INSULIN RESERVOIR DETECTION VIA MAGNETIC SWITCHING

• US 20100010443A1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trividia Healthcare Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nipro Diabetes Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: MORGAN, Roy, Gamez, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for detecting the presence of a medicament reservoir within the housing of an infusion pump. A medicament reservoir, affixed to a reservoir cap is removably inserted within the housing of an infusion pump. A magnet is affixed to or embedded in one or both of the reservoir or the reservoir cap. Alternately, the cap or the reservoir can be made of magnetic material. A sensing device embedded or otherwise affixed to the pump housing senses the presence or absence of the magnetic field created by the magnet. The presence of the magnetic field indicates that the reservoir is inserted properly within the housing and the absence of the magnetic field indicates that the reservoir has been at least partially withdrawn from the pump'"'"'s housing.

Claims

1. An infusion pump system for detecting the presence of a medicament container in an infusion pump, the system comprising:

a pump housing;

a magnetically activated sensor located within the housing;

a container for storing medicament, the medicament container removably situated within the pump housing; and

a magnetic field source for creating a magnetic field, the sensor detecting a presence of the magnetic field indicating that the medicament container is within the pump housing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects an absence of the magnetic field indicating that the medicament container is at least partially withdrawn from the pump housing.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cap affixed to the medicament container, the cap including the magnetic field source.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the magnetic field source is embedded within the cap.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the magnetic field source is externally affixed to the cap.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the cap is made of magnetic material, the magnetic material providing the magnetic field.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the medicament container includes the magnetic field source.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the magnetic field source is embedded within the medicament container.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the magnetic field source is externally affixed to the outside of the medicament container.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic field source is circumferentially affixed to the medicament container.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the magnetic field source is longitudinally affixed to the outside of the medicament container.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the medicament container is doped with magnetic material, the magnetic material providing the magnetic field.

13. A method for detecting the presence of a medicament container in an infusion pump, the method comprising:

positioning a medicament container containing medicament within an infusion pump housing;

generating a magnetic field, the magnetic field created by a magnetic field source, the magnetic source positioned proximate the medicament container; and

sensing the presence or absence of the magnetic field, wherein sensing a presence of the magnetic field indicates that the medicament container is within the infusion pump housing.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sensing an absence of the magnetic field, wherein sensing an absence of the magnetic field indicates that the medicament container is at least partially withdrawn from the infusion pump housing.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a cap is affixed to the medicament container, the cap including the magnetic field source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the magnetic field source is embedded within the cap.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the magnetic field source is externally affixed to the cap.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the cap is made of magnetic material, the magnetic material providing the magnetic field.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the medicament container includes the magnetic field source.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the magnetic field source is embedded within the medicament container.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the magnetic field source is externally affixed to the outside of the medicament container.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the magnetic field source is circumferentially affixed to the medicament container.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the magnetic field source is longitudinally affixed to the outside of the medicament container.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the medicament container is doped with magnetic material, the magnetic material providing the magnetic field.