Self-sealing connection for housing shells of an administering device

• US 20070185450A1
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: De Polo, Marco, Etter, Philip, Steiner, Remo
• Granted Patent: US 7,931,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14264 with means for compensating influence from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

Administering device for infusing or injecting a product, comprising a housing (1, 2) with a first housing shell (1) and a second housing shell (2), a receiver (3) for the product formed in the housing (1, 2), a conveying mechanism (4) for conveying the product and a seal (10), which connects the housing shells (1, 2) to one another in a pressing contact rendering them watertight, which seal (10) is or has a sealing lip (13) which establishes the pressing contact with the first housing shell (1).

Claims

1. An administering device for infusing or injecting a product, comprising

a) a housing with a first housing shell and a second housing shell;

b) a receiver for the product, disposed in the housing;

c) a conveying mechanism for conveying the product; and

d) a seal disposed between the first housing shell and the second housing shell rendering them watertight,

e) wherein the seal comprises a sealing lip for establishing a pressing contact with the first housing shell.

2. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first housing shell comprises a seal gap into which the sealing lip is pressed to establish the pressing contact.

3. The administering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seal gap comprises a gap width of at most 0.5 mm or a gap width of at most 0.4 mm at least in a gap region where the pressing contact is established.

4. The administering device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gap region comprises a gap width of at most 0.3 mm.

5. The administering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seal gap comprises a gap width of at least 0.1 mm at least in the gap region where the pressing contact is established.

6. The administering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seal gap in the first housing shell comprises a groove, and wherein an opening of the groove lies in an end face of the first housing shell.

7. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing lip projects axially out beyond an end face of the second housing shell.

8. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein sealing lip projects radially out from an end face of the second housing shell.

9. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second housing shell forms a base of the housing.

10. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing lip is a fixed constituent part of the second housing shell.

11. The administering device as claimed in claim 10, wherein an elastic material of the sealing lip continues into a shell region of the second housing adjoining the sealing lip.

12. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second housing shell comprises a shell region formed in a single piece with the sealing lip of elastic material, from which the sealing lip protrudes.

13. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second housing shell comprises a support structure and the seal, and the sealing lip is molded onto the support structure or is fixedly connected to the support structure.

14. The administering device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sealing lip is connected to the support structure by means of a form fit.

15. The administering device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seal is disposed on the side of the support structure pointing outwards.

16. The administering device as claimed in claim 13, wherein a battery compartment is formed in the housing and an access opening for the battery compartment is formed in the support structure, and the seal is connected to the support structure around the edge of the access opening so as to be peripherally watertight.

17. The administering device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seal is injection-molded onto the support structure.

18. The administering device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seal engages around the support structure at its edge.

19. The administering device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the seal has comprises an anchoring element for engaging behind the support structure.

20. The administering device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sealing lip is supported on the support structure on a rear side facing away from the first housing shell.

21. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is pressed in the pressing contact with a pressing pressure which is greater than the maximum ambient pressure which can be anticipated during operation of the administering device.

22. Administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

23. The administering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a plastic injection-molded seal.

24. A method of producing a device for infusing or injecting a product, comprising the steps of:

forming a housing with a first housing shell and a second housing shell, wherein forming the second housing shell comprises providing a support structure and a seal, the support structure formed from a dimensionally stable, curable plastic material by an injection-molding process, and wherein providing the seal comprises providing a sealing lip for establishing a pressing contact with the first housing shell, the sealing lip being molded onto the support structure or fixedly connected to the support structure and made from a thermoplastic elastomer that is injection-molded onto the support structure;

providing a receiver for the product, disposed in the housing; and

providing a conveying mechanism for conveying the product.