Device and Method for Determining the Fill Level of a Flexible Medicine Reservoir

• US 20110107853A1
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International Ltd.
• Inventors: Studer, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.381
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/148 flexible, e.g. independent bagsA61M5/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1684 by detecting the amount of infusate remaining, e.g. signalling end of infusion

Abstract

Included are systems and methods for determining a fill level of an inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir as a source for medicine, where the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir has a monotonically decreasing fill level. Some embodiments of a device include a stop surface designed and arranged such that the stop surface contacts the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir while the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir is filled above a predetermined level. Similarly, some embodiments of the device additionally include a release detector that generates an output signal indicative of contact between the stop surface and the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir being released and a processing unit for determining the fill level of the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir from an output signal of the release detector.

Claims

1. A device for determining a fill level of an inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir as a source for medicine, the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir having a monotonically decreasing fill level, comprising:

a stop surface designed and arranged such that the stop surface contacts the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir while the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir is filled above a predetermined level;

a release detector that generates an output signal indicative of contact between the stop surface and the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir being released; and

a processing unit that determines the fill level of the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir from an output signal of the release detector.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the release detector is a capacitive sensor that includes a plurality of electrodes.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes includes at least one of the following:

a plurality of fingers and a meandering conductor, and wherein the plurality of electrodes are intertwined.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the release detector includes at least one of the following:

a pressure sensor and a force sensor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the release detector includes an optical detector.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the release detector includes a switch.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the stop surface is located on a ram that pushes against the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir as long as the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir is filled above the predetermined level.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the stop surface is a part of a housing that houses the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir.

9. The device of claim 1, comprising a plurality of release detectors.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is determines whether the fill level has fallen to or below a threshold.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit takes into account information on an amount of medicine pumped from the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir by a pump.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit determines the fill level of the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir.

13. A method for calculating a fill level of an inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir as a source for medicine, the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir having a monotonically decreasing fill level, comprising:

determining when a threshold fill level of the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir has been reached;

determining an amount of medicine taken from the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir since the threshold fill level has been reached;

calculating the fill level by subtracting the amount of medicine taken from the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir from the threshold fill level; and

providing a fill level signal related the fill level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining when the threshold fill level is reached is performed based on an output signal of a release detector indicative of contact between a stop surface and the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir being released, wherein the stop surface is designed and arranged such that the stop surface contacts the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir while the inflow-less flexible medicine reservoir is filled above a predetermined level.