Osmotic Pump

• US 20090129945A1
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acuros GmbH
• Original Assignee: Acuros GmbH
• Inventors: Guschauski, Thilo, Adleff, Helge
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/53
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0004 Osmotic delivery systems; Sustained release driven by osmosis, thermal energy or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28

Abstract

An osmotic pump comprises a first chamber (8) comprising an osmotically active substance (18), a second chamber (15) arranged to be filled with a solvent (17), and a semi-permeable barrier (14) separating the first chamber (8) from the second chamber (15). The semi-permeable barrier (14) is impermeable to the osmotic active substance and permeable to the solvent (17). The osmotic pump further comprises a pressure device (60) in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), wherein the pressure device (60) is arranged for pressurizing the solvent in the second chamber.

Claims

1. An osmotic pump, comprising:

a first chamber (8) comprising an osmotically active substance (18);

a second chamber (15) arranged to be filled with a solvent (17);

a semi-permeable barrier (14) separating the first chamber (8) from the second chamber (15), the semi-permeable barrier (14) being impermeable to the osmotically active substance (18) and permeable to the solvent; and

a position-independent pressure device (60) in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), the pressure device (60) being arranged for pressurizing the solvent (17) in the second chamber (15).

2. The osmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the pressure device (60) comprises an energy storage for providing energy to pressurize the solvent (17).

3. The osmotic pump of claim 2, wherein the energy storage is a pressure storage.

4. The osmotic pump of claim 2, wherein the energy storage comprises a movable member (4, 38) for acting on the solvent (17).

5. The osmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the pressure device (60) comprises a third chamber (7) in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), the third chamber (7) for filling with the solvent (17).

6. The osmotic pump of claim 5, wherein the pressure device (60) further comprises a fourth chamber (6) separated from the third chamber (7) by the movable member (4, 38).

7. The osmotic pump of claim 1, further comprising a valve (23, 29) comprising at least a first and a second port, the first port being in fluid communication with the pressure device (60) and the second port being in fluid communication with the second chamber (15).

8. The osmotic pump of claim 1, further comprising a valve (61, 46) comprising at least a first and a second port, the first port being in fluid communication with the first chamber (8) and the second port being in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), wherein the valve being arranged to provide a direct fluid communication between the first chamber (8) and the second chamber (15).

9. The osmotic pump of claim 7, wherein the valve (29) further comprising at least a third port which is in fluid communication with at least one of a bypass, a further second chamber (15′

) being separated from the first chamber (8) by a semi-permeable membrane (14), and a filling port (30) for filling solvent into the pressure device (60).

10. The osmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the second chamber (15, 15′

) at least partially borders to a gas-permeable barrier.

11. The osmotic pump of claim 1, further comprising a gas vent in fluid communication with the second chamber (15) wherein the gas vent is formed by the gas-permeable barrier (28).

12. An osmotic pump, comprising:

a first chamber (8) comprising an osmotically active substance (18);

a second chamber (15) arranged to be filled with a solvent (17);

a semi-permeable barrier (14) separating the first chamber (8) from the second chamber (15), the semi-permeable barrier (14) being impermeable to the osmotically active substance (18) and permeable to the solvent; and

a position-independent pressure device (60) in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), the pressure device (60) being arranged for pressurizing the solvent (17) in the second chamber (15);

wherein a valve (23, 29) comprises at least a first and a second port, the first port being in fluid communication with the pressure device (60) and the second prot being in fluid communication with the second chamber (15).

13. An osmotic pump, comprising:

a first chamber (8) comprising an osmotically active substance (18);

a second chamber (15) arranged to be filled with a solvent (17);

a semi-permeable barrier (14) separating the first chamber (8) from the second chamber (15), the semi-permeable barrier (14) being impermeable to the osmotically active substance (18) and permeable to the solvent; and

a position-independent pressure device (60) in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), the pressure device (60) being arranged for pressurizing the solvent (17) in the second chamber (15); and

a valve (61, 46) comprising at least a first and a second port, the first port being in fluid communication with the first chamber (8) and the second port being in fluid communication with the second chamber (15), wherein the valve being arranged to provide a direct fluid communication between the first chamber (8) and the second chamber (15).

14. A method for controlling the flow of a solvent in an osmotic pump, comprising a first chamber (8) which comprises an osmotic active substance (18), a second chamber (15) which comprises the solvent, and a semi-permeable barrier (14) separating the first chamber (8) from the second chamber (15), the semi-permeable barrier (14) being impermeable to the osmotic active substance (18) and permeable to the solvent, wherein the solvent is imbibed through the semi-permeable barrier (14) by osmosis, comprising the step of substantially permanently pressurizing the solvent in the second chamber (15).

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of charging an energy storage for providing energy to pressurize the solvent.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of charging comprises one of tensing a spring, compressing a fluid, filling the energy storage with a volatile liquid, and filling the energy storage with a swellable hydrogel.

17. A fluidic system, comprising:

an osmotic pump, comprising a first chamber (8) comprising an osmotically active substance (18), a second chamber (15) arranged to be filled with a solvent (17), a semi-permeable barrier (14) separating the first chamber (8) from the second chamber (15), the semi-permeable barrier (14) being impermeable to the osmotically active substance (18) and permeable to the solvent, and a position-independent pressure device (60) being arranged for pressurizing the solvent (17) in the second chamber (15); and

a fluidic device connected to the osmotic pump, the fluidic device requiring a minimum pressure for pumping a fluid through the fluidic device,

wherein the pressure device of the osmotic pump is arranged to provide a pressure which is at least equal to or higher than the minimum pressure of the fluidic device.