Dispensing fluid from an infusion pump system
First Claim
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1. A method of operating an insulin pump system, comprising:
- slidably receiving an insulin cartridge in a cylindrical cavity of a pump housing of portable insulin infusion pump system, the insulin cartridge having a movable plunger and a septum; and
controlling a drive system housed in the pump housing to dispense insulin from the insulin cartridge, wherein the drive system includes;
a flexible threaded pushrod, and a rotatable drive wheel to mate with an exterior thread pattern of the flexible threaded pushrod such that rotation of the rotatable drive wheel causes the flexible threaded pushrod to advance through an internal cavity defined by the rotatable drive wheel in an axial forward direction to apply a dispensing force to the movable plunger of the insulin cartridge,wherein the flexible threaded pushrod includes rod segments having the exterior thread pattern thereon and that are hingedly engaged to one another such that at least a portion of the pushrod is adjustable from a curved configuration to a generally noncurved configuration within the pump housing, and wherein a plunger connector device is mounted at a leading end of the flexible threaded pushrod so that the plunger connector device connects with the movable plunger in the insulin cartridge.
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Abstract
Some embodiments of a medical infusion pump system include a pump device having a flexible pushrod that can adjust from a curved configuration to a generally straight configuration. The flexible pushrod is part of a drive system of the pump device so that the flexible pushrod can be controllably and incrementally advanced toward a medicine reservoir to incrementally dispense the medicine therein. In particular embodiments, the flexible pushrod may comprise an anti-rotation mechanism, an anti-torsion mechanism, or a combination thereof.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of operating an insulin pump system, comprising:
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slidably receiving an insulin cartridge in a cylindrical cavity of a pump housing of portable insulin infusion pump system, the insulin cartridge having a movable plunger and a septum; and controlling a drive system housed in the pump housing to dispense insulin from the insulin cartridge, wherein the drive system includes;
a flexible threaded pushrod, and a rotatable drive wheel to mate with an exterior thread pattern of the flexible threaded pushrod such that rotation of the rotatable drive wheel causes the flexible threaded pushrod to advance through an internal cavity defined by the rotatable drive wheel in an axial forward direction to apply a dispensing force to the movable plunger of the insulin cartridge,wherein the flexible threaded pushrod includes rod segments having the exterior thread pattern thereon and that are hingedly engaged to one another such that at least a portion of the pushrod is adjustable from a curved configuration to a generally noncurved configuration within the pump housing, and wherein a plunger connector device is mounted at a leading end of the flexible threaded pushrod so that the plunger connector device connects with the movable plunger in the insulin cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification