Improvements in or relating to syringe guides for medicament containers

Abstract

A syringe guide 10 comprises a guide body 26 having an axially extending guide cavity for receiving a syringe 30 and a primary retaining formation 46. The primary retaining formation cooperates with a

Description

This invention relates to a syringe guide for a medicament container, and to injection and guide assemblies including such a syringe guide. Syringes permit the compounding, transport, and administration of substances, principally medicaments. Such compounding typically involves drawing a medicament into the syringe from a medicament container, e.g. a medicine vial, that has an open end that is fluidly sealed by a septum, and from which depends a retaining lip. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a syringe guide, for a medicament container having an open end fluidly sealed by a container septum and from which depends a retaining lip, the syringe guide comprising a guide body having: an axially extending guide cavity configured to receive a syringe; and a primary retaining formation configured to in use cooperate with the retaining lip of a medicament container to arrange the open end of the said medicament container in communication with the guide cavity and removably secure the syringe guide to the medicament container, the primary retaining formation having at least one radially extending opening through which a medicament container is insertable in a radially inward direction to in use achieve said cooperation of the primary retaining formation with the retaining lip. The inclusion of an axially extending guide cavity that is configured to receive a syringe avoids the need for the syringe guide to include any sort of container septum puncturing element since, in use, the needle of a syringe received within the guide cavity (and suitably positioned, in use, relative to the open end of a medicament container by virtue of the guide cavity being arranged in communication with such a said open end) is capable of puncturing the container septum of a medicament container removably secured to the syringe guide. Additionally, the absence of a septum puncturing element on or in the syringe guide further permits the radially inward insertion of a medicament container into the primary retaining formation because there is no sharp puncturing element on the syringe guide to obstruct such insertion. Such an axially extending guide cavity similarly avoids the need for the syringe guide to include any sort of sealing element to sealingly abut the container septum of a medicament container since, in use, a syringe received within the cavity is able to achieve sealing engagement with the medicament container septum, e.g. via the syringe needle thereof and / or a syringe septum element. Meanwhile, providing the syringe guide with a primary retaining formation that has at least one radially extending opening through which a medicament container is insertable in a radially inward direction (to, in use, achieve said cooperation of the primary retaining formation with the retaining lip of a medicament container, and thereby arrange the open end of such a medicament container in communication with the guide cavity and removably secure the syringe guide to the medicament container) is particularly advantageous because it: - allows one-handed securing of the syringe guide to a corresponding medicament container which is very useful in a busy clinical or other medical setting; - requires less application force than, e.g. driving a resiliently deformable annular member in an axial direction over the perimeter of an open end of a medicament container, and so is less likely to result in damage to one or both of the syringe guide and an associated medicament container, or misalignment of these elements; and - has a reduced sensitivity, e.g. compared to a resiliently deformable annular member, to variations in the manufacturing and / or assembly tolerances associated with the position and size of the retaining lip of a medicament container, and so helps to ensure more reliable removable securing of the syringe guide to an associated medicament container. Preferably the guide cavity extends from a proximal end of the guide body to a distal end of the guide body defined by an abutment face arranged to in use abut the open end of a medicament container, and the primary retaining formation cooperates with the retaining lip of the said medicament container to urge the abutment face into abutment with the open end of the said medicament container. The inclusion of such an abutment face and the urging, in use, of the abutment face into abutment with the open end of a given medicament container desirably helps to establish a friction fit between the syringe guide and the medicament container, and thereby assists in achieving the removable securing of the syringe guide and medicament container to one another. Optionally the primary retaining formation is spaced from the abutment face in a distal axial direction. Spacing the primary retaining formation in this manner beneficially assists the syringe guide to accommodate the open end and retaining lip of a medicament container. The primary retaining formation may be selectively separable from the guide body. Such a feature permits the removal of one primary retaining formation and its replacement with another primary retaining formation which may have a different shape and configuration. In this manner, a user of the syringe guide has the option of selecting a given primary retaining formation, e.g. in light of it being shaped and configured to cooperate with a particular size and shape of medicament container. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the primary retention formation is integrally formed with a separable portion of the distal end of the guide body which defines the abutment face, and the primary retaining formation and the said separable distal end portion of the guide body are together selectively separable from the guide body. Having a primary retention formation that is integrally formed with a separable distal end portion of the guide body, as mentioned, provides the aforementioned customisation of the syringe guide according to the size and shape of a given medicament container, while additionally ensuring the correct relative positioning of the primary retention formation and the abutment face, so as to in use ensure a desirable and necessary degree of abutment of a given medicament container with the abutment face, and thus reliable and readily repeatable securing of a said medicament container to the syringe guide. Preferably the abutment face extends radially relative to the guide cavity. Having an abutment face which extends radially relative to the guide cavity, i.e. perpendicularly to the guide cavity, helps to ensure that, in use, a syringe received within the guide cavity remains substantially perpendicular to the open end and associated container septum seal of a medicament container. This, in turn, avoids angular movement of the syringe relative to the medicament container, and thereby helps to prevent bending or misalignment of the syringe needle. The abutment face may include a recess formation configured to, in use, receive the open end of a medicament container. Including such a recess formation provides a user of the syringe guide with positive feedback when, in use, the syringe guide is correctly secured to a medicament container. Additionally, it assists, in use, in further generating a friction fit between the abutment face of the guide body and the open end of a medicament container, and so reduces to an even greater extent the likelihood of the medicament container and the syringe guide unintentionally separating from one another. Optionally the recess formation is configured to, in use, axially align the open end of a medicament container with a reference datum of the guide body. Having a recess formation, so configured, in the abutment face ensures that a desirable portion of the open end of a medicament container is advantageously axially aligned with the reference datum of the guide body, which thereby helps to ensure that a correct area of an associated container sealing septum can be punctured, when needed, e.g. by a needle of a syringe received in the guide body of the syringe guide. This, in turn, helps to avoid such a syringe needle undesirably colliding with an interior surface of a medicament container, which might otherwise damage the syringe needle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the distal end of the guide body includes a radially extending abutment flange which defines the abutment face. Including such an abutment flange provides the abutment face with a greater cross-sectional area than, e.g. the remainder of the guide body, and thereby gives rise to a larger area against which the open end of a medicament container is, in use, able to abut to both improve securing of the syringe guide to the said medicament container and further resist relative movement between the syringe guide and the medicament container. Preferably the syringe guide includes a least one web extending between the guide body and the abutment flange. The inclusion of at least one such web helps to define a grip formation on the syringe guide against which a user can, in use, leverage insertion of a medicament container through the radially extending opening of the retention formation to removably secure the syringe guide to the said medicament container. Additionally, such a grip formation can similarly be used to cause rotation of the syringe guide relative to a syringe received therewithin, in circumstances where such rotation is desirable to extend the functionality of the syringe. Optionally the guide body includes opposed first and second retaining arms that define the primary retaining formation. Such opposed first and second retaining arms cooperate with opposed portions of the retaining lip of a medicament container, and so help to avoid angular movement of the syringe guide relative to the medicament container. The first and second retaining arms may together form a radially extending retaining flange. Including such a retaining flange provides the primary retaining formation with a large retaining face that is cooperable with the retaining lip of a medicament container which, in use, further improves the reliability of the removeable securing of the syringe guide to such a medicament container. Preferably the guide body further includes a separable adapter member to selectively modify the shape and configuration of the retaining flange. Such an adapter therefore beneficially allows for customisation of the retaining flange for use with a particular size and shape of medicament container, other than the size and shape of medicament container the retaining flange was originally intended for use with. Each retaining arm may include at least one complementary secondary retaining formation arranged along with the complementary secondary retaining formation of the other retaining arm to define a secondary retaining formation pair which in use cooperates with a neck of a medicament container lying inboard of its retaining lip to selectively inhibit radially outward movement of the medicament container through the radially extending opening in the primary retaining formation. Having at least one such secondaiy retaining formation pair, configured in such a manner, desirably helps to further removably secure the syringe guide to a medicament container by selectively, i.e. until a user desires, inhibiting movement (e.g. in a radially outward direction) of the open end of a medicament container out of abutment with the primary retaining formation of the syringe guide. In another preferred embodiment of the invention the spacing between the complementary secondary retaining formations in the or each secondary retaining formation pair defines a minor arc of a circle. Including one or more such secondary retaining formation pairs allows each, in use, to sit around the neck of a medicament container while the portions of the complementary secondary retaining formations in each pair extend beyond the diameter of the medicament container neck to selectively retain the neck within the secondary retaining formation. Optionally the radially extending opening of the primary retaining formation is arranged in communication with the or each secondary retaining formation pair. Arranging the radially extending opening in communication with the or each secondary retaining formation pair desirably allows: (I) movement of a medicament container radially inward through the radially extending opening (to move the open end of a medicament container into abutment with the abutment face of the syringe guide of the invention, and thereby achieve removable securing of the syringe guide to the medicament container via cooperation of the syringe guide's primary retaining formation with the retaining lip of the medicament container); (ii) retention of the syringe guide and medicament container in said relative positions; and (ill) selective movement of the medicament container radially outward through the radially extending opening (to move the open end of the medicament container out of abutment with the abutment face of the syringe guide of the invention and the retaining lip of the medicament container out of cooperation with the primary retaining formation of the syringe guide, to thereby separate the syringe guide and medicament container from one another). Preferably the guide cavity is configured to; in use, axially align a syringe needle of a syringe received therewithin with a reference datum of the guide body. Having a guide cavity configured in such a manner helps, in use, to ensure correct axial alignment of the syringe needle with the open end and associated sealing septum of a medicament container, and thus reduces the likelihood of incorrect puncturing of the container septum. In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the guide cavity includes one or more resiliently biased alignment members to, in use, urge a syringe received therewithin into axial alignment with the reference datum. The inclusion of one or more resiliently biased alignment members allows use of the syringe guide with syringes of differing sizes, e.g. differing diameters, while still achieving desirable axial alignment of the syringe needle thereof with the guide body's reference datum, and thus reliable and repeatable correct puncturing, in use, of the septum of an associated medicament container. At least a portion of the guide cavity may have a keyed internal cross-sectional formation. Providing at least a portion of the interior of the guide cavity with a keyed internal cross-sectional formation is advantageous because it permits cooperation with a suitably configured syringe, e.g, one having a complementary keyed shield assembly arranged to selectively shroud the syringe needle, to affect arrangement of the shield assembly relative to the remainder of the syringe in different operational states. Preferably the guide cavity includes a lock formation configured to, in use, cooperate with a syringe received therewithin to retain the syringe within the guide cavity. Such a feature helps to avoid, in use, inadvertent separation of a syringe from the syringe guide, and thus reduces the risk of needle stick injuries and the like. Optionally the lock formation is moveable between a locked position and an open position to permit, in use, selective separation of a syringe from the syringe guide. Selective separation of a syringe from the syringe guide is beneficial in some instances as it allows use, e.g. of a second syringe with the same medicament container that might already be removably secured to the syringe guide, to allow further administration of the medicament with the medicament container. In another preferred embodiment of the invention the lock formation and the keyed internal cross-sectional formation are arranged relative to one another whereby, in use, movement of the lock formation into the open position is possible only when an associated syringe is in a transport state. Limiting movement of the lock formation into an open position only when an associated syringe is in a transport state, i.e. only when a shield assembly envelops the syringe needle and movement of the shield assembly in an axial direction relative to the syringe is inhibited to prevent exposure of the syringe needle beyond the shield assembly, is advantageous because it permits separation of the syringe from the syringe guide only when the syringe's needle is safely shrouded, and thus only when the needle is unable to injure a user. The guide body may further include a sidewall opening via which an interior of the guide cavity may be viewed. An ability to view an interior of the guide cavity is desirable because it additionally allows, in use, viewing of a syringe received within the guide cavity, and thus can help a user correctly draw a desired amount of medicament into the syringe. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an injection assembly comprising a syringe guide as described hereinabove having a syringe received within the guide cavity thereof. The injection assembly shares the benefits commensurate with the corresponding features of the syringe guide of the invention. Preferably the syringe has a shield assembly moveably coupled therewith to selectively expose and shroud the syringe needle. The inclusion of such a shield assembly and the associated ability to selectively shield the syringe needle is beneficial because it helps prevent needle stick injuries to a user, as well as exposure to any potentially toxic medicament that might be held within the syringe. At least a portion of the shield assembly may define a complementary lock formation configured to cooperate with the lock formation of the syringe guide to selectively retain the syringe within the guide cavity of the syringe guide. Such a feature desirably permits selective securing of the syringe guide and a given syringe to one another. Optionally at least a portion of the shield assembly has a keyed external cross-sectional formation complimentary to the keyed internal cross-sectional formation of at least a portion of the guide cavity of the syringe guide. The inclusion of such a complementary keyed external cross-sectional formation on the shield assembly advantageously ensures that movement of the syringe guide relative to the syringe, e.g. relative axial rotation of the syringe guide relative to the syringe, causes corresponding movement of the shield assembly relative to the remainder of the syringe, i.e. relative to the syringe body. Moreover, such relative movement of the shield assembly relative to the syringe body is beneficial because it allows the syringe to be moved into different operational states, and in particular, into a shrouded, transport state in which movement of the shield assembly relative to the syringe body is not possible in either a proximal or distal axial direction, i.e. the shield assembly temporarily prevents exposure of the syringe needle. Optionally the syringe has a syringe body with an actuator formation configured to move the lock formation of the syringe guide into its open position. Providing a syringe body with such an actuator formation advantageously couples operation of the lock formation, i.e. movement of the lock formation into its open position, to the syringe, and thus permits opening of the lock formation by positioning of the syringe relative to the syringe guide. Preferably the syringe and the syringe guide are configured relative to one another so that the actuator formation on the syringe body causes opening of the lock formation of the syringe guide only when the shield assembly is arranged relative to the syringe body so that the syringe adopts a transport state. Such an arrangement advantageously limits movement of the lock formation into an open position only when the associated syringe is in a safe, transport state, and thus permits separation of the syringe from the syringe guide only when the syringe's needle is shrouded, and thus only when the needle is unable to injure a user. The injection assembly may additionally have a medicament container removably secured to the syringe guide thereof. Such an arrangement additionally brings the benefits of the invention to a complete assembly ready for use to draw a medicament from the medicament container. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an injection kit comprising an injection assembly as described hereinabove together with one or more additional, separate primary retaining formations. Such a kit allows a user to select a given primary retaining formation, e.g. in light of it being shaped and configured to cooperate with a particular size and shape of medicament container, and thereafter to use that given primary retaining formation with the associated guide body of the syringe guide. The or each additional, separate primary retaining formation may be integrally formed with a separate portion of a distal end of a guide body which defines an abutment face. Such a kit additionally ensures the correct relative positioning of the primary retention formation and the abutment face, so as to in use ensure a desirable and necessary degree of abutment of a given medicament container with the abutment face, and thus reliable and readily repeatable securing of a said medicament container to the syringe guide. According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a guide assembly comprising a syringe guide as described hereinabove removably secured to a medicament container. The guide assembly shares the benefits commensurate with the corresponding features of the syringe guide of the invention. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, and the claims and / or the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and ail features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. There now follows a brief description of preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference being made to the following figures in which: Figure 1 shows a first isometric view of a first syringe guide according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a second isometric view of the syringe guide shown in Figure 1; Figure 3(a) shows a plan view from a distal end of the syringe guide shown in Figure 1; Figure 3(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the syringe guide through Section A-A illustrated in Figure 3(a); Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a first guide assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention including a syringe guide as shown in Figure 1 and a medicament container; Figure 5 shows the guide assembly of Figure 4 with the medicament container removably secured to the syringe guide thereof; Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view through the guide assembly shown in Figure 5; Figure 7(a) shows an isometric view of a first injection assembly according to a third embodiment of the invention including a syringe guide as shown in Figure 1 and a syringe received therewithin; Figure 7(b) shows an elevational view of the syringe which forms a part of the injection assembly shown in Figure 7(a); Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view through the injection assembly shown in Figure 7(a); Figure 9(a) shows the injection assembly shown in Figure 7(a) with a medicament container removably secured to the syringe guide thereof; Figure 9(b) show a cross-sectional view through the arrangement shown in Figure 9(a); Figure 10(a) shows a cross-sectional view of the Figure 9(a) arrangement with the syringe in a compounding state; Figure 10(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the Figure 9(a) arrangement following the drawing of a medicament into the syringe; Figure 10(c) shows an enlarged portion of the Figure 9(a) arrangement following the drawing of the medicament into the syringe; Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the Figure 9(a) arrangement with the syringe in a ready state; Figure 12(a) shows an enlarged view of a portion of the Figure 9(a) arrangement with the syringe in the ready state, and the syringe guide and the syringe in a first primary configuration relative to one another; Figure 12(b) shows an enlarged view of a portion of the Figure 9(a) arrangement with the syringe guide and the syringe in an interim primary configuration relative to one another; Figure 12(c) shows an enlarged view of a portion of the Figure 9(a) arrangement with the syringe guide and the syringe in a second primary configuration relative to one another; Figure 12(d) shows the Figure 12(c) arrangement with the syringe partially withdrawn from the syringe guide; Figure 12(e) shows the Figure 12(c) arrangement with the syringe completely separated from the syringe guide Figure 13 shows a second injection assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the invention including a second syringe guide according to a fifth embodiment of the invention; Figure 14 shows a portion of a third injection assembly according to a sixth embodiment of the invention including a third syringe guide according to a seventh embodiment of the invention; Figure 15(a) shows a second guide assembly according to an eighth embodiment of the invention including a fourth syringe guide according to a ninth embodiment of the invention; Figures 15(b) and 15(c) show a second unitary separable body portion which forms a part of the fourth syringe guide shown in Figure 15(a); and Figure 15(d) shows a third guide assembly according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention including a fifth syringe guide according to a tenth embodiment of the invention, A first syringe guide 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 10, as shown for example in Figures 1 and 2. The first syringe guide 10 is configured for use with a medicament container 12, e.g. as shown in Figures 4 to 6, The medicament container 12 has an open end 14 that is fluidly sealed by a container septum 16. Additionally, a retaining lip 18, which in the example medicament container 12 shown is an annular lip 20, depends from the open end 14. Typically, the container septum 14 is secured across the open end 14 of the medicament container 12 in a fluid-tight manner by an annular cap 22, and in particular an annular swage cap, although this need not be the case and other closure and sealing arrangements are possible. The example medicament container 12 also has a neck 24 which is spaced inboard of the retaining lip 18. Such medicament containers come in a range of standard sizes and are also known a medicine vials. Fluid containers having similar open end, container septum, and retaining lip features, but which might not necessarily be used to store a medicament, are also possible, and the syringe guide 10 of the invention may also be used with these such containers. Returning to the syringe guide 10 of the invention, it comprises a guide body 26 which has an axially extending guide cavity 28 that is configured to receive a syringe 30, e.g. as shown in Figures 7(a) and 8. In the embodiment shown, the guide cavity 28 extends from a proximal end 32 of the guide body 26 to a distal end 34 of the guide body 26 which is defined by an abutment face 36 that is arranged to, in use, abut the open end 14 of a medicament container 12, e.g. a best shown in Figure 6. In other embodiments, however, the guide cavity may be configured differently. The abutment face 36 extends radially relative to the guide cavity 28, i.e. extends in a radially outward direction Rout that is perpendicular to a centrally located, axially extending longitudinal axis Along of the guide cavity 28. Additionally, the abutment face 36 includes a recess formation 38 that is configured to, in use, receive the open end 14 of a medicament container 12. Furthermore, the recess formation 38 is configured to, in use, axially align the open end 14 of the said medicament container 12 with a reference datum 40 of the guide body 26 which, in the embodiment shown, coincides with the centrally located, axially extending longitudinal axis Al of the guide cavity 28, although this need not necessarily be the case. In this context, axially aligning the open end 14 of the said medicament container 12 with the reference datum 40 means aligning the centre of the circular open end 14 of the medicament container 12 with the reference datum 40, although other relative arrangements of medicament container 12 and syringe guide 10 are also possible. In addition to the foregoing, the guide body 26 also includes a radially extending, i.e. extending in a radially outward direction Rout, abutment flange 42 which defines the abutment face 36. In the embodiment shown the abutment flange 42 has an elliptical shape with a major axis Amajor and a minor axis Aminor, although other shapes of abutment flange 42 are also possible. Four webs 44 extend between the guide body 26 and the abutment flange 42, to strengthen the abutment flange 42, although other embodiments of the syringe guide may include fewer than or more than four such webs. The guide body 26 still further includes a primary retaining formation 46 that, preferably, is spaced from the abutment face 36, i.e. from the abutment flange 42, in a distal axial direction Ad. The primary retaining formation 46 is configured to, in use, cooperate with the retaining lip 18 of a medicament container 12 to arrange the open end 14 of the said medicament container 12 in communication with the guide cavity 28, and to urge the abutment face 36 into abutment with the open end 14 of the said medicament container 12 and thereby removably secure the syringe guide 10 to the said medicament container 12, e.g. as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. More particularly, the guide body 26 includes opposed first and second retaining arms 45a, 45b that define the primary retaining formation 46, and together form a radially extending retaining flange 48. Additionally, the primary retaining formation 46, i.e, opposed first and second retaining arms 45a, 45b of the retaining flange 48, has a radially extending opening 50 through which the said medicament container 12 (and more particularly in the embodiment shown, the neck 24 of the said medicament container 12) is insertable in a radially inward direction Rin, to thereby achieve, in use, the aforementioned cooperation of the primary retaining formation 46, i.e. the retaining flange 48, with the retaining lip 18, i.e. the annular lip 20 of a medicament container 12, and thereby the removable securing of the syringe guide 10 to the said medicament container 12, e.g. as shown in Figure 5 and 6. A syringe guide 10 having such a medicament container 12 removably secured thereto, i.e. as shown in Figures 5 and 6, defines a first guide assembly 140 according to a second embodiment of the invention. Meanwhile, returning to the syringe guide 10 alone, each of the first and second retaining arms 45a, 45b also includes a first complementary secondary retaining formation 51a, 51b which is arranged along with the complementary secondary retaining formation of the other retaining arm 45a, 45b to define a first secondary retaining formation pair 52. In use, cooperates with the neck 24 of the said medicament container 12 to selectively inhibit radially outward movement Rout of the medicament container 12 through the radially extending opening 50 in the primary retaining formation 46. In the embodiment shown, the spacing between the complementary secondary retaining formations 51a, 51b in the first secondary retaining formation pair 52 defines a minor arc 54 of a circle, i.e. an arc extending less than halfway around the circumference of a circle, although other shapes are also possible. Additionally, the primary retaining formation 46 and the secondary retaining formation pair 52 are arranged in communication with one another so as to permit the aforementioned radially inward Rin and radially outward Rout movement of a medicament container 12 relative to the syringe guide 10 of the invention, and thus the removable securing of the syringe guide 10 to (and selective separation from) such a medicament container 12. In addition to the foregoing, the guide cavity 28 is also configured to, in use, axially align a syringe needle 56 of a syringe 30 received within the guide cavity 28 with the aforementioned reference datum 40 of the guide body 26, i.e. with the centrally located, axially extending longitudinal axis Along of the guide cavity 28, e.g. as best shown in Figures 8 and 9(b). In the embodiment shown, such axial alignment of a syringe needle 56 with the reference datum 40 is achieved merely by the shape and configuration of the guide cavity 28, and is assisted by the inclusion of an internal frustoconical section 72 within the guide cavity 28 which additionally acts as a stop to limit further insertion of a syringe 30 received within the guide cavity 28. In other embodiments, however, the guide cavity may include one or more resiliently biased members, e.g. sprung arms or the like, to, in use, urge a syringe received therein, i.e. the syringe needle of a syringe received therein, into axial alignment with the reference datum. As best shown in Figure 2, a portion of the guide cavity 28 also has a keyed internal cross-sectional formation 58, which preferably is substantially hexagonal, although other cross-sectional shapes are also possible. Additionally, the guide cavity 28 includes a lock formation 60, which is also best shown in Figure 2. The lock formation 60 is configured to, in use, cooperate with a syringe 30 received therewithin to retain the syringe 30 within the guide cavity 28, as is described in more detail below. The lock formation 60 is also moveable between a locked position (as shown in Figure 2, and into which it preferably is biased) and an open position (as illustrated schematically in Figure 12(c)) in which, in use, the syringe 30 can be separated from the syringe guide 10. The lock formation 60 may, as shown, be a resiliency biased tine or finger 62 with a protrusion 64 that cooperates with a complementary lock formation 112 (e.g. as best shown in Figures 7(b), 12(d) and 12(e)) on a syringe 30 to achieve such retention of the syringe 30 within the guide cavity 28. Other types of lock formation are also possible, however. In any event, as is described in more detail below, the lock formation 60 and the keyed internal cross-sectional formation 58 are arranged relative to one another so that, in use, movement of the lock formation 60 into the open position is possible only when a syringe 30 received within the guide cavity 28 is in a transport state, i.e, is in state in which the syringe needle 56 is shrouded and cannot be readily moved into an exposed position, as described in more detail below. Meanwhile, the first embodiment syringe guide 10 shown still further has a guide body 26 which includes a sidewall opening 66 via which an interior of the guide cavity 28 may be viewed (and thus also the internal medicament chamber 68 of an associated syringe 30 when received therein, e.g. as best shown in Figure 10(c)). In the embodiment shown, the sidewall opening 66 takes the form of a slot 70 extending in a proximal axial direction Ap along the guide body 26 from its distal end 32, although other types, shapes and configurations of sidewall opening are also possible. A first injection assembly according to a third embodiment of the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 80, e.g. as shown in Figure 7(a). The first injection assembly 80 includes a syringe guide 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention described hereinabove, along with a syringe 30 which is received and, in the injection assembly 80 shown, selectively retained, within the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10. The syringe 30 has an elongate, hollow syringe body 82 within which a plunger 84 is slidably received to define a medicament chamber 68, as shown in Figure 8 for example. The size of the medicament chamber 68, and hence the amount of a medicament (not shown), i.e. a drug, medicine or other substance that has a physiological effect when introduced to a human body, stored therein, varies depending upon the degree of insertion of the plunger 84 within the syringe body 82. This degree of insertion of the plunger 84 can be varied by a user of the injection assembly 80, e.g. a medical operative or other healthcare professional, by selectively inserting the plunger 84 into the syringe body 82 or withdrawing the plunger 84 within the syringe body 82 in a substantially conventional manner. The syringe 30 also includes a needle assembly 88 which has a needle assembly body 90 to which a hypodermic needle 56 is fixedly secured, e.g. by welding or other securing arrangement in a distal portion 94 of the needle assembly body 90. The needle assembly body 90 is coupled, more particularly moveably coupled, with the syringe body 82. In any event, coupling of the needle assembly body 90 with the syringe body 82 retains an interior conduit 96 of the needle 56 in fluid communication with the medicament chamber 68. In addition to the foregoing, the syringe 30 further includes a shield assembly 98, e.g. as best shown in Figure 7(b), which includes an elongate, hollow, shield assembly body 100. The shield assembly 98 further includes a seal formation 102, that is fixedly secured to a distal end 104 of the shield assembly body 100. The seal formation 102 includes a seal member 106, i.e. a shield assembly septum 108, which is mounted on a seal support body 110 which, in turn, is fixedly secured to the shield assembly body 100. The seal member 106, i.e. the shield assembly septum 108, is formed of a flexible, resilient material, which may be an elastomer or a silicone rubber. The seal member 106 is continuous and unbroken, and so forms a gas-tight seal which mechanically closes, i.e. gaseously seals, the distal end 104 of the shield assembly 98. In other embodiments of the invention (not shown), the shield assembly septum may include an orifice formed therethrough and which, preferably is located centrally within the seal member. Such an orifice may be self-sealing, i.e. it may be forced open by distorting the seal member, e.g. by pushing the syringe needle through the orifice, but when the seal member relaxes from such distortion the orifice closes. Meanwhile, the seal support body 110 is formed from a substantially rigid material, such as a plastics material. In addition to the foregoing, the shield assembly body 100 is moveably coupled with the syringe body 82 in a manner that allows linear movement of the shield assembly body 100 in an axial direction, i.e. in each of a proximal axial direction Ap and a distal axial direction Ad, along the length of the syringe body 82, and also allows rotational movement in a circumferential direction, i.e. in each of a clockwise circumferential direction Ccwand a counter-clockwise circumferential direction Cccw, around an exterior of the syringe body 82. More particularly, the hollow shield assembly body 100 is sized to slide over the syringe body 82 in close-fitting alignment. Such allowable movement of the shield assembly body 100 relative to the syringe body 82 permits the shield assembly 98 to be operable to both selectively expose the syringe needle 56, e.g. by allowing the syringe needle 56 to puncture the shield assembly septum 108, and selectively envelop the needle 56, i.e. have the mechanically closed, gaseously sealed, distal end 104 of the shield assembly 98 selectively encase or shroud the needle 56, e.g. as shown in Figure 8. Such enveloping of the needle 56 helps to prevent both needlestick injuries and the ingress or egress of substances into / out of the syringe 30. The shield assembly body 100 and the syringe body 82 include mutually cooperable formations (not shown) that constrain movement of the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe 30 through a series of positions which correspond to different operational states of the syringe 30. Preferably the shield assembly body 100 includes a male formation (not shown), and more preferably stili a resiiiently biased pawl member (not shown), while the syringe body 82 preferably includes a female formation (not shown) which includes a plurality of slots into which the pawl member is biased. Other embodiments of the invention may include different mutually cooperabie formations, and in such other embodiments the syringe body may instead include a male formation while the shield assembly body may instead include a female formation. Additionally, a portion of the shield assembly 98 defines a complementary lock formation 112, which in the embodiment shown takes the form of an annular shield shoulder 114 (although other forms are also possible), e.g. as best shown in Figure 7(b). The complementary lock formation 112, i.e. the shield shoulder 114, is configured to cooperate with the lock formation 60, i.e. the resiiiently biased finger 62 and associated protrusion 64, of the syringe guide 10 to selectively retain the syringe 30 within the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10. This is achieved by having the resiiiently biased finger 62 urge the protrusion 64 to sit behind the shield shoulder 114, as is described in more detail below in connection with the use of the syringe guide 10 shown in Figures 12(a) to 12(e). In addition, a further portion of the shield assembly 98 has a keyed external cross-sectional formation 116, e.g. as is also best shown in Figure 7(b), that is complementary to the keyed internal cross-sectional formation 58 of the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10. Accordingly, in the embodiments shown the keyed external cross-sectional formation 116 is substantially hexagonal, although other cross-sectional shapes are also possible. The syringe body 82 of the syringe 30 also has an actuator formation 118 which is configured to move the lock formation 60 of the syringe guide 10 into its open position. In use of the injection assembly 80, a first operational state of the syringe 30 corresponds to a shipping state, e.g. as illustrated in Figures 7(a) and 8, in which the shield assembly 98 shrouds, i.e. envelops to cover and protect, the needle 56, but is moveable towards a second operational state of the syringe 30 corresponding to a compounding state, e.g. as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), in which the needle 56 is exposed beyond the shield assembly 98, and one or more medicaments (not shown) or other fluids (such as Water for Injection), can be drawn into the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe 30 from a medicament container 12, e.g. from a medicine vial or other fluid container, that is removably secured to the syringe guide 10. When the syringe 30 is arranged in the first shipping state, i.e. as shown in Figures 7(a) and 8, the injection assembly 80 is desirably configured for dispatch and sending to a user, e.g. a medical operative or pharmacist. The syringe needle 56 is shrouded for safety, but the injection assembly 80 is ready for use with a medicament container 12, i.e. ready for the syringe guide 10 of the injection assembly 80 to be removably secured to a selected medicament container 12 in which is stored a medicament that it is desired to administer, e.g. to a patient, using the syringe 30. A desirable relative configuration of the syringe guide 10 and the syringe 30, while the syringe 30 is in the first shipping state, is usefully characterised as a first primary configuration which can be indicated by the actuator formation 118 of the syringe body 82 being aligned with a first visual indicator 120, e.g. the number "1" on the syringe guide 10, e.g. as shown in Figure 7(a). Meanwhile, following such removable securing of a medicament container 12 to the syringe guide 10 of the injection assembly 80, e.g. in the same manner as descried hereinabove in relation to the syringe guide 10 itself, while the syringe 30 is in the aforesaid first shipping state, the syringe 30 can be moved into the second compounding state, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b). In the embodiment shown this requires the shield assembly 98 to move in an axial direction, and more particularly in a proximal axial direction Ap, relative to the syringe body 82, although this need not necessarily be the case. Such movement of the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe body 82 may be achieved, in use, by pushing the syringe body 82 in a distal axial direction Ad relative to the syringe guide 10. When doing so, the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10, and in particular the frustoconical section 72 of the guide cavity 28, acts to retard the shield assembly 98 and move it relative to the syringe body 82, while the syringe needle 56 is driven through both the seal member 106, i.e. the shield septum 108, and the container septum 16 so as to enter the interior of the medicament container 12, i.e. as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b). Such movement of the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe body 82 takes place while the shield assembly 98, and more particularly the seal formation 102 and associated seal member 106 thereof, i.e. the shield septum 108, is held in contact with the medicament container 12, and more specifically in contact with the container septum 16. The syringe needle 56 is therefore never exposed to the outside environment, and the syringe 30 is able to adopt the second compounding state shown without external contaminants entering the mechanically closed system of the syringe 30. Moreover, such abutting contact between the container septum 16 and the shield septum 108 ensures a fluid-tight seal between the injection assembly 80 and the medicament container 12, without the need for any secondary sealing apparatus. With the syringe 30 in the second compounding state, the syringe plunger 84 can be withdrawn within the syringe body 82, e.g. as shown in Figure 10(b), so as to draw a desired amount of medicament into the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe body 82. The sidewall opening 66, i.e, the slot 70, in the guide body 26 of the syringe guide 10 allows the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe body 82 (along also with any fill gradations that may be present on the syringe body 82) to be viewed, e.g, as shown in enlarged Figure 10(c), This assists a medical operative using the injection assembly 80 of the invention to draw a correct amount of medicament into the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe body 82. Once the aforementioned medicament draw has been completed, the shield assembly 98 may be moved back relative to the syringe body 82 so that the syringe needle 56 is withdrawn from the medicament container 12 and again shrouded, e.g. as shown in Figure 11. Such withdrawal of the needle 56 again takes place while the shield assembly 98, and more particularly the seal member 106, i.e. the shield septum 108, thereof is held in contact with the container septum 16 such that during extension of the shield assembly 98 over the needle 56 as the needle 56 is withdrawn from the medicament container 12, exposure of the needle 56 to the outside environment is similarly avoided. The syringe 30 thereby adopts a third ready state, e.g. as shown in Figure 11, in which its medicament chamber 68 contains a medicament or other desirable fluid, and the shield assembly 98 envelops the needle 56, while the syringe 30 is "ready" to be moved into a fourth transport state. The syringe 30 continues to be retained within the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10 while the syringe 30 is in the third ready state, i.e. via the continued cooperation between the syringe guide's lock formation 60 and the syringe's complementary lock formation 112. Additionally, the syringe guide 10 and the syringe 30 continue to adopt the first primary configuration relative to one another, i.e. as indicated by the actuator formation 118 of the syringe body 82 being aligned with the first visual indicator 120, i.e. the number "1", on the syringe guide 10, e.g. as also shown in Figure 12(a). Movement of the syringe 30 from the third ready state, e.g. as shown in Figure 12(a), to the fourth transport state, e.g. as shown in Figure 12(c), is achieved by twisting the syringe guide 10 in a clockwise circumferential direction Ccw relative to the syringe 30. The webs 44 on the syringe guide 10 assist a user in such a task. Twisting the syringe guide 10 in a clockwise circumferential direction Ccw relative to the syringe 30 also, by way of the keyed internal cross-sectional profile 58 on the syringe guide 10 and complementary keyed external cross-sectional profile 116 on the shield assembly 98, causes rotation of the shield assembly 98 in the same clockwise circumferential direction Ccw relative to the syringe body 82. An interim primary configuration of the syringe guide 10 and the syringe 30 relative to one another may be adopted after partial twisting, e.g. through 60°, of the syringe guide 10 relative to the syringe 10, and thus similar partial twisting of the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe body 82, e.g. as shown in Figure 12(b). In such an interim primary configuration the actuator formation 118 of the syringe body 82 lies midway between the first visual indicator 120 and a second visual indicator 122 on the syringe guide 10, e.g. the number "2". The relative circumferential spacing of the first and second visual indicators 120, 122, e.g. 120° in the embodiment shown, may differ in other embodiments, and the interim primary configuration need not necessarily lie midway between the first and second visual indicators 120, 122. In any event, however, while the syringe guide 10 and the syringe 30 lie relative to one another in the interim primary configuration, the shield assembly 98 is inhibited relative to the syringe body 82, i.e. the shield assembly 98 cannot move in either a proximal or distal axial direction relative to the syringe body 82 (so the needle 56 cannot be exposed beyond the shield assembly 98 at the risk of needle stick injury), and the syringe 30 remains retained within the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10, so that the syringe 30 and the syringe guide 10 cannot be separated from one another. Continued twisting of the syringe guide 10 in a clockwise circumferential direction Ccw relative to the syringe 30, and thus continued rotation of the shield assembly 98 in the same clockwise circumferential direction Ccw relative to the syringe body 82, e.g. through a further 60°, moves the syringe 30 into the fourth transport state (in which the shield assembly 98 remains immovable in either a proximal or distal axial direction relative to the syringe body 82), and moves the syringe guide 10 and the syringe 30 into a desirable second primary configuration relative to one another, e.g. as shown in Figure 12(c). In such a second primary configuration, the actuator formation 118 of the syringe body 82 is aligned with the second visual indicator 122 on the syringe guide 10, e.g. aligned with the number "2". With the syringe guide 10 and syringe 30 so configured relative to one another, and the actuator formation 118 aligned with the second visual indicator 122, the actuator formation 118 is also coincident with the lock formation 60 of the syringe guide 10 and thereby causes opening of the lock formation 60, e.g. by acting against the resiliently biased finger 62 of the lock formation 60 to move 124 the protrusion 64 out from behind the shield shoulder 114 of the shield assembly 98. Accordingly, the syringe 30 and the syringe guide 10 are configured relative to one another so that the actuator formation 118 on the syringe body 82 causes opening of the lock formation 60 of the syringe guide 10 only when the shield assembly 98 is arranged relative to the syringe body 82 so that the syringe 30 adopts the fourth transport state, and thus only when the shield assembly 98 remains immovable in either a proximal or distal axial direction relative to the syringe body 82, and thereby only when the needle 56 cannot become exposed (either deliberately or inadvertently). Meanwhile, such opening of the lock formation 60 by the actuator formation 118 allows for sliding removal of the syringe 30 from the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10, e.g. as shown partially in Figure 12(d), and thus complete separation of the syringe 30 and the syringe guide 10 from one another, e.g. as shown in Figure 12(e). The syringe 30 remains in the fourth transport state, however and so the shield assembly 98 remains immovable in each of a proximal or distal axial direction Ap, Ad relative to the syringe body 82, such that the syringe 30 continues to be in a safe, albeit temporary, configuration when separated from the syringe guide 10, to thereby reduce the risk of a needle stick injury and / or contamination by a toxic medicament held in the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe 30 during subsequent handling, e.g. "transportation", of the syringe 30. The syringe guide 10 and medicament container 12 to which it remains removably secured thereafter define a first guide assembly 140 according to a second embodiment of the invention. Meanwhile, the syringe 30 may then be "transported", i.e. moved while containing medicament, e.g. from a medicament compounding area to a recipient administration area, such as a bedside or other healthcare setting. Following transportation of the syringe 30, e.g. to the aforementioned recipient administration area, the shield assembly 98 may be moved relative to the syringe body 82, e.g. in a clockwise or counterclockwise circumferential direction Ccw, Cccw, so that the syringe adopts a further, fifth administration state (not shown), in which the needle 56 can be inserted into a recipient, e.g. patient, and some or all of the contents of the medicament chamber 68 can be injected into the recipient. It follows that the syringe 30 is able to adopt a sixth, inserted state (not shown), in which the needle 56 is able to lie within a recipient. Additionally, e.g. following injection of the medicament into a recipient, the syringe 30 may adopt a seventh, permanently locked state (also not shown), in which the shield assembly 98 envelops the needle 56 and is completely immoveable relative to the syringe body 82, i.e. immovable in each of the proximal and distal axial directions Ap, Ad relative to the syringe body 82, as well as in each of the clockwise and counterclockwise circumferential directions Ccw, Cccw relative to the syringe body 82. The syringe 30 may thereby adopt a final, locked state in which the needle 56 cannot be exposed and the syringe 30 cannot be re-used, without being irreparably damaged. The syringe 30, and more particularly the needle assembly 88 thereof, may include an actuator module (not shown) which is configured to selectively urge the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe body 82 from the sixth, inserted state towards the seventh, permanently locked state. The actuator module may includes an actuator valve that is moveable between a closed position in which a gas, e.g. Solkane®, is held under pressure in a gas storage volume, and an open position in which the gas is released from the gas storage volume to cause said urging of the shield assembly 98, and thus urging of the syringe into the final, permanently locked state. In the meantime, prior to the syringe 30 adopting the seventh, permanently locked state, if desired, e.g, so as to replenish the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe 30, the syringe 30 can be re-inserted into the guide cavity 28 of the syringe guide 10, and again selectively retained therein by the lock formation 60 of the syringe guide 10. This can be achieved by moving the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe body 82 so that the syringe 30 again adopts the fourth, "safe", transport state, and thereafter inserting the syringe body 82 back into the guide cavity 28, Thereafter, access to the medicament container 12 still removably secured to the syringe guide 10, can be achieved by twisting syringe guide 10 in a counterclockwise circumferential direction Cccw relative to the syringe 30 (and thus similarly twisting the shield assembly 98 relative to the syringe body 82), so that the actuator formation 118 moves from the second visual indicator 122, i.e. from the number "2", to the first visual indicator 120, i.e. to the number"!", and thus so that the syringe guide 10 and syringe 30 move from their second primary configuration relative to one another (e.g. as shown in Figure 12(c)) to their first primary configuration relative to one another (e.g. as shown in Figure 12(a). With the syringe guide 10 and syringe 30 in the first primary configuration relative to one another, the syringe 30 has been moved from the "safe" third transport state to the second compounding state, and thus the syringe needle 56 can again be driven through the shield and container septums 108, 16 and into the medicament container 12 to allow drawing of the medicament therein into the medicament chamber 68 of the syringe body 82. A second injection assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the invention is designated by the reference numeral 130, as shown in Figure 13. The second injection assembly 130 is similar to the first injection assembly 80 and like features share the same reference numerals. However, although the second injection assembly 130 includes the same syringe 30 as the first injection assembly 80, it differs from the first injection assembly 80 because it incorporates a second syringe guide 150 according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. The second syringe guide 150, in turn, is similar to the first syringe guide 10 and like features share the same reference numerals. The second syringe guide 150 differs, however, from the first syringe guide 10 in that the primary retention formation 46 is selectively separable from the guide body 26, More particularly, the primary retention formation 46, i.e. the opposed first and second retaining arms 45a, 45b of the radially extending retaining flange 48, is integrally formed with a separable portion 152 of the distal end 34 of the guide body 26 which defines the abutment face 36, and the said integrally formed primary retaining formation 46 and separable distal end portion 152, i.e. a said first unitary separable body portion 154 (shown shaded more darkly in Figure 13), is selectively separable from the remainder of the guide body 26. Preferably the first unitary separable body portion 154 includes first and second resiliently deformable barb formations 156 (only one of which is shown in Figure 13) to releasably secure the first unitary separable body portion 154, i.e. the combined primary retaining formation 46 and separable body portion 152, to the remainder of the guide body 26. Such releasable securing of the first unitary separable body portion 154 to the remainder of the guide body 26 of the second syringe guide 150 permits the swapping of the first unitary separable body portion 154 with another, differently configured, unitary separable body portion (not shown) that permits the removable securing of a different size and / or shaped medicament container with the second syringe guide 150. Figure 14 shows a third injection assembly according to a sixth embodiment of the invention is designated by the reference numeral 160, which is very similar to the second injection assembly 130 but instead includes a third syringe guide 170 according to a seventh embodiment of the invention. The third syringe guide 170 is very similar to the second syringe guide 150 but instead has a guide body 26 which additionally includes a separable adapter member 172 which, when coupled with the primary retaining formation 46, modifies the shape and configuration of the associated retaining flange 48 in order to permit the primary retaining formation 46 to removably secure a medicament container (not shown) of a different size and / or shape. Additionally, it should be noted that the separable adapter member 172 may be incorporated into the first syringe guide 10. A second guide assembly 180 according to an eighth embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 15(a). The second guide assembly 180 includes a fourth syringe guide 190 according to a ninth embodiment of the invention. The fourth syringe guide 190 may be used along with the syringe 30 described hereinabove, and with or without a medicament container 12 attached. The fourth syringe guide 190 is similar to the second syringe guide 150, and to that end similarly includes primary retention formation 46 that is integrally formed with a separable portion 152 of the distal end 34 of the corresponding guide body 26, and which together are selectively separable from the guide body 26. However, the primary retention formation 46 in the fourth syringe guide 190 differs from that of the second syringe guide 150, and so the fourth syringe guide 190 includes a second unitary separable body portion 192, as best shown in Figures 15(b) and 15(c), which differs from the first unitary separable body portion 154. Accordingly, although the second unitary separable body portion 192 similarly includes a separable distal end portion 152 which defines an abutment face 36 in which is formed a recess formation 38, the primary retention formation 46 instead includes opposed first and second retaining arms 194a, 194b which are separate from one another, i.e. do not combine together to form a radially extending retaining flange. Such an arrangement advantageously allows a user to insert the neck 24 of a medicament containers radially inwards from each of two sides of the fourth syringe guide 190, and so improves user convenience still further. The first and second retaining arms 194a, 194b preferably are resiliently deformable, and so can accommodate medicament containers 12 with varying neck 24 diameters and / or retaining lip 18 depths. An additional difference is that each of the first and second retaining arms 194a, 194b includes both a first complementary secondary retaining formation 196a, 196b and a second complementary secondary retaining formation 198a, 198b. The first complementary secondary retaining formations 196a, 196b, which in the embodiment shown take the form of first and second resiliently deformable fingers 197a, 197b (although other forms are possible) are arranged to define a first secondary retaining formation pair 200, and the second complementary secondary retaining formations 198a, 198b, which in the embodiment shown take the form of third and fourth resiliently deformable fingers 199a, 199b (although, again, other forms are possible) are arranged to define a second secondary retaining formation pair 202. In use, the first secondary retaining formation pair 200 cooperates with the neck 24 of a given medicament container 12 to selectively inhibit radially outward movement Roun in a first radial direction of the medicament container 12 through a first radially extending opening 50' in the primary retaining formation 46, i.e. in a first radially extending opening 50' between the first and second retaining arms 194a, 194b. Meanwhile, also in use, the second secondary retaining formation pair 202 cooperates with the neck 24 of the given medicament container 12 to selectively inhibit radially outward movement Routz in a second radial direction (which happens to be opposite the first radial direction Routi, but need not necessarily be so) of the medicament container 12 through a second radially extending opening 50" in the primary retaining formation 46, i.e. in a second radially extending opening 50" between the first and second retaining arms 194a, 194b. In both cases, the spacing between the first complementary secondary retaining formations 196a, 196b in the first secondary retaining formation pair 200, and the spacing between the second complementary secondary retaining formations 198a, 198b in the second secondary retaining formation pair 202, defines a minor arc 54 of a circle, i.e. an arc extending less than halfway around the circumference of a circle, although other spacings are also possible. Additionally, the primary retaining formation 46 is arranged in communication with each of the secondary retaining formation pairs 200, 202, so as to permit the aforementioned radially inward R.in and radially outward Routi, Rout?, movement of the given medicament container 12 relative to the fourth syringe guide 190 of the invention, and thus the removable securing of the fourth syringe guide 190 to (and selective separation from) such a medicament container 12. Moreover, the resiliently deformable nature of the first and second complementary secondary retaining formations 196a, 196b, 198a, 198b, i.e. of the resiliently deformable first, second, third and fourth fingers 197a, 197b, 199a, 199b, beneficially allows them to accommodate different medicament container neck 24 diameters, while also usefully acting to centre the said medicament container 12 about the reference guide body 26. The second unitary separable body portion 192 similarly includes first and second resiliently deformable barb formations 156 to releasably secure the second unitary separable body portion 192 to the remainder of the guide body 26. Such releasable securing of the second unitary separable body portion 192 to the remainder of the guide body 26 of the fourth syringe guide 190 permits the swapping of the second unitary separable body portion 192 with another, differently configured, e.g. third unitary separable body portion 204 as shown in Figure 15(d), that permits the removable securing of a different size and / or shaped medicament container 12' with what then essentially becomes a fifth syringe guide 210 according to a tenth embodiment of the invention, and a corresponding third guide assembly 220 according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention. It follows that the second and third unitary separable body portions 192, 204 (or indeed one or more further similar unitary separable body portions (not shown) may be provided along with the guide body 26 of a single syringe guide 190; 210 in order to create a kit from which a user can pick and choose the unitary separable portion portion 192, 204 to use along with the guide body 26 according to the size and / or shape of a given medicament container 12, 12'. Additionally, the primary retention formation 46 of the fourth and fifth syringe guides 190; 210, i.e. a primary retention formation 46 having opposed first and second retaining arms 194a, 194b which are separate from one another, and which each have both a first complementary secondary retaining formation 196a, 196b and a second 5 complementary secondary retaining formation 198a, 198b, may replace the primary retaining formation 46 in the first syringe guide 10 to form a further syringe guide according to another embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A syringe guide, for a medicament container having an open end fluidly sealed by a container septum and from which depends a retaining lip, the syringe guide comprising a guide body having:an axially extending guide cavity configured to receive a syringe; anda primary retaining formation configured to in use cooperate with the retaining lip of a medicament container to arrange the open end of the said medicament container in communication with the guide cavity and removably secure the syringe guide to the medicament container, the primary retaining formation having at least one radially extending opening through which a medicament container is insertable in a radially inward direction to in use achieve said cooperation of the primary retaining formation with the retaining lip.

2. A syringe guide according to Claim 1 wherein the guide cavity extends from a proximal end of the guide body to a distal end of the guide body defined by an abutment face arranged to in use abut the open end of a medicament container, and the primary retaining formation cooperates with the retaining lip of the said medicament container to urge the abutment face into abutment with the open end of the said medicament container.

3. A syringe guide according to Claim 2 wherein the primary retaining formation is spaced from the abutment face in a distal axial direction.

4. A syringe guide according to any preceding claim wherein the primary retaining formation is selectively separable from the guide body.

5. A syringe guide according to Claim 4 when dependent upon Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the primary retaining formation is integrally formed with a separable portion of the distal end of the guide body which defines the abutment face, and the primary retaining formation and the said separable distal end portion of the guide body are together selectively separable from the guide body.

6. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the abutment face extends radially relative to the guide cavity.

7. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 2 to 6 wherein the abutment face includes a recess formation configured to, in use, receive the open end of a medicament container.

8. A syringe guide according to Claim 7 wherein the recess formation is configured to, in use, axially align the open end of a medicament container with a reference datum of the guide body.

9. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 2 to 8 wherein the distal end of the guide body includes a radially extending abutment flange which defines the abutment face.

10. A syringe guide according to Claim 9 including a least one web extending between the guide body and the abutment flange.

11. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein the guide body includes opposed first and second retaining arms that define the primary retaining formation.

12. A syringe guide according to Claim 11 wherein the first and second retaining arms together form a radially extending retaining flange.

13. A syringe guide according to Claim 12 wherein the guide body further includes a separable adapter member to selectively modify the shape and configuration of the retaining flange.

14. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 11 to 13 wherein each retaining arm includes at least one complementary secondary retaining formation arranged along with the complementary secondary retaining formation of the other retaining arm to define a secondary retaining formation pair which in use cooperates with a neck of a medicament container lying inboard of its retaining lip to selectively inhibit radially outward movement of the medicament container through the radially extending opening in the primary retaining formation.

15. A syringe guide according to Claim 14 wherein the spacing between the complementary secondary retaining formations in the or each secondary retaining formation pair defines a minor arc of a circle.

16. A syringe guide according to Ciaim 14 or Claim 15 wherein the radially extending opening of the primary retaining formation is arranged in communication with the or each secondary retaining formation pair.

17. A syringe guide according to any preceding claim wherein the guide cavity is configured to, in use, axially align a syringe needle of a syringe received therewithin with a reference datum of the guide body.

18. A syringe guide according to Claim 17 wherein the guide cavity includes one or more resiiiently biased alignment members to, in use, urge a syringe received therewithin into axial alignment with the reference datum.

19. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein at least a portion of the guide cavity has a keyed internal cross-sectional formation.

20. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein the guide cavity includes a lock formation configured to, in use, cooperate with a syringe received therewithin to retain the syringe within the guide cavity.

21. A syringe guide according to Claim 20 wherein the lock formation is moveable between a locked position and an open position to permit, in use, selective separation of a syringe from the syringe guide.

22. A syringe guide according to Claim 21, when dependant on Claim 19, wherein the lock formation and the keyed internal cross-sectional formation are arranged relative to one another whereby, in use, movement of the lock formation into the open position is possible only when an associated syringe is in a transport state.

23. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein the guide body further includes a sidewall opening via which an interior of the guide cavity may be viewed.

24. An injection assembly comprising a syringe guide according to any proceeding claim having a syringe received within the guide cavity thereof.

25. An injection assembly according to Claim 24 wherein the syringe has a shield assembly moveably coupled therewith to selectively expose and shroud the syringe needle.

26. An injection assembly according to Ciaim 25 wherein at least a portion of the shield assembly defines a complementary lock formation configured to cooperate with the lock formation of the syringe guide to selectively retain the syringe within the guide cavity of the syringe guide.

27. An injection assembly according to any of Claims 24 to 26 wherein at least a portion of the shield assembiy has a keyed external cross-sectional formation complimentary to the keyed internal cross-sectional formation of at least a portion of the guide cavity of the syringe guide.

28. An injection assembly according to any of Claims 24 to 27 wherein the syringe has a syringe body with an actuator formation configured to move the lock formation of the syringe guide into its open position.

29. An injection assembly according to Claim 28, when dependent on any of Claims 25 to 27, wherein the syringe and the syringe guide are configured relative to one another so that the actuator formation on the syringe body causes opening of the lock formation of the syringe guide only when the shield assembly is arranged relative to the syringe body so that the syringe adopts a transport state,30. An injection assembly according to any of Claims 24 to 29 additionally having a medicament container removably secured to the syringe guide thereof.

31. An injection assembly kit comprising an injection assembly according to any of Claims 24 to 30 together with one or more additional, separate primary retaining formations.

32. An injection assembly kit according to Claim 31 wherein the or each additional, separate primary retaining formation is integrally formed with a separate portion of a distal end of a guide body which defines an abutment face.

33. A guide assembly comprising a syringe guide according to any of Claims 1 to 23 removably secured to a medicament container."Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows."27 05 2535CLAIMS1. A syringe guide, for a medicament container having an open end fluidly sealed by a container septum and from which depends a retaining lip, the syringe guide comprising a guide body having:an axially extending guide cavity to in use receive a syringe, the guide cavity having a stop formation to limit further insertion of a syringe received within the guide cavity and a lock formation to in use cooperate with the stop formation to immovably retain the said syringe within the guide cavity; anda primary retaining formation to in use cooperate with the retaining lip of a medicament container to arrange the open end of the said medicament container in communication with the guide cavity and removably secure the syringe guide to the medicament container, the primary retaining formation having at least one radially extending opening through which a medicament container is insertable in a radially inward direction to in use achieve said cooperation of the primary retaining formation with the retaining lip.

2. A syringe guide according to Claim 1 wherein the guide cavity extends from a proximal end of the guide body to a distal end of the guide body defined by an abutment face arranged to in use abut the open end of a medicament container, and the primary retaining formation cooperates with the retaining lip of the said medicament container to urge the abutment face into abutment with the open end of the said medicament container.

3. A syringe guide according to Claim 2 wherein the primary retaining formation is spaced from the abutment face in a distal axial direction.

4. A syringe guide according to any preceding claim wherein the primary retaining formation is selectively separable from the guide body.

5. A syringe guide according to Claim 4 when dependent upon Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the primary retaining formation is integrally formed with a separable portion of the distal end of the guide body which defines the abutment face, and the primary retaining formation and the said separable distal end portion of the guide body are together selectively separable from the guide body.

6. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the abutment face extends radially relative to the guide cavity.27 05 257. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 2 to 6 wherein the abutment face includes a recess formation configured to, in use, receive the open end of a medicament container.

58. A syringe guide according to Claim 7 wherein the recess formation is axially aligned with a reference datum of the guide body.

9. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 2 to 8 wherein the distal end of the 10 guide body includes a radially extending abutment flange which defines the abutment face.

10. A syringe guide according to Claim 9 including a least one web extending between the guide body and the abutment flange.1511. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein the guide body includes opposed first and second retaining arms that define the primary retaining formation.20 12. A syringe guide according to Claim 11 wherein the first and second retainingarms together form a radially extending retaining flange.

13. A syringe guide according to Claim 12 wherein the guide body further includes a separable adapter member to selectively modify the shape and configuration of the 25 retaining flange.

14. A syringe guide according to any of Claims 11 to 13 wherein each retaining arm includes at least one complementary secondary retaining formation arranged along with the complementary secondary retaining formation of the other retaining arm to 30 define a secondary retaining formation pair which in use selectively inhibits radially outward movement of a medicament container through the radially extending opening in the primary retaining formation.

15. A syringe guide according to Claim 14 wherein the spacing between the 35 complementary secondary retaining formations in the or each secondary retaining formation pair defines a minor arc of a circle.27 05 2516. A syringe guide according to Claim 14 or Claim 15 wherein the radially extending opening of the primary retaining formation is arranged in communication with the or each secondary retaining formation pair.5 17. A syringe guide according to any preceding claim wherein the guide cavity isaxially aligned with a reference datum of the guide body.

18. A syringe guide according to Claim 17 wherein the guide cavity includes one or more resiliently biased alignment members to, in use, urge a syringe received 10 therewithin into axial alignment with the reference datum.

19. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein at least a portion of the guide cavity has a keyed internal cross-sectional formation.15 20. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein the lock formationis moveable between a locked position and an open position to permit, in use, selective separation of a syringe from the syringe guide.

21. A syringe guide according to any proceeding claim wherein the guide body 20 further includes a sidewall opening via which an interior of the guide cavity may be viewed.

22. An injection assembly comprising a syringe guide according to any proceeding claim having a syringe received within the guide cavity thereof.2523. An injection assembly according to Claim 22 wherein the syringe has a shield assembly moveably coupled therewith to selectively expose and shroud the syringe needle.30 24. An injection assembly according to Claim 23 wherein at least a portion of theshield assembly defines a complementary lock formation configured to cooperate with the lock formation of the syringe guide to selectively retain the syringe within the guide cavity of the syringe guide.35 25. An injection assembly according to any of Claims 22 to 24 wherein at least aportion of the shield assembly has a keyed external cross-sectional formation complimentary to a keyed internal cross-sectional formation of at least a portion of the guide cavity of the syringe guide.27 05 2526. An injection assembly according to any of Claims 22 to 25 wherein the syringe has a syringe body with an actuator formation configured to move a lock formation of the syringe guide into its open position.

527. An injection assembly according to Claim 26, when dependent on any of Claims 23 to 25, wherein the syringe and the syringe guide are configured relative to one another so that the actuator formation on the syringe body causes opening of the lock formation of the syringe guide only when the shield assembly is arranged relative to 10 the syringe body so that the syringe adopts a transport state.

28. An injection assembly according to any of Claims 22 to 27 additionally having a medicament container removably secured to the syringe guide thereof.15 29. An injection assembly kit comprising an injection assembly according to any ofClaims 22 to 28 together with one or more additional, separate primary retaining formations.

30. An injection assembly kit according to Claim 29 wherein the or each additional, 20 separate primary retaining formation is integrally formed with a separate portion of a distal end of a guide body which defines an abutment face.

31. A guide assembly comprising a syringe guide according to any of Claims 1 to 21 removably secured to a medicament container.s

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