Insertion devices, insertion needles, and related methods

• US 10,076,606 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ambruzs, William, Burns, Lauren, Christian, Joseph, Highley, Brian, Adams, Jason, Houssiere, Charles, Jackson, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): DeSanto, Matthew F
• Application Number:
  US12/808,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,569 Days
• Field of Search: 604110, 604115, 604116, 604134-136, 604162, 60416401-16412, 604533, 604534, 604539, 604157
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body

Abstract

Insertion devices for installing insertion sets to a user, insertion needles, methods for loading insertion devices with insertion sets, methods for installing insertion sets, methods for instructing others how to load and/or install insertion sets, and certain aspects of insertion sets, including insertion needle hubs.

Claims

1. An insertion system comprising:

an insertion device comprising;

a housing having a proximal end; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism including two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user;

an insertion set that can be coupled to the insertion device, the insertion set including an insertion needle hub and a needle extending from the insertion needle hub, and an insertion set base coupled to the needle, where the insertion set retention mechanism directly contacts the insertion needle hub when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position; and

a driver coupled to the housing or to the insertion needle hub;

where the driver directly contacts and applies a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position, and the insertion device is configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set without manipulation of the two insertion set retention elements results in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle hub.

2. The insertion system of claim 1, where the housing has an interior surface that defines an inner cavity, and the insertion device also includes an alignment post coupled to the housing and extending from a top portion of the inner cavity of the housing and toward the proximal end of the housing, and an insertion axis centered in the alignment post.

3. The insertion system of claim 2, where the driver comprises a spring coupled to the housing near the top portion of the interior surface of the housing, the spring being positioned around the alignment post.

4. The insertion system of claim 2, where the housing includes an interior rib structure.

5. The insertion system of claim 1, where the insertion set retention mechanism also includes two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move.

6. The insertion system of claim 1, where the housing includes a top end and a proximal end edge that includes two slots that are positioned on opposite sides of the housing and that each begins at the proximal end of the housing, extends toward the top end of the housing, and terminates below the top end of the housing.

7. An insertion system comprising:

an insertion device comprising;

a housing having a proximal end; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism including two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user, the insertion set retention mechanism also including two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move, where each insertion set retention element includes an insertion set-engaging portion, and the two insertion set-engaging portions extend away from each other in opposite directions;

an insertion set that can be coupled to the insertion device, the insertion set including an insertion needle hub and a needle extending from the insertion needle hub, and an insertion set base coupled to the needle, where the insertion set retention mechanism directly contacts the insertion needle hub when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position; and

a driver coupled to the housing or to the insertion needle hub;

where the driver directly contacts and applies a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position, and the insertion device is configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set results in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle hub.

8. The insertion system of claim 7, where each insertion set retention element also includes an insertion set-stopping portion, and the insertion set-stopping portion of a given insertion set retention element extends away from the insertion set-engaging portion of that insertion set retention element.

9. An insertion system comprising:

an insertion device comprising;

a housing having a proximal end;

a driver coupled to the housing; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism including two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user, the insertion set retention mechanism being configured to retain in a pre-installed position an insertion set that includes an insertion needle;

an insertion set that can be coupled to the insertion device, the insertion set including an insertion needle hub and a needle extending from the insertion needle hub, and an insertion set base coupled to the needle, where the insertion set retention mechanism direct contacts the insertion needle hub when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position; and

where the driver directly contacts and applies a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing when the insertion set is in the loaded, pre-installed position, and the insertion device is configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set without manipulation of the two insertion set retention elements results in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle hub.

10. The insertion system of claim 9, where the insertion set retention mechanism also includes two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move.

11. An insertion system comprising:

an insertion device comprising;

a housing having a proximal end;

a driver coupled to the housing; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism including two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user, the insertion set retention mechanism also including two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move, where each insertion set retention element includes an insertion set-engaging portion, and the two insertion set-engaging portions extend away from each other in opposite directions, the insertion set retention mechanism being configured to retain in a pre-installed position an insertion set that includes an insertion needle;

an insertion set that can be coupled to the insertion device, the insertion set including an insertion needle hub and a needle extending from the insertion needle hub, and an insertion set base coupled to the needle, where the insertion set retention mechanism direct contacts the insertion needle hub when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position; and

where the driver directly contacts and applies a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing when the insertion set is in the loaded, pre-installed position, and the insertion device is configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set results in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle hub.

12. The insertion system of claim 11, where each insertion set retention element also includes an insertion set-stopping portion, and the insertion set-stopping portion of a given insertion set retention element extends away from the insertion set-engaging portion of that insertion set retention element.

13. An insertion system comprising:

an insertion device comprising;

a housing having a proximal end, a top end, and a proximal end edge that includes two slots that are positioned on opposite sides of the housing and that each begins at the proximal end of the housing, extends toward the top end of the housing, and terminates below the top end of the housing; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism including two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user, the insertion set retention mechanism also including two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move, where each release element has an exterior user-actuatable surface, and at least a substantial portion of the exterior user-actuatable surface of one of the release elements is located between one of the slots and the top end of the housing, and at least a substantial portion of the exterior user-actuatable surface of the other release element is located between the other slot and the top end of the housing;

an insertion set that can be coupled to the insertion device, the insertion set including an insertion needle hub and a needle extending from the insertion needle hub, and an insertion set base coupled to the needle, where the insertion set retention mechanism directly contacts the insertion needle hub when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position; and

a driver coupled to the housing or to the insertion needle hub;

where the driver directly contacts and applies a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position, and the insertion device is configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set results in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle hub.

14. An insertion system comprising:

an insertion device comprising;

a housing having a proximal end and has an interior surface that defines an inner cavity, the housing also having an interior rib structure;

an alignment post coupled to the housing and extending from a top portion of the inner cavity of the housing and toward the proximal end of the housing, and an insertion axis centered in the alignment post; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism including two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user;

an insertion set that can be coupled to the insertion device, the insertion set including an insertion needle hub and a needle extending from the insertion needle hub, and an insertion set base coupled to the needle, where the insertion set retention mechanism directly contacts the insertion needle hub when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position; and

a driver coupled to the housing or to the insertion needle hub;

where the driver directly contacts and applies a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing when the insertion set is in a loaded, pre-installed position, and the insertion device is configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set results in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle hub; and

where the interior rib structure includes two ribs positioned parallel to the alignment post, and each rib includes a rib slot positioned beside the driver.