Device and method for detecting an actuation action performable with a medical device

• US 10,446,269 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Groeschke, Jasmin, Juhnke, Hanno, Spengler, Jan-Peter, Scharf, Matthias, Dette, Christoph, Schrack, Michael, Zeckai, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eustaquio, Cal
• Application Number:
  US14/005,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,762 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3142 Modular constructions, e.g. supplied in separate pieces to be assembled by end-user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3135 characterised by constructional features of the proximal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31533 Dosing mechanisms, i.e. setting a dose administrating mechanisms A61M5/31565
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed, comprising a detector unit comprising a detector configured to detect an actuation action performable via the detector unit to an actuation button of a medical device to cause the medical device to eject at least a portion of a medicament comprised in the medical device. The detector is configured to detect the actuation action based on a detection of a force and/or a touch applied to the detector unit as part of the actuation action. The apparatus further comprises an electric unit connected to the detector and configured to store and/or provide information related to the detected actuation action. Furthermore, an according method and a computer program for controlling this method are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising an attachment unit for releasably attaching said apparatus to an actuation button of a medical device, wherein said apparatus is predisposed to attach directly atop said actuation button of said medical device such that said actuation button is inaccessible by a user, a detector disposed within the housing, the detector configured to detect an actuation action applied via said housing to said actuation button of said medical device to cause said medical device to eject at least a portion of a medicament comprised in said medical device, wherein said detector is configured to detect said actuation action based on a detection of a force and/or a touch applied to said housing as part of said actuation action, and an electric unit connected to said detector and configured to store information, in a memory, related to said detected actuation action,

wherein said electric unit is configured to determine a length of a time interval during which said actuation action is applied, and to store and/or provide information related to said determined length of said time interval and/or to store and/or provide said information related to said detected actuation action based at least in part on said determined length of said time interval,

wherein said information related to said detected actuation is not stored and/or provided if the length of time interval is below a predefined threshold.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said force is detected by said detector because said detector is responsive to a movement and/or a deformation of at least a part of said housing caused by said force.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said attachment unit may comprise a form closure, a fit closure, a screw coupling, Velcro-like coupling or one or more arms, clips or rings.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said attachment unit is adapted to fit on an outer circumference of said actuation button.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a cylindrical or conical form, wherein a lower part of said housing forms the attachment unit and an upper part of said housing retains the detector.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector is one of an electric switch, a piezoelectric sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure sensor and a touch sensor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information related to said detected actuation action is information related to an instant of time at which said actuation action is detected.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information related to said detected actuation action is a representation of a time instant at which said actuation action is detected, or a representation of a time duration that has passed since said actuation action was detected, or an information that a pre-defined time duration since said actuation action was detected has already passed or not.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric unit comprises a provision unit configured to provide information on said information related to said detected actuation action optically via a display or via one or more light sources, acoustically via speech generation or via sounds, haptically, by vibration, or by transmission via wired or wireless connections to an electronic device that is different from said medical device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric unit is further configured to store and/or provide information related to a determined dose and/or to store and/or provide said information related to said detected actuation action in dependence on said determined dose.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprises an acoustic sensor that is configured to determine said determined dose by sensing sounds that occur when a dose selector of said medical device is operated, or comprises a rotatable member in said housing configured to sense a movement of said dose selector.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric unit is further configured to provide information allowing for identifying, locating or finding said medical device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a rotatable member that is configured to be attached to a dosage knob of the medical device such that rotation of the dosage knob to set a dose is sensed by the electric circuit.

13. A method, comprising:

detecting, with a detector, an actuation action applied via a housing of an apparatus that is predisposed to be releasably and directly attached atop an actuation button of a medical device such that said actuation button is inaccessible by a user, the actuation action configured to cause said medical device to eject at least a portion of a medicament comprised in said medical device, wherein said detector is configured to detect said actuation action based on a detection of a force and/or a touch applied to said housing as part of said actuation action, wherein said apparatus is placed on top of said actuation button,

determining a length of a time interval during which said actuation action is applied, and

storing and/or providing information related to said determined length of said time interval and/or storing and/or providing said information related to said detected actuation action based at least in part on said determined length of said time interval,

wherein said information related to said detected actuation is not stored and/or provided if the length of time interval is below a predefined threshold.

14. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to control the steps of the method of claim 13 when said computer program is executed on said processor.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising attaching the apparatus to the top of said actuation button.

17. A module for releasably attaching to a fully functioning medical device, comprising:

a housing comprising a distal end portion defining an attachment unit having a releasable and reusable attachment,

wherein the attachment unit accepts and covers a proximal end of an activation button of a completely manufactured and fully functional medical device such that when the module is releasably connected to the medical device a user of the medical device cannot directly access the proximal end of the activation button to exert a distally directed activation force directly to the activation button,

wherein the housing is further configured such that in order to perform an activation action to cause the medical device to eject at least a portion of a medicament contained in the medical device the distally directed activation force can only be applied to the module whereby the activation force is only transmitted to the activation button through the housing;

a detector located within the housing; and

an electric unit connected to the detector, where the electric unit stores, in a memory, information related to detected the actuation action,

wherein said electric unit is configured to determine a length of a time interval during which said actuation action is applied, and to store and/or provide information related to said determined length of said time interval and/or to store and/or provide said information related to said detected actuation action based at least in part on said determined length of said time interval,

wherein said information related to said detected actuation is not stored and/or provided if the length of time interval is below a predefined threshold.

18. The module according to claim 17, wherein said attachment unit is adapted to fit on an outer circumference of said activation button.

19. The module according to claim 17, wherein said housing has a cylindrical or conical form, wherein a lower part of said housing forms the attachment unit and an upper part of said housing retains the detector.