MANUAL FILLING AID WITH PUSH BUTTON FILL

• US 20100084041A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Wiegel, Christopher, Niederhauser, Sandro, Fehr, Jean-Noel, Rickert, Christoph, Kaufmann, Heiner, Zihlmann, Rudolf, Misselwitz, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/20 Arrangements for transferring or mixing fluids, e.g. from vial to syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2017 having three or more piercing ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2055 having gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2089 Containers or vials which are to be joined to each other in order to mix their contents combinations of vial and syringe for mixing their contents A61J1/2096

Abstract

A medical liquid transfer system includes a pump configured to transfer liquid between at least two containers. A detachable connector is detachably secured to the pump. The detachable connector has at least one pump passage to transmit pumping pressure from the pump to at least one of the containers. The detachable connector can include one or more liquid impermeable and gas permeable membranes to ensure the liquid is retained in the detachable connector. After the fluid is transferred the detachable connector is removed and replaced by a new one in order to prevent contamination of the pump. An interlock mechanism is used to prevent premature removal of the detachable connector and/or the container being filled.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a pump configured to transfer liquid between at least two containers; and

a detachable connector detachably secured to the pump to facilitate removal of the detachable connector from the pump, the detachable connector having at least one pump passage to transmit pumping pressure from the pump to at least one of the containers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the at least two containers including a destination container for receiving the liquid; and

an interlock mechanism configured to prevent removal of the destination container until the liquid is dispensed into the destination container.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

the pump including a container compartment;

the destination container being received in the container compartment;

the detachable connector including a catch clipped to the pump to enclose the container compartment;

the interlock mechanism including a push button configured to manually actuate the pump; and

the push button being moveable between an extended state and a depressed state to pump the liquid, in which the push button in the extended state blocks manual release of the catch, and in which the push button in the depressed state allows manual release of the catch.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the pump includes a one-way valve configured to hold the push button in position at least at the depressed state.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an interlock mechanism configured to prevent removal of the detachable connector before the liquid is transferred.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the detachable connector including a membrane to minimize contamination of the pump by the liquid, the membrane being liquid impermeable and gas permeable.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which the membrane is positioned to filter the liquid from the pump passage.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

the detachable connector including a vent passage configured to vent ambient air into at least one of the containers; and

the membrane being disposed along the vent passage.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the pump having a outlet port through which the pumping pressure is transmitted; and

the pump passage in the detachable connector having an opening facing the outlet port to seal with the outlet port of the pump when the detachable connector is detachably secured to the pump.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the detachable connector includes a fluid transfer passage configured to transfer the liquid between the at least two containers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the at least two containers including a supply container and a destination container; and

the supply container and the destination container being coupled to the detachable connector in an end-to-end linear manner to facilitate flow of the liquid in the fluid transfer passage between the supply container and the destination container.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the destination container including a septum; and

a fluid transfer needle piercing the septum of the destination container in which the fluid transfer passage is located inside the fluid transfer needle.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the detachable connector includes a catch detachably secured to the pump.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the pump includes a piston configured generate pumping suction during an upstroke of the pump and a spring biasing the piston in the direction of the upstroke for generating a constant back pressure to reduce bubble formation.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a pump to pump liquid;

a container secured to the pump; and

an interlock mechanism configured to release the container from the pump after the pump has pumped the liquid.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a detachable connector detachably secured to the pump to enclose the container in the pump; and

the interlock mechanism being configured to prevent removal of the detachable connector after the pump mechanism has pumped the liquid.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

the pump including a container compartment;

the container being received in the container compartment;

the detachable connector including a catch clipped to the pump to enclose the container compartment;

the interlock mechanism including a push button configured to manually actuate the pump; and

the push button being moveable between an extended state and a depressed state to pump the liquid, in which the push button in the extended state blocks manual release of the catch, and in which the push button in the depressed state allows manual release of the catch.

18. A method, comprising:

securing a detachable connector to a pump;

transferring a liquid between at least two containers by transmitting pumping pressure through the detachable connector from the pump to at least one of the containers; and

detaching the detachable connector from the pump after said transferring the liquid.

19. The method of claim 18, in which said transferring the liquid includes drawing the liquid through a fluid transfer passage in the detachable connector.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

obstructing removal of at least one of the containers with an interlock mechanism before said transferring the liquid.

21. The method of claim 20, in which said obstructing removal of the at least one of the containers includes preventing said detaching of the detachable connector until after said transferring the liquid.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

discarding the detachable connector.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating the pumping pressure with a pump that has a return spring that creates the pumping pressure when the pump is manually released to reduce bubble formation in the liquid.