Disposable infusion device filling apparatus and method

• US 20080119790A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Calibra Medical, Inc. (CeQur SA)
• Original Assignee: Seattle Medical Technologies
• Inventors: Carter, Brett J., Hawkins, Daniel, Adams, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body

Abstract

An infusion system includes a disposable wearable infusion device and a filler device. The disposable infusion device has a body arranged to be adhered to a patient'"'"'s skin and a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into the patient. The filler device is arranged to detachably receive the infusion device body and to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir. The filler device may be part of a service device arranged to detachably receive the infusion device and which also includes a cannula driver and a cannula for providing the infusion device with a cannula and deploying the cannula to beneath a patient'"'"'s skin.

Claims

1. An infusion system comprising:

a disposable wearable infusion device having a body arranged to be adhered to a patient'"'"'s skin and a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into the patient; and

a filler device arranged to detachably receive the infusion device body and transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the infusion device includes a window through which the liquid medicant within the reservoir may be viewed.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the filler device has a cavity for receiving a vial of the liquid medicant, and establishes fluid communication between the infusion device reservoir and the liquid medicant upon concurrently receiving the infusion device body and the vial of liquid medicant.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the filler device is arranged to transfer a desired volume of the liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the filler is arranged to meter a predetermined volume of medicant from the vial to the reservoir.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the filler device is enabled to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir upon the cavity receiving the vial of the liquid medicant.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the filler includes a pump that transfers the liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the pump is arranged to pump air into the vial to displace liquid medicant from the vial and into the reservoir.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the filler includes a vent that vents the vial to atmospheric pressure when being received in the cavity.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the filler cavity seals the vial after the vent vents the vial to atmosphere as the cavity receives the vial.

11. A method comprising:

providing a disposable infusion device adapted to adhere to a patient'"'"'s skin and having a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into the patient;

filling the reservoir at least partially with the liquid medicant;

adhering the device to the patient'"'"'s skin; and

deploying a cannula through the device to beneath the skin of the patient.

12. The method of claim 11, including the further step of removing air bubbles from the reservoir after the reservoir is filled with the liquid medicant.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the filling step is performed before the adhering step is performed.

14. The method of claim 11, including the further step of pre-selecting a desired amount of the liquid medicant to be filled into the reservoir before filling the reservoir.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the filling step comprises detachably joining the device to a filler and providing the filler with a vial of the liquid medicant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the filling step further comprises pumping liquid medicant from the vial into the reservoir.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pumping step comprises admitting air into the vial to force liquid medicant from the vial into the reservoir.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the filling step further comprises venting the vial to atmospheric pressure before admitting the air into the vial.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the filling step includes pre-selecting a desired amount of air to be admitted into the vial before admitting the air into the vial.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising removing trapped air from the reservoir after the reservoir is filled with the liquid medicant.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the removing step includes returning the trapped air to the vial.

22. The method of claim 11, including the further step of detaching the infusion device from the filler prior to adhering the device to the patient'"'"'s skin.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein the deploying step comprises detachably joining the infusion device to a cannula driver containing the cannula and driving the cannula from the cannula driver through the infusion device.

24. The method of claim 23, including the further step of detaching the cannula driver from the infusion device after the cannula is deployed.

25. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of detachably joining the infusion device to a service device, the service device having a liquid medicant filler and the cannula to be deployed, wherein the filling step further includes inserting a vial of liquid medicant into the filling device from which the reservoir is filled, wherein the adhering step is performed with the service device joined to the infusion device, and wherein the deploying step comprises driving the cannula from the service device through the infusion device.

26. The method of claim 25, including the further step of detaching the service device from the infusion device after the cannula is deployed.

27. An infusion system comprising:

a disposable wearable infusion device having a body arranged to be adhered to a patient'"'"'s skin and a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into the patient; and

a service device arranged to detachably receive the infusion device body and having a filler that provides the infusion device reservoir with the liquid medicant and a cannula driver including a cannula, the cannula driver being arranged to drive the cannula into a deployed position extending from the infusion device to beneath the patient'"'"'s skin.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the device includes a window through which the liquid medicant within the reservoir may be observed.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the service device includes a cavity for receiving a vial of the liquid medicant, and wherein the filler establishes fluid communication between the infusion device reservoir and the liquid medicant upon the service device concurrently receiving the infusion device body and the vial of liquid medicant.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the filler is enabled to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir upon the cavity of the service device receiving the vial of the liquid medicant.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the filler is arranged to transfer a desired volume of liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the filler is arranged to meter a predetermined volume of liquid medicant from the vial to the reservoir.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the filler includes a pump that transfers the liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the pump is arranged to pump air into the vial to displace liquid medicant from the vial and into the reservoir.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the filler includes a vent that vents the vial to atmospheric pressure when being received in the cavity.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the filler cavity seals the vial after the vent vents the vial to atmospheric pressure as the cavity receives the vial.

37. A filler device for filling a reservoir of a disposable wearable infusion device with a liquid medicant, comprising:

a body arranged to detachably receive the infusion device and having a cavity for receiving a vial of the liquid medicant;

a conduit that establishes fluid communication between the infusion device reservoir and the liquid medicant; and

a pump that transfers a volume of the liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the pump is enabled to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir upon the cavity receiving the vial of the liquid medicant.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the conduit establishes fluid communication between the infusion device reservoir and the liquid medicant upon the device concurrently receiving the infusion device and the vial of liquid medicant.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the filler device is arranged to transfer a desired volume of the liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

41. The device of claim 37, wherein the filler device is arranged to meter a predetermined volume of liquid medicant from the vial to the reservoir.

42. The device of claim 37, wherein the pump is arranged to pump air into the vial to displace liquid medicant from the vial and into the reservoir.

43. The device of claim 42, further comprising a vent that vents the vial to atmospheric pressure when being received in the cavity.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the cavity seals the vial after the vent vents the vial to atmospheric pressure as the cavity receives the vial.

45. A service device for use with a disposable wearable infusion device having a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into a patient, comprising:

a body arranged to detachably receive the infusion device and having a cavity for receiving a vial of the liquid medicant;

a filler that provides the infusion device reservoir with a volume of the liquid medicant from the vial; and

a cannula driver including a cannula, the cannula driver being arranged to drive the cannula into a deployed position extending from the infusion device to beneath the patient'"'"'s skin.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the filler is enabled to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir upon the cavity receiving the vial of the liquid medicant.

47. The device of claim 45, wherein the filler establishes fluid communication between the infusion device reservoir and the liquid medicant upon the service device concurrently receiving the infusion device and the vial of liquid medicant.

48. The device of claim 45, wherein the filler is arranged to transfer a desired volume of liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

49. The device of claim 45, wherein the filler is arranged to meter a predetermined volume of liquid medicant from the vial to the reservoir.

50. The device of claim 45, wherein the filler includes a pump that transfers the liquid medicant from the vial to the infusion device reservoir.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the pump is arranged to pump air into the vial to displace liquid medicant from the vial and into the reservoir.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the filler includes a vent that vents the vial to atmospheric pressure when being received in the cavity.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the cavity seals the vial after the vent vents the vial to atmospheric pressure as the cavity receives the vial.