Transfer device and method for transferring a pharmaceutical component between a vial and a syringe

Abstract

A transfer device and method for deploying one or more pharmaceutical components between a medicine vial and a syringe.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A syringe safety device configured to form a fluid coupling between a sealed vial and a syringe, the syringe safety device comprising: a tubular connector having opposing first and second axial open ends, the first open axial end being adapted to engage an end of a medicine vial with stopper; and a sliding joint received in the second open axial end of the tubular connector, the sliding joint having opposing first and second open axial ends and a passageway between the first and second axial open ends, the first axial open end being adapted to engage with a mounting end of a syringe needle, the second axial end of the sliding joint further being adapted to releasably engage at least a releasable needle receiver on a distal end of a barrel of a syringe without needle, the syringe being releasably removable from the sliding joint after fluid coupling with the vial through the passageway of the sliding joint without removal of the sliding joint from the tubular connector and without the needle.  
     
     
         2 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 1  further comprising a syringe needle with one pointed end and one enlarged blunt mounting end, the needle being non-releasably captured in the tubular connector with the sliding joint.  
     
     
         3 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 2  wherein the sliding joint is slidably mounted in the tubular connector and the first axial end of the sliding joint is engaged with the blunt mounting end of the enclosed needle to support and axially move the needle in the tubular connector and sufficiently to form a leak resistant fluid coupling between the blunt mounting end of the needle and the sliding joint.  
     
     
         4 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 2  wherein the first axial end of the sliding joint is configured to releasably mate with the blunt mounting end of the enclosed needle.  
     
     
         5 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 1  wherein the second axial end of the sliding joint is open and has an inner chamber exposed at the second end of the tubular connector, the inner chamber being configured to releasably receive at least a needle mount provided on the distal end of the syringe to removably mount a needle to the distal end of the syringe.  
     
     
         6 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 1  in combination with the sealed vial.  
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 6  wherein the syringe is prefilled with a fluid.  
     
     
         8 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular connector includes a set of detents formed on an inner surface thereof, and wherein the sliding joint includes a retaining member disposed between the detents prior to fluid coupling for retaining the needle in a predetermined position.  
     
     
         9 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 8 , wherein the retaining member comprises an in-line filter.  
     
     
         10 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a retaining member mounted on the needle and operable for retaining the needle in a predetermined position prior to fluid coupling.  
     
     
         11 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 10 , wherein the retaining member frictionally engages an inner surface of the tubular connector for retaining the needle in the predetermined position prior to fluid coupling.  
     
     
         12 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 10 , wherein the retaining member is made of a material penetrable by the needle in response to application of a force onto the sliding joint in a longitudinal direction toward the vial.  
     
     
         13 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 11 , wherein the retaining member is disposed adjacent to the vial.  
     
     
         14 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 10 , wherein the retaining member is disposed adjacent to the sliding joint prior to fluid coupling.  
     
     
         15 . The syringe safety device according to  claim 2 , wherein the syringe is a conventional syringe.  
     
     
         16 . A transfer device for transferring a pharmaceutical component between a sealed vial and a syringe, comprising: 
 a tubular connector having opposing first and second axial open ends, the first open axial end being adapted to engage an end of a medicine vial having a penetrable closure;    a sliding joint received in the second open axial end of the tubular connector, the sliding joint having opposing first and second open axial ends and a passageway between the first and second axial open ends, the first axial open end being adapted to engage with an enlarged blunt mounting end of a syringe needle, the second axial end of the sliding joint further being adapted to releasably engage at least a releasable needle receiver on a distal end of a barrel of a conventional syringe without needle, the syringe being releasably removable from the sliding joint after coupling with the vial through the passageway of the sliding joint without removal of the sliding joint from the tubular connector and without the needle.    
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the pharmaceutical component transferred comprises a fluid.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the medicine vial contains a fluid, and wherein the sliding joint fluidly couples with the vial through the passageway of the sliding joint.  
     
     
         19 . A transfer device for transferring fluid between a sealed vial and a syringe, comprising: 
 a tubular connector having opposing first and second axial open ends, the first open axial end being adapted to engage an end of a medicine vial having a penetrable closure;    a syringe needle; and    a movable adapter disposed in the tubular connector, the adapter having opposing first and second open axial ends and a passageway between the first and second axial open ends, the first axial open end being adapted to engage with a mounting end of the syringe needle, the second axial end of the adapter further being adapted to releasably engage at least a releasable needle receiver on a distal end of a barrel of a syringe without needle, the syringe being releasably removable from the adapter after coupling with the vial through the passageway of the adapter without removal of the adapter from the tubular connector and without the needle.    
     
     
         20 . A transfer device for transferring a pharmaceutical component from a vial to a syringe, comprising: 
 a tubular connector having opposing first and second axial open ends, the first open axial end being adapted to engage an end of a medicine vial having a penetrable closure, the second open end being adapted to receive a portion of a syringe;    a syringe needle; and    a protractible luer assembly having a first portion coupled to the syringe needle and a second portion for releasably coupling to the syringe, the luer assembly having a passageway for pharmaceutical component transfer therebetween, the luer assembly longitudinally protractible from a first retracted position within the tubular connector to a second advanced position, wherein in the first retracted position a retaining assembly formed on the interior of the tubular connector engages a first portion of the luer assembly and the syringe needle is contained within the tubular connector apart from the penetrable closure, and wherein in the second advanced position, advancement of the first portion of the luer assembly from the retaining assembly advances the syringe needle to pierce the penetrable closure for establishing the pharmaceutical component transfer, wherein the syringe is releasably removable from the protractible luer assembly upon completion of the pharmaceutical component transfer and the syringe needle and protractible luer is retained in said tubular connector.    
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the interior of the tubular connector engages a second portion of the luer assembly when the device is in the advanced position.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the retaining assembly comprises an arm segment extending from the interior of the tubular connector and in contact engagement with protrusions formed on the luer assembly for retaining therein.  
     
     
         23 . A method for deploying a pharmaceutical component between a vial and a syringe, comprising: 
 providing a tubular transfer device having a first end receiving a medicine vial having a penetrable closure containing a pharmaceutical component, and a protractible luer assembly disposed in the interior of the transfer device, the protractible luer assembly having a first end coupled to a syringe needle, the syringe needle extending towards the first end of the tubular transfer device receiving the vial, a second end opposite the first end, and a passageway therebetween, the luer assembly protractible from a first retracted position to a second advanced position within the tubular transfer device;    coupling a portion of a syringe without needle to the second end of the protractible luer assembly of the transfer device, the syringe having a socket for accommodating another pharmaceutical component;    applying a longitudinal force through the syringe to the protractible luer assembly to advance the assembly from the first retracted position wherein the syringe needle is apart from the vial, to the second advanced position wherein the syringe needle penetrates the penetrable closure of the vial to establish a passage between the vial and the syringe through the passageway of the luer assembly, the luer assembly being retained in the second advanced position within the tubular transfer device;    transferring at least one pharmaceutical component between the vial and the syringe socket through the passage; and    detaching the portion of the syringe from the second end of the protractible luer assembly, whereby the protractible luer assembly and syringe needle is retained within the tubular transfer device upon detachment, and whereby the syringe containing the transferred at least one pharmaceutical component is presented for attachment to another syringe needle.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of transferring comprises injecting a fluid from the syringe into the vial via the passage; and aspirating the contents of the vial into the syringe via the passage.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of mixing the contents of the vial after the step of injecting and before the step of aspirating.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising mixing the contents of the syringe after the step of aspirating.  
     
     
         27 . A transfer device for transferring a pharmaceutical component from a vial to a syringe, comprising: 
 a tubular connector having opposing first and second axial open ends, the first open axial end being adapted to engage an end of a medicine vial having a penetrable closure, the second open end being adapted to receive a portion of a syringe;    a syringe needle;    a protractible luer assembly having a first portion coupled to the syringe needle and a second portion for releasably coupling to the syringe, the luer assembly having a passageway for pharmaceutical component transfer therebetween, the luer assembly longitudinally protractible from a first retracted position within the tubular connector wherein the syringe needle is contained within the tubular connector apart from the penetrable closure, to a second advanced position toward the vial, wherein the syringe needle pierces the penetrable closure for establishing the pharmaceutical component transfer via the passageway; and    means disposed in the tubular connector for retaining the protractible luer assembly including the needle within the tubular connector upon advancement of the protractible luer assembly to the advanced position and release of the second portion of the luer assembly from the syringe.