Puncturable membrane for safety syringe

Abstract

A safety syringe may define a variable fluid chamber and detached needle assembly. The variable fluid chamber may be hermetically sealed off from the environment or ambient air until the needle assembly is attached to a syringe body of the safety syringe. A proximal end of the variable fluid chamber is sealed off from the environment via a seal between a piston and syringe body. The distal end of the variable fluid chamber may be sealed off from the environment via a barrier covering the distal end of the syringe body. The barrier may be punctured to allow fluid to through tberethrough at or about the same time when the needle assembly is attached to the distal end portion of the syringe body.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A syringe for injecting a patient with fluidic medication in a sterile manner, the syringe comprising:
 a plunger assembly having a piston and a shaft;   a syringe body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the piston and shaft disposed within the syringe body with the shaft extending out of the proximal portion of the body, the piston being traversable between a refracted position and a forward position within the syringe body, the piston and syringe body defining a variable fluid chamber disposed on a distal side of the piston with sterile gas disposed therein;   a barrier disposed at the distal portion of the syringe body, the barrier configured to prevent air transfer between an environment and the variable fluid chamber and configured to maintain sterility of the variable fluid chamber; and   a needle disposed at the distal portion of the syringe body,   wherein the barrier is breakable to allow fluidic medication to flow into or out of the variable fluid chamber through the needle.   
     
     
         14 . The syringe of  claim 13 , which includes a needle assembly including the needle, and wherein the needle assembly is detachable to the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         15 . The syringe of  claim 14 , wherein a syringe end of the needle assembly is configured to puncture the barrier to allow the fluidic medication to flow into or out of the variable fluid chamber through the needle. 
     
     
         16 . The syringe of  claim 13 , wherein the piston and syringe body further define a variable vacuum chamber on a proximal side of the piston, and wherein a proximal seal is disposed between the shaft and the proximal portion of the syringe body to maintain sterility of the variable vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The syringe of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is attached directly to the syringe body. 
     
     
         18 . The syringe of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is disposed over a distal end of the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         19 . The syringe of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier is hermetically sealed about an outer periphery of the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         20 . A syringe for injecting a patient with fluidic medication in a sterile manner, the syringe comprising:
 a plunger assembly having a piston and a shaft;   a syringe body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the piston and shaft disposed within the syringe body with the shaft extending out of the proximal portion of the body, the piston being traversable between a refracted position and a forward position within the syringe body, the piston and syringe body defining a variable fluid chamber disposed on a distal side of the piston with sterile gas disposed therein;   a barrier forming at least a portion of the variable fluid chamber, the barrier configured to prevent air transfer between an environment and the variable fluid chamber and configured to maintain sterility of the variable fluid chamber; and   a needle disposed at the distal portion of the syringe body,   wherein the barrier is breakable to allow fluidic medication to flow into or out of the variable fluid chamber through the needle.   
     
     
         21 . The syringe of  claim 20 , wherein the barrier is attached directly to the syringe body. 
     
     
         22 . The syringe of  claim 20 , wherein the barrier is disposed over a distal end of the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         23 . The syringe of  claim 20 , wherein the barrier is hermetically sealed about an outer periphery of the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         24 . The syringe of  claim 20 , wherein the piston and syringe body further define a variable vacuum chamber on a proximal side of the piston, and wherein a proximal seal is disposed between the shaft and the proximal portion of the syringe body to maintain sterility of the variable vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         25 . A method of injecting a fluid, the method comprising:
 receiving a syringe with a barrier configured to prevent air transfer between an environment and a variable fluid chamber located within a body of the syringe, the variable fluid chamber disposed on a distal side of a piston, the piston being disposed in a retracted position within the syringe body and sterile gas disposed within the variable fluid chamber;   puncturing the barrier so that fluidic medication can flow into or out of the variable fluid chamber through a needle disposed at a distal portion of the syringe body;   traversing the piston towards the distal portion of the syringe body to transfer the sterile gas out of the variable fluid chamber;   positioning an opening of the needle within fluid in a container;   traversing the piston towards a proximal portion of the body to transfer the fluid in the container into the variable fluid chamber; and   injecting the person with the fluid in the variable fluid chamber.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes attaching the needle to the distal end portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein puncturing the barrier is performed by attaching the needle to the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein puncturing the barrier includes rupturing the barrier along a plurality of score lines. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes threading a syringe end of the needle to the distal portion of the syringe body. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes inserting the needle into a container containing the fluid to be injected into a person. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein traversing the piston towards the distal portion of the body includes transferring the sterile gas within the variable fluid chamber into the container to pressurize the container and assist in subsequent withdrawal of the fluid contained within the container. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes, simultaneously with the traversing step, enlarging a volume of a variable vacuum chamber which is disposed on a proximal side of the piston without the addition of environmental air to induce a vacuum force on the piston toward the retracted position and to maintain sterility of the variable vacuum chamber.