Mechanical syringe accessory

Abstract

Described herein are syringe accessories that can be attached to standard syringes. These accessories utilize one or more mechanisms that can provide at least one additional sensory feedback to the user when performing an aliquot or dosed injection. In other embodiments, the accessories can prevent overdosing.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An accessory for a syringe comprising:
 a finger portion configured to attach to the body of the syringe wherein the finger portion includes a track guide including a lever arm;   a track configured to insert through the track guide including valleys separated by a distance;   a plunger interface configured to attach the track to a plunger of the syringe;   wherein the distance corresponds to a pre-determined dose of a substance housed in the syringe.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the finger portion is configured to attach to a flange of the syringe. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the valleys are located on a top surface of the track. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 3 , wherein the lever arm is configured to lock in the valleys. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the valleys are formed between peaks having a long front surface and a short back surface. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the lever arm is configured to lock against the short back surface. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the valleys are located on a bottom surface of the track. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the lever arm is configured to apply a force on a top surface of the tracks and cause a protrusion to engage with the valleys. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 8 , wherein a peak exists between each valley and the peak has a rounded shape. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 9 , wherein the rounded shape is configured to render the accessory reusable. 
     
     
         11 . An accessory for a syringe comprising:
 a shaft including features that are configured to define at least one dose increment and having a horizontal degree of freedom,   a rotating traveler including a horizontal degree of freedom and a vertical degree of freedom; and   a fixed ratchet including valleys configured to engage the rotating traveler, and   wherein the fixed ratchet does not interact with the rotating traveler, and wherein the shaft is at least partially attached to a plunger of the syringe.   
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 11 , wherein the fixed ratchet is attached to a flange on the syringe. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory of  claim 11 , wherein the shaft is configured to move with the horizontal degree of freedom to engage the rotating traveler. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory of  claim 11 , wherein the rotating traveler includes a spring that provides the horizontal degree of freedom. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory of  claim 11 , wherein when a first dose increment is reached, the accessory is reset for a subsequent dose increment. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory of  claim 11 , wherein the shaft includes at least one spiral including intermittent stops. 
     
     
         17 . The accessory of  claim 16 , wherein the rotating traveler spins around the at least one spiral. 
     
     
         18 . A method of injecting an aliquot dose of a substance using a standard syringe, the method comprising:
 attaching an accessory including a track guide to a body portion of the syringe;   inserting a track into the track guide until a portion of the track engages with a plunger head associated with the syringe; and   applying a force to the plunger head thereby advancing the tracks through the track guide; wherein the advancing causes at least one audible cue that represents an aliquot dose.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one audible cue is a lever arm associated with the track guide snapping over a peak in the track. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein applying a force advances a plunger tip associated with the syringe and extrudes the substance from the standard syringe. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the body portion of the syringe is a finger flange. 
     
     
         21 . A method of injecting an aliquot dose of a substance, the method comprising:
 applying an injection force to a shaft including at least one spiral including at least one intermittent distance between at least one first stop and at least one second stop, wherein the injection force drives the shaft axially through a rotating traveler the intermittent distance, and wherein the intermittent distance represents an aliquot dose.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the rotating traveler locks when it engages the second stop. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a release of force on the shaft unlocks the rotating traveler and allows a subsequent aliquot dose.