Syringe Carrier
Described is a syringe carrier comprising a body adapted to receive a barrel of a syringe. The body includes two sections having distal ends with shoulder sections. The shoulder sections are adapted to engage a circumferential gap between the barrel of the syringe and a needle shield covering a needle of the syringe.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method comprising:
axially inserting a syringe into a syringe carrier via a proximal open end of the syringe carrier, the syringe comprising a barrel, a neck extending distally from the barrel, a needle extending distally from the neck, and a rigid needle shield covering the needle, and the syringe carrier comprising an elongate body having a slot extending proximally from a distal end of the body to form a c-shaped distal end region and one or more projections extending radially inward from the c-shaped distal end region;
axially advancing the syringe within the syringe carrier such that the rigid needle shield slides along the one or more projections of the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier, causing the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier to flex radially outward; and
further axially advancing the syringe within the syringe carrier until a proximal end of the rigid needle shield is distal to the one or more projections, allowing the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier to rebound radially inward such that the one or more projections are disposed in a gap formed between the rigid needle shield and the barrel of the syringe.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more projections contacts a distal end of the barrel of the syringe when the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier has rebounded radially inward.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the contact of the one or more projections and the distal end of the barrel of the syringe restricts distal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier, after rebounding radially inward, restricts distal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the elongate body and the one or more projections are integrally formed with one another.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein axially inserting the syringe into the syringe carrier via the proximal open end of the syringe carrier comprises sliding the syringe through a collar at a proximal end of the elongate body of the syringe carrier.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the slot extends from the distal end of the elongate body approximately to the collar.
9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more projections has a proximally-facing contoured surface.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the proximally-facing contoured surface of each of the one or more projections is configured to accommodate a proximal portion of the neck of the syringe.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more projections has a distally-facing planar surface.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the distally-facing planar surface of each of the one or more projections is configured to abut a proximal end of the rigid needle shield of the syringe.
13 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more projections comprises one or more semi-annular projections.
14 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more projections is a single semi-annular projection.
15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the rigid needle shield has an outer diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the barrel of the syringe.
16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the rigid needle shield has an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter defined by the one or more projections when the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier is in an unflexed position.
17 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the rigid needle shield has an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter defined by the one or more projections when the c-shaped distal end region of the syringe carrier is rebounded radially inward.
18 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the elongate body of the syringe carrier defines a window for allowing visual access to the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is in the syringe carrier.
19 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syringe contains medicament.
20 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a proximal end of the syringe comprises a finger flange.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the finger flange is spaced proximally from the proximal open end of the syringe carrier when the syringe is fully inserted in the syringe carrier.
22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the finger flange comprises a first portion that extends radially outward a first distance in a first direction and a second portion that extends radially outward a second distance in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the first distance being greater than the second distance.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the proximal end of syringe carrier comprises a first radial protrusion that aligns with the first portion of the finger flange when the syringe is inserted in the syringe carrier.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the proximal end of syringe carrier comprises a second radial protrusion opposite the first radial protrusion, and a circumferential region of the syringe carrier between the first and second radial protrusions is free of radial protrusions.
25 . A syringe carrier comprising:
an elongate body defining a recess configured to receive a barrel of a syringe, the elongate body defining a slot extending proximally from a distal end of the elongate body such that the elongate body has a c-shaped distal end region,
wherein the c-shaped distal end region of the elongate body comprises means for restricting distal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier when the syringe is disposed in the recess of the syringe carrier.
26 . The syringe carrier of claim 25 , wherein the syringe carrier comprises a collar at a proximal end of the elongate body.
27 . The syringe carrier of claim 26 , wherein the slot extends from the distal end of the elongate body approximately to the collar.
28 . The syringe carrier of claim 25 , wherein the rigid needle shield has an outer diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of the barrel of the syringe.
29 . The syringe carrier of claim 25 , wherein the elongate body of the syringe carrier defines a window for allowing visual access to the barrel of the syringe when the syringe is in the syringe carrier.
30 . An assembly comprising:
a syringe comprising a rigid needle shield; and
syringe carrier comprising an elongate body defining a recess configured to receive a barrel of a syringe, the elongate body defining a slot extending proximally from a distal end of the elongate body such that the elongate body has a c-shaped distal end region, wherein the c-shaped distal end region of the elongate body comprises means for restricting distal axial movement of the syringe relative to the syringe carrier when the syringe is disposed in the recess of the syringe carrier.
31 . The assembly of claim 30 , wherein the syringe contains medicament.