Insertion Devices, Insertion Needles, and Related Methods

• US 20110060287A1
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Patton Medical Devices LP
• Inventors: Christian, Joseph, Houssiere, charles, Highley, Brian, Jackson, Randy, Ambruzs, William
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body

Abstract

Insertion devices for installing insertion sets to a user, insertion needles, methods for loading insertion devices with insertion sets, methods for installing insertion sets, methods for instructing others how to load and/or install insertion sets, and certain aspects of insertion sets, including insertion needle hubs.

Claims

1. An insertion device comprising:

a housing having a proximal end; and

a driver coupled to the housing;

where the insertion device is configured so that if it retains in a pre-installed position an insertion set that includes an insertion needle, the driver will apply a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing, the insertion device also being configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set will result in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle.

2. The insertion device of claim 1, where the configuration of the insertion device that allows it to retain an insertion set in a pre-installed position includes an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing and configured to retain an insertion set in a pre-installed position.

3. The insertion device of claim 2, where the insertion set retention mechanism includes two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user.

4. The insertion device of claim 3, where the insertion set retention mechanism also includes two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move.

5. The insertion device of claim 4, where each insertion set retention element includes an insertion set-engaging portion, and the two insertion set-engaging portions extend away from each other in opposite directions.

6. The insertion device of claim 5, where the opposite directions are parallel to each other but not aligned.

7. The insertion device of claim 5, where each insertion set retention element also includes an insertion set-stopping portion, and the insertion set-stopping portion of a given insertion set retention element extends away from the insertion set-engaging portion of that insertion set retention element.

8. The insertion device of claim 3, where the housing has an interior surface that defines an inner cavity, and the insertion device also includes an alignment post coupled to the housing and extending from a top portion of the inner cavity of the housing and toward the proximal end of the housing, and an insertion axis centered in the alignment post.

9. The insertion device of claim 8, where the driver comprises a spring coupled to the housing near the top portion of the interior surface of the housing, the spring being positioned around the alignment post.

10. The insertion device of claim 3, where the housing includes a top end and a proximal end edge that includes two slots that are positioned on opposite sides of the housing and that each begins at the proximal end of the housing, extends toward the top end of the housing, and terminates below the top end of the housing.

11. The insertion device of claim 10, where each release element has an exterior user-actuatable surface, and at least a substantial portion of the exterior user-actuatable surface of one of the release elements is located between one of the slots and the top end of the housing, and at least a substantial portion of the exterior user-actuatable surface of the other release element is located between the other slot and the top end of the housing.

12. The insertion device of claim 8, where the housing includes an interior rib structure.

13. The insertion device of claim 12, where the interior rib structure includes two ribs positioned parallel to the alignment post, and each rib includes a rib slot positioned beside the driver.

14-19. -19. (canceled)

20. An insertion device comprising:

a housing having a proximal end;

a driver coupled to the housing; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism being configured to retain in a pre-installed position an insertion set that includes an insertion needle;

where the insertion device is configured so that if an insertion set that includes an insertion needle is retained by the insertion set retention mechanism in a pre-installed position, the driver will apply a force to the insertion set in the direction of the proximal end of the housing, the insertion device also being configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set will result in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle.

21. The insertion device of claim 20, where the insertion set retention mechanism includes two insertion set retention elements actuatable by a user.

22. The insertion device of claim 21, where the insertion set retention mechanism also includes two release elements coupled to the two insertion set retention elements so that actuation of the release elements causes the insertion set retention elements to move.

23. The insertion device of claim 22, where each insertion set retention element includes an insertion set-engaging portion, and the two insertion set-engaging portions extend away from each other in opposite directions.

24. The insertion device of claim 23, where the opposite directions are parallel to each other but not aligned.

25. The insertion device of claim 23, where each insertion set retention element also includes an insertion set-stopping portion, and the insertion set-stopping portion of a given insertion set retention element extends away from the insertion set-engaging portion of that insertion set retention element. 26-37. (canceled)

38. An insertion device comprising:

a housing having a proximal end;

a driver coupled to the housing; and

an insertion set retention mechanism coupled to the housing, the insertion set retention mechanism being configured to retain in a pre-installed position an insertion set that includes an insertion needle;

where the insertion device is configured so that if an insertion set that includes an insertion needle is retained by the insertion set retention mechanism in a pre-installed position, the driver will apply a force to the insertion set that will be opposed by a force applied to the insertion set by the insertion set retention mechanism, the insertion device also being configured such that after the insertion set is installed to a user, removal of the insertion device from the installed insertion set will result in separation of the insertion device from the insertion needle.

39-166. -166. (canceled)