Infusion device and driving mechanism for same
First Claim
1. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
- an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
a piston channel for communication of infusion medium received by the inlet;
a coil surrounding the piston channel;
a piston located within the piston channel and moveable axially within the piston channel to drive infusion medium into the piston channel;
an armature disposed adjacent the coil, on one side of the piston channel;
an outlet chamber disposed adjacent the coil, on the opposite side of the piston channel relative to the armature for receiving infusion medium from the channel; and
an outlet in flow communication with the outlet chamber, for discharging infusion medium from the outlet chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium a coil capable of being electrically activated to provide an electromagnetic field. The coil surrounds a piston channel extending in an axial direction. The piston channel provides a passage for communication of infusion medium to an outlet chamber located at one end of the piston channel. An armature is located adjacent the coil, on one side of the axial channel. The armature is moveable toward a forward position, in response to the electromagnetic field produced by activation of the coil. A piston is located within the piston channel and is moveable axially within the channel to a forward position, in response to movement of the armature to its forward position. The armature and piston are moved toward a retracted position, when the coil is not energized. In the retracted position of the piston, a piston chamber is formed between the piston and a valve member and is filled with infusion medium. As the piston is moved to its forward position, the piston chamber volume is reduced and pressure within the piston chamber increases to a point where the pressure moves the valve member into an open position. When the valve member is in the open position, medium from the piston chamber is discharged into an outlet chamber located on the opposite side of the coil relative to the armature. An outlet is provided in flow communication with the outlet chamber, for discharging infusion medium from the outlet chamber.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
a piston channel for communication of infusion medium received by the inlet;
a coil surrounding the piston channel;
a piston located within the piston channel and moveable axially within the piston channel to drive infusion medium into the piston channel;
an armature disposed adjacent the coil, on one side of the piston channel;
an outlet chamber disposed adjacent the coil, on the opposite side of the piston channel relative to the armature for receiving infusion medium from the channel; and
an outlet in flow communication with the outlet chamber, for discharging infusion medium from the outlet chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
at least one coil capable of being electrically activated to provide an electromagnetic field, the at least one coil surrounding an axial piston channel that provides a passage for communication of infusion medium received by the inlet;
an armature disposed adjacent the coil, on one side of the axial piston channel and moveable in a first direction relative to the coil, in response to the electromagnetic field produced by an activation of the coil;
a piston located within the piston channel and moveable axially within the channel in the first direction, in response to movement of the armature;
an outlet chamber disposed adjacent the coil, on the opposite side of the piston channel relative to the armature for receiving infusion medium from the piston channel, upon movement of the piston in the first direction; and
an outlet in flow communication with the outlet chamber, for discharging infusion medium from the outlet chamber.
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34. An infusion device for delivering infusion medium, the device comprising:
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a housing having an outlet through which infusion medium may be discharged;
a reservoir disposed within the housing, for containing a volume of infusion medium;
a control circuit for providing drive control signals;
a drive mechanism disposed within the housing, for driving infusion medium from the reservoir and out the outlet, in response to drive control signals from the control circuit; and
a power source disposed within the housing, for providing power to the control circuit and drive mechanism;
wherein the drive mechanism comprises;
an inlet for receiving infusion medium from the reservoir;
at least one coil capable of being electrically activated to provide an electromagnetic field in response to a signal from the control circuit, the at least one coil surrounding an axial piston channel that provides a passage for communication of infusion medium received by the inlet;
an armature disposed adjacent the coil, on one side of the axial channel and moveable in a first direction relative to the coil, in response to the electromagnetic field produced by an activation of the coil;
a piston located within the piston channel of the coil and moveable axially within the channel in the first direction, in response to movement of the armature;
an outlet chamber disposed adjacent the coil, on the opposite side of the piston channel relative to the armature for receiving infusion medium from the piston channel, upon movement of the piston in the first direction; and
an outlet port in flow communication with the outlet chamber and the housing outlet, for discharging medium from the outlet chamber, through the housing outlet.
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35. A method or delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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providing at least one coil surrounding a piston channel;
providing a piston through the piston channel;
providing an armature on one side of the coil, transverse to the piston;
receiving infusion medium through an inlet disposed on the armature side of a coil;
urging the piston and armature toward a retracted position to form a piston chamber between one end of the piston and a valve member;
filling the piston chamber with infusion medium by passing a volume of the infusion medium received on the armature side of the coil from the inlet through the piston channel to the piston chamber;
electrically activating the coil to provide an electromagnetic field to move the armature and piston toward a forward position, moving the piston toward the forward position under the force of the electromagnetic field to compress the volume of the piston chamber and force the valve to an open position;
discharging infusion medium from the piston chamber, through the open valve and into an outlet chamber, upon the piston being moved to the forward position; and
delivering the infusion medium discharged from the outlet chamber through an outlet port.
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36. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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at least one coil surrounding a piston channel, the piston channel having an inlet end and an outlet end for communication of infusion medium from the inlet end and out through the outlet end;
a magnetic return path structure surrounding the piston channel and providing a portion of at least one magnetic return path for said at least on coil;
a piston located within the piston channel and moveable axially within the piston channel in response to the energization of said at least one coil;
an armature disposed adjacent the coil, on one side of the piston channel, to provide a further portion of said at least one magnetic flux path; and
an outlet in flow communication with the outlet end of the piston channel, for discharging infusion medium from the piston channel. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
an outlet for discharging infusion medium;
a piston channel through which infusion medium is communicated between the inlet and the outlet;
a piston located within the piston channel and moveable axially within the piston channel between a retracted position and a forward position, the piston defining a piston chamber at one end of the piston, the piston chamber having a first volume for containing infusion medium received by the inlet when the piston is in the retracted position, wherein the piston chamber volume reduces as the piston is moved from its quiesent position toward its forward position, to drive infusion medium from the piston chamber toward the outlet;
an armature located on one side of the piston channel and moveable between an retracted position and a forward position;
a coil located in a position relative to the armature to generate an electromagnetic field upon energization sufficient to cause the armature and piston to move from their quiesent positions to their forward postions; and
an adjuster for allowing adjustment of the first piston chamber volume. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
an outlet for discharging infusion medium;
a piston channel through which infusion medium is communicated between the inlet and the outlet;
a piston located within the piston channel and defining a clearance between the piston and the piston channel in fluid flow communication with the inlet for receiving infusion medium from the inlet, the piston being moveable axially within the piston channel between an retracted position and a forward position, the piston defining a piston chamber at one end of the piston when the piston is in the retracted position, the piston chamber being in fluid flow communication with the clearance between the piston and piston channel for receiving infusion medium, wherein the piston chamber volume reduces as the piston is moved from its quiesent position toward its forward position, to drive infusion medium from the piston chamber toward the outlet;
an armature located on one side of the piston channel and moveable between an retracted position and a forward position; and
a coil located in a position relative to the armature to generate an electromagnetic field upon energization sufficient to cause the armature and piston to move from their quiesent positions to their forward postions;
wherein the clearance between the piston and the piston channel is sufficient to convey infusion medium to fill the piston chamber between coil activations - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
an outlet for discharging infusion medium;
a piston channel through which infusion medium is communicated between the inlet and the outlet;
a piston located within the piston channel to define a fluid flow path between the inlet and outlet, the piston being moveable axially within the piston channel between an retracted position and a forward position to drive infusion medium toward the outlet, an armature located on one side of the piston channel and moveable between an retracted position and a forward position;
a coil located in a position relative to the armature to generate an electromagnetic field upon energization sufficient to cause the armature and piston to move from their quiesent positions to their forward postions; and
a magnet arranged relative to at least one of the armature and the piston to impart a force on at least one of the armature and the piston sufficient to move at least one of the armature and the piston from the forward position to the retracted position upon deenergization of the coil. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium comprising:
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an inlet for receiving infusion medium;
an outlet for discharging infusion medium;
a piston channel through which infusion medium is communicated between the inlet and the outlet;
a piston located within the piston channel to define a fluid flow path between the inlet and outlet, the piston being moveable axially within the piston channel between an retracted position and a forward position to drive infusion medium toward the outlet, an armature located on one side of the piston channel and moveable between an retracted position and a forward position;
a coil located in a position relative to the armature to generate an electromagnetic field upon energization sufficient to cause the armature and piston to move from their quiesent positions to their forward postions; and
a valve assembly module having a valve member moveable between open and closed positions to selectively open and close one end of the piston channel to the outlet chamber, the valve member being moveable in response to axial movement of the piston within the piston channel. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification