RETENTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110160650A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: In.C Medtronic Minimed
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bente, Paul F. IV, Yavorsky, Matthew William, Alexander, Mona-Lisa, Lorenzen, Eric M., Chong, Colin A., Bikovsky, Rafael, Ibranyan, Arsen, Mounce, R. Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1583 Needle extractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• 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 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1684 by detecting the amount of infusate remaining, e.g. signalling end of infusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A system for retaining a fluid delivery device, the fluid delivery device may include a reservoir and a plunger arm operatively connected to a plunger head arranged for movement within the reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion operatively engageable with a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head when the plunger arm and the plunger head are connected to the drive member. The system may include a rigid member arranged for movement and a bias member configured to urge the rigid member toward the plunger arm to force the plunger arm against the drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member.

Claims

1. A system for retaining a fluid delivery device, the fluid delivery device, comprising a reservoir and a plunger arm operatively connected to a plunger head arranged for movement within the reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion operatively engageable with a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head when the plunger arm and the plunger head are connected to the drive member, the system comprising:

a rigid member arranged for movement; and

a bias member configured to urge the rigid member toward the plunger arm to force the plunger arm against the drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the plunger arm; and

a casing configured to support the plunger arm and to envelop at least a portion of the plunger arm.

3. The system of claim 2, the bias member configured to urge the rigid member toward the casing, to force the plunger arm against the drive member.

4. The system of claim 2, the casing having an opening for allowing the arm portion of the plunger arm to operatively engage the drive member.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a housing configured to support the drive member, the plunger arm, the ridge member, and the bias member.

6. The system of claim 5, the bias member configured to urge the rigid member such that the rigid member provides a force against the casing in a first direction to urge the plunger arm against the drive member, and in a second direction to urge the casing against a surface of the housing, the second direction being transverse to the first direction.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to a direction in which the rigid member is urged.

9. The system of claim 2,

the rigid member having a contact surface for engaging the casing;

wherein the contact surface is substantially flat.

10. The system of claim 9,

the casing having a contact surface for engaging the contact surface of the rigid member;

wherein the contact surface of the casing corresponds in shape with the contact surface of the rigid member.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the contact surface of the rigid member is an angled surface of less than 90 degrees relative to a direction in which the rigid member is urged.

12. The system of claim 2,

the rigid member having a contact surface for engaging the casing;

wherein the contact surface is substantially round.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the rigid member comprises a wedge-shaped member.

14. A method of manufacturing a system for retaining a fluid delivery device, the fluid delivery device, comprising a reservoir and a plunger arm operatively connected to a plunger head arranged for movement within the reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion operatively engageable with a drive member configured to move the plunger arm and the plunger head when the plunger arm and the plunger head are connected to the drive member, the method comprising:

arranging a rigid member for movement; and

configuring a bias member to urge the rigid member toward the plunger arm to force the plunger arm against the drive member to operatively engage the plunger arm to the drive member.

15. A system for retaining a fluid delivery device, the fluid delivery device comprising a reservoir and a plunger arm operatively connectable to a plunger head that is moveable within the reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion that is configured for operative engagement to a drive member configured to move the arm portion and the plunger head when the arm portion of the plunger arm is operatively engaged to the drive, the system comprising:

a housing configured to support the plunger arm and the reservoir, the housing having a recess for receiving the plunger arm;

the housing having a pair of protrusions arranged around the recess to allow the plunger arm to be forced between the protrusions and moved into the recess from a position outside of the recess when a first amount of force is applied on the plunger arm toward the recess, the protrusions being configured to prevent the plunger arm from being removed from the recess using the first amount of force when the plunger arm is in the recess, the protrusions further being configured to allow the plunger arm to be removed from the recess through the protrusions to a position outside of the recess when a second amount of force is applied on the plunger arm away from the recess, the second amount of force being greater than the first amount.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each protrusion has an upper surface that is angled in toward the recess to facilitate insertion of the plunger arm into the recess.

17. The system of claim 15, the system further comprising:

the plunger arm;

wherein the plunger arm has a surface having an angle of less than 90°

relative to an upper surface of the plunger arm for engaging each protrusion to facilitate insertion of the plunger arm between the protrusions into the recess.

18. The system of claim 15, the system further comprising:

the plunger arm;

wherein the plunger arm is configured to compress to fit between the protrusions as the plunger arm is inserted between the protrusions into the recess.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the plunger arm includes an opening that allows the plunger arm to compress to fit between the protrusions as the plunger arm is inserted between the protrusions into the recess.

20. The system of claim 18,

wherein the plunger arm is made of a first material;

and

wherein the protrusions are made of a second material that is more rigid than the first material.

21. The system of claim 15, the system further comprising:

the plunger arm, the plunger arm having a width dimension;

the protrusions separated by a gap having a width dimension less than the width dimension of the plunger arm.

22. The system of claim 15, the system further comprising:

the plunger arm;

a plunger arm casing configured to support the plunger arm and to envelop at least a portion of the plunger arm.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plunger arm casing has a surface having an angle of less than 90°

relative to an upper surface of the plunger arm casing for engaging each protrusion to facilitate insertion of the plunger arm casing between the protrusions into the recess.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the plunger arm casing is configured to compress to fit between the protrusions as the plunger arm casing is inserted between the protrusions into the recess.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the plunger arm casing includes an opening that allows the plunger arm casing to compress to fit between the protrusions as the plunger arm casing is inserted between the protrusions into the recess.

26. The system of claim 24,

wherein the plunger arm casing is made of a first material;

and

wherein the protrusions are made of a second material that is more rigid than the first material.

27. The system of claim 22, the system further comprising:

the plunger arm casing, the plunger arm having a width dimension;

the protrusions separated by a gap having a width dimension less than the width dimension of the plunger arm casing.

28. A method of manufacturing a system for retaining a fluid delivery device, the fluid delivery device comprising a reservoir and a plunger arm operatively connectable to a plunger head that is moveable within the reservoir, the plunger arm having an arm portion that is configured for operative engagement to a drive member configured to move the arm portion and the plunger head when the arm portion of the plunger arm is operatively engaged to the drive, the method comprising:

configuring a housing to support the plunger arm and the reservoir, the housing having a recess for receiving the plunger arm; and

arranging in the housing a pair of protrusions around the recess to allow the plunger arm to be forced between the protrusions and moved into the recess from a position outside of the recess when a first amount of force is applied on the plunger arm toward the recess, the protrusions being configured to prevent the plunger arm from being removed from the recess using the first amount of force when the plunger arm is in the recess, the protrusions further being configured to allow the plunger arm to be removed from the recess through the protrusions to a position outside of the recess when a second amount of force is applied on the plunger arm away from the recess, the second amount of force being greater than the first amount.

29. A delivery system for delivering fluidic media to a user, the delivery system comprising:

a first housing portion adapted to be carried by a user;

a second housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion, one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion supporting a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media and a plunger head moveable within the interior volume of the reservoir along an axial direction of the reservoir, the plunger head operatively connected to a plunger arm;

a drive device supported by the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion relative to the one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion supporting the reservoir such that upon the first housing portion and the second housing portion being operatively engaged, the reservoir operatively coupled to the drive device to allow the drive device to move the plunger head via the plunger arm within the interior volume of the reservoir;

a pair of interactive elements including a first interactive element supported on the first housing portion and a second interactive element supported on the second housing portion at a location to be interactable with the first interactive element, the first interactive element comprising a protruding member arranged for movement along with the plunger arm and the plunger head, the protruding member for operatively engaging the second interactive element when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are operatively engaged; and

electronic circuitry configured to provide a signal or a change in state in response to the protruding member interacting with the second interactive element when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are operatively engaged.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first interactive element comprises a bias member configured to bias at least one of the protruding member and the second interactive element toward each other.

31. The system of claim 30,

wherein the first interactive element further comprises a housing containing the bias member and at least a portion of the protruding member;

and

wherein the housing is fit into the plunger arm.

32. The system of claim 30,

the bias member configured to cause the protruding member to impart a force on the second interactive element;

and

the circuitry configured to provide the signal or the change in state based on the force imparted on the second interactive element.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein a position of the protruding member relative to the second interactive element corresponds to reservoir data.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the reservoir data corresponds to a volume of fluidic media in the reservoir.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the second interactive element is a sensor.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the sensor is a volume sensor.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein a position of the protruding member relative to the volume sensor corresponds to reservoir data.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the reservoir data corresponds to a volume of fluidic media in the reservoir.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein at least one of the first interactive element and the second interactive element comprise a linear sensor.

40. The system of claim 35, the electronic circuitry configured to activate the sensor in response to the protruding member interacting with the second interactive element where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are operatively engaged.

41. The system of claim 29, wherein the protruding member is supported on the plunger arm for movement with the plunger arm.

42. The system of claim 29,

the second interactive element comprising a flexible conductive membrane, the protruding member configured to press against the flexible conductive membrane when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are operatively engaged;

and

the electronic circuitry configured to provide the signal or the change in state in response to the protruding member pressing against the flexible conductive membrane.

43. The system of claim 29, the electronic circuitry configured to provide the signal or the change in state in response to the protruding member moving relative to the second interactive element.

44. A method of manufacturing a delivery system for delivering fluidic media to a user, the method comprising:

adapting a first housing portion to be carried by a user;

configuring a second housing portion to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion, one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion supporting a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media and a plunger head moveable within the interior volume of the reservoir along an axial direction of the reservoir, the plunger head operatively connected to a plunger arm;

supporting a drive device by the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion relative to the one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion supporting the reservoir such that upon the first housing portion and the second housing portion being operatively engaged, the reservoir operatively coupled to the drive device to allow the drive device to move the plunger head via the plunger arm within the interior volume of the reservoir;

supporting a pair of interactive elements including a first interactive element supported on the first housing portion and a second interactive element supported on the second housing portion at a location to be interactable with the first interactive element, the first interactive element comprising a protruding member arranged for movement along with the plunger arm and the plunger head, the protruding member for operatively engaging the second interactive element when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are operatively engaged; and

configuring electronic circuitry to provide a signal or a change in state in response to the protruding member interacting with the second interactive element when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are operatively engaged.