Medication Delivery System with a Detector for Providing a Signal Indicative of an Amount of a Set and/or Ejected Dose of Drug

• US 20080140018A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Enggaard, Christian Peter, Nielsen, Preben, Munchow, Bodo von
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3546 Range
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/315 Pistons; Piston-rods; Guiding, blocking or restricting the movement of the rod or piston; Appliances on the rod for facilitating dosing ; Dosing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31505 Integral with the syringe barrel, i.e. connected to the barrel so as to make up a single complete piece or unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2451 Incremental encoders G01D5/2454 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/023 with provision for varying the stroke of the piston
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/029 provided with electric controlling means G01F11/022 and G01F11/024 take precedence

Abstract

A medication delivery system, comprising: a movable part (230, 232) adapted to move relative to a stationary part; at least two conductors (234, 236) which are arranged such that an electrical characteristic is defined by the mutual position of the movable and the stationary part and/or by movement of one of said parts relative to the other; and a detector for detecting a change of said electrical characteristic, wherein the parts are stationary relative to each other during dose setting and in that the parts are moved relative to each other during dose ejection, such that that detector provides a signal indicative of the actual amount of the ejected dose.

Claims

1. A medication delivery system (100), comprising:

a movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270) adapted to move relative to a stationary part (163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 262, 264, 272);

at least two conductors (200, 202, 204, 230, 232, 236, 244, 250, 252, 256) which are arranged such that an electrical characteristic is defined by the mutual position of the movable and the stationary part (163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 262, 264, 272) and/or by movement of one of said parts relative to the other; and

a detector for detecting a change of said electrical characteristic, characterised in that

the parts (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270;

163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 262, 264, 272) are stationary relative to each other during dose setting and in that the parts (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270;

163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 262, 264, 272) are moved relative to each other during dose ejection, such that that detector provides a signal indicative of the actual amount of the ejected dose.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the parts (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270;

163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 262, 264, 272) are rotated relative to each other during dose ejection, such that that detector provides a signal indicative of the actual amount of the ejected dose.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic is one of an electrical inductance, a capacitance, an electric resistance, a voltage and an electrical current.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270) comprises a first electrically (163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 262, 264, 272) comprises a second electrically conducting surface (202, 204, 230, 232, 244, 250, 252), the electrical characteristic of the at least two electrical conductors (200, 202, 204, 230, 232, 236, 244, 250, 252, 256) being determined by relative movement and/or relative position of said first and second surfaces (200, 202, 204, 230, 232, 236, 244, 250, 252, 256).

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising a primary set of contact surfaces (200, 202, 230, 236, 250, 256) which is arranged to engage and disengage upon relative movement of the stationary part (163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 272) and the movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 270), the primary set of contact surfaces (200, 202, 230, 236, 250, 256) comprising a first and a second contact surface (200, 236, 256;

202, 230, 250) which comprises the first and the second electrically conducting surfaces (200, 236, 256;

202, 230, 250), respectively.

6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising a secondary set of contact surfaces (200, 204, 232, 236, 252, 256) which is arranged to engage and disengage upon relative movement of the stationary part (163, 202, 204, 230, 232, 250, 252, 272) and the movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 270), the secondary set of contact surfaces (200, 204, 232, 236, 252, 256) comprising a third and a fourth contact surface (200, 236, 256;

204, 232, 252) which comprises a third and a fourth electrical surface (200, 236, 256;

204, 232, 252), respectively, and wherein the electrical characteristic between the primary set of contact surfaces (200, 202, 230, 236, 250, 256) is unchanged when the electrical characteristic between the secondary set of contact surfaces (200, 204, 232, 236, 252, 256) is changed and vice versa.

7. A system according to claim 6, further comprising biasing arms (202, 204, 236, 244, 256, 272) which are biased towards a periphery of the movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270), said arms (202, 204, 236, 244, 256, 272) comprising at least one of the second and the fourth surfaces (202, 230, 250;

204, 232, 252).

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the outer periphery of the movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270) defines a plurality of conductive and non-conductive surfaces defining the first and the third contact surfaces (200, 236, 256;

200, 236, 256).

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein a visible and/or audible and/or tactile indication is detectable when the second or the fourth contact surface (202, 230, 250;

204, 232, 252) changes from a surface having a first conductive property to another surface having a second conductive property.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the periphery of the movable part (157, 159, 200, 210, 234, 236, 240, 254, 256, 260, 270) comprises abrupt changes in its radial dimension.

11. A system according to claim 5, wherein the contact surfaces are arranged to lock for relative rotational movement in one direction.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises a power supply (224) and control electronics (226) connected to the at least two conductors (200, 202, 204, 230, 232, 236, 244, 250, 252, 256).