ELECTROLYTICALLY DRIVEN DRUG PUMP DEVICES

• US 20120041427A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MiniPumps, LLC
• Original Assignee: MiniPumps, LLC
• Inventors: CAFFEY, SEAN, Li, Po-Ying, Tai, Yu-Chong, Humayun, Mark, Lai, Alice, Shih, Jason, Journey, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US13/091,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041427A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1684 by detecting the amount of infusate remaining, e.g. signalling end of infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters

Abstract

Electrolytically driven drug pump devices may be configured so as to ensure sustained contact of the electrolysis electrodes with the electrolyte, thereby improving the reliability and/or pump capacity of the devices.

Claims

1. A drug pump device comprising:

a vial comprising a drug reservoir therein, the drug reservoir being fluidically connectable to a cannula for conducting liquid from the reservoir;

an electrolytically driven piston, movable within the vial, for forcing liquid from the reservoir into the cannula, a first side of the piston facing the drug reservoir; and

an electrolysis pump comprising an electrolysis chamber in contact with a second side of the piston and, contained within the chamber, at least one coaxial electrode pair in contact with electrolyte absorbed within a matrix.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising multiple coaxial electrode pairs in a parallel arrangement.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the coaxial electrode pairs are arranged in a close-packing pattern.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the electrode pairs have hexagonal cross sections and are arranged in a honeycomb fashion.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode pair comprises a surface coating inhibiting gas formation.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein a surface portion of the electrode pair proximate to the piston is not coated so as to allow gas formation thereat.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the coaxial electrode pair is sealed with a gas-permeable membrane.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the matrix comprises a solid phase of a gel.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the gel comprises a hydrogel.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the matrix comprises a hydrophilic absorbent material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the matrix comprises a sponge, cotton, or superabsorbent polymer.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the vial is formed from a conventional drug vial.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the vial comprises at least one of glass or a polymer.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrolysis pump is attached to the vial by a clamp-fit mechanism and sealed by a rubber O-ring.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical circuit and associated power supply.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the electrolysis pump comprises a back-end comprising at least one of ceramics, polymer, anodized metal, or glass, with feed-throughs for connection to the external electrical circuit and associated power supply without loss of electrolyte fluid and without electrical shorting of the electronic circuit or battery.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the electrical circuit and associated power supply are sized based on a diameter of the electrolysis pump so as to fit as a cap thereon.

18. The device in claim 15, wherein the electrical circuit and associated power supply are located adjacent the vial and wire-connected to the electrolysis pump.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller for facilitating device operation by an electronic handheld device via a wireless connection.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical selector for setting a drug dose to be delivered from the drug reservoir.

21. A drug pump device comprising:

a vial comprising a drug reservoir therein, the drug reservoir being fluidically connectable to a cannula for conducting liquid from the reservoir;

an electrolytically driven piston, movable within the vial, for forcing liquid from the reservoir into the cannula, a first side of the piston facing the drug reservoir; and

an electrolysis pump comprising (i) an electrolysis chamber in contact with a second side of the piston, and (ii) cathode and anode structures arranged to remain at least partially submerged in liquid electrolyte partially filling the chamber notwithstanding variations in orientation of the device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the cathode structure comprises first and second cathode portions and the anode structure comprises first and second anode portions, the first cathode and anode portions being in contact with the piston and the second cathode and anode portions being attached to an opposed wall of the electrolysis chamber.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the cathode and anode structures further comprise flexible wires electrically connecting the respective first and second portions notwithstanding variations in the distance therebetween.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first or second cathode and anode portions are two-dimensional and interdigitated.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the first cathode and anode portions extend parallel to the second side of the piston and the second cathode and anode portions extend parallel to the opposed wall of the electrolysis chamber.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the first cathode and anode portions extend at an angle with respect to the second side of the piston and the second cathode and anode portions extend at an angle to the opposed wall of the electrolysis chamber.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein each of the first cathode and anode portions comprises multiple wire sections attached to the piston at different locations and each of the second cathode and anode portions comprises multiple wire sections attached to the opposing wall at different locations.

28. The device of claim 21, wherein the cathode and anode structures extend in three dimensions through the electrolysis chamber.

29. The device of claim 21, wherein the cathode and anode structures comprise a pair of parallel wires.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the parallel wires are separated by insulating spacers.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the parallel wires are flexible.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the parallel wires are in the form of spring coils.

33. The device of claim 121, wherein the vial is formed from a conventional drug vial.

34. A drug pump device comprising:

a vial comprising a drug reservoir therein, the drug reservoir being fluidically connectable to a cannula for conducting liquid from the reservoir;

an electrolytically driven piston, movable within the vial, for forcing liquid from the reservoir into the cannula, a first side of the piston facing the drug reservoir; and

an electrolysis pump comprising an electrolysis chamber and a gas-permeable separator partitioning the chamber into first and second compartments, the first compartment containing a pair of electrodes immersed in electrolyte, and the second compartment being in contact with a second side of the piston.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the gas-permeable separator is fixed within the electrolysis chamber so that a volume of the first compartment remains constant.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein, during operation of the device, the second compartment expands as the piston moves.

37. A drug pump device comprising:

a refillable drug reservoir;

an electrolytically driven displaceable member for forcing liquid from the reservoir, a first side of the displaceable member facing the drug reservoir; and

an electrolysis pump comprising an electrolysis chamber in contact with a second side of the displaceable member, and, contained within the chamber, electrodes in contact with liquid electrolyte absorbed within a matrix that substantially does not expand during electrolysis.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the displaceable member is one of a piston or a diaphragm.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the device is implantable.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the device is an ophthalmic drug pump.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein an underside of the device conforms to a patient'"'"'s eyeball.

42. The drug pump device of claim 37, further comprising an adhesive patch for adhesion to a patient'"'"'s skin.