Abstract: A one-shot throwaway injection device has a barrel that houses a syringe initially in a retracted state held back by a trigger against a drive spring. Actuation of the trigger causes the syringe to be thrust forwards by the spring acting on its plunger until the needle is fully projecting, and then the dose is ejected by the final expansion of the spring. Release of the trigger allows a return spring to urge the syringe back and retract the needle. The barrel is a unitary plastics moulding of two longitudinally split halves hinged together with the trigger integrally formed with one of these halves. The other components and the syringe are positioned in one half which is then closed up and fastened to the other half to complete the barrel.

Abstract: A lancet body (2) is integrally molded with a cap (3) for a firing device, the cap concealing the needle tip (5). the cap (3) can be used to insert the lancet (1), which is held while the cap is twisted off. The cap (3) is then fitted to the firing device to provide an apertured platform to be held against the skin and through which the needle tip (5) will momentarily project. The cap (3) has to be deformed to fit, and on being removed and recovering its natural shape internal lugs (14) catch hold of the released lancet (1) and remove that as well.

Abstract: A syringe (1) contains a liquid medical substance which has to be mixed with another substance before use. This is done by interconnecting the syringe (1) and a capsule containing the other substance by a transfer device (2) which screws into a socket (4) in the piston-seal (3) of the syringe (1) and penetrates through into the liquid. The device (2) extends slidably but non-rotatably through a screw cap (8) which fits to the rear end of a housing (13) for the syringe (1). As the cap (8) screws on, so does the transfer device (2) screw into the piston-seal (3). The relationship between the screw threads is such that, on removing the screw cap (8), the transfer device (2) disengages from the piston-seal (3) first, so that the latter cannot be inadvertently removed from the syringe.

Abstract: A blood sampling device has a barrel enclosing a lancet and a spring urging the lancet rearwardly. A dual purpose container fits the rear end of the barrel and its first function is to be pushed forwards relative to the barrel to project the tip of the lancet. A shearable bridge breaks when sufficient pressure is applied, allowing the lancet to retract. The device is then reversed to present the rear end of the container to the drawn blood, which is absorbed thereby. The container with sample for analysis is removed from the barrel which, when the lancet safe inside, can be discarded.

Abstract: An injection device has a drive spring which, when released, urges a loaded capsule forwards to project its needle from the end of a barrel and ejects the dose. A light return spring then retracts the needle. The drive spring acts on the capsule plunger through a drive member having a movable barrier against which the rear end of the plunger initially abuts. A first trigger releases the drive member and drive spring and after an injection a second trigger can be actuated to shift the barrier relative to the drive member and allow the return spring to act.

Abstract: After removal of a protective cap, the forward end of a barrel (1) of a skin pricker is placed against the skin and the user presses the projecting end of a trigger (6) forwards. As the trigger pivots about a fulcrum (9) of the barrel (1), a thin bridge onto a lancet (2) shears. The lancet is released, and shoots forward as a spring (3) extends, thus projecting a needle tip (4) to prick the skin. This projection is only momentary and the lancet (2), which is captive to the spring (3), is pulled back as the spring (3) reverts to a recovery position where the needle tip is safe inside the barrel. The trigger (6), although broken away from the lancet, remains captive to the barrel by the enlargement (11). The lancet cannot again be operated to eject the needle and the pricker is then intended to be discarded.

Abstract: A lancet device has a two part housing (1) integrally molded in a folded-out configuration with a spring (2), a lancet body (3) encasing a needle (4), and a needle cap (5) concealing the needle tip. The spring (2) is a zig-zag connected at one end to one housing part (7) by a web (19) and merging at the other end into the lancet body (3). This is folded over with the spring (2) about the web (19) into the housing part (7), and the other housing part (6) is closer over about web hinges (8) and fastened. A trigger (9) is incorporated in the other housing part (6) and is deformable inwardly to release the lancet body (3) from a catch arrangement (14, 21) which holds the lancet retracted with the spring energized. The needle cap (5) can be used for the retraction before being removed.

Abstract: A skin pricker includes a barrel and a spring loaded lancet which can be primed and then fired, momentarily to project its tip. A finger projects laterally from the lancet through a slot in the barrel and this finger is pulled back past a catch to prime the device. A weak connection between the finger and lancet allows the finger to be bent until that connection breaks, thus firing the lancet. The finger may remain captive to the barrel.

Abstract: An injection device has a two part barrel. The forward part (10) telescopes into the rear part (3) and within the barrel a capsule (1) with a needle (2) at its forward end is initially held by a trigger (11) formed integrally with the forward part (10) so that the needle (2) does not project. The trigger (11) is inoperable at this stage, being inaccessible because of the telescopic overlap. A spring (20) acts on a plunger at the rear of the capsule. When the overlap is increased, the trigger (11) becomes accessible through a slot (7), and when it is operated the capsule (1) is released for the spring (20) to shoot it forwards and eject the dose through the now projecting needle (2). The capsule (1) may have a two part dose and its mixing may then be effected by the spring (20), fully compressed after the overlap increase, urging the plunger forwards.

Abstract: An injection device has a barrel in which a cartridge with a needle lie, the needle initially being protected by a sheath and a cap effectively closing the forward end of the barrel. The needle is on a carrier which initially is in a forward position in relation to the cartridge so that the rear end of the needle is clear of a membrane at the leading end of the cartridge. But when the cap is fitted, it pushes on the carrier and shifts it rearwardly with respect to the cartridge so that the needle penetrates the membrane. Also during fitting of the cap it engages the sheath so that, when it is removed for use of the device, the sheath is pulled off leaving the needle exposed.

Abstract: A lancet has a needle (2) embedded in a plastics body (1), its tip (3) projecting from the forward end but being initially encased in a cap (4). This cap (4) may be integrally moulded with the body, around the needle tip (3), and be sheared away before use. The needle (2) can be pushed back in relation to the body (1) after use, conveniently by applying the cap (4) to the tip (3), until the tip is safely flush with, or set back with respect to the leading end of the body (1). The rear end of the body (1) has a structure (9) to prevent the rear end of the needle (2) being pushed forwards again. To ensure that the tip disappears, the body (1) may be formed with an intermediate, resiliently flexible bridge (19) stiff enough to remain rigid during pricking. But when the needle (2) is forced back and pressure is also applied to the part of the body forward of the bridge (19), the needle (2) and that forward part move back with respect to the rear part of the body.

Abstract: An injection device is adapted to eject a sequence of doses from the needle of a capsule carried within its barrel-like body. A plunger extending rearwardly from the capsule has ratchet teeth along its length engaged by pawls at the forward end of a drive tube biased forwardly by a spring. The capsule is in a sleeve-like carrier having limited longitudinal travel, a lost motion connection to the drive tube and an engagement with the ratchet teeth by pawls. The drive tube can be releasibly retained in a rearward position by a trigger mechanism. When released, the drive tube urges the plunger, capsule and carrier forwards to project the needle. The liquid acts effectively as a solid. With the carrier stopped, the plunger carries on to eject a dose, clicking past the carrier pawls. The re-prime, the knob is pulled to retract the drive tube and the carrier, the lost motion connection allowing the drive tube to move further and have its pawls click back along the plunger until the trigger mechanism re-engages.

Abstract: A skin pricker has a barrel (1) housing a lancet (3) which is urged rearwardly by a spring (4 ). A plunger (2) can move the lancet (3) against the spring (4) to project the lancet's needle tip or tips (18) from the forward end of the barrel (1). The plunger (2) presses on the rear of the lancet (3) through a firing pin (16) integrally formed with the plunger and connected to it by a thin web (17). Increased pressure after needle tip projection shears the web and the lancet (3) is free to be returned by the spring (4), withdrawing the needle tip or tips.

Abstract: An injection device holds a syringe in the form of a capsule having a needle projecting from its forward end and a plunger extending from its rear end. The rear end of the plunger received in the drive member, which, when released, is urged forward by a coil spring, thus projecting the needle and expressing the dose. The drive member is held captive in its rearward primed position by a detent provided by the body of the device. A sleeve covering a substantial part of the body can shift longitudinally of it from an initial rearward position to a forward position in which it either disengages the drive member from the detent, or in which a trigger is freed from actuation to release the drive member.

Abstract: A blood sampling device has a tubular body (1, 2) housing a spring loaded (7) lancet (8) whose needle (17) is initially protected by a cap (20) which projects out from the forward end of the body. A rocker-like trigger (9) is formed as part of the moulded body (1,2) and holds the lancet (8) in a retracted position when the lancet is pushed back by the projecting cap (20). The cap can then be removed by a twist and pull action, breaking it free from the lancet body, which is prevented from rotating. Pressure on the trigger (9) releases the lancet (8), which is shot forward by the spring (7) for momentary projection of the needle tip (19), and then retracts to bring the needle tip within the body.

Abstract: An injection device has a needle (22) which, when the device is operated, is first caused to project, then liquid is forced out through it, and finally the needle is automatically retracted. The needle (22) extends forwardly from a capsule (18) that can slide longitudinally within a barrel-like body (1), a relatively weak spring (19) normally maintaining the capsule and needle retracted. A more powerful spring (14) acts oppositely on a plunger (26) which, when released, shoots the capsule forward by acting on the liquid therein, and then forces the liquid out through the projecting needle (22). At the end of the forward stroke the plunger (26) and capsule (18) are decoupled and the weak spring (14) returns the exhausted capsule and its needle to the retracted position.

Abstract: A blood sampling device in the form of a small manually operated pricker has a barrel (7,21) in which a lancet (1) is captive with a spring (17,22). Partly embracing the barrel is a C-section sleeve (12,30) with a projection (16,35) extending through a slot (10,25) in the barrel to engage the lancet. Initially the lancet is in a forward position with its tip (4) slightly retracted and the spring relaxed, and to prime the device the sleeve is slid to the rear, taking the lancet with it and energising the spring. The lancet may be held there by its tail (1A) being gripped by the barrel (7) while the sleeve (12) is irreversibly deformed or broken by a formation (11) on the barrel and then discarded. The lancet is subsequently released to prick by pressing the tail (1A). Alternatively, the sleeve (30) may be trapped at the rearward position and the lancet released by a trigger (32) on the sleeve withdrawing the projection (35).

Abstract: A disposable pricker has a body (1,2) lance (4) spring (3) and cap (13) integrally moulded in plastics, the cap being subsequently separable. The lance tip (5) is a needle embedded in the moulding and relatively inaccessible within the body. Formations (17) within the cap compress the spring (3) as the cap is fitted until they are flexed aside by co-operation with abutments (7) within the body. The lance (4) is released and shoots forward for the tip (5) momentarily to project proud of the cap (13). The latter is made captive to the lance (4) during this movement and cannot be removed to repeat the operation. The lance tip (5) thus remains concealed within the cap (13). In another capless version, squeezing the body (31) wedges the lance (36) back until it escapes and is shot forward by a spring (38). On recovery within the body, the lance is blocked from reverting to the position where it can be re-actuated.