Liquid supply apparatus

• US 20050056665A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-WHA Fresenius Kabi Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-WHA Fresenius Kabi Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Yong-Nyun
• Granted Patent: US 6,964,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/399
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31516 reducing dead-space in the syringe barrel after delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/205 comprising air venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7536 allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/20 Closure caps or plugs for connectors or open ends of tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066

Abstract

A liquid supply apparatus (10) is provided. The liquid supply apparatus (10) has a cylinder (12), a piston (14) and a piston pushing apparatus. The cylinder (12) is provided with a head portion (20) with outlet (24). The cylinder (12) has a rear end opened. The piston (14) is inserted into the cylinder (12). The piston moves along the longitudinal direction of the cylinder (12) so as to inject liquid contained in the cylinder (12). The piston pushing apparatus (16) pushes the piston (14). The piston pushing apparatus (16) has a moving member contacting the rear portion of the piston (14), a electric motor and a movement transferring mechanism. The movement transferring mechanism converts the rotation of the motor into the linear movement of the moving member.

Claims

1. A liquid supply apparatus, comprising:

a cylinder having an interior space, a head portion and a rear portion, the head portion having a liquid-flow opening;

a piston located in the interior space of the cylinder and air-tightly partitioning the interior space into a liquid compartment on the side of the head portion and a gas compartment on the side of the rear portion;

a gas supply apparatus configured to be coupled to the rear portion and to supply a gas into the gas compartment, the gas supply apparatus comprising;

a solid material containing a gelatin, and

a liquid material capable of generating the gas by a chemical reaction with the solid material; and

wherein the piston is configured to move toward the head portion when the gas is supplied to the gas compartment.

2. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solid material comprises 70-95 wt % of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), 3-30 wt % of gelatin, and no more than 3 wt % of talc.

3. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solid material comprises 90-94 wt % of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), 5-10 wt % of gelatin, and no more than 1 wt % of talc.

4. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid material is a solution of L-tartaric acid (C₄H₆O₆).

5. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply apparatus is configured to generate the gas at a pressure from about 0.35 kg/cm² to about 0.50 kg/cm².

6. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply apparatus further comprising a breakable partition isolating the solid and liquid materials from each other, a reaction vessel where the solid and liquid materials react with each other when the partition is broken, and a partition breaker configured to break the breakable partition so as to let the solid and liquid materials contact each other in the reaction vessel.

7. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 6, wherein the reaction vessel is a container containing the liquid.

22. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the cylinder comprises a projection extending into the interior space and has a longitudinal through-hole, the through-hole constituting the liquid-flow opening.

23. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 22, wherein the piston has a leading end facing the projection, wherein the piston has a recess on the leading end thereof, and wherein the recess is configured to receive the projection.

24. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 22, wherein the recess is further configured to substantially contact with the projection when receiving the projection.

25. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a tube connected to the cylinder via the through-hole of the projection, wherein the tube is in fluid communication with the liquid compartment.

31. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 1, wherein the piston has a recess on a trailing end thereof.

33. A method of continuously supplying a liquid for an extended period of time, the method comprising:

providing the liquid supply apparatus of claim 1;

filling the liquid compartment with a liquid;

activating the gas supply apparatus so as to supply the gas into the gas compartment, wherein the gas supply apparatus continuously supplies the gas into the gas compartment for an extended period of time; and

wherein the piston is moved toward the head portion as a gaseous pressure within the gas compartment increases, whereby the liquid in the liquid compartment flows out of the liquid compartment through the liquid-flow opening.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the liquid is a liquid medication.

8. A liquid supply apparatus, comprising:

a cylinder having an interior space, a head portion and a rear portion, the head portion having a liquid-flow opening;

a piston located in the interior space of the cylinder and air-tightly partitioning the interior space into a liquid compartment on the side of the head portion and a gas compartment on the side of the rear portion;

a gas supply apparatus configured to be coupled to the rear portion and to supply a gas into the gas compartment, the gas supply apparatus comprising;

a liquid material configured to be used to generate the gas, and

a gas separating structure configured to separate the generated gas from the liquid, the gas separating structure comprising a liquid-impermeable-but-gas-permeable sheet in contact with the liquid material; and

wherein the piston is configured to move toward the head portion when the gas is supplied to the gas compartment.

9. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gas supply apparatus further comprises a solid material capable of generating the gas by a chemical reaction with the liquid material.

10. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the solid material contains a metal carbonate.

11. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the solid material comprises 70-95 wt % of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), 3-30 wt % of gelatin, and no more than 3 wt % of talc.

12. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the solid material comprises 90-94 wt % of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), 5-10 wt % of gelatin, and no more than 1 wt % of talc.

13. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the liquid material is a solution of L-tartaric acid (C₄H₆O₆).

14. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gas supply apparatus is configured to generate the gas at a pressure from about 0.35 kg/cm² to about 0.50 kg/cm².

15. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gas supply apparatus further comprises:

a second material;

a breakable partition isolating the liquid material and the second material from each other;

a reaction vessel where the liquid and second materials react with each other when the partition is broken; and

a partition breaker configured to break the breakable partition so as to let the liquid and second materials contact each other in the reaction vessel.

16. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reaction vessel is a container containing the liquid material.

26. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein the head portion of the cylinder comprises a projection extending into the interior space and has a longitudinal through-hole, the through-hole constituting the liquid-flow opening.

27. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 26, wherein the piston has a leading end facing the projection, wherein the piston has a recess on the leading end thereof, and wherein the recess is configured to receive the projection.

28. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 26, wherein the recess is further configured to substantially contact with the projection when receiving the projection.

29. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a tube connected to the cylinder via the through-hole of the projection, wherein the tube is in fluid communication with the liquid compartment.

32. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 8, wherein the piston has a recess on a trailing end thereof.

35. A method of continuously supplying a liquid for an extended period of time, the method comprising:

providing the liquid supply apparatus of claim 8;

filling the liquid compartment with a liquid;

activating the gas supply apparatus so as to supply the gas into the gas compartment, wherein the gas supply apparatus continuously supplies the gas into the gas compartment for an extended period of time; and

wherein the piston is moved toward the head portion as a gaseous pressure within the gas compartment increases, whereby the liquid in the liquid compartment flows out of the liquid compartment through the liquid-flow opening.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the liquid is a liquid medication.

17. A liquid supply apparatus, comprising:

a cylinder having an interior space, a head portion and a rear portion, the head portion having a liquid-flow opening;

a piston located in the interior space of the cylinder and air-tightly partitioning the interior space into a liquid compartment on the side of the head portion and a gas compartment on the side of the rear portion;

a gas supply apparatus configured to be coupled to the rear portion and to supply a gas into the gas compartment;

wherein the piston is configured to move toward the head portion when the gas is supplied to the gas compartment; and

wherein the gas supply apparatus comprises;

a first material,

a second material,

a breakable partition isolating the first and second materials from each other,

a reaction vessel where the first and second materials react with each other when the partition is broken,

a partition breaker configured to break the breakable partition so as to let the first and second materials contact each other in the reaction vessel, and

a gas collecting structure comprising a liquid-impermeable-but-gas-permeable sheet arranged to contact the liquid.

18. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 17, wherein the liquid-impermeable-but-gas-permeable sheet is placed on a wall of the reaction vessel such that at least a portion of the sheet is exposed to the gas generated from the reaction.

19. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 17, wherein the gas collecting structure further comprises a gas-passage sheet and a liquid-and-gas-impermeable sheet, and wherein the gas-passage sheet is located between the liquid-impermeable-but-gas-permeable sheet and the liquid-and-gas-impermeable sheet.

20. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 19, wherein the gas-passage sheet is made of non-woven fabric or foam material.

21. A liquid supply apparatus, comprising:

a cylinder having an interior space, a head portion and a rear portion, the head portion having a liquid-flow opening;

a piston located in the interior space of the cylinder and air-supply partitioning the interior space into a liquid compartment on the side of the head portion and a gas compartment on the side of the rear portion;

a gas supply apparatus configured to be coupled to the rear portion and to supply a gas into the gas compartment;

wherein the piston is configured to move toward the head portion when the gas is supplied to the gas compartment; and

wherein the gas supply apparatus comprises;

a first material,

a second material,

a breakable partition isolating the first and second materials from each other,

a reaction vessel where the first and second materials react with each other when the partition is broken,

a partition breaker configured to break the breakable partition so as to let the first and second materials contact each other in the reaction vessel, and

a gas pressure regulator configured to control or regulate the pressure of the gas supplied into the gas compartment.

30. A liquid supply apparatus, comprising:

a cylinder having an interior space, a head portion and a rear portion, the head portion having a liquid-flow opening;

a piston located in the interior space of the cylinder and air-tightly partitioning the interior space into a liquid compartment on the side of the head portion and a gas compartment on the side of the rear portion;

a gas supply apparatus configured to be coupled to the rear portion and to supply a gas into the gas compartment;

a tube connected to the liquid-flow opening and in fluid communication with the liquid compartment;

a cap configured to cover a distal end of the tube, the cap having a through-hole in fluid communication with the tube, the cap further comprising a gas-permeable-but-liquid-impermeable material placed and configured to allow passage of a gas from the tube through the through-hole while preventing passage of a liquid through the through-hole; and

wherein the piston is configured to move toward the head portion when the gas is supplied to the gas compartment.

37. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 30,

wherein the head portion of the cylinder has a projection extending into the interior space and a longitudinal through-hole in the projection;

and

wherein the piston has a leading end facing the projection and a recess on the leading end thereof, the recess being configured to receive the projection.

38. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 37, wherein the recess is further configured to substantially contact with the projection when receiving the projection.

39. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a tube connected to the cylinder via the through-hole of the projection, wherein the tube is in fluid communication with the liquid compartment.

40. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 37, wherein the piston has a recess on a trailing end thereof.

41. The liquid supply apparatus of claim 37, wherein the piston comprises a cylindrical body and a sealing ring, wherein the cylindrical body has an annular groove on an outer surface thereof, and wherein the sealing ring is fitted around the groove.

42. A cap for covering a liquid supply tube, comprising:

a cap body configured to cover an end of a liquid supply tube;

a through-hole formed on the cap body, the through-hole being in fluid communication with the liquid supply tube; and

a gas-permeable-but-liquid-impermeable material configured to allow passage of a gas from the tube through the through-hole while preventing passage of a liquid through the through-hole.

43. The cap of claim 42, wherein the cap body is configured to tightly receive the end of the liquid supply tube.