TWO PIECE MEDICATION CASSETTE CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A disposable medical cassette for housing medication in a tamper resistant enclosure for selective coupled attachment to an ambulatory infusion pump, comprising:
- a first assembly comprising a rear housing and a pressure plate, said first assembly including a plurality of tamper resistant lock receiving structures integrally formed in the rear housing and at least one tabbed snap member, each lock receiving structure having a sloped shim surface and defining an undercut space; and
a second assembly comprising a cover including a plurality of lock feature protrusions and at least one slotted aperture, each lock feature protrusion having a sloped shim surface and a tab body;
wherein said first assembly and said second assembly are adapted for permanent coupling by a bifurcated lock system including a first lock arrangement and a second lock arrangement,said first lock arrangement defined by said sloped shim surfaces of said lock feature protrusions of the second assembly in a friction and interference fit against said sloped shim surfaces of said lock receiving structures of the first assembly and by an interference fit of said tab bodies located in said undercut spaces,said second lock arrangement defined by said at least one tabbed snap member of the first assembly in irreversible engagement within said at least one corresponding slotted aperture of the second assembly.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable medical cassette apparatus and method for housing medication in a tamper resistant enclosure for selective coupled attachment to an ambulatory infusion pump. In some embodiments, the device may include a first assembly comprising a rear housing and a pressure plate affixed to one another, as well as a second assembly comprising a cover that includes a plurality of lock feature protrusions and at least one slotted aperture. The first assembly and second assembly are adapted for permanent coupling by a first and second lock arrangements. Generally, the first lock arrangement includes lock feature protrusions of the second assembly engaging within the lock receiving structures of the first assembly. Further, the second lock arrangement includes at least one tabbed snap member of the first assembly engaging within at least one corresponding slotted aperture of the second assembly.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A disposable medical cassette for housing medication in a tamper resistant enclosure for selective coupled attachment to an ambulatory infusion pump, comprising:
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a first assembly comprising a rear housing and a pressure plate, said first assembly including a plurality of tamper resistant lock receiving structures integrally formed in the rear housing and at least one tabbed snap member, each lock receiving structure having a sloped shim surface and defining an undercut space; and a second assembly comprising a cover including a plurality of lock feature protrusions and at least one slotted aperture, each lock feature protrusion having a sloped shim surface and a tab body; wherein said first assembly and said second assembly are adapted for permanent coupling by a bifurcated lock system including a first lock arrangement and a second lock arrangement, said first lock arrangement defined by said sloped shim surfaces of said lock feature protrusions of the second assembly in a friction and interference fit against said sloped shim surfaces of said lock receiving structures of the first assembly and by an interference fit of said tab bodies located in said undercut spaces, said second lock arrangement defined by said at least one tabbed snap member of the first assembly in irreversible engagement within said at least one corresponding slotted aperture of the second assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A disposable medical cassette for housing medication in a tamper resistant enclosure for selective coupled attachment to an ambulatory infusion pump, comprising:
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a cover member having a perimeter adapted for coupling and including a plurality of lock members with sloped engagement surfaces; and a rear assembly comprising a top pressure plate and a partial housing structure having a set of outer walls disposed about the sides and bottom of the structure, each wall of said set of outer walls including two opposing planar surfaces, and a set of inner walls disposed within the outer walls and mirroring the general orientation of the outer walls, each wall of said set of inner walls including two opposing planar surfaces, the outer walls defining a perimeter for coupled engagement to the perimeter of the cover member; wherein the inner walls have greater height than the outer walls to provide a barrier that obstructs direct access to a central chamber of the cassette via any seam formed between the perimeter of the cover member and the perimeter of the rear assembly when in coupled engagement; and wherein a plurality of receiving members containing sloped engagement surfaces are integrally formed in the rear assembly between the outer walls and the inner walls. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A disposable medical cassette for coupled attachment to an ambulatory infusion pump for housing medication, comprising:
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a multi-piece assembly comprising two interlocking pieces designed for tool-less manual assembly to securely house a reservoir of medication; wherein the disposable medical cassette has a tamper resistant configuration having multiple types of locking assemblies, including at least one snap and aperture lock assembly for holding the two interlocking pieces together to prevent lateral sliding movement of the interlocking pieces with respect to one another, and at least one additional lock assembly including a plurality of lock feature protrusions and a plurality of corresponding lock receiving structures to prevent sliding and separating movement of the two interlocking pieces, wherein a outside surface of the cassette obscures direct access to the snap and aperture lock assemblies such that snap components may not be deflected and released from engagement, without deforming or compromising the cassette once assembled; wherein the assembled disposable medical cassette provides an interior chamber for housing the reservoir of medication. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 18)
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17. (canceled)
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19. A method for assembling a medication cassette, comprising:
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obtaining a first assembly and a second assembly adapted for permanent coupling and housing a medication reservoir for an ambulatory infusion pump, the first assembly including a pressure plate and rear housing having tabbed snaps projecting from the pressure plate in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the pressure plate and a plurality of receiving members located along the sides of the rear housing such that the receiving members are spaced apart by a plurality of recesses, the second assembly comprising a cover including a plurality of slotted apertures and a plurality of lock members that protrude from the cover in a direction generally perpendicular to the face of the cover; filling a medication bag; placing the medication bag within the first assembly; placing the lock members of the second assembly into spaced apart recesses of the first assembly; sliding the lock members of the second assembly into the receiving members of the first assembly while engaging the tabbed snaps of the first assembly into the slotted apertures of the second assembly; and securing the first and second assemblies into a permanently locked configuration in which the tabbed snaps and the lock members can not be directly accessed or disengaged from the corresponding slotted apertures and the corresponding receiving members.
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20. A method for assembling a medication cassette, comprising:
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providing instructions for medication cassette assembly, including; obtaining a first assembly and a second assembly adapted for permanent coupling and housing a medication reservoir for an ambulatory infusion pump, the first assembly including a pressure plate and rear housing having tabbed snaps projecting from the pressure plate in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the pressure plate and a plurality of receiving members located along the sides of the rear housing such that the receiving members are spaced apart by a plurality of recesses, the second assembly comprising a cover including a plurality of slotted apertures and a plurality of lock members that protrude from the cover in a direction generally perpendicular to the face of the cover; filling a medication bag; placing the medication bag within the first assembly; placing the lock members of the second assembly into spaced apart recesses of the first assembly; sliding the lock members of the second assembly into the receiving members of the first assembly while engaging the tabbed snaps of the first assembly into the slotted apertures of the second assembly; and securing the first and second assemblies into a permanently locked configuration in which the tabbed snaps and the lock members can not be directly accessed or disengaged from the corresponding slotted apertures and the corresponding receiving members.
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Specification