Implantable drug delivery device with peristaltic pump having retracting roller

• US 20020151846A1
• Filed: 04/13/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Haase, James M., Heruth, Kenneth T., Christenson, Steven R., Robinson, Reginald D., Luedi, Manfred K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,743,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1253 by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1276 Means for pushing the rollers against the tubular flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4924 Scroll or peristaltic type

Abstract

An implantable drug infusion device includes a pump tube for holding a liquid to be pumped. A race is configured to support the pump tube. A roller assembly is configured to compress the tube against the race at one or more points along the path, and the roller assembly includes at least one roller and a hub. A drive assembly drives the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so as to move the liquid through the tube. A retracting roller is operably connected to the hub and/or one or more adjacent rollers to permit retraction of the roller during installation of the pump tube between the roller and the race.

Claims

1. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a pump tube for holding a liquid to be pumped;

a race configured to support the tube along a path;

a roller assembly configured to compress the tube against the race at one or more points along the path, the roller assembly including at least one retracting roller and a hub;

a drive assembly to drive the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so as to move the liquid through the tube,

the retracting roller operably connected to the hub or at least one adjacent roller to permit retraction of the roller during installation of the pump tube between the roller and the race.

2. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the roller assembly further comprises a biasing member to bias the roller against the pump tube after installation of the pump tube between the roller and the race.

3. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 2, wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring.

4. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 3, wherein the coil spring is from a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, stainless steel or nitinol shape memory alloy.

5. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the race includes an inlet ramp and an outlet ramp.

6. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 5, wherein the inlet ramp has an arcuate geometry.

7. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 5, wherein the outlet ramp has an arcuate geometry.

8. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the roller assembly comprises at least one retracting roller arm pivotally connected to the hub, each retracting roller arm having a roller pivotally secured thereto and operably connected to the hub.

9. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 8 wherein the roller arm assembly comprises three retracting roller arms.

10. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 8, further comprising at least one hook on the hub and a pivot pin on the retracting roller arm, wherein the pivot pin of the retracting roller arm is captured by the hook.

11. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 10, wherein the device has three retracting roller arms, three corresponding rollers and three corresponding hooks.

12. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the drive assembly comprises a drive shaft and a drive gear, the drive gear configured to be rotatably driven by a motor, the drive shaft rotatably driven by the drive gear and rotatably driving the roller assembly.

13. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 12, wherein the drive gear includes a plurality of teeth about a periphery of the drive gear engageable by a gear of a motor assembly.

15. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 14, wherein the roller assembly further comprises a biasing member to bias the roller against the pump tube after installation of the pump tube between the roller and the race.

16. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 15 wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring.

17. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 16, wherein the coil spring is from a material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, stainless steel or nitinol shape memory alloy.

18. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 14, further comprising a support plate to secure the roller assembly and drive assembly to the bulkhead.

19. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 14, further comprising a motor assembly, the drive assembly driven by the motor assembly.

14. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a bulkhead having a race;

a pump tube having an inlet and an outlet and being positioned within the race;

a roller assembly configured to compress the tube against the race at least one point along the path, the roller assembly including at least one retracting roller and a hub;

a drive assembly to drive the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so as to move a liquid through the tube,

the retracting roller operably connected to the hub or at least one adjacent roller to permit retraction of the roller during installation of the pump tube between the roller and the race

20. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a bulkhead having a race, a first chamber, and a second chamber;

a pump tube having an inlet and an outlet and being positioned within the race;

a motor assembly positioned within the first chamber; and

a pumphead assembly positioned within the second chamber, the motor assembly driving the pumphead assembly, the pumphead assembly comprising

a roller assembly having a hub, and at least one retracting roller arm, operably connected to a corresponding roller to permit retraction of the roller during installation of a pump tube between each roller and the race;

a drive assembly to drive the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so the roller compresses the tube to move a liquid through the tube; and

a spring operably connected to the retracting roller arm to bias each corresponding roller against the pump tube after installation of the pump tube between the roller and the race

21. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20, wherein the roller assembly has two or more retracting roller arms.

22. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20 wherein the roller assembly has three retracting roller arms.

23. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20, wherein the pumphead assembly further comprises a support plate secured to the bulkhead.

24. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20, wherein the race includes an inlet ramp and an outlet ramp, the inlet ramp and outlet ramp each having an arcuate geometry.

25. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20, wherein the spring is from a material selected from the group consisting of a cobalt, stainless steel, or nitinol shape memory alloy.

27. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 26, wherein the retracting roller housings are operably connected to each other by at least one spring.

28. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 26 wherein the roller assembly has three retracting roller housings operably connected to each other to permit retraction of a roller corresponding to each roller housing during installation of a pump tube between the roller and the race.

29. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 28, wherein each retracting roller housing is operably connected to the other roller housings by at least one spring.

26. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a bulkhead having a race, a first chamber, and a second chamber;

a pump tube having an inlet and an outlet and being positioned within the race;

a motor assembly positioned within the first chamber; and

a pumphead assembly positioned within the second chamber, the motor assembly driving the pumphead assembly, the pumphead assembly comprising

a roller assembly having at least two retracting roller housings operably connected to each other to permit retraction of a roller corresponding to each roller housing during installation of a pump tube between each roller and the race; and

a drive assembly to drive the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so the roller compresses the tube to move a liquid through the tube.

30. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a bulkhead having a race, a first chamber, and a second chamber;

a pump tube having an inlet and an outlet and being positioned within the race;

a motor assembly positioned within the first chamber; and

a pumphead assembly positioned within the second chamber, the motor assembly driving the pumphead assembly, the pumphead assembly comprising

a roller assembly having a hub and at least two retracting roller housings operably connected to the hub to permit retraction of a roller corresponding to each roller housing during installation of a pump tube between each roller and the race; and

a drive assembly to drive the roller assembly relative to the tube along the path so the roller compresses the tube to move a liquid through the tube.

31. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 30, wherein each retracting roller housing is operably connected to the hub by a spring.

32. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 31 wherein the roller assembly has three retracting roller housings operably connected to the hub to permit retraction of a roller corresponding to each roller housing during installation of a pump tube between the roller and the race.

33. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 32, wherein each retracting roller housing is operably connected to the hub by at least one spring.

35. The method for manufacture of claim 34, further having the step of assemblying a drive assembly to drive the roller assembly relative to the pump tube along the path so as to move the liquid through the pump tube.

34. A method for manufacture of an implantable drug infusion device comprising the steps of:

(a) assembling a race configured to support a pump tube along a path, a roller assembly configured to compress the tube against the race at one or more points along the path, the roller assembly including at least one retracting roller;

(b) retracting the roller away from the race; and

(c) inserting a pump tube between the retracted roller and the race.