Syringe and optical reader for syringe

Abstract

The present invention relates to a syringe ( 1 ) for use in spectroscopy to identify drugs within the syringe ( 8 ). The syringe comprises a optical window section ( 8 ) either integral with or attached to the syringe ( 1 ). The optical window section ( 8 ) has predetermined physical and optical properties that allows radiation to pass through in a known manner to facilitate spectroscopy.

1 . A liquid delivery device adapted to deliver a liquid drug to a patient or animal comprising:
 an elongated reservoir comprising an elongated body having a first end and a second end adapted to contain liquid drug to be delivered, the reservoir having an outlet disposed at the first end through which liquid drug may be dispensed,   a liquid dispenser which causes a movement of the liquid drug from the reservoir to and out of the outlet,   wherein the first end of the reservoir is formed as a solid optical window section integrally formed with the elongated body to retain liquid drug having predetermined optical and physical properties that allows radiation to pass therethrough in a known manner into the interior of the reservoir and that allows radiation affected by the content of the reservoir to pass through as the affected radiation leaves the interior of the reservoir,
 wherein the position of the optical window section allows contents of the elongated reservoir to be analysed through the optical window section with a spectrophotometer when the liquid delivery device is docked end on. 
   
     
     
         2 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the predetermined optical properties comprise optical density and clarity. 
     
     
         3 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 2  wherein the predetermined physical properties comprise the thickness and slope and curvature of the reservoir wall in the optical window section. 
     
     
         4 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the optical window section is provided adjacent to the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the optical window section comprises the outlet. 
     
     
         6 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the reservoir is substantially cylindrical and the optical window section caps the reservoir and comprises the outlet. 
     
     
         7 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the optical window section is formed from a material which is different from the material from which the remainder of the reservoir is formed. 
     
     
         8 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the optical window section comprises a transition portion between the reservoir elongated body and the outlet wherein the outlet has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the reservoir and wherein the optical window is provided in the transition portion. 
     
     
         9 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the optical window section comprises at least one planar panel that is at least partially transparent to radiation. 
     
     
         10 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  wherein the optical window section comprises at least two opposed planar panels that are at least partially transparent to radiation. 
     
     
         11 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 11  wherein to dock end on the first end formed as the optical window section is adapted to engage in a docking station comprising a receptacle adapted to receive the optical window section, wherein the at least one planar panel is adapted to be received in the receptacle against a corresponding wall of the receptacle, the corresponding wall preventing rotation of the optical window section received within the receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 11  wherein the docking station comprises an optical input for transmitting incident radiation to at least one of the planar panels of the optical window section received in the receptacle, and an optical output for transmitting radiation received from at least one of the planar panels of the optical window section received in the receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . A liquid delivery device according  claim 11  wherein the optical window section comprises a protrusion for engaging with a corresponding recess in the receptacle to prevent rotation of the optical window section when received in the receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 1  further comprising optically readable markings on the liquid dispenser and an optical reader with one or more optical detectors arranged to detect the optically readable markings, wherein the optical reader comprises a processor that receives one or more signals from the one or more optical detectors and generates position data indicating a position of the liquid dispenser relative to the reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 14  wherein the processor generates quantity data indicating a quantity of the liquid drug in the reservoir. 
     
     
         16 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 14  wherein optical reader comprises a transmitter adapted to wirelessly transmit the quantity data or position data to a system. 
     
     
         17 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 14  wherein the optical reader further comprises an energy storage device for powering the optical reader, the energy storage device coupled to an inductive device, the inductive device adapted to inductively couple to an inductive recharging device to receive energy for recharging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         18 . A liquid delivery device adapted to deliver a liquid drug to a patient or animal comprising:
 a reservoir adapted to contain liquid drug to be delivered, the reservoir having an outlet through which liquid drug may be dispensed,   a liquid dispenser with a longitudinal axis which causes movement of the liquid drug from the reservoir to and out of the outlet, the liquid dispenser comprising optically readable markings disposed at a plurality of positions along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis,   an optical reader comprising at least two optical detectors arranged to detect the optically readable markings, the detectors being positioned at a separation relative to the separation of the optically readable markings to provide output signals, upon detecting the optically readable markings, that indicate detection of a marking and from which direction of movement of the liquid dispenser can be determined, and   a processor coupled to receive the output signals and generate position data indicating a position of the liquid dispenser relative to the reservoir.   
     
     
         19 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the processor generates quantity data indicating a quantity of liquid drug in the reservoir from the position data. 
     
     
         20 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the optically readable markings comprise a plurality of indicia positioned in a sequence along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the liquid dispenser, and wherein the processor generates the position data by counting the number of indicia detected by the optical detector as the liquid dispenser is moved relative to the optical detector. 
     
     
         21 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 20  wherein the position data is indicative of the quantity of liquid within the reservoir. 
     
     
         22 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the optical reader comprises a transmitter adapted to wirelessly transmit the quantity data or position data to a system. 
     
     
         23 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the optical reader is detachable from the liquid delivery device. 
     
     
         24 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the optical reader further comprises an energy storage device coupled to an inductive device, the inductive device adapted to inductively couple to an inductive recharging device to receive energy for recharging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         25 . An optical reader adapted to couple to a liquid delivery device and generate position data indicative of the position of a liquid delivery means of the liquid delivery device, the optical reader comprising:
 a coupling for attachment to a liquid delivery device,   at least two optical detectors arranged to detect optically readable markings on a liquid delivery device, the detectors being positioned at a separation relative to the separation of the optically readable markings to provide output signals, upon detecting the optically readable markings, that indicate detection of a marking and from which direction of movement of a liquid dispenser can be determined, and a processor coupled to receive the output signals and generate position data indicating a position of the liquid dispenser relative to the reservoir.   
     
     
         26 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the processor generates quantity data indicating a quantity of the liquid drug in the reservoir from the position data. 
     
     
         27 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the optically readable markings comprise a plurality of indicia positioned in a sequence along at least a portion of a longitudinal axis of the liquid dispenser, and wherein the processor can generate the position data by counting the number of indicia detected by the optical detector as the liquid dispenser is moved relative to the optical detector. 
     
     
         28 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the position data is indicative of a quantity of liquid within the reservoir. 
     
     
         29 . An optical reader according to  claim 26  further comprising a transmitter adapted to wirelessly transmit the quantity data or position data to a system. 
     
     
         30 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the optical reader further comprises an energy storage device coupled to an inductive device, the inductive device adapted to inductively couple to an inductive recharging device to receive energy for recharging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         31 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the optically readable markings comprise a plurality of indicia positioned substantially uniformly such that the distance between each indicia is greater than the distance between the two optical detectors, and the indicia have a spacing thickness such that the relative separation of the detectors to the separation of the optically readable markings is such that at one time, at most only one optical detector can detect an indicia at that time. 
     
     
         32 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the optically readable markings comprise a plurality of indicia positioned substantially uniformly such that the distance between each indicia is greater than the distance between the two optical detectors, and the indicia have a spacing and thickness such that the relative separation of the detectors to the separation of the optically readable markings is such that at one time, at most only one optical detector can detect an indicia edge at that time. 
     
     
         33 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the output signals are quadrature encoding signals. 
     
     
         34 . A liquid delivery device according to  claim 18  wherein the processor generates the position data from the detection of the markings and the direction of movement of the liquid dispenser. 
     
     
         35 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the optically readable markings comprise a plurality of indicia positioned substantially uniformly, and the distance between the two optical detectors is less than the distance between each indicia, and the indicia have a spacing and thickness such that the relative separation of the detectors to the separation of the optically readable markings is such that at one time, at most only one optical detector can detect an indicia at that time. 
     
     
         36 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the optically readable markings comprise a plurality of indicia positioned substantially uniformly, and the distance between the two optical detectors is less than the distance between each indicia, and the indicia have a spacing and thickness is such that at one time, at most only one optical detector can detect an indicia edge at that time. 
     
     
         37 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the output signals are quadrature encoding signals. 
     
     
         38 . An optical reader according to  claim 25  wherein the processor generates the position data from the detection of the markings and the direction of movement of the liquid dispenser.