Radioactive gas dispensing device

Claim 1

A device for dispensing a pre-measured amount of a stored radioactive gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum, said device comprising dispenser means having a gas dispensing adapter for dispensing said gas from said device and a displacement gas intake adapter; first needle means mounted in said dispenser means and connected to said displacement gas intake adapter; second needle means mounted in said dispenser means and connected to said gas dispensing adapter; displacement gas injection means, including a source of displacement gas, connected to said displacement gas intake adapter; gas dispensing means connected to said gas dispensing adapter means for holding said sealed vial, said vial holding means being adapted to be releasably connected to said dispenser means so that the pierceable septum of said vial is positioned therein opposite said first and second needle means; means for relatively moving said vial and said first and second needle means within said dispenser means so that said vial comes into contact with said first and second needle means to pierce said septum, said first and second needle means thereupon extending into the gas filled interior of said vial to provide communication between the interior of said vial and said gas dispensing adapter through said second needle means and between the interior of said vial and said source of displacement gas through said first needle means; whereby, displacement gas may be injected into said vial from said displacement gas injection means and upon injection of said displacement gas, a pre-measured amount of said stored radioactive gas is dispensed from the vial and device through said gas dispensing adapter and said gas dispensing means one way valve means for preventing substantial flow of said premeasured amount of radioactive gas from said vial to said source of displacement gas but permitting flow of said displacement gas to said vial from said displacement gas source.

Claim 2

A device for dispensing a pre-measured amount of a stored radioactive gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum, said device comprising dispenser means having a gas dispensing adapter for dispensing said gas from said device and a displacement gas intake adapter; first needle means mounted in said dispenser means and connected to said displacement gas intake adapter; second needle means mounted in said dispenser means and connected to said gas dispensing adapter; displacement gas injection means, including a source of displacement gas, connected to said displacement gas intake adapter; gas dispensing means connected to said gas dispensing adapter means for holding said sealed vial, said vial holding means being adapted to be releasably connected to said dispenser means so that the pierceable septum of said vial is positioned therein opposite said first and second needle means; means for relatively moving said vial and said first and second needle means within said dispenser means so that said vial comes into contact with said first and second needle means to pierce said septum, said first and second needle means thereupon extending into the gas filled interior of said vial to provide communication between the interior of said vial and said gas dispensing adapter through said second needle means and between the interior of said vial and said source of displacement gas through said first needle means; whereby, displacement gas may be injected into said vial from said displacement gas injection means and upon injection of said displacement gas, a pre-measured amount of said stored radioactive gas is dispensed from the vial and device through said gas dispensing adapter and said gas dispensing means one way valve means for preventing substantial flow of said premeasured amount of radioactive gas from said vial to said source of displacement gas but permitting flow of said displacement gas to said vial from said displacement gas source.

Claim 4

A device for dispensing a pre-measured amount of gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum, said device comprising dispenser means having a gas dispensing adapter and a displacement fluid intake adapter; piercing means mounted in said dispenser means; displacement fluid injection means connected to said fluid adapter; means for holding said sealed vial, said vIal holding means being adapted to be releasably connected to said dispenser means so that the pierceable septum of said vial is positioned therein opposite said piercing means; means for relatively moving said vial and said piercing means within said dispenser means so that said vial comes into contact with said piercing means to pierce said septum, said piercing means thereupon extending into the gas filled interior of said vial whereby, upon injection of said displacement fluid, a pre-measured amount of said gas is dispensed at said gas dispensing adapter said displacement fluid being air, said displacement fluid injection means being a collapsible air containing means comprising a flexible bulb and said dispenser means further including rigid means adjacent said flexible bulb, whereby said bulb may be collapsed against the surface of said rigid means.

Claim 5

A device for dispensing a pre-measured amount of gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum, said device comprising dispenser means having a gas dispensing adapter and a displacement fluid intake adapter; piercing means mounted in said dispenser means; displacement fluid injection means connected to said fluid adapter; means for holding said sealed vial, said vIal holding means being adapted to be releasably connected to said dispenser means so that the pierceable septum of said vial is positioned therein opposite said piercing means; means for relatively moving said vial and said piercing means within said dispenser means so that said vial comes into contact with said piercing means to pierce said septum, said piercing means thereupon extending into the gas filled interior of said vial whereby, upon injection of said displacement fluid, a pre-measured amount of said gas is dispensed at said gas dispensing adapter said displacement fluid being air, said displacement fluid injection means being a collapsible air containing means comprising a flexible bulb and said dispenser means further including rigid means adjacent said flexible bulb, whereby said bulb may be collapsed against the surface of said rigid means.

Claim 16

A method for loading and dispensing a pre-measured amount of radioactive gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum comprising the steps of removing said vial from a radioactive shielded storage tube in which a plurality of said vials are stored in end-to-end relation so that said pierceable septum is held in an exposed position; inserting said removed vial into a gas dispensing device; said removing and inserting steps comprising holding an open end of said tube over and in alignment with an open end of a vial holding device forming part of said gas dispensing device and sliding said vial adjacent said open end of said tube from said tube into said vial holding device piercing said exposed septum at two locations when said vial has been inserted in said vial holding device feeding from a source thereof a displacement gas into said vial through one of said pierced locations to force said rAdioactive gas out from said vial through the other of said locations to a dispensing means of said gas dispensing device and from said dispensing means out of said dispensing device without permitting substantial escape of said radioactive gas from said vial to said source.

Claim 17

A method for loading and dispensing a pre-measured amount of radioactive gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum comprising the steps of removing said vial from a radioactive shielded storage tube in which a plurality of said vials are stored in end-to-end relation so that said pierceable septum is held in an exposed position; inserting said removed vial into a gas dispensing device; said removing and inserting steps comprising holding an open end of said tube over and in alignment with an open end of a vial holding device forming part of said gas dispensing device and sliding said vial adjacent said open end of said tube from said tube into said vial holding device piercing said exposed septum at two locations when said vial has been inserted in said vial holding device feeding from a source thereof a displacement gas into said vial through one of said pierced locations to force said rAdioactive gas out from said vial through the other of said locations to a dispensing means of said gas dispensing device and from said dispensing means out of said dispensing device without permitting substantial escape of said radioactive gas from said vial to said source.

Claim 18

A method for loading and dispensing a pre-measured amount of a radioactive gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum comprising the steps of removing said vial from an elongated radioactive shielded storage tube containing a plurality of said vials in end-to-end relation so that siad pierceable septum is held in an exposed position; inserting said removed vial into a gas dispensing device; piercing said exposed septum at two locations when said vial has been inserted in said gas dispensing device; feeding a displacement fluid into said vial through one of said pierced locations to force said gas out from said vial through the other of said locations to a dispensing means of said dispensing device; said tube having an opening at one end with a removable cover, said removing and inserting steps including removing said cover from said storage tube to expose said opening; holding said opening of said storage tube so that it is contiguously aligned with the opening of a radioactive shielded vial holder of said gas dispensing device and sliding said vial adjacent said open end of said tube from the storage tube into said vial holder; inserting said vial holder loaded with said vial into the open end of a radioactive shielded chamber of a dispenser portion of said gas dispensing device; and slidably forcing said vial in said holder to a position in which said septum is pierced at said two locations by two pierceable needles mounted on said dispenser portion and extending into the other end of said chamber, whereby said vial is loaded into said gas dispensing device and the radioactive gas therein is dispensed with a minimal exposure to radioactive energy from said radioactive gas.

Claim 19

A method for loading and dispensing a pre-measured amount of a radioactive gas contained in a sealed vial having a pierceable septum comprising the steps of removing said vial from an elongated radioactive shielded storage tube containing a plurality of said vials in end-to-end relation so that siad pierceable septum is held in an exposed position; inserting said removed vial into a gas dispensing device; piercing said exposed septum at two locations when said vial has been inserted in said gas dispensing device; feeding a displacement fluid into said vial through one of said pierced locations to force said gas out from said vial through the other of said locations to a dispensing means of said dispensing device; said tube having an opening at one end with a removable cover, said removing and inserting steps including removing said cover from said storage tube to expose said opening; holding said opening of said storage tube so that it is contiguously aligned with the opening of a radioactive shielded vial holder of said gas dispensing device and sliding said vial adjacent said open end of said tube from the storage tube into said vial holder; inserting said vial holder loaded with said vial into the open end of a radioactive shielded chamber of a dispenser portion of said gas dispensing device; and slidably forcing said vial in said holder to a position in which said septum is pierced at said two locations by two pierceable needles mounted on said dispenser portion and extending into the other end of said chamber, whereby said vial is loaded into said gas dispensing device and the radioactive gas therein is dispensed with a minimal exposure to radioactive energy from said radioactive gas.