IMPLANTABLE PUMP WITH RESERVOIR LEVEL DETECTOR
First Claim
1. An implantable pump comprising:
- a housing;
a base plate connected to said housing, said base plate dividing said housing into a first electronics chamber and a second chamber; and
a bellow mechanism connected to said base plate and disposed within said second chamber, said bellow mechanism having an expandable side wall and a bottom plate, said bellow mechanism dividing said second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament receiving portion, said bellow mechanism having an intermediate plate disposed within said medicament receiving portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable pump includes a base plate and a can that are parts of the pump housing. The base plate bottom divides the housing into a first electronics chamber and a second chamber. A bellows mechanism is connected to the base plate and is disposed within the second chamber. The bellow mechanism has an expandable sidewall and a bottom plate. The bellow mechanism divides the second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament-receiving portion. The bellow mechanism has an intermediate plate disposed within the medicament-receiving portion. A coil is disposed in a recess on the lower surface of the base plate, and the coil is spaced from an internal wall of the recess. The amount of fluid remaining in the implantable pump can be monitored by energizing the coil. A primary magnetic field is generated by the energized coil. A secondary magnetic field, which is dependant on the position of the bottom and intermediate plate of the bellow mechanism, couples back to the primary field affecting the electrical characteristics of the coil. The amount of fluid remaining in the reservoir is determined based on the resulting changes in the electrical characteristics of the coil.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An implantable pump comprising:
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a housing; a base plate connected to said housing, said base plate dividing said housing into a first electronics chamber and a second chamber; and a bellow mechanism connected to said base plate and disposed within said second chamber, said bellow mechanism having an expandable side wall and a bottom plate, said bellow mechanism dividing said second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament receiving portion, said bellow mechanism having an intermediate plate disposed within said medicament receiving portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16-17. -17. (canceled)
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18. A method of monitoring the amount of fluid remaining in an implantable pump, the pump having a housing;
- a base plate connected to said housing, said base plate dividing said housing into an electronics chamber and a second chamber;
a bellow mechanism connected to said base plate and disposed within said second chamber, said bellow mechanism having an expandable side wall and a bottom plate, said bellow mechanism dividing said second chamber into a medicament receiving portion and a non-medicament receiving portion, said bellow mechanism having a intermediate plate disposed within said medicament receiving portion; and
a coil disposed on the lower surface of the base plate;
the method comprising the steps of;energizing the coil such that a magnetic field is generated by the coil; and
determining the amount of fluid remaining in the reservoir based on the electrical characteristics of the coil. - View Dependent Claims (19)
- a base plate connected to said housing, said base plate dividing said housing into an electronics chamber and a second chamber;
Specification