Pump assembly and method for infusion device

• US 20080009824A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cheney, Paul, Hanson, Ian, Moberg, Sheldon
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14573 with a replaceable reservoir for quick connection/disconnection with a driving system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/10 Device therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14236 Screw, impeller or centrifugal type pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion contains a reservoir and secures to the patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. A disposable pump assembly selectively connects to the reservoir. The disposable pump assembly includes a pump rotor, a septum and a needle for conveying infusion media from the reservoir to the patient.

Claims

1. A delivery device for delivering an infusion media to a user, the device comprising:

a disposable housing portion adapted to be secured to a user;

a durable housing portion configured to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the disposable housing portion;

a reservoir for containing infusion media supported on the disposable housing portion, wherein the reservoir comprises a container and a septum at one end of the container;

a pump assembly that is operatively coupled to the reservoir for fluid-flow communication with the reservoir container, the pump assembly comprising a pump housing portion that contains a pump chamber, a rotary pump blade supported for rotation within the pump chamber, a receptacle having a size and shape for receiving the septum of the reservoir, the receptacle being in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber;

a drive device for rotatably driving the rotary pump blade within the pump chamber to impart a fluid flow force directed to convey fluid from the reservoir, through the pump chamber, when the septum of the reservoir is received in the receptacle of the pump housing portion;

electrical control circuitry contained in the durable housing portion, wherein the electrical control circuitry controls the delivery of infusion media from the reservoir to the user.

2. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary pump blade is supported on a drive axel and wherein the drive device comprises a motor and a drive gear coupled to the drive axel for rotation of the drive axel by the motor.

3. A delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a drive axel supporting the rotary pump blade for rotation within the pump chamber, the drive axel extending through a wall of the pump housing portion and having an external end located external to the pump housing portion for engaging the drive device.

4. A delivery device according to claim 3, further comprising a gear coupled to the external end of the drive axel for engaging the drive device.

5. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the pump assembly further comprises a hollow needle having a sharp end located within the receptacle and facing toward an open end of the receptacle for piercing the septum of a reservoir when a reservoir septum is received within the receptacle, the hollow needle provided in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber.

6. A delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising an outlet chamber in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber, for receiving fluid from the pump chamber.

7. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the pump assembly further comprises a hollow needle having a sharp end located within the receptacle, the hollow needle provided in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber;

wherein the pump assembly couples to the reservoir by manually pushing the receptacle end of the pump housing over the septum of the reservoir until the hollow needle pierces the septum on the reservoir and partially extends into the reservoir for fluid flow communication between the interior of the reservoir.

8. A delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising an outlet chamber in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber and having an opening for conveying infusion media out of the pump assembly.

9. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the pump housing portion has an outlet end and a septum structure on the outlet end for allowing a hollow needle to extend through the septum structure to provide a fluid flow path out from the outlet end of the pump housing portion.

10. A delivery device according to claim 9, wherein the septum structure comprises a pair of septa arranged across from each other on opposing sides of the pump housing portion for allowing a hollow needle to pass through both septa, and wherein the hollow needle has a side opening that provides a fluid flow path for the fluid within the outlet chamber end of the housing to a location outside of the outlet chamber when hollow needle is passed through the septa.

11. A delivery device according to claim 10, wherein the hollow needle further comprises a head with a surface on which a force may be applied to move the hollow needle through the septa.

12. A pump assembly for coupling to a reservoir container that contains a flowable medium, the pump assembly comprising:

a pump housing portion that contains a pump chamber;

a rotary pump blade supported for rotation within the pump chamber;

a receptacle having a size and shape for receiving one end of a reservoir, the receptacle being in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber;

a flow communicator located within the receptacle for providing a flow path for communication of a flowable medium from a reservoir to the pump chamber when one end of the reservoir is received within the receptacle.

13. A pump assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the reservoir to which the pump assembly couples is provided with a septum structure and wherein the flow communicator comprises a needle arranged within the receptacle to pierce the septum structure of a reservoir when the one end of the reservoir is received within the receptacle.

14. A pump assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the reservoir to which the pump assembly couples is provided with a septum structure and wherein the flow communicator comprises a needle located within the receptacle and having a sharp end directed toward an open end of the receptacle and wherein the open end of the receptacle is of a size and shape for receiving the one end of the reservoir such that the sharp end of the needle pierces the septum structure of the reservoir during an action of inserting the reservoir into the open end of the receptacle.

15. A pump assembly as recited in claim 12, further comprising a drive axel for rotably supporting the rotary pump blade, the drive axel is configured to be operatively coupled to a drive device for rotation of the drive axel by the drive device.

16. A pump assembly as recited in claim 12, further comprising a drive axel supporting the rotary pump blade for rotation within the pump chamber, the drive axel extending through a wall of the pump housing portion and having an external end located external to the pump housing portion for engaging a drive device.

17. A pump assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a gear coupled to the external end of the drive axel for engaging the drive device.

18. A pump assembly according to claim 12, further comprising an outlet chamber in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber, for receiving fluid from the pump chamber.

19. A pump assembly according to claim 12, wherein the flow communicator comprises a needle arranged within the receptacle to extend into a reservoir when the one end of the reservoir is received within the receptacle;

wherein the pump assembly couples to the reservoir by manually pushing the receptacle of the pump housing over one end of the reservoir until the needle partially extends into the reservoir for fluid flow communication with the interior of the reservoir.

20. A pump assembly according to claim 12, wherein the further comprising an outlet chamber in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber and having an opening for conveying infusion media out of the pump housing portion.

21. A pump assembly according to claim 12, wherein the pump housing portion has an outlet end and a septum structure on the outlet end for allowing a hollow needle to extend through the septum structure to provide a fluid flow path out from the outlet end of the pump housing portion.

22. A pump assembly according to claim 21, wherein the septum structure comprises a pair of septa arranged across from each other on opposing sides of the pump housing portion for allowing a hollow needle to pass through both septa, and wherein the hollow needle has a side opening that provides a fluid flow path for the fluid within the outlet chamber end of the housing to a location outside of the outlet chamber when hollow needle is passed through the septa.

23. A pump assembly according to claim 22, wherein the hollow needle further comprises a head with a surface on which a force may be applied to move the hollow needle through the septa.

24. A method for delivering an infusion media to a user, the method comprising:

providing a housing portion adapted to be secured to a user;

supporting a reservoir for containing infusion media on the housing portion, wherein the reservoir comprises a container and a septum at one end of the container;

coupling a pump assembly to the reservoir for fluid-flow communication with the reservoir container, the pump assembly comprising a pump housing portion that contains a pump chamber;

supporting a rotary pump blade for rotation within the pump chamber;

providing a receptacle in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber, the receptacle having a size and shape for receiving the septum of the reservoir;

coupling the rotary pump blade with a drive device for rotatably driving the rotary pump blade within the pump chamber to impart a fluid flow force directed to convey fluid from the reservoir, through the pump chamber, when the septum of the reservoir is received in the receptacle of the pump housing portion.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein supporting a rotary pump blade comprises supporting the rotary pump blade on a drive axel and wherein the drive device comprises a motor coupled to the drive axel for rotation of the drive axel by the motor.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein supporting a rotary pump blade comprises coupling a drive axel to the rotary pump blade, supporting the rotary pump blade on the drive axel for rotation within the pump chamber, extending the drive axel through a wall of the pump housing portion and engaging an external end of the drive axel located external to the pump housing portion with the drive device.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein providing a receptacle comprises providing a receptacle with an open end and a hollow needle having a sharp end located within the receptacle and facing toward the open end of the receptacle for piercing the septum of a reservoir when a reservoir septum is received within the receptacle, the hollow needle provided in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber.

28. A method according to claim 24, further comprising arranging an outlet chamber in fluid flow communication with the pump chamber for receiving fluid from the pump chamber.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein providing a receptacle comprises providing a receptacle having a hollow needle with a sharp end for coupling to the reservoir by manually pushing the receptacle of the pump housing over the septum of the reservoir until the hollow needle pierces the septum on the reservoir and partially extends into the reservoir for fluid flow communication between the interior of the reservoir.

30. A method according to claim 24, further comprising providing a septum structure on an outlet end of the pump housing for allowing a hollow needle to extend through the septum structure to provide a fluid flow path out from the outlet end of the pump housing portion.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein providing a septum structure comprises providing a pair of septa arranged across from each other on opposing sides of the pump housing portion for allowing a hollow needle to pass through both septa, and providing a hollow needle with a side opening that provides a fluid flow path for the fluid within the outlet chamber end of the housing to a location outside of the outlet chamber when hollow needle is passed through the septa.