SELF-ORIENTING SYRINGE AND SYRINGE INTERFACE

The present invention relates to a syringe locking mechanism for a fluid injector. A locking mechanism may be associated with a syringe port for releasably securing a syringe within a syringe port of a fluid injector. The syringe locking mechanism comprises a lock/release ring comprising one or more syringe engagement members having a complementary shape for engaging with one or more of a plurality of engagement members when a syringe is inserted into a syringe port of the fluid injector. The lock/release ring is rotatable relative to a housing of the fluid injector with a rotation of the syringe about a longitudinal axis. At least one deflectable retaining element is configured to interact with a retention flange around at least a portion of an outer circumference near the proximal end of the syringe to releasably retain the syringe within the locking mechanism, wherein the at least one deflectable retaining element has a locking lip that is angled relative to the longitudinal axis such that movement of the at least one syringe in a proximal direction causes the at least one deflectable retaining element to move in a radially outward direction. At least one elastically resilient member is connected at one end to at least a portion of the at least one deflectable retaining element and at a second end to at least a portion of the fluid injector, wherein the at least one elastically resilient member urges the at least one deflectable retaining element in a radially inward direction.