted on said pivot, said method comprising:

executing a first handle operation comprising moving said first and second handle members relative to one another about said pivot in a manner to move said plunger in a discharge direction;

terminating said first handle operation;

resisting movement of said first and second handle members relative to one another in a manner to move said plunger in an aspiration direction, wherein at least part of said resisting step is executed after said terminating step and comprises said locking spring being in a locking configuration;

moving said actuator to an unlocking position;

loosening said locking spring about said pivot in response to said actuator being moved to said unlocking position, wherein said loosening step comprises disposing said locking spring in an unlocked configuration; and

executing a second handle operation comprising moving said first and second handle members relative to one another about said pivot in a manner to move said plunger in an aspiration direction, wherein said second handle operation is executed after said loosening step.

29 - 39 . (canceled)

40 . A hand-actuated fluid delivery device comprising:

a barrel;

a plunger that is movable relative to said barrel;

a handle assembly interconnected with and operable to move said plunger relative to said barrel in both a discharge direction and an aspiration direction, wherein said handle assembly comprises a pivot, a first handle member, and a second handle member, wherein said pivot is fixed to one of said first and second handle members, and wherein the other of said first and second handle members is pivotable about said pivot; and

a locking spring wrapped around said pivot, wherein said locking spring is selectively disposable in a locking configuration to restrain movement of said plunger in said aspiration direction.

41 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 40 , further comprising:

an actuator movable between locking and unlocking positions in relation to said locking spring.

42 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 41 , wherein said pivot is fixed to said second handle member, and wherein said first handle member is pivotable relative to said second handle member about said pivot.

43 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 42 , wherein said locking spring comprises first and second end portions, wherein said first end portion is anchored relative to said first handle member, and wherein said actuator is engaged with said second end portion of said locking spring when disposed in said locking position.

44 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 43 , wherein disposing said actuator in said locking position tightens said locking spring about said pivot, and wherein disposing said actuator in said unlocking position loosens said locking spring about said pivot.

45 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 43 , wherein a locking force provided by said locking spring is entirely sliding friction between said locking spring and said pivot.

46 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 43 , wherein said actuator is movably mounted on said first handle member.

47 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 41 , further comprising at least one biasing element that biases said actuator to said locking position.

48 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device of claim 41 , wherein said actuator is manually movable from said locking position to said unlocking position.

49 . The hand-actuated fluid delivery device claim 41 , wherein said handle assembly is operable to move said plunger in said aspiration direction with said actuator being in said unlocking position.