Abstract: A syringe assembly comprises a syringe barrel having an elongated body defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end, a distal end and a frusto-conically shaped tip extending from the distal end and having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber. The chamber has an inside diameter of at least 13.5 mm. A stopper is in fluid-tight engagement inside the barrel. An elongated plunger rod extends proximally from the stopper through the open proximal end of the barrel. A flange is positioned at the proximal end of the plunger rod. The flange is shaped and positioned to limit the distal motion of the plunger rod in the barrel by contacting the proximal end of the barrel. A tip cap is releasably connected to the tip for sealing the passageway and the chamber contains injectable liquid.

Abstract: A syringe assembly comprises a syringe barrel having an elongated body defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end, a distal end and a frusto-conically shaped tip extending from the distal end and having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber. The chamber has an inside diameter of at least 13.5 mm. A stopper is in fluid-tight engagement inside the barrel. An elongated plunger rod extends proximally from the stopper through the open proximal end of the barrel. A flange is positioned at the proximal end of the plunger rod. The flange is shaped and positioned to limit the distal motion of the plunger rod in the barrel by contacting the proximal end of the barrel. A tip cap is releasably connected to the tip for sealing the passageway and the chamber contains injectable liquid.

Abstract: A syringe assembly includes a plastic cap (20) that has an end wall (22) and a side wall (24). The end wall (22) preferably includes a plug portion (64) that extends away from an inner surface (62) of the end wall (22). The side wall (24) includes an inner surface (28) that has an engaging portion that sealingly engages a corresponding surface on a syringe. The engaging portion preferably includes two generally annular ribs (34) and (36). An interference fit is provided between the engaging portion and a corresponding surface on the syringe to maintain a sterile seal where the engaging portion contacts the syringe. The plug portion is received within an opening in the syringe and maintains a sterile seal at that point while simultaneously maintaining any medicament within the syringe.

Abstract: A syringe assembly comprises a syringe barrel having an elongated body defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end, a distal end and a frusto-conically shaped tip extending from the distal end and having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber. The chamber has an inside diameter of at least 13.5 mm. A stopper is in fluid-tight engagement inside the barrel. An elongated plunger rod extends proximally from the stopper through the open proximal end of the barrel. A flange is positioned at the proximal end of the plunger rod. The flange is shaped and positioned to limit the distal motion of the plunger rod in the barrel by contacting the proximal end of the barrel. A tip cap is releasably connected to the tip for sealing the passageway and the chamber contains injectable liquid.

Abstract: A syringe assembly includes a needle sheath that has a cavity that receives a needle cannula. The needle sheath can be formed of materials such as thermoplastic elastomers or plastics yet still be utilized with conventional gas sterilizing processes. The needle sheath includes a passage that permits the sterilizing gases to enter the cavity while preventing entry of microorganisms into the cavity. Thus, a syringe assembly is provided that facilitates sterilizing a needle after the needle sheath has been placed over the needle.

Abstract: A syringe assembly comprises a syringe barrel having an elongated body defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end, a distal end and a frusto-conically shaped tip extending from the distal end and having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber. The chamber has an inside diameter of at least 13.5 mm. A stopper is in fluid-tight engagement inside the barrel. An elongated plunger rod extends proximally from the stopper through the open proximal end of the barrel. A flange is positioned at the proximal end of the plunger rod. The flange is shaped and positioned to limit the distal motion of the plunger rod in the barrel by contacting the proximal end of the barrel. A tip cap is releasably connected to the tip for sealing the passageway and the chamber contains injectable liquid.

Abstract: A syringe assembly comprises a syringe barrel having an elongated body defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end, a distal end and a frusto-conically shaped tip extending from the distal end and having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber. The chamber has an inside diameter of at least 13.5 mm. A stopper is in fluid-tight engagement inside the barrel. An elongated plunger rod extends proximally from the stopper through the open proximal end of the barrel. A flange is positioned at the proximal end of the plunger rod. The flange is shaped and positioned to limit the distal motion of the plunger rod in the barrel by contacting the proximal end of the barrel. A tip cap is releasably connected to the tip for sealing the passageway and the chamber contains injectable liquid.

Abstract: Glass medical devices such as medical containers are manufactured and annealed by heating in an oven which produces a clean device having a low bio-burden. Plastic medical devices and medical containers are formed by plastic molding devices which produce a clean device. The clean devices are immediately transferred to a controlled environment to maintain a clean work area. The work area can be a clean room or localized area to avoid the need to maintain cleanliness levels in an entire room. A localized area uses a housing assembly having a HEPA filter coupled to an air inlet to filter the air entering the housing. An air blower is coupled to the air inlet to feed filtered air into the housing assembly and to maintain a positive air pressure in the housing assembly to prevent unfiltered outside air from entering. Syringe tip closures can be introduced into the housing assembly, where syringe barrels and tip closures are cleaned with filtered ionized air and the tip closures are coupled to the barrels.

Abstract: A syringe assembly comprises a syringe barrel having an elongated body defining a chamber for retaining fluid, an open proximal end, a distal end and a frusto-conically shaped tip extending from the distal end and having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with the chamber. The chamber has an inside diameter of at least 13.5 mm. A stopper is in fluid-tight engagement inside the barrel. An elongated plunger rod extends proximally from the stopper through the open proximal end of the barrel. A flange is positioned at the proximal end of the plunger rod. The flange is shaped and positioned to limit the distal motion of the plunger rod in the barrel by contacting the proximal end of the barrel. A tip cap is releasably connected to the tip for sealing the passageway and the chamber contains injectable liquid.

Abstract: A syringe assembly includes a needle sheath that has a cavity that receives a needle cannula. The needle sheath can be formed of materials such as thermoplastic elastomers or plastics yet still be utilized with conventional gas sterilizing processes. The needle sheath includes a passage that permits the sterilizing gases to enter the cavity while preventing entry of microorganisms into the cavity. Thus, a syringe assembly is provided that facilitates sterilizing a needle after the needle sheath has been placed over the needle.

Abstract: Clean syringe barrels from forming device immediately transferred to a controlled environment to maintain a clean work area. The work area can be a clean room or localized area to avoid the need to maintain cleanliness levels in an entire room. A localized area uses a housing assembly having a HEPA filter coupled to an air inlet to filter the air entering the housing. An air blower is coupled to the air inlet to feed filtered air into the housing assembly and to maintain a positive air pressure in the housing assembly to prevent unfiltered outside air from entering. Syringe tip closures can be introduced into the housing assembly, where syringe barrels and tip closures are cleaned with filtered ionized air and the tip closures are coupled to the barrels. A thin coating of lubricant is applied to the inner surfaces of the syringe barrels. The syringe barrels or medical container can be filled with a substance and a closure member is attached.

Abstract: A housing assembly is provided to define a locally controlled environment to maintain a localized clean work area without the need to maintain cleanliness levels in an entire room as in conventional clean rooms. The housing assembly includes a HEPA filter coupled to an air inlet to filter all of the air entering the housing. An air blower is coupled to the air inlet to feed filtered air into the housing assembly and to maintain a positive air pressure in the housing assembly to prevent unfiltered outside air from entering. Prefillable medical containers, such as syringe barrels and syringe tip closures, are introduced into the housing assembly where the syringe barrels and tip closures are cleaned with filtered ionized air and the tip closures are coupled to the barrels. A thin coating of a lubricant is applied to the inner surface of each of the syringe barrels. The syringe barrels can be filled with a substance.

Abstract: Glass medical devices such as medical containers are manufactured and annealed by heating in an oven which produces a clean device having a low bio-burden. Plastic medical devices and medical containers are formed by plastic molding devices which produce a clean device. The clean devices are immediately transferred to a controlled environment to maintain a clean work area. A localized area uses a housing assembly having a HEPA filter coupled to an air inlet to filter the air entering the housing. An air blower is coupled to the air inlet to feed filtered air into the housing assembly and to maintain a positive air pressure in the housing assembly to prevent unfiltered outside air from entering. Syringe tip closures can be introduced into the housing assembly, where syringe barrels and tip closures are cleaned with filtered ionized air and the tip closures are coupled to the barrels. A thin coating of lubricant is applied to the inner surfaces of the syringe barrels.

Abstract: A housing assembly is provided to define a locally controlled environment to maintain a localized clean work area without the need to maintain cleanliness levels in an entire room as in conventional clean rooms. The housing assembly includes a HEPA filter coupled to an air inlet to filter all of the air entering the housing. An air blower is coupled to the air inlet to feed filtered air into the housing assembly and to maintain a positive air pressure in the housing assembly to prevent unfiltered outside air from entering. Prefillable medical containers, such as syringe barrels and syringe tip closures, are introduced into the housing assembly where the syringe barrels and tip closures are cleaned with filtered ionized air and the tip closures are coupled to the barrels. A thin coating of a lubricant is applied to the inner surface of each of the syringe barrels. The syringe barrels can be filled with a substance.

Abstract: A protective sealing barrier for a syringe is disclosed. The protective sealing barrier can be configured to safeguard the sterility of the syringe and any contents held therein, as a barrier against leakage of any contents held within the syringe, or both. The syringe includes a luer tip and a collar having terminal ends which are preferably substantially co-planar with one another. The barrier consists of a membrane which is disposed in substantially entire surface contact with the terminal ends of both the luer tip and the collar. The membrane can be selected from a material permitting the syringe to be irradiated or heat sterilized. Likewise, the membrane can be chosen from a material permitting the syringe to be sterilized by various gas sterilization procedures.

Abstract: A hypodermic syringe assembly is provided with a syringe barrel and a safety shield telescoped over the syringe barrel and movable from a proximal position to a distal position. The safety shield is irreversibly lockable in the distal position on the syringe barrel to protectively shield a used needle cannula. The safety shield is releasably retained in a proximal position by engagement of a protrusion on the barrel and a groove on the shield. Engagement between the protrusion and the stop block can be overcome by rotating the safety shield. The safety shield may then be moved into an irreversible shielding position surrounding the needle cannula. The releasable retention of the safety shield in its proximal position prevents inadvertent distal movement of the safety shield.

Abstract: A protective sealing barrier for a syringe is disclosed. The protective sealing barrier can be configured to safeguard the sterility of the syringe and any contents held therein, as a barrier against leakage of any contents held within the syringe, or both. The syringe includes a luer tip and a collar having terminal ends which are preferably substantially co-planar with one another. The barrier consists of a membrane which is disposed in substantially entire surface contact with the terminal ends of both the luer tip and the collar. The membrane can be selected from a material permitting the syringe to be irradiated or heat sterilized. Likewise, the membrane can be chosen from a material permitting the syringe to be sterilized by various gas sterilization procedures.

Abstract: A protective sealing barrier for a syringe is disclosed. The protective sealing barrier can be configured to safeguard the sterility of the syringe and any contents held therein, as a barrier against leakage of any contents held within the syringe, or both. The syringe includes a luer tip and a collar having terminal ends which are preferably substantially co-planar with one another. The barrier consists of a membrane which is disposed in substantially entire surface contact with the terminal ends of both the luer tip and the collar. The membrane can be selected from a material permitting the syringe to be irradiated or heat sterilized. Likewise, the membrane can be chosen from a material permitting the syringe to be sterilized by various gas sterilization procedures.

Abstract: A protective barrier assembly for shielding a piercing element such as a pointed needle cannula or blunt ended cannula during or after use of a medical implement. The piercing element includes a longitudinal axis, a length, a distal end which may be pointed or blunt, a proximal end and a passageway therethrough. The assembly may include a hub configured for mounting to a medical implement such as a syringe or evacuated tube holder and having an axial opening through it for receiving the needle so that the distal end of the needle projects outwardly. The assembly also includes a shield with an open end, a closed end, and a sidewall portion with a longitudinal slot extending from the open end toward the closed end. The shield has a first position exposing the needle and a second position wherein the shield obstructs unintentional access to the needle.