Fluid delivery apparatus with bellows reservoir

• US 20110098645A1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BioQ Pharma Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BioQuiddity, Inc.
• Inventors: Kriesel, Joshua W., Kriesel, Marshall S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,377,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/141 with capillaries for restricting fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/148 flexible, e.g. independent bagsA61M5/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/504 for blocking the fluid passageway

Abstract

A compact fluid dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments, such as, antibiotics, analgesics, and like medicinal agents from the device reservoir which is provided in the form of a novel bellows type assembly. The fluid dispenser includes a unique stored energy mechanism which takes the form of a constant force spring member of novel design that provides the force necessary to continuously and substantially uniformly expel fluid from the device reservoir. The device also includes novel adjustable flow rate control assembly that is disposed intermediate the fluid reservoir outlet and the outlet port of the device for precisely controlling the rate of fluid flow from the outlet port toward the patient.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) a housing having a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said reservoir comprising a bellows structure having an expandable and compressible, accordion-like, annular-shaped sidewall expandable from a first contracted configuration to a second expanded configuration, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said fluid reservoir;

(b) pusher means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said annular-shaped sidewall to move toward a contracted configuration and to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet of said housing;

(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said pusher means to cause said fluid pusher means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring;

(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed;

(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising;

(i) first and second selector members rotatably mounted within said housing, each of said first and second selector members having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein; and

(ii) a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said second selector member; and

(f) dispensing means connected to said housing.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels of said flow rate control member have a depth of approximately 10-100 μ

m.

3. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) a housing having a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said reservoir comprising a bellows structure having an expandable and compressible, accordion-like, annular-shaped sidewall expandable from a first contracted configuration to a second expanded configuration, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said fluid reservoir;

(b) fluid displacement means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet;

(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said fluid displacement means to cause said fluid displacement means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring;

(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed;

(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising;

(i) a selector member rotatably mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein; and

(ii) a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member being constructed from a medical grade polymer and having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said selector member, said fluidic flow control channels being made by injection molding techniques; and

(f) dispensing means connected to said housing and in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said selector member.

4. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) a housing including a removable vial cover, first and second elongated supports mounted within said removable vial cover, said housing having a first chamber, a second chamber and a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said reservoir comprising a bellows structure having an expandable and compressible, accordion-like, annular-shaped sidewall expandable from a first contracted configuration to a second expanded configuration, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said reservoir, said housing further including a fluid passageway in communication with said inlet of said fluid reservoir and in communication with said first and second chambers;

(b) fluid displacement means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet;

(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said fluid displacement means to cause said fluid displacement means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring;

(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed, said fill means comprising a first fill vial telescopically receivable within said first chamber and a second vial telescopically receivable within said second chamber;

(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising;

(i) first and second selector members rotatably mounted within said housing, each of said flow control members having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein; and

(ii) a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, cash of said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control micro channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said first selector member and a plurality of elongated fluidic flow macro channels in communication with said fluid passageways formed in said second selects member; and

(f) dispensing means connected to said housing and in communication with said plurality of fluid.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which each of said first and second fill vials has a first open end, a closed second end and each includes;

(a) a fluid reservoir disposed between said first and second ends; and

(b) a plunger disposed within said fluid reservoir for movement between first and second positions.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said housing includes a cavity in communication with said inlet of said fluid reservoir and in which said fill means further comprises a pierceable septum disposed within said cavity.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 further including locking means carried by said housing for blocking rotation of said selector knob.

8. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) a housing having a cavity, a fluid passageway, first and second chambers in communication with said fluid passageway, a removable vial cover, first and second elongated supports mounted within said removable vial cover, and a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said reservoir comprising a bellows structure having an expandable and compressible, accordion-like, annular-shaped sidewall expandable from a first contracted configuration to a second expanded configuration, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said fluid reservoir, said inlet being in communication with said cavity;

(b) fluid displacement means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet;

(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said fluid displacement means to cause said fluid displacement means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring;

(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed, said fill means comprising a first fill vial telescopically receivable within said first chamber, a second vial telescopically receivable within said second chamber and a piercable septum disposed within said cavity of said housing;

(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels; and

(f) dispensing means connected to said housing and in communication with said plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which one of said first and second fill vials has an outer wall and includes:

(a) a first open end sealed by a plunger;

(b) a second end sealed by a pierceable septum;

(c) a fluid reservoir disposed between said plunger and said second end;

(d) a raised outer wall portion formed in said outer wall intermediate said first and second ends;

(e) a barrier stopper disposed within said fluid reservoir for movement between first and second positions; and

(f) a medicament containing chamber for containing a medicament disposed between said barrier stopper and said pierceable septum.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 in which said medicament comprises a lypholized drug.