Infusion Pump System with Contamination-Resistant Features

• US 20080294108A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation, M2 Medical Group Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: M2 Medical Group Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Kirschen, Todd, Friedman, Steven, Briones, Victor, Colton, Joshua, Patel, Rajan, Balmeo, Mellanie
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31518 designed to reduce the overall size of an injection device, e.g. using flexible or pivotally connected chain-like rod members
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system may include a construction that is resistant to external contaminants, such as precipitation, water splashes, sweat and the like. In particular embodiments, the infusion pump system can include a pump device that is removably attached to a controller device to provide an electrical connection therebetween. In such circumstances, the infusion pump system can be assembled as a sealed construction that protects the electrical connection between the pump device and the removable controller device.

Claims

1. A wearable infusion pump system, comprising:

a disposable and non-reusable pump device including a drive system to dispense medicine from the pump device, the pump device having a first electrical connector that is externally accessible;

a reusable controller device removably attachable to the disposable and non-reusable pump device, the controller device including a second electrical connector that is engageable with the first connector to provide electrical communication between control circuitry of the controller device and the drive system of the pump device; and

a water-resistant seal device arranged proximate to the first and second electrical connectors when the controller device is removably attached to the pump device.

2. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the water-resistant seal device resists migration of external contaminants toward the first and second electrical connectors when the reusable controller device is removably attached to the non-reusable pump device.

3. The pump system of claim 2, wherein the water-resistant seal device is compressed between the adjacent surfaces of the pump device and the controller device when the controller device is removably attached to the pump device.

4. The pump system of claim 2, wherein the water-resistant seal device comprises a polymer foam gasket coupled to an external surface of the non-reusable pump device.

5. The pump system of claim 4, wherein the polymer foam gasket surrounds an electrical interface between the first and second electrical connectors when the controller device is removably attached to the pump device.

6. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the water-resistant seal device resists migration of water to the first and second electrical connectors when the pump system is submerged underwater for a particular period of time.

7. The pump system of claim 6, wherein the particular period of time at least four hours.

8. The pump system of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical connectors engage one another by a guided motion in a longitudinal direction.

9. The pump system of claim 8, wherein the water-resistant seal device comprises a major seal surface that extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

10. The pump system of claim 9, wherein the water-resistant seal device compressed between the adjacent surfaces of the pump device and the controller device when the first and second electrical connectors engage one another by the guided motion in the longitudinal direction.

11. A method of connecting components of an infusion pump system, the method comprising:

preparing a pump device for use with a controller device, the pump device including at least a portion of a drive system to dispense medicine from the pump device, the controller device including control circuitry to communicate control signals to the drive system of the pump device;

removably attaching the pump device with the controller device so that a first electrical connector of the pump device engages a second electrical connector of the controller device; and

compressing a water-resistant seal device between the pump device and the controller to resist migration of water toward the first and second electrical connectors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the water-resistant seal device resists migration of external contaminants toward the first and second electrical connectors when the controller device is removably attached to the pump device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the water-resistant seal device comprises a polymer foam gasket coupled to an external surface of the pump device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the polymer foam gasket surrounds an electrical interface between the first and second electrical connectors when the controller device is removably attached to the pump device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising exposing external surfaces of the pump device and the removably attached controller device to one or more external contaminants.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more external contaminants are selected from the group consisting of precipitation, water splashes, sweat, and dirt.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the water-resistant seal device resists migration of water to the first and second electrical connectors when the pump device and the removably attached controller device are submerged underwater for a particular period of time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the particular period of time at least four hours.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising activating the controller device so that the controller device signals the pump device to dispense the medicine.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising detaching the pump device from the controller device after the medicine in the pump device is exhausted.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising removably attaching a new pump device with said controller device.

22. A contaminant-resistant infusion pump assembly, comprising:

a pump device including;

a drive system to dispense a medicine from the pump device, a pump housing to enclose at least a portion of the drive system, and a first electrical connector that is externally accessible along the pump housing;

a seal device attached to an external surface of the pump housing proximate to the first electrical connector; and

a controller device removably attached to the pump device, the controller device including;

a user interface having a display device and at least one button, control circuitry to communicate with the drive system of the pump device, a controller housing to enclose at least a portion of the control circuitry, and a second electrical connector is engaged with the first connector to provide electrical communication between the control circuitry and the drive system,

wherein the seal device is arranged between a surface of the pump housing and an opposing surface of the controller housing to resist migration of external contaminants toward the first and second electrical connectors.

23. The pump assembly of claim 22, wherein the seal device is compressed between the adjacent surfaces of the pump device and the controller device when the controller device is removably attached to the pump device.

24. The pump assembly of claim 22, wherein the seal device comprises a polymer foam gasket coupled to an external surface of the pump device.

25. The pump assembly of claim 24, wherein the polymer foam gasket surrounds the first electrical connector.

26. The pump assembly of claim 22, wherein the seal device resists migration of water toward the first and second electrical connectors when the pump assembly is submerged underwater for at least four hours.