Modular Apparatus for Delivery of Fluid Materials

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for delivery of fluid materials, particularly multi-part fluid materials, including modular apparatuses in which various components are maintained separately until ready for use. Each fluid component is maintained in a separate housing until mixing of the fluid components is desired. Maintaining components separately until use allows for proper filling, sterilization, packaging and storing until use.

1 . An apparatus for delivery of a biological fluid, comprising:
 a. an applicator component, said applicator component comprising:
 i. a housing; 
 ii. first and second open chambers within said housing, each open chamber having a generally cylindrical sidewalls and being aligned such that the central axes of each open chamber are parallel with each other; and 
 iii. first and second fluid lumens, each fluid lumen having an insertion end and a delivery end, said insertion end of each fluid lumen comprising a needled cannula disposed within one of said open chambers; 
   b. a fluid housing component, comprising:
 i. at least two cylindrical barrels having an open interior separated by a dispensing end and a plunger receiving end; 
 ii. at least two elastomeric caps, wherein one elastomeric cap is fit onto a dispensing end of one cylindrical barrel; 
 iii. at least two pistons having a generally cylindrical configuration, with a sealing surface on the outer circumference and a generally flat proximal surface; 
 iv. a bridge having an open interior, which fits securely on the dispensing end of said at least two cylindrical barrels; and 
   c. a plunger component, comprising:
 i. at least two pushing rods having a first end and second end, each sized such that the first end of one pushing rod may be inserted into the plunger receiving end of one of said barrels; 
 ii. an open flange component through which said pushing rods may be slidably inserted; and 
 iii. a securement feature to secure the dispensing end of said barrels in the open flange component. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said housing of said applicator component comprises a first keyfit region, said bridge comprises a second keyfit region, and said first keyfit region and said second keyfit region are sized and shaped to mate with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said applicator component and said fluid housing component can be secured to each other by inserting said fluid housing component into the housing of the applicator component. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein insertion of the fluid housing component into the housing of the applicator component aligns a first needled cannula with the interior of a first cylindrical barrel by piercing a first elastomeric cap. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of said elastomeric caps includes a raised circumferential rib, said rib being sized and shaped to be snugly fit within one of said open chambers in said housing by abutting the cylindrical sidewall of said open chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein when said fluid housing component is fit into said housing component, the contact between the raised circumferential rib and the cylindrical sidewall of said open chamber into which the rib is fit forms a water-tight seal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each piston is fit within said barrel so as to form a sealed fit about the outer circumference of the piston and the interior wall of the cylindrical barrel. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the generally flat proximal surface of said piston is aligned in a substantially flush configuration with the plunger receiving end of the barrel into which the piston is disposed. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein when said plunger component is secured to said fluid housing component, a first end of one of said pushing rods contacts the proximal surface of one said piston. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a biological fluid is placed within one of said barrels and said biological fluid is contained within said barrel due to the seals created by the piston and elastomeric cap secured to said barrel. 
     
     
         11 . A method of dispensing at least two biological fluids simultaneously, comprising the steps of:
 a. providing an applicator component, said applicator component comprising:
 i. a housing; 
 ii. first and second open chambers within said housing, each open chamber having a generally cylindrical sidewalls and being aligned such that the central axes of each open chamber are parallel with each other; and 
 iii. first and second fluid lumens, each fluid lumen having an insertion end and a delivery end, said insertion end of the first fluid lumen comprising a first needled cannula disposed within the first open chamber and the insertion end of the second fluid lumen comprising a second needled cannula disposed within the second open chamber; 
   b. providing a fluid housing component, comprising:
 i. first and second cylindrical barrels each having an open interior separated by a dispensing end and a plunger receiving end; 
 ii. first and second elastomeric caps, wherein the first elastomeric cap is fit onto the dispensing end of the first cylindrical barrel and the second elastomeric cap is fit onto the dispensing end of the second cylindrical barrel; 
 iii. first and second pistons each having a generally cylindrical configuration, with a sealing surface on the outer circumference and a generally flat proximal surface, the first piston being placed within the plunger receiving end of the first barrel and second piston being placed within the plunger receiving end of the second barrel; 
 iv. a bridge having an open interior, sized and shaped to receive the dispensing ends of the first and second cylindrical barrels and maintain the first and second cylindrical barrels in a substantially parallel configuration; 
   c. providing a plunger component, comprising:
 i. first and second pushing rods each having a first end and second end, each sized such that the first end of a pushing rod may be inserted into the plunger receiving end of a barrels; 
 ii. an open flange component through which said pushing rods may be slidably inserted; and 
 iii. a securement feature to secure the dispensing end of said first and second barrels in the open flange component. 
   d. securing said applicator component to said fluid housing component, such that the first needled cannula pierces a the first elastomeric cap and the second needled cannula pierces a the second elastomeric cap;   e. securing said plunger component to said fluid housing component; and   f. depressing said pushing rods, such that the first pushing rod moves the first piston in the distal direction through the first barrel and the second pushing rod moves the second piston in the distal direction through the second barrel, thereby forcing the first biological fluid through first fluid lumen and the second biological fluid through the second fluid lumen.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the delivery end of each lumen is located substantially adjacent to each other, such that dispensing of said first and second biological fluids simultaneously causes mixing of said first and second biological fluids at the area of said delivery ends. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid housing component is subjected to an electron beam processing step after said first and second fluid components are disposed within the first and second barrels. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of said elastomeric caps includes a raised circumferential rib, said rib sized and shaped to be snugly fit against the sidewall of one open chambers in said housing. 
     
     
         15 . A kit comprising the applicator component, fluid housing component and plunger component of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said fluid housing component comprises a first biological component within a first barrel and a second biological component within a second barrel. 
     
     
         17 . A fluid housing cartridge for use in a modular delivery device, comprising:
 a. at least two cylindrical barrels having an open interior separated by a dispensing end and a plunger receiving end;   b. at least two elastomeric caps, wherein one elastomeric cap is fit onto the dispensing end of one cylindrical barrel;   c. at least two pistons having a generally cylindrical configuration, with a sealing surface on the outer circumference and a generally flat proximal surface, one piston being placed into the dispensing end of one cylindrical barrel;   d. a bridge having an open interior, which fits securely on the dispensing end of said at least two cylindrical barrels so as to hold said at least two cylindrical barrels in a substantially parallel configuration.   
     
     
         18 . The fluid housing cartridge of  claim 17 , wherein said bridge includes a keyfit feature at a distal end of the bridge, said keyfit feature shaped and sized to mate with a keyfit feature of an applicator component. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid housing cartridge of  claim 17 , wherein each of said pistons is placed within the open interior of a barrel such that the generally flat proximal surface is substantially flush with the proximal end of the barrel. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid housing cartridge of  claim 17 , wherein each of said elastomeric caps includes an outwardly extending rib around its outer circumference.