Syringe incorporating an RFID chip

Abstract

Syringe incorporating an RFID chip. The present invention relates to a syringe (1) comprising at least one cylinder (2) and a piston mounted movable inside the cylinder (2) in association with an actuating rod (31), characterized in that the end of the piston rod (31) opposite the cylinder (2) is associated with at least one RFID chip via a housing configured to receive the RFID chip. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Syringe incorporating an RFID chip

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of identification systems for syringe-type injection devices and more particularly to identification devices integrated into a syringe.

[0002] In its use, particularly in the medical field, a syringe undergoes several successive manipulations that often require traceability. Indeed, the various manipulations of the syringe are likely to be carried out by several people. Thus, the storage of the syringe, the filling of its reservoir with an injectable solution, the injection itself, and even its monitoring, can be performed by a chain of successive people: pharmacist, pharmacy technician, nurse, physician, who are sometimes unable to directly communicate certain information related to the injection and the device used.

[0003] Therefore, to overcome this constraint, a syringe identification system was developed. Initially, this identification was done manually on a label affixed to the side of the syringe reservoir. Subsequently, a new type of syringe was developed incorporating an RFID chip. As part of this development, various syringes equipped with RFID chips were proposed, with the identification element integrated into the plunger head. This solution allows the RFID chip to be linked to the syringe by taking advantage of the potential material differences between the various components of the injection mechanism: the plunger head and its elastic cover, which is designed to seal the plunger's movement within the syringe reservoir.However, this solution has the drawback of integrating the RFID chip into a critical area of ​​the syringe. Indeed, when using the injection device in a medical setting, it is essential that the piston head moving inside the syringe reservoir not be subject to contamination. Therefore, positioning an RFID chip in the piston head necessitates integrating the chip into a component of the syringe before assembling all the other elements. Furthermore, if the chip malfunctions, it cannot be replaced without damaging the syringe reservoir.

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a syringe-type injection device that allows for monitoring and traceability of this device through the integration of an RFID chip without impacting the construction of this syringe while allowing for a possible replacement of this RFID chip when it has a defect.

[0005] The invention thus relates to a syringe comprising at least one cylinder and a piston mounted movable inside the cylinder in association with an actuating rod, characterized in that the end of the piston rod opposite the cylinder is associated with at least one RFID chip via a housing configured to receive the RFID chip.

[0006] The invention also relates to a device for manufacturing a syringe according to the invention, characterized in that the manufacturing device comprises: - a loading interface for at least one RFID chip, - a translational insertion mechanism comprising an interface for pushing an RFID chip from the charging interface to the housing of a syringe according to the invention, - a receiving interface for the end structural arrangement of a syringe according to the invention, configured to orient the insertion opening in direction and level with the insertion mechanism.

[0007] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

[0008] [Fig. 1] represents a schematic illustration of an example of a syringe according to the invention suitable for receiving an RFID chip,

[0009] [Fig.2] represents a schematic illustration from a side view of an example of a syringe actuating rod according to the invention incorporating an RFID chip,

[0010] [Fig.3] represents a schematic illustration of an example of a syringe actuating rod according to the invention suitable for receiving an RFID chip,

[0011] [Fig.4] represents a schematic illustration along a section perpendicular to the axis of a syringe actuation rod of an example of positioning an RFID chip,

[0012] [Fig.5] represents a schematic illustration according to a side view of an example of insertion of an RFID chip at the end of a syringe actuation rod.

[0013] The invention relates to a syringe 1 comprising at least one cylinder 2 and a piston 3 movably mounted inside the cylinder 2 in association with an actuating rod 31, characterized in that the end of the piston rod 31 opposite the cylinder 2 is associated with at least one RFID chip 4 via a housing 32 configured to receive the RFID chip 4. The positioning of the RFID chip 4 at the end of the piston 3 facing outwards from the syringe 1 creates an arrangement that facilitates access to the syringe 1 for integrating the chip 4. The integration of the RFID chip 4 into the syringe 1 is thus free from any constraints. related to the position of the piston head 3 when inserted inside cylinder 2. Therefore, the RFID chip 4 is positioned within a dedicated housing 32 on the end of the piston rod 31 either before or after the piston 3 is assembled with cylinder 2. Thus, the RFID chip 4 can be integrated into syringe 1 without affecting the contents of syringe 1 or the inside of cylinder 2, for example, by potential contamination.

[0014] According to an example corresponding to a variant of the construction of the syringe 1 of the invention, the housing 32 includes a complementary surface with at least one surface of the RFID chip 4. This complementarity allows for stabilization of the RFID chip 4 positioned inside the housing 32 at the level of at least one contact surface. According to a preferred embodiment of the housing 32 in the syringe 1 of the invention, it is constructed so as to create a cavity whose internal volume has at least a partial complementarity with the shape of the RFID chip 4. This complementarity is thus capable of limiting the displacement or movement of the RFID chip 4 within the housing 32. While such mobility of the RFID chip 4 within its housing 32 has little impact on the degradation of its operation, it is, however, likely to give the impression of fragility to a user.The complementary shape, which helps to secure the RFID chip 4 in its slot 32, eliminates this feeling of fragility.

[0015] It should be noted that the internal volume of the housing 32 can be made in various configurations: square, rectangular, triangular, circular, disc, particularly flattened or thicker in the shape of a block, conical, etc. Preferably, the shape of the internal volume of the housing 32 is adapted to the external shape of the RFID chip 4. A rounded shape of the RFID chip 4, particularly a circular one such as a disc, is preferred. Indeed, inserting a disc-shaped RFID chip 4 into a housing 32 with at least partially complementary shapes, i.e., with a partially semi-circular arrangement, does not require any particular orientation of the RFID chip 4 to be correctly positioned in the housing 32.

[0016] According to another example corresponding to a variant construction of the syringe 1 of the invention capable of being combined with the variants detailed above, the end of the piston rod 31 comprises a structural arrangement 33 in which the housing 32 for the RFID chip 4 is formed in the thickness and along the axis of the piston rod 31 such that the housing has at least one insertion hole for the RFID chip 4 open towards the end of the piston rod 31 opposite the cylinder 2 of the syringe 1. The integration of the RFID chip 4 is then effected by insertion along an axis substantially parallel, or even coaxial, with the axis of the rod 3 of the piston 31.

[0017] According to another example corresponding to a variant construction of the syringe 1 of the invention forming an alternative to the previous variant, the end of the piston rod 31 comprising at least one pusher surface 331 carried by an end structural arrangement 33 disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the piston rod 31, the housing 32 for the RFID chip 4 is formed within the thickness of the planar structural arrangement 33. According to this variant construction, the integration of the RFID chip 4 into the syringe 1 takes advantage of a structural arrangement of a portion of the syringe 1, in particular the end of the piston rod 31, for the positioning of a housing 32 suitable for receiving an RFID chip 4.In this case, the pusher surface 331 provides an interface at the end of the piston rod 31, where a user, or possibly a mechanized device, applies pressure to move the piston 3 inwards towards the cylinder 2 of the syringe 1 during the injection of the cylinder 2's contents. This pusher surface 331 is conventionally supported by a structural arrangement 33 with sufficient thickness to stiffen the pusher surface 331 and prevent its deformation when pressure is applied. The housing 32 for the RFID chip 4 is formed within the thickness of this end structural arrangement 33. This positioning allows for the use of a sufficiently large structural portion of the syringe rod 3 to accommodate the housing 32.The rigidity of this end structural arrangement 33 also contributes to the protection of the RFID chip 4 in position inside the housing 32. The structural arrangement 33 thus creates a protective shell for the RFID chip 4.

[0018] According to an example corresponding to a particular variant of the previous construction variant, the housing 32 includes at least one insertion opening 321 positioned at the level of at least a peripheral portion of the structural arrangement 33 at the end of the rod 31. The housing 32 having a substantially planar arrangement oriented perpendicularly to the axis of the rod 31 of the piston 3, an opening 321 positioned at the level of the peripheral surface of the structural arrangement 33 allows insertion of the RFID chip 4 along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the rod 31 of the piston 3.Also, the opening 321 is positioned at a surface of the structural arrangement 33 at the end of the rod 31 that is different from the pusher surface 331, so that the RFID chip 4 is protected against any parasitic interaction when pressure is exerted by a user, or possibly a mechanized device, against the pusher surface 331 of the syringe 1. The risk of damage to the RFID chip 4 by a user or. A mechanized device operating through the insertion opening 321 during the injection operation is thus restricted. According to one construction example, the insertion opening 321 has a slot shape adapted to a flattened RFID chip 4.

[0019] According to an example corresponding to a specific variant of the preceding particular variant, the insertion opening 321 comprises at least a portion of its peripheral edge that carries a flexible lip 322. This lip 322 may be positioned at a single portion of the edge of the opening 321. However, preferably, the edge of the opening 321 comprises at least two portions arranged opposite each other, on either side of the insertion opening 321. This lip 322 or this pair of flexible lips 322 is thus likely to be deformed during insertion of the RFID chip 4 into the housing 32, during which the edge of the RFID chip 4 presses against the edge of the insertion opening 321.Thus, initially, this lip 322 or this pair of flexible lips 322 is positioned away from the center of the insertion opening 321 and then, once the RFID chip 4 is inserted into the housing 32, returns, at least partially, to position.

[0020] According to an example corresponding to another specific variant of the preceding particular variant and capable of being combined with the specific variant detailed above, in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod 31 of the piston 3, the insertion opening 321 has a dimension smaller than the largest dimension of the RFID chip 4 in that same plane. Thus, the insertion of the RFID chip 4 into the housing 32 is carried out by force, so that the edges of the RFID chip 4 come into contact with and exert pressure against opposite portions of the edge of the insertion opening 321.Also, when the edge of the insertion opening 321 includes one or more lips 322, the RFID chip 4 being inserted into the slot 32 exerts pressure against the lips 322 of the edge of the insertion opening 321, causing them to separate. Then, once the RFID chip 4 is inside the slot 32, the lips 322 return to position, at least partially, towards the center of the insertion opening 321. Furthermore, this flexible lip 322, or pair of flexible lips 322, in combination with a sizing of the insertion opening 321 smaller than the largest dimension of the RFID chip 4, can also provide an elastic means capable of retaining the RFID chip 4 inside the slot 32.Returning to position towards the center of the insertion opening 321, the lip 322 or the pair of lips 322 partially partitions the opening 321 of the housing 32 and may also, in a complementary or alternative manner, pinch the RFID chip 4 by pressing against at least one of the edges of the RFID chip 4 to hold this RFID chip 4 in place inside the housing 32. The insertion and retention of the RFID chip 4 inside the housing 32 by the lip. 322 or the pair of lips 322 is thus similar to a clipping mechanism for the RFID chip 4 inside the housing 32.

[0021] According to another example corresponding to a variant of the construction of the syringe 1 of the invention which can be combined with either of the variants detailed above, the housing 32 includes a second opening positioned at the level of at least a peripheral portion of the structural arrangement 33 at the end of the rod 31 and opposite to the insertion opening 321 inside the housing 32. This second opening is configured to allow the insertion through it of an extraction element, so that the extraction element is able to press against a surface of the RFID chip 4 inside the housing 32 so that the RFID chip 4 is ejected from the housing 32 at the level of the insertion opening 321 and in a direction opposite to that of the insertion of the RFID chip 4 into the housing 32.

[0022] According to another example corresponding to a variant construction of the syringe 1 of the invention that can be combined with either of the variants detailed above, the housing 32 comprises at least two internal surfaces 323, 324 arranged in planes substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod 31 of the piston 3 and inclined relative to each other. According to this particular feature, the housing 32 has two opposing internal surfaces 323, 324 inclined relative to each other. According to a first example, this inclination of the surfaces 323, 324 thus creates an angle that can be oriented so as to be open towards the insertion opening 321 of the housing 32.Also, when the smallest distance between these two inner surfaces 323, 324 is less than the thickness of the RFID chip 4, an insertion of the RFID chip 4 inside the housing 32 allows the RFID chip 4 to be pinched between these two opposite inclined faces 323, 324. Since the insertion direction of the RFID chip 4 is substantially the same as the orientation of the two inclined inner surfaces 323, 324 as they approach each other, the RFID chip 4 inserted into the housing 32 is thus likely to be wedged between the two opposing surfaces 323, 324 of the housing 32. According to an alternative construction to the previous example, the inclination between the two inner surfaces 323, 324 forms an angle oriented so as to be closed in the direction and near the insertion opening 321 of the housing 32. Also, when the smallest distance between the two inner surfaces 323, 324 is less than the thickness of the RFID chip 4, the RFID chip 4 can be inserted through the insertion opening 321 of the housing 32 by taking advantage of the elasticity of the material of the end structural arrangement 33.The RFID chip 4 inserted through the insertion opening 321 rubs and deforms the two opposite faces 323, 324. inclined, so that the inclination of the opposite faces 323, 324 of the housing 32 pushes the RFID chip 4 towards the inside of the housing 32 to hold it there.

[0023] The invention also relates to a device for manufacturing 5 a syringe 1 according to the invention, characterized in that the manufacturing device 5 comprises: - a loading interface 51 for at least one RFID chip 4, - a translational insertion mechanism 52 comprising an interface of pushing 521 of an RFID chip 4 from the charging interface 51 to the housing 32 of a syringe 1 according to the invention, - a receiving interface 53 of the structural arrangement 33 of the end of a syringe 1 according to the invention, configured to orient the insertion opening 321 in direction and level with the insertion mechanism 52.

[0024] The loading interface 51 of the manufacturing device 5 provides a storage volume for several RFID chips 4 intended to be integrated into respective syringes 1. These syringes 1 are successively positioned at the receiving interface 53, opposite the loading interface 51 of the RFID chips 4, so that the translational insertion mechanism 52 moves an RFID chip 4 into the housing 32 of the structural arrangement 33 at the end of the syringe 1.

[0025] According to an example corresponding to an alternative construction of the manufacturing device 5 of the invention, the loading interface 51 is configured to receive at least two stacked RFID chips 4, the push interface 521 of the insertion mechanism 52 being configured to pass through the loading interface 51 at the position of the RFID chip 4 intended to be inserted. Thus, according to this example of construction, the RFID chips 4 are stacked inside the loading interface 51, so that the manufacturing device 5 integrates the RFID chip 4 positioned at the lower level of the stack into the dedicated housing 32 of a syringe 1.The loading interface 51 includes a pair of openings positioned on either side of the loading interface 51 at its lower end, such that these two openings can be traversed by the push interface 521 of the insertion mechanism 52 along an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the stack of RFID chips 4 superimposed inside the loading interface 51. These openings have profiles similar, on the one hand, to that of the cross-section of the push interface 521 and, on the other hand, to a cross-section of an RFID chip 4. The height of these openings is therefore greater than the height of an RFID chip 4 and at least less than the height of two superimposed RFID chips 4. Thus, the translation of the push interface 521 through the loading interface 51 causes a displacement of the RFID chip 4 positioned at the lower level of the stack.This translation of the push interface 521 ejects the RFID chip 4 from the interface. loading interface 51 directs the RFID chip 4 towards the insertion opening 321 of the housing 32 in the end structural arrangement 33 of the syringe 1, which is positioned at the receiving interface 53. The receiving interface 53 of a syringe 1 is thus configured to position the housing 32 carried by the syringe 1 so that it is level with the push interface 521 of the insertion mechanism 52. Once the RFID chip 4 is integrated into the syringe 1, the push interface 521 returns to position and exits the loading interface 51, so that the stack of RFID chips 4 is shifted downwards by gravity to occupy the position left vacant by the newly integrated RFID chip 4 in a syringe 1.

[0026] It should be noted that, preferably, the end of the push interface 521 intended to interact with an edge of the RFID chip 4 has a shape substantially complementary to the edge of the RFID chip 4. Ideally, the end of the push interface 521 has a concavity configured to house at least part of the RFID chip 4, so that, during the translation of the push interface 521, the RFID chip 4 is kept associated with the push interface 521 and maintains its displacement in the housing 32 in the structural arrangement 33 of the end of the syringe 1.

[0027] It should also be noted that the stroke of the displacement of the end of the push interface 521 stops preferentially at the level of, or even near, the insertion orifice 321 of the housing 32 carried by the syringe 1. According to a particular embodiment, the end of the push interface 521 ends its stroke inside a part of the housing 32 carried by the syringe 1, so as to ensure optimal insertion, possibly by force, of the RFID chip 4 inside the dedicated housing 32.

[0028] According to another example corresponding to a variant construction of the manufacturing device 5 of the invention that can be combined with the variant detailed above, the manufacturing device 5 also includes a unit for writing data to the inserted RFID chip 4. Depending on the variant of the positioning of the writing unit in the manufacturing device 5, this writing operation can be performed upstream or downstream of the integration of the RFID chip 4 into a syringe 1.

[0029] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, particularly with regard to the composition of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Syringe (1) comprising at least one cylinder (2) and a piston (3) movably mounted inside the cylinder (2) in association with an actuating rod (31), characterized in that the end of the rod (31) of the piston (3) opposite the cylinder (2) is associated with at least one RFID chip (4), this end of the rod (31) comprising at least one pusher surface (331) carried by an end structural arrangement (33) disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod (31) of the piston (3), the thickness of the planar structural arrangement (33) comprising a housing (32) configured to receive the RFID chip (4), this housing (32) comprising at least two inner surfaces (323, 324) disposed in planes substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod (31) of the piston (3) and having an inclination between them.

2. Syringe (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (32) comprises at least one insertion opening (321) positioned at the level of at least one peripheral portion of the structural arrangement (33) at the end of the stem (3).

3. Syringe (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the insertion opening (321) comprises at least a portion of its peripheral edge which carries a flexible lip (322).

4. Syringe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rod (31) of the piston (3), the insertion opening (321) has a dimension smaller than the largest dimension of the RFID chip (4) in that same plane.

5. Syringe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (32) comprises a surface complementarity with at least one surface of the RFID chip (4).

6. A device for manufacturing (5) a syringe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manufacturing device (5) comprises: - a loading interface (51) for at least one RFID chip (4), - a translational insertion mechanism (52) comprising a push interface (521) for pushing an RFID chip (4) from the loading interface (51) into the housing (32) of a syringe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, - a receiving interface (53) of the end structural arrangement (33) of a syringe (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, configured to orient the insertion opening (321) in direction and level with the insertion mechanism (52).

7. Manufacturing device according to claim 6, characterized in that the loading interface (51) is configured to receive at least two superimposed RFID chips (4), the push interface (521) of the insertion mechanism (52) being configured to pass through the loading interface (51) at the position of the RFID chip (4) intended to be inserted.

8. Manufacturing device according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the manufacturing device (5) also includes a data writing unit on the inserted RFID chip (4).

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