Front-Loading Medical Injector Adapted to Releasably Engage A Syringe Regardless of the Orientation of the Syringe With Respect to the Injector

Abstract

A syringe for use with an injector includes a body having a rear end and a front end, a plunger movably disposed within the body, an attachment member associated with the body and adapted to releasably engage a syringe retaining mechanism of the injector regardless of the orientation of the syringe with respect to the injector, and an encoding device operable to provide syringe information to the injector.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A front loading syringe for use with an injector comprising a syringe retaining mechanism, the syringe comprising:
 a body comprising a rear end and a front end;   a plurality of attachment members protruding rearwardly from the rear end of the body, each of the plurality of attachment members adapted to releasably engage the syringe retaining mechanism of the injector regardless of the orientation of the syringe about a longitudinal axis of the syringe with respect to the injector.   
     
     
         16 . The syringe of claim  1 , wherein the plurality of attachment members are spaced apart about a circumference of the rear end of the body. 
     
     
         17 . The syringe of claim  1 , wherein each of the plurality of attachment members is deflectable in a radial direction. 
     
     
         18 . The syringe of claim  1 , wherein each of the plurality of attachment members has a second end attached at the rear end of the body and a first end protruding rearwardly from the second end. 
     
     
         19 . The syringe of claim  4 , wherein at least a portion of the first end of each of the plurality of attachment members protrudes radially outward relative to the second end. 
     
     
         20 . The syringe of claim  4 , wherein at least a portion of the second end of each of the plurality of attachment members is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the syringe. 
     
     
         21 . The syringe of claim  1 , wherein each of the plurality of attachment members is V-shaped. 
     
     
         22 . The syringe of claim  1 , wherein each of the plurality of attachment members is separated from adjacent attachment members by a gap. 
     
     
         23 . The syringe of claim  1 , wherein each of the plurality of attachment members is integrally formed with the body. 
     
     
         24 . The syringe of claim  1 , further comprising a plunger movably disposed within the body, wherein the plunger is advanced in a forward direction by a piston of the injector without a connective engagement between the plunger and the piston, and wherein the piston connectively engages the plunger to retract the plunger within the syringe. 
     
     
         25 . The syringe of claim  1 , further comprising at least one release member associated with the body, the release member interacting with the syringe retaining mechanism to enable release of the syringe from attachment with the injector upon rotation of the syringe about its axis relative to the injector. 
     
     
         26 . The syringe of claim  11 , wherein the at least one release member comprises at least one radially outward projecting member positioned on the syringe at a different axial location from the plurality of attachment members. 
     
     
         27 . The syringe of claim  1 , further comprising a flange positioned forward of the plurality of attachment members, the flange adapted to contact a corresponding surface of the injector when the syringe is releasably engaged therewith. 
     
     
         28 . The syringe of claim  13 , wherein contact of the flange with the corresponding surface of the injector is an indication of proper axial positioning of the syringe with respect to the injector for releasable engagement of the syringe to the injector. 
     
     
         29 . The syringe of claim  1 , further comprising an encoding device on at least a portion of the body. 
     
     
         30 . The syringe of  claim 15 , wherein the encoding device is a barcode positioned forward of the plurality of attachment members. 
     
     
         31 . The syringe of  claim 15 , wherein the encoding device is one or more slots, holes, raised surfaces, or recessed surfaces positioned forward of the plurality of attachment members. 
     
     
         32 . An adapter assembly for use with an injector, the adapter assembly comprising:
 a syringe having a body with a rear end and a front end; and   an adapter having a front end adapted to releasably engage the rear end of the syringe and a rear end adapted to releasably engage a retaining mechanism on the injector,   wherein the rear end of the syringe has at least one attachment member adapted to releasably engage the front end of the adapter regardless of the orientation of the syringe about a longitudinal axis of the syringe with respect to the adapter.   
     
     
         33 . The adapter assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one attachment member is a plurality of attachment members, each attachment member having a second end attached at the rear end of the syringe body and a first end protruding rearwardly from the second end and deflectable relative to the second end. 
     
     
         34 . The adapter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the first end of each of the plurality of attachment members protrudes radially outward relative to the second end.