Abstract: A disposable disease control syringe which reduces the frequency of accidental needle strikes to health care workers and prevents health-threatening reuse of the needle cannula by drug abusers. The syringe includes a cylinder having an open proximal end, a closed distal end, and a needle projecting through the distal end. A piston assembly having a detachable stem and a needle capturing receptacle moves axially through the syringe cylinder to expulse fluid medication and to selectively engage the needle at the most distal aspect of the cylinder. The stem is then withdrawn from the cylinder through the open proximal end thereof, whereby to relocate the needle from the distal to the proximal cylinder end. The needle capturing receptacle is locked at the proximal end of the syringe cylinder, such that the needle cannula extends from the proximal end and is completely shielded by the cylinder.

Abstract: A dental syringe of the type having a pre-filled cartridge of fluid medication and a double ended hypodermic needle communicating with the cartridge for injecting the contents thereof into a targeted tissue area of a patient. The cartridge is carried within an inner syringe cylinder, and the inner cylinder is slideable through an outer syringe cylinder. The inner cylinder has a pair of axially spaced locking grooves which extend around the periphery thereof. The outer cylinder includes a finger ring having an integral, inwardly projecting tab. The finger ring is hingedly connected to the outer cylinder so that the integral tab may be rotated into or out of engagement with either one of the pair of locking grooves of the inner cylinder. With the tab engaging a first of the locking grooves, the inner cylinder is retained at a relatively proximal position within the outer cylinder so that the needle is located inwardly of and completely shielded thereby to prevent an accidental needle strike.

Abstract: An improved urinary catheter having a unique, low volume device by which to retain the catheter within the bladder, so that urine can be removed therefrom. The retaining device consumes less volume in the bladder than that which would ordinarily be consumed by a conventional Foley-style balloon, whereby both the frequency and severity of urinary bladder spasms, which are induced by pressure against the trigonal area of the bladder, can be reduced. What is more, the retaining device is advantageously adapted to provide little resistance, and thereby minimize any damage to the urinary tract, in the event that a patient should suddenly and forceably attempt to remove the catheter from his bladder.

Abstract: A shielded safety syringe comprising a cylindrical, outer protective sleeve, an inner needle carrier movable axially through the sleeve, and a double-ended hypodermic needle supported by the needle carrier and aligned coaxially with respect to the outer sleeve and needle carrier. The needle communicates with an evacuated blood collection tube at the interior of the outer sleeve. A position control button is connected to the needle carrier and slidable through an axial guide channel formed in the outer sleeve for moving the needle carrier between proximal and distal positions within the sleeve. Accordingly, the needle is also moved through the outer sleeve to be relocated from an axially extended position, at which to make a veni puncture through a targeted tissue area, to a retracted position, at which the needle is completely surrounded and shielded by the outer sleeve to permit a safe handling and disposal of the syringe while avoiding an accidental needle strike.

Abstract: A syringe assembly having a cylinder adapted to receive a hypodermic needle at one end thereof and a piston reciprocably movably disposed in the cylinder. The exterior of the piston is at least partially threaded and it includes a longitudinal, exterior groove extending over the length of the thread. The cylinder includes a piston thread engaging section which is integrally constructed, e.g. molded with the cylinder, and hingeable relative to the cylinder so that the thread engaging section can be moved through a cutout in the cylinder into engagement with the piston thread. The cylinder has an integrally constructed collar at its open end and forms a detent that can be resiliently biased against the piston so that upon rotation of the piston about its axis the detent engages the longitudinal groove and thereby generates a signal each time the detent engages the groove, i.e. each time the piston is rotated through a predetermined arc and dispenses a predetermined, measured amount of liquid.

Abstract: A disposable safety syringe, such as a dental syringe, comprising a syringe cylinder having proximal and distal ends, a pre-filled fluid medication cartridge movable through the cylinder, and a double-ended hypodermic needle cannula extending through and being retained at the distal end of the cylinder between a pair of rotatable jaws. A piston is movable distally through the cartridge for expulsing the fluid contents via the needle cannula and for engaging one end of the cannula. The cartridge is moved through the cylinder and into contact with the needle retaining jaws to cause said jaws to be rotated relative to the needle cannula. Accordingly, the jaws are moved out of engagement with the needle cannula. The piston is then moved proximally through the medication cartridge for correspondingly retracting the needle cannula past the jaws and into the empty medication cartridge, wherein the cannula is completely shielded and irretrievably located.

Abstract: A disposable disease control syringe which reduces the frequency of accidental needle strikes to health care workers and prevents health-threatening reuse of the needle cannula by drug abusers. The syringe includes a cylinder having an open proximal end, a substantially closed distal end, and a retractable needle projecting through the distal end. A piston assembly having a detachable stem and a needle capturing receptacle moves axially and distally through the syringe cylinder to expulse fluid medication and to selectively engage the needle at the most distal aspect of the cylinder. The piston assembly is then withdrawn proximally through the cylinder, whereby to relocate the needle from the distal end to the proximal cylinder end. The needle capturing receptacle is locked at the proximal end of the syringe cylinder with the needle cannula retracted within and completely shielded by the cylinder.

Abstract: A disposable syringe having particular application to vacuum tube phlebotomy and comprising respective inner and outer needle carrying and protective cylinders which are coaxially aligned and axially extensible relative to one another. The inner and outer cylinders may be locked in a retracted position, whereby a hypodermic needle is accessible for drawing blood samples from the patient to an evacuated tube at the inner cylinder. After the last blood sample has been taken, the inner and outer cylinders may be locked in an axially extended position, whereby the hypodermic needle is completely surrounded and shielded by the outer protective cylinder so as to permit the safe handling of the syringe while avoiding an accidental needle strike and the possible spread of a contagious disease.

Abstract: A disposable disease control syringe which reduces the frequency of accidental needle strikes to health care workers and prevents health-threatening reuse of the needle cannula by drug abusers. The syringe includes a cylinder having an open proximal end, a substantially closed distal end, and a retractable needle projecting through the distal end. A piston assembly having a detachable stem and a needle capturing receptacle moves axially and distally through the syringe cylinder to expulse fluid medication and to selectively engage the needle at the most distal aspect of the cylinder. The piston assembly is then withdrawn proximally through the cylinder, whereby to relocate the needle from the distal end to the proximal cylinder end. The needle capturing receptacle is locked at the proximal end of the syringe cylinder with the needle cannula retracted within and completely shielded by the cylinder.

Abstract: A disposable dental syringe of the type having a pre-filled ampule of fluid medication and a double ended hypodermic needle arranged in spaced, axial alignment with the ampule. The ampule may be moved axially through the cylinder of the syringe until the proximal end of the needle penetrates the ampule and the distal end of the needle extends outwardly from the cylinder for administering an injection. The ampule is locked in the distal position so that an injection may be administered. Upon completing the injection, the ampule is released from the distal position and moved proximally through the cylinder, so that the distal end of the needle is automatically retracted within the cylinder. The syringe may now be safely discarded with the hypodermic needle completely shielded within the cylinder, so as to eliminate the necessity of handling and/or breaking the needle and, thereby, avoiding the possibility of an accidental needle strike.

Abstract: A disposable syringe having particular application to vacuum tube phlebotomy and comprising respective inner and outer needle carrying and protective cylinders which are coaxially aligned and axially extensible relative to one another. The inner and outer cylinders may be locked in a retracted position, whereby a hypodermic needle is accessible for drawing blood samples from the patient to an evacuated tube at the inner cylinder. After the last blood sample has been taken, the inner and outer cylinders may be locked in an axially extended position, whereby the hypodermic needle is completely surrounded and shielded by the outer protective cylinder so as to permit the safe handling of the syringe while avoiding an accidental needle strike and the possible spread of a contagious disease.

Abstract: A combination container and air removal fixture for easily and precisely filling an implantable hydraulic device with a continuous air-free supply of hydraulic fluid. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the hydraulic device is an elastofluidic prosthetic sphincter and the fluid is a radio-opaque fluid. A premixed and pre-proportioned supply of hydraulic fluid is contained within each of a plurality of gas-fluid exchange chambers. A hollow occlusion cuff and at least one reservoir-actuator of the prosthetic sphincter are placed in fluid communication with respective exchange chambers. When the occlusion cuff and actuator are compressed, associated pistons are moved outwardly through the exchange chambers, whereby fluid containing entrapped air is withdrawn from the cuff and the actuator and removed to the chambers.

Abstract: A low cost, easy to use, snap-on, linear-to-vernier syringe by which a volume of material may be controllably and accurately delivered to a recipient. By virtue of the present invention, a piston supporting collar member may be securely snapped into releaseable engagement with a conventional, disposable syringe cylinder to complete the syringe assembly. Moreover, the conventional syringe cylinder is thereby converted into a precisely accurate pipetting cylinder to control the infusion of highly potent, dosage sensitive, radioactive, or expensive drugs, and the like, without requiring any modification to the cylinder. The syringe assembly is particularly adapted to permit rapid switching between freely rotated and incrementally rotated modes of operation, whereby a predetermined volume of material may be selectively imparted from the syringe cylinder, either continuously or in discrete and precisely calibrated increments.

Abstract: A disposable, anti-needle strike, anti-drug abuse syringe which reduces the frequency of accidental needle strikes to health care workers and prevents health-threatening reuse of the needle canula by drug abusers. The syringe has a needle carrying base and an attached hypodermic needle assembly which are relocatable within the syringe cylinder from a distally disposed first position to a proximally disposed second position. A piston assembly having a detachable stem moves reciprocally and axially through the syringe cylinder to expulse fluidic medication and to selectively engage the needle carrying base at the distal bore of the cylinder, whereby to relocate the needle carrying base and its attached needle assembly from the first position to the second position. The needle carrying base is anchored at the second position, such that the used needle extends into and is shielded by the syringe cylinder.

Abstract: An elastofluidic sphincter comprising a prosthetic device for surgical implantation around a patient's lumen, such as the urethra. The sphincter includes an occlusion cuff which is positioned to surround and engage the patient's lumen for occluding or relaxing the lumen to achieve coaptation for the treatment of incontinence. The occlusion cuff includes hollow, expandable patient activated and physician controlled chambers arranged to generate diametric occlusive pressures for efficiently occluding the lumen with precise and minimal pressure, so as to minimize the interruption of circulatory blood flow. Expansion of the patient and physician chambers is independently and selectively controlled by the patient and physician, respectively, whereby to precisely and continously adjust the occlusive pressures applied from the occlusion cuff to the lumen.

Abstract: A method for forming turbulators on scale model airplanes used in wind tunnel testing for accurately simulating a transition point on the model surface equivalent to that produced on the full scale airplane. The transition point is where the boundary layer airflow goes from a laminar airflow condition to a turbulent airflow condition. The method relates to applying a perforated tape mask (14) to the model surface (12) at a predetermined location and filling the perforations (15) with a fast cure epoxy (17). After the epoxy has cure hardened, the tape mask (14) is peeled off in the direction of the arrow (16), leaving a series of in situ formed disk turbulators (10) which function to produce the transition point on the model surface.