Liquid delivery device and method of use thereof

• US 20020161344A1
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pharmacia AB (Pharmacia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Pharmacia AB (Pharmacia Corp.)
• Inventors: Saurer, Alain, Peclat, Christian, Villiger, Beat, Himbert, Hans, Siegfried, Daniel, Gremion, Emmanuel, Kaser, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 6,758,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/295
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0026 Ophthalmic product dispenser attachments to facilitate positioning near the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/02 for the eyes

Abstract

A device and use method for ejecting a liquid stream towards an eye, the stream moving from a proximal position towards a distal position, the device comprising a) a housing, b) a container for the liquid, c) at least one opening arranged for ejection of the stream and being in fluid communication with the container, d) a pump mechanism operable to deliver at least part of the liquid from the container through the opening to form the stream and e) an eyecup with a contact surface arranged for contact with the eye or its facial surroundings. The eyecup is arranged movable with respect to the opening or housing between at least two positions i) an active position with said eyecup contact surface at a defined safety distance to the opening and ii) a rest position with the eyecup contact surface at a position more proximal than in the active position and a sensor is arranged to allow discrimination between the positions. The pump mechanism may include a pump driver able to store cocked energy for driving the pump mechanism and at least one activation mechanism may be present and operable to initiate the device for the liquid delivery, whereby a driving mechanism is arranged to transform manual or stored energy both i) into cocked energy of the pump driver and ii) into direct or stored energy for operation of the activation mechanism.

Claims

1. A device for ejecting a liquid stream towards an eye, the stream moving from a proximal position towards a distal position, the device comprising a) a housing, b) a container for the liquid, c) at least one opening arranged for ejection of the stream and being in fluid communication with the container, d) a pump mechanism operable to deliver at least part of the liquid from the container through the opening to form the stream and e) an eyecup with a contact surface arranged for contact with the eye or its facial surroundings, characterized in the improvement comprising that the eyecup is arranged movable with respect to the opening or housing between at least two positions i) an active position with said eyecup contact surface at a defined safety distance to the opening and ii) a rest position with the eyecup contact surface at a position more proximal than in the active position and that a sensor is arranged to allow discrimination between the positions.

2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the opening is arranged fixed with respect to the housing when moving the eyecup.

3. The device of claim 1, characterized in the container is removably attached to the housing.

4. The device of claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of single-dose containers are connected and arranged to be moved sequentially into an operative position relative the pump mechanism.

5. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the eyecup is arranged to allow movement to at least one further position farther away from the housing or opening than in the active position.

6. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the eyecup can be entirely removable from the housing.

7. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the eyecup is arranged to move with a translational movement.

8. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the eyecup is arranged to be moved with a rotational component.

9. The device of claim 8, characterized in that that the eyecup is connected to the housing via a hinge.

10. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the sensor system is arranged to generate at least one signal and that the device is arranged perform at least one action on the basis of the signal, directly or after processing into a control signal.

11. The device of claim 10, characterized in that the signal generation or processing comprises at least one mechanical step.

12. The device of claim 10, characterized in that the signal generation or processing comprises at least one electromagnetic step.

13. The device of claim 10, characterized in that the sensor is arranged to generate a signal representative for continuous eyecup positions.

14. The device of claim 10, characterized in that the sensor is arranged to generate a signal representative for discrete eyecup positions.

15. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the device is arranged to deliver at least one message detectable by a user on the basis of the signal.

16. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the device is arranged to perform at least one operation step of the device.

17. The device of claim 15, characterized in that the signal is used to enable or disable the pump mechanism.

18. The device of claim 15, characterized in that that the device can only be triggered when the eyecup is in the active position

19. The device of claim 15, characterized in that the signal is used to disable enable an initiation action for the container.

20. The device of claim 15, characterized in that the signal is used to enable or disable a device control action.

21. The device of claim 15, characterized in that the signal is used to enable or disable a device door.

22. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the eyecup is arranged movable with respect to the opening.

23. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the eyecup is arranged movable with respect to the housing.

25. The method of claim 24, characterized in any step contained in any other claim.

27. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the cocked energy at least partially is stored in one or more mechanical springs.

28. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the driving mechanism is arranged to receive manual energy.

29. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the driving mechanism is arranged to receive stored energy.

30. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the stored energy comprises electrical energy, preferably in a battery.

31. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the driving mechanism comprises a transmission.

32. The device of claim 31, characterized in that the transmission is arranged to perform gear down to from lower to higher force.

33. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the activation mechanism is arranged to drive an indexing action in which a container is brought into operative relationship with the pump mechanism.

34. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the activation mechanism is arranged to drive an peeling in which a temporary seal is removed from the container.

35. The device of claim 34, characterized in that the peeling action comprises moving a de-sealing tool through a disc member having a plurality of containers.

36. The device of claim 35, characterized in that the peeling action includes control of presence of a temporary seal before its removal.

37. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the driving mechanism is arranged to cock stored energy for driving the activation mechanism.

38. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the driving mechanism is arranged to cock stored energy for driving the activation mechanism directly.

39. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the driving mechanism is arranged to drive the cocking and activation mechanism at least partly in sequence.

40. The device of claim 39, characterized in that at least two actions are driven by the activation mechanism and that the at least two actions are driven at least partially in sequence..

41. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the activation mechanism is arranged to drive a control step and/or an initiation step for the container or the opening,

42. The device of claim 26, characterized in that the device comprises an eyecup with a contact surface arranged for contact with the eye or its facial surroundings.

24. A method for operating an ejection device to eject a liquid stream, the stream moving from a proximal position towards a distal position, the device comprising a) a housing, b) a container for the liquid, c) at least one opening arranged for ejection of the stream and being in fluid communication with the container, d) a pump mechanism operable to deliver at least part of the liquid from the container through the opening to form the stream and e) a part arranged to define a predetermined distance to a target and arranged movable with respect to the opening or housing between at least two positions i) an active position with said part at a defined safety distance to the opening and ii) a rest position with the part at a position more proximal than in the active position and that a sensor is arranged to allow discrimination between the positions characterized in the steps of moving the part between the active position and the rest position or vice versa, generating a signal representative for either the active position or the rest position, optionally processing the signal to obtain a control signal and using the signal or control signal to perform at least one action on the container, the opening, the pump mechanism or the part.

26. A device for ejecting a liquid stream, the stream moving from a proximal position towards a distal position, the device comprising a) a housing, b) a container for the liquid, c) at least one opening arranged for ejection of the stream and being in fluid communication with the container, d) a pump mechanism, including a pump driver able to store cocked energy for driving the pump mechanism, operable to deliver at least part of the liquid from the container through the outlet to form the stream and e) at least one activation mechanism operable, separately form the pump mechanism, to initiate the device for the liquid delivery, characterized in the improvement comprising a driving mechanism arranged to transform manual or stored energy both i) into cocked energy of the pump driver and ii) into direct or stored energy for operation of the activation mechanism.

43. A method for operating an ejection device for ejecting a liquid stream, the stream moving from a proximal position towards a distal position, the device comprising a) a housing, b) a container for the liquid, c) at least one opening arranged for ejection of the stream and being in fluid communication with the container, d) a pump mechanism, including a pump driver able to store cocked energy for driving the pump mechanism, operable to deliver at least part of the liquid from the container through the outlet to form the stream and e) at least one activation mechanism operable, separately form the pump mechanism, to initiate the device for the liquid delivery, characterized in that it comprises the step of operating a driving mechanism to transform manual or stored energy both i) into cocked energy of the pump driver and ii) into direct or stored energy for operation of the activation mechanism.

44. The method of claim 43, characterized in any step contained in any other claim.