SYSTEMS AND METHODS ALLOWING FOR RESERVOIR AIR BUBBLE MANAGEMENT

• US 20080264261A1
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lee, Mike, Kavazov, Julian D., Bikovsky, Rafael, Luan, Truong Gia, Ibranyan, Arsen, Miller, Thomas, Griffin, Christopher G., Shen, Benjamin X., Hezzell, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/193
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2075 for external venting
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/341 angularly adjustable or angled away from the axis of the injector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/165 Filtering accessories, e.g. blood filters, filters for infusion liquids A61M1/14 , A61M1/34, A61M1/3627, A61M1/3679, A61M1/3687 take precedence; needle sets with incorporated air inlet filters A61M5/162
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/36 with means for eliminating or preventing injection or infusion of air into body dialysis systems, blood oxygenators A61M1/14; haemofiltration equipment A61M1/34; automatic tube cut-off A61M39/281
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/38 using hydrophilic or hydrophobic filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to limiting a presence of air bubbles in fluidic media in a reservoir. Air passages may allow air to escape from fluidic media in a reservoir. Membranes may allow for trapping air bubbles in fluidic media before fluidic media enters a reservoir. A membrane may allow air to flow from a first reservoir containing fluidic media to a second reservoir while plunger heads within each of the reservoirs are moved within the reservoirs. An inner reservoir with a membrane may be moveable within an outer reservoir to allow air to move from the outer reservoir to the inner reservoir. An inner reservoir containing pressurized gas may allow fluidic media to be transferred to an outer reservoir.

Claims

1. A system for managing air bubbles, the system comprising:

a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port for expelling fluidic media from the interior volume of the reservoir, the reservoir having one or more air passages that extend from the interior volume of the reservoir to an outer surface of the reservoir; and

one or more filters, each of the one or more filters located in a respective air passage of the one or more air passages.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein each of the one or more filters are located at an end of the respective air passage of the one or more air passages.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein each of the one or more filters comprises a hydrophobic material;

and

wherein each of the one or more filters is positioned at the end of the respective air passage of the one or more air passages so as to substantially prevent fluidic media from entering the respective air passage of the one or more air passages in a case where fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir.

4. The system of claim 1,

the reservoir having a fluid channel that leads from the interior volume of the reservoir to the port of the reservoir;

wherein the one or more air passages surround the fluid channel of the reservoir.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein each of the one or more filters is configured to allow air in the interior volume of the reservoir to pass through the filter and to exit the reservoir through the respective air passage of the one or more air passages.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein each of the one or more air passages exits the reservoir on a same side of the reservoir where the port of the reservoir is located.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein each of the one or more air passages allows air to exit the reservoir on a same side of the reservoir where fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir.

8. A method of making a system for managing air bubbles, the method comprising:

providing a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port for expelling fluidic media from the interior volume of the reservoir, the reservoir having one or more air passages that extend from the interior volume of the reservoir to an outer surface of the reservoir; and

locating each of one or more filters in a respective air passage of the one or more air passages.

9. A system for managing air bubbles, the system comprising:

a reservoir;

a plunger head moveable within the reservoir, the reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media on one side of the plunger head, the reservoir having a chamber on an opposite side of the plunger head from the interior volume of the reservoir, the reservoir having a channel connecting the interior volume of the reservoir with the chamber of the reservoir; and

a membrane for allowing air to pass from the interior volume of the reservoir to the chamber of the reservoir through the channel of the reservoir and for inhibiting fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the reservoir to the chamber of the reservoir through the channel of the reservoir.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a bias member connected between a surface of the reservoir and the plunger head within the chamber of the reservoir.

11. The system of claim 10,

wherein the bias member comprises a spring.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a valve for allowing a vacuum to be applied to the chamber of the reservoir.

13. The system of claim 9,

wherein the membrane comprises a hydrophobic material.

14. A method of making a system for managing air bubbles, the method comprising:

providing a reservoir;

locating a plunger head moveable within the reservoir, the reservoir having a interior volume for containing fluidic media on one side of the plunger head, the reservoir having a chamber on an opposite side of the plunger head from the interior volume of the reservoir, the reservoir having a channel connecting the interior volume of the reservoir with the chamber of the reservoir; and

providing a membrane for allowing air to pass from the interior volume of the reservoir to the chamber of the reservoir through the channel of the reservoir and for inhibiting fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the reservoir to the chamber of the reservoir through the channel of the reservoir.

15. A system for managing air bubbles, the system comprising:

a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

a plunger head moveable within the reservoir, the plunger head having a channel from a first surface of the plunger head to a second surface of the plunger head, the first surface of the plunger head in contact with fluidic media in a case where fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir;

a bellows member connected to the plunger head; and

a membrane located within the channel of the plunger head, the membrane configured to allow air to pass from the interior volume of the reservoir to an interior volume of the bellows member through the channel of the plunger head, the membrane configured to inhibit fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the reservoir to the interior volume of the bellows member through the channel of the plunger head in a case where fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir.

16. A method of making a system for managing air bubbles, the method comprising:

providing a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

locating a plunger head moveable within the reservoir, the plunger head having a channel from a first surface of the plunger head to a second surface of the plunger head, the first surface of the plunger head in contact with fluidic media in a case where fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir;

providing a bellows member connected to the plunger head; and

locating a membrane within the channel of the plunger head, the membrane configured to allow air to pass from the interior volume of the reservoir to an interior volume of the bellows member through the channel of the plunger head, the membrane configured to inhibit fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the reservoir to the interior volume of the bellows member through the channel of the plunger head in a case where fluidic media is in the interior volume of the reservoir.

17. A system for managing air bubbles, the system comprising:

a first reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

a first plunger head moveable within the first reservoir;

a second reservoir having an interior volume for containing air, the first reservoir and the second reservoir having a passage connecting the interior volume of the first reservoir and the interior volume of the second reservoir;

a second plunger head moveable within the second reservoir; and

a membrane for allowing air to pass from the interior volume of the first reservoir to the interior volume of the second reservoir through the passage and for inhibiting fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the first reservoir to the interior volume of the second reservoir through the passage.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the first plunger head and the second plunger head are configured to move substantially simultaneously.

19. The system of claim 17,

the second plunger head operatively connected to the first plunger head.

20. The system of claim 17,

the first reservoir having a septum, the septum pierceable by a needle for providing a fluid path between a vial containing fluidic media and the interior volume of the first reservoir.

21. The system of claim 20,

the first plunger head moveable within the first reservoir between at least a first position and a second position;

the first plunger head for drawing fluidic media from the vial into the interior volume of the first reservoir in a case where the vial is connected to the first reservoir and the first plunger head is moved to the second position of the first plunger head.

22. The system of claim 20,

the second plunger head moveable within the second reservoir between at least a first position and a second position;

the membrane configured to allow air to pass from the interior volume of the first reservoir through the passage to the interior volume of the second reservoir in a case where air is in the interior volume of the first reservoir and the second plunger head is moved to the second position of the second plunger head.

23. The system of claim 17,

the interior volume of the second reservoir located on one side of the second plunger head;

the second reservoir having a chamber on an opposite side of the second plunger head from the interior volume of the second reservoir;

the second reservoir having a port for expelling air from the interior volume of the second reservoir in a case where the interior volume of the second reservoir contains air and the port of the second reservoir and the interior volume of the second reservoir are in communication.

24. The system of claim 17,

wherein the membrane comprises a hydrophobic membrane.

25. A method of making a system for managing air bubbles, the method comprising:

providing a first reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

locating a first plunger head moveable within the first reservoir;

providing a second reservoir having an interior volume for containing air, the first reservoir and the second reservoir having a passage connecting the interior volume of the first reservoir and the interior volume of the second reservoir;

locating a second plunger head moveable within the second reservoir; and

locating a membrane for allowing air to pass from the interior volume of the first reservoir to the interior volume of the second reservoir through the passage and for inhibiting fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the first reservoir to the interior volume of the second reservoir through the passage.

26. A system for managing air bubbles, the system comprising:

an outer reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

an inner reservoir having an interior volume, at least a portion of the inner reservoir configured to be moveable in the outer reservoir;

a plunger head moveable within the inner reservoir; and

a membrane for allowing air to pass from the interior volume of the outer reservoir to the interior volume of the inner reservoir and for inhibiting fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the outer reservoir to the interior volume of the inner reservoir.

27. The system of claim 26,

the plunger head moveable within the inner reservoir between at least a first plunger position and a second plunger position;

wherein a vacuum in the interior volume of the inner reservoir is created when the plunger head is moved from the first plunger position to the second plunger position.

28. The system of claim 27,

the outer reservoir having a septum, the septum pierceable by a needle, the needle for providing a fluid path from a vial containing fluidic media to the interior volume of the outer reservoir.

29. The system of claim 28,

the inner reservoir configured to be moveable in the outer reservoir between at least a first inner reservoir position and a second inner reservoir position;

wherein fluidic media is drawn from the vial into the interior volume of the outer reservoir in a case where the interior volume of the outer reservoir is in fluid communication with the vial and the inner reservoir is moved from the first inner reservoir position to the second inner reservoir position.

30. The system of claim 26,

wherein the membrane comprises a hydrophobic filter.

31. A method of making a system for managing air bubbles, the method comprising:

providing an outer reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

providing an inner reservoir having an interior volume, at least a portion of the inner reservoir configured to be moveable in the outer reservoir;

locating a plunger head moveable within the inner reservoir; and

providing a membrane for allowing air to pass from the interior volume of the outer reservoir to the interior volume of the inner reservoir and for inhibiting fluidic media from passing from the interior volume of the outer reservoir to the interior volume of the inner reservoir.

32. A system for transferring fluidic media, the system comprising:

an outer reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media; and

an inner reservoir having an interior volume, the inner reservoir having a septum pierceable by a needle, the needle for providing a path from a vial containing fluidic media to the interior volume of the inner reservoir in a case where a first end of the needle is in contact with fluidic media in the vial and a second end of the needle opposite the first end of the needle is in the interior volume of the inner reservoir;

the outer reservoir having a septum pierceable by the needle, the needle for providing a fluid path from the vial containing fluidic media to the interior volume of the outer reservoir in a case where the first end of the needle is in contact with fluidic media in the vial and the second end of the needle is in the interior volume of the outer reservoir;

at least a portion of the inner reservoir configured to be moveable in the outer reservoir between at least a first inner reservoir position and a second inner reservoir position.

33. The system of claim 32,

wherein the inner reservoir is in the first inner reservoir position when the second end of the needle is in the interior volume of the inner reservoir;

and

wherein the inner reservoir is in the second inner reservoir position when the second end of the needle is in the interior volume of the outer reservoir.

34. The system of claim 32,

wherein pressure in the interior volume of the inner reservoir is substantially equal to pressure in the vial when the inner reservoir is in the first inner reservoir position.

35. The system of claim 34,

wherein pressure in the vial is greater than pressure in the interior volume of the outer reservoir when the inner reservoir is in the second inner reservoir position.

36. A method of making a system for transferring fluidic media, the method comprising:

providing an outer reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media;

providing an inner reservoir having an interior volume, the inner reservoir having a septum pierceable by a needle, the needle for providing a path from a vial containing fluidic media to the interior volume of the inner reservoir in a case where a first end of the needle is in contact with fluidic media in the vial and a second end of the needle opposite the first end of the needle is in the interior volume of the inner reservoir;

configuring the outer reservoir to include a septum pierceable by the needle, the needle for providing a fluid path from the vial containing fluidic media to the interior volume of the outer reservoir in a case where the first end of the needle is in contact with fluidic media in the vial and the second end of the needle is in the interior volume of the outer reservoir; and

configuring at least a portion of the inner reservoir to be moveable in the outer reservoir between at least a first inner reservoir position and a second inner reservoir position.