Abstract: A disposable safety syringe has a needle shuttle slidably located within a main syringe barrel. The shuttle has a pair of outwardly extending guide tabs which engage a guide slot formed in the barrel wall. The upper end of the needle shuttle is configured to accept a Wyeth needle cartridge having a needle attached to an ampoule by a carrier. A bushing and rod assembly are mounted in the barrel below the ampoule. After use, the needle shuttle is maneuvered downwardly by the guide tabs to a locking position in which the needle attached to the ampoule is housed within the barrel for safe disposal.

Abstract: A unitary syringe assembly including a diluent syringe and a jell syringe stores and enables convenient transport of isolated components required for injection. A valve is placed between the two syringes. Immediately before required injection, the valve is opened and intermixing injection and reception of the diluent and jell between the two syringes occurs to thoroughly intermix the diluent and jell. The valve aperture size is selected to provide viscous resistance by the jell until thorough mixing has occurred to provide the user with a tactile indication of sufficient mixing. Upon complete mixing, a needle is attached and injection occurs. Paired side-by-side unitary syringes are utilized with an interconnecting mixing manifold with injection occurring from one syringe only to enable higher needle injection pressure.

Abstract: A hand-held inhalation responsive nebuliser by which a nebulised air stream is created for quick and efficient delivery of a fluid medication to the respiratory tract of a patient through the deep lung. The nebuliser includes a normally open electrical switch and a rotatable trigger ring extending laterally across an air flow path through which a supply of non-medicated ambient air is drawn during inhalation by the patient. The ambient air supply drawn through the nebuliser causes the trigger ring to rotate into contact with and close the electrical switch, whereby a piezoelectric disk is energized to vibrate an emitter mesh. A metered volume of fluid medication delivered to the emitter mesh from a pre-filled medication cartridge is accelerated and pulled through the mesh as a fine mist of fluid droplets to form a nebulised medication plume. The nebulised medication plume is mixed in the mouthpiece of the nebuliser with the supply of non-medicated ambient air to create the nebulised air stream.

Abstract: A medication sprayer (2) is used to spray a liquid medication (110) directly from a vial (4) having a needle pierceable septum (6). The sprayer includes a body (10) reciprocally housing the vial. A spike assembly (60) includes an air inlet spike (66), connected to the ambient environment (108), and a liquid exit spike (68), both piercing the septum. The liquid exit spike is fluidly coupled to a piston/cylinder arrangement (88, 26, 36) having a combination piston/flapper valve (88) at one end of the cylinder (26) and a supplemental check valve (36) at the other end. The vial, spike assembly and piston/flapper valve move in unison to pump liquid through the piston/flapper valve into the cylinder, to pull air into the vial and to pump liquid in the cylinder through the supplemental check valve, past a spray nozzle (44) and into the ambient environment.

Abstract: A variable proportion dispenser (2c) includes a housing (12c) which houses two pharmaceutical cartridges (6b). A reciprocating drive assembly includes drive stems (36c) extending from the pistons (46b) of each cartridge, a limit guide (76c) removably mounted to the housing, and a sliding body (66e, 300) mounted to the housing through the limit guide. Two one-way drivers (326) and threaded dosage adjusters (60c) are carried by the sliding body. Each one-way driver drives the drive stem into the cartridge through a drive surface to provide a range of dose selections. The user can thus control the amount and proportion of each pharmaceutical dispensed during each delivery stroke for each dispensing cycle. The housing is separable from the remainder of the dispenser, preferably using a cartridge release assembly (302), to allow spent cartridge to be replaced.

Abstract: A pill press (2), allowing the user to personally press pills (78) of a desired dose, includes a housing (4) having an interior (14) within which a supply of powdered pharmaceutical (36) is contained and a pill cavity form (22) mounted to the housing. Powdered pharmaceutical is transferred to the pill forming cavity (46) of the pill cavity form according to the dose desired. A manually operated pill ram (48) is used to compress the powdered pharmaceutical within pill forming cavity to create the pill. The pill ram is then withdrawn from the pill forming cavity and the pill is automatically ejected from the pill press through a pill outlet (82) formed in the housing by an ejector rod (56).

Abstract: An obturator (2) includes a hollow housing (4) with an obturator barrel (6) extending therefrom. The tip (172) of the obturator has a cutting element (40) and a safety shield (46). The safety shield is automatically rotatable from a cutting position, with the blade exposed, to a safe position, with the blade shielded, when the blade has passed through the tissue layer being pierced. The safety shield can be returned to the cutting position using a rearming device (128, 274) mounted to the housing at the proximal end of the obturator. The obturator barrel (6a) can be bent for use.

Abstract: An obturator (2) includes a hollow housing (4) with an obturator barrel (6) extending therefrom. The tip (172) of the obturator has a cutting element (40) and a safety shield (46). The safety shield is automatically rotatable from a cutting position, with the blade exposed, to a safe, locked position, with the blade shielded, when the blade has passed through the tissue layer being pierced. The safety shield can be unlocked and returned to the cutting position using a rearming device (128, 274) mounted to the housing at the proximal end of the obturator.

Abstract: A relatively low cost, lightweight user propelled treadmill that provides the user with a full body workout. The treadmill includes a housing which supports a tread for rotation around front and rear rotatable drums. Extending upwardly from the housing are a pair of user actuated handlebars which are adapted for back and forth movement relative to the housing. The handlebars are coupled to the front rotatable drum by a one way clutch so that the movement of the handlebars generated by the user is translated into a corresponding movement of the tread without the assistance of an electric motor. The one way clutch is located within the front rotating drum so as to be able to grasp and rotate the drum in the same direction as the clutch whenever the clutch is rotated in a particular direction.

Abstract: A dispenser for receiving and dispensing oral solid drugs from prior art a blister pack singulates and dispenses oral solid drugs. The dispenser for the blister pack includes a cylindrical cage defining at least one recess for keying to one or more of the blisters of the blister pack, the cage having a sufficient cylindrical dimension to permit the blister pack to be wrapped around the cage in a cylindrical disposition. A cylindrical dispenser container having a cylindrical inside dimension sufficient to receive the outside cylindrical diameter of the blister pack as disposed over the cage receives the cage and wrapped blister pack. This cylindrical container defines through the cylindrical side wall a dispensing window having a dimension sufficient to permit an oral solid drug dispensed from the blister pack to pass through the dispensing window. A rotational rachet successively registers to the dispensing window discrete blisters from the blister pack.

Abstract: A disposable safety syringe has a needle shuttle slidably located within a main syringe barrel. The shuttle has a pair of outwardly extending guide tabs which engage a guide slot formed in the barrel wall. The upper end of the needle shuttle is configured to accept a luer lock needle assembly and has a downwardly extending spike used to penetrate the septum of an ampoule mounted in the barrel. A sleeve and rod assembly are mounted in the barrel below the ampoule and can be used to translate the ampoule from a suspended shipping position to an injecting position in which the septum is penetrated by the spike. The sleeve and rod assembly is removed after use, the spent ampoule is withdrawn and the needle shuttle is maneuvered downwardly by means of the guide tabs to a locking position in which the needle assembly is housed within the barrel for safe disposal.

Abstract: An appendage interface assembly, such as a hand grip assembly (2) or a foot pedal assembly (120), is used with an exercise machine to reduce skeletal misalignment problems while increasing the muscle working benefits of the exercise. The assembly includes an assembly support (4, 122) securable to the exercise machine. A hand grip (22) or foot pedal (128) is pivotally mounted to the assembly support for movement about three orthogonal axes (26, 28, 30; 134, 174, 176). The foot pedal is mounted using a universal or ball joint (130). With the hand grip assembly, a yoke (12) is pivotally mounted to the assembly support, a hand grip support (16) is pivotally mounted to the yoke, and a hand grip (22) is pivotally mounted to the hand grip support by first, second and third pivots (14,18,24) for movement about the three axes. The hand grip or foot pedal can pivot freely or with a drag force hindering the pivotal motion or, if great enough, locking the hand grip or foot pedal to a fixed orientation.

Abstract: A hand held syringe has a stationary handle and a moving handle to enable both stored and transported pharmaceuticals to be mixed and injecting the mixed pharmaceuticals under high pressure immediately after mixing through a long needle to a site interior of the body. The syringe is provided for squeeze grip at the stationary and moving handles between fingers and palm and includes a jell storage chamber side-by-side with a diluent storage chamber. Upon initial compression of the handles towards one another against a spring bias, the diluent discharges to the jell mix chamber along a one way path. At the same time, a handle actuated piston with loosely fitting O-ring in the jell mix chamber moves through the jell and introduced diluent effecting mixing movement by allowing the jell and diluent to flow between the piston and jell chamber sidewalls. Flow occurs from the jell chamber by the piston to an expansible chamber delimited by a floating seal.

Abstract: A device (2) used to transfer the liquid contents (156) of a glass ampule (8) to a vial (10) includes a telescoping ampule body (12, 14) defining a collapsible, substantially air-tight region (22) within which the ampule is housed, which collapses when one part (12) is threaded onto the other part (14). This collapse increases the pressure within the collapsible region housing the ampule. The ampule is broken within the region, such as at the end of the collapsing of the telescoping members by snapping off the tip (64) of the ampule and breaking the base (48, 53) of the ampule. When used with a vial, a vial (10) is mounted to the ampule body via a vial body (80, 92). A vial spike (120) passes through the vial septum (128). The ampule body and the vial body defines a flow path (74, 100) between the vial spike and the ampule region. Once the flow path is open, the liquid from the ampule within the region flows along the flow path and into the vial because of the pressure created within the region.

Abstract: A trocar (2) includes a hollow body (4) defining a path between its proximal and distal ends with an obturator assembly (6) positioned along the path. The tip (34, 36) of the obturator assembly has a cutting element (38). A novel gas sealing assembly (114) seals the path along the trocar body and includes first and second sealing elements (122) each movable laterally, typically radially, along a linear path between a sealing position, to seal the path when an object, such as an obturator barrel (14), is not positioned along the path, and an object passing position, when an object is positioned along the path. The gas sealing assembly also includes a flexible, elastic, conical element (144) with a hole (158) at its tip and raised ridges or rings (164) along its inner surface (154), for sealing the path when an object is positioned along the path.

Abstract: A dual direction check valve which facilitates the connection of an IV fluid line to the proximal end of a hypodermic needle that is used to make a veni puncture so that a patient may be infused with fluid from an IV medication bag, or the like. What is more, the check valve is adapted to reliably block the backflow of blood through the needle during the interconnection and start-up of the IV system. A resilient valve core formed from an elastomeric material has a peripheral sealing surface extending therearound. The check valve is closed to fluid flow in both directions when the sealing surface of the valve core mates against a complementary peripheral sealing surface which surrounds the valve core. The check valve is opened to fluid flow in both directions when an axial pushing force (e.g. generated by a Luer lock fitting) is applied to the valve core, whereby the valve core is compressed and the sealing surface thereof is separated from its complementary sealing surface to establish a gap therebetween.

Abstract: A trocar (2) includes a hollow body (4) defining a path between its proximal and distal ends with an obturator assembly (6) positioned along the path. The tip (34, 36) of the obturator assembly has a cutting element (38). A novel gas sealing assembly (114) seals the path along the trocar body and includes at least three interleavened elastomeric sealing elements (124) which seal the path when an object, such as an obturator barrel (14), is not positioned along the path. The gas sealing assembly also includes a flexible, elastic, conical element (136) with a hole (158) at its tip and raised ridges or rings (164) along its inner surface (154) for sealing the path when an object is positioned along the path.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical mixing container for storing a liquid having at least two factions which tend to separate during storage. A cartridge housing having an inner volume is closed at one end by a septum arrangement and at another end by a slidable sealing member. The cartridge housing is installed within a cartridge cover having an outwardly extending pitched land. An outer sleeve having a matching pitched groove formed on the inner surface thereof is received about the cartridge cover. The cover is rotationally mounted to a base member. By translating the outer sleeve away from the base member, the cartridge cover and cartridge housing are rotated to provide turbulent mixing action for any liquid within the cartridge housing. In an alternate embodiment, the cartridge cover is omitted and the pitched land is provided directly on the outer surface of the cartridge housing.

Abstract: A self-packaging safety syringe set (2) uses a unitary molded set of enclosure units (8, 104) sized for housing conventional cartridge-needle units (12) therein. The set of enclosure units are connected to one another by frangible connections (64, 66; 130, 138). The cartridge-needle unit has a hollow barrel (14) with a needle assembly (24) mounted to one end and a piston (16) mounted therein. Each enclosure unit includes a body section (38, 106), a stem section (44, 108) frangibly connected to one end of the body section, and an end cap (52, 110) connected to the other end of the body section. The frangible connection (48, 118) is broken to remove the stem section to expose the needle (26) for use. The removed stem section is used to drive the piston within the barrel. After use, the barrel is pulled back through the body section so that the needle is completely housed within the body section.

Abstract: A dispenser (2) includes a body (4), a needle (110) and one or more hollow cylinders (28) and pistons (144). The needle is movable between predelivery position and a delivery position, at which the inner needle end (112) opens a ball check valve (142) to permit free fluid flow from the cylinder, along a flow path (46) and through the needle. A threaded dose adjuster (164, 166) is mounted within the body and engages a threaded stem (150). The stem is prevented from rotating so that a rotation of the dose adjuster in one direction causes the dose adjuster to move axially away from the piston to compress a drive spring (176) and preload the stem. Moving the needle assembly to the delivery position causes the dose of pressurized pharmaceutical to be automatically driven from the cylinder and through the needle. The cylinder can be refilled by the user through the needle by opening (88, 92, 94) a supplemental pathway (54, 52) and rotating the dose adjuster in the opposite direction.