Bottle spike with wide-bore introducer

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling high fluid rate injections are disclosed. The system includes a hollow dip tube, an introducer and a sharp tip-end. The introducer has a hollow sleeve that includes an opening at a proximal end. The sharp-tip end is located at a distal end of the introducer and is configured to pierce a septum of a container. The introducer is configured to receive the dip tube through the opening. Fluid may be withdrawn from the container through the dip tube upon insertion. In some cases, the dip tube separates the tip-end from the introducer when it is inserted through the opening. In other cases, the tip-end remains seated in the introducer and allows fluid to pass through it as it is withdrawn from the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for enabling high fluid rate injection, the system comprising:
 a hollow dip tube;   an introducer having a hollow sleeve, wherein the hollow sleeve comprises an opening at a proximal end, wherein the introducer is configured to receive the hollow dip tube through the opening; and   a sharp tip-end located at a distal end of the introducer, wherein the sharp tip-end is configured to pierce a septum of a container.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the introducer comprises a surface configured to seal against a lip of a container surrounding a septum pierced by the sharp tip-end. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the introducer comprises an air filter surrounding the opening of the hollow sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the hollow dip tube is configured to receive the sharp tip-end when the introducer receives the hollow dip tube through the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sharp tip-end is separable from the introducer. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the sharp tip-end is further configured to separate from the introducer upon receiving a distal end of the hollow dip tube through the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the sharp tip-end comprises a buoyant material. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein a distal end of the hollow dip tube is configured to receive the sharp tip-end when the sharp tip-end separates from the introducer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hollow dip tube has an outer surface, and   one or more sensors are located on the outer surface of the hollow dip tube.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the one or more sensors comprise a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a resistance detector having a resistive element on the outer surface of the hollow dip tube, a current source electrically connected to a first end of the resistive element, and a current detector electrically connected to a second end of the resistive element. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a first capacitor element on a first side of the outer surface and a second capacitor element on a second side of the outer surface. 
     
     
         13 . A method of enabling high fluid rate injection, the method comprising:
 inserting at least a portion of an introducer into a septum of a container containing a fluid, wherein the introducer comprises a hollow sleeve, wherein the hollow sleeve has an opening at a proximal end, wherein a sharp tip-end is located at a distal end of the introducer;   inserting a hollow dip tube into the opening of the hollow sleeve; and   withdrawing at least a portion of the fluid in the container through the hollow dip tube.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the introducer further comprises an air filter surrounding the opening of the hollow sleeve. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 sensing one or more properties of the fluid using one or more sensors located at least in part on an outer surface of the hollow dip tube.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the one or more sensors comprise a temperature sensor, and   sensing one or more properties comprises sensing a temperature of the fluid using the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the one or more sensors comprise a resistance detector having a resistive element on the outer surface of the hollow dip tube, a current source electrically connected to a first end of the resistive element, and a current detector electrically connected to a second end of the resistive element, and   sensing one or more properties comprises sensing a resistance as the fluid is withdrawn from the container to determine a fluid level in the container.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the one or more sensors comprise a first capacitor element on a first side of the outer surface and a second capacitor element on an second side of the outer surface, and   sensing one or more properties comprises sensing a capacitance using the first and second capacitor elements to determine a fluid level in the container.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the sharp tip-end is separable from the introducer, and   inserting the hollow dip tube into the hollow sleeve of the introducer comprises inserting the hollow dip tube through the hollow sleeve of the introducer thereby causing the sharp tip-end to separate from the introducer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sharp tip-end is buoyant, and further comprising:
 determining a fluid level in the container by identifying the location of the separated sharp tip-end in the container.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the sharp tip-end is separable from the introducer, and   inserting the hollow dip tube into the hollow sleeve of the introducer comprises inserting the hollow dip tube through the hollow sleeve of the introducer thereby causing the sharp tip-end to become lodged in the hollow dip tube.