Automated, spring-powered medicament infusion system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for the transcutaneous infusion of a liquid medicament into a patient in controlled doses over an extended period, comprising a syringe including a plunger, and defining a cylindrical reservoir for said medicament and a discharge aperture;
- a conduit from said aperture to a subcutaneous site in said patient;
means for generating a continuous force, and means for intermittently impelling said liquid medicament from said reservoir through said conduit to said subcutaneous site under the influence of said continuous force;
said means for intermittently impelling said liquid medicament through said conduit to said subcutaneous site including an escapement mechanism for transmitting said continuous force intermittently to said plunger; and
said escapement mechanism including an escape wheel having a plurality of projections in the vicinity of its circumference and an anchor capable of oscillation about an axis and having two ends with a pallet at each end thereof, said pallets being disposed in such a manner that each pallet alternately engages and releases each projection with each oscillation of said anchor and permits said escape wheel to rotate intermittently by the circumferential distance between adjacent projections; and
said apparatus including means to transmit said continuous force alternately to said escape wheel and to said plunger during each intermittent rotation of said escape wheel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for the administration of a medicament, such as insulin, to a patient in small, controlled doses over an extended period in response to a continuously generated force. The force may be maintained continuously on a reservoir of the medicament in intermittent communication with a site in the body of the patient through a flexible and compressible tube. A constrictor about the tube keeps it normally closed except when a separate force is exerted to open the constrictor and permit the medicament to flow through the tube for a predetermined period. Alternatively, the continuously generated force may be applied intermittently to the medicament reservoir through the action of an escapement mechanism.
323 Citations
25 Claims
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1. Apparatus for the transcutaneous infusion of a liquid medicament into a patient in controlled doses over an extended period, comprising a syringe including a plunger, and defining a cylindrical reservoir for said medicament and a discharge aperture;
- a conduit from said aperture to a subcutaneous site in said patient;
means for generating a continuous force, and means for intermittently impelling said liquid medicament from said reservoir through said conduit to said subcutaneous site under the influence of said continuous force;said means for intermittently impelling said liquid medicament through said conduit to said subcutaneous site including an escapement mechanism for transmitting said continuous force intermittently to said plunger; and said escapement mechanism including an escape wheel having a plurality of projections in the vicinity of its circumference and an anchor capable of oscillation about an axis and having two ends with a pallet at each end thereof, said pallets being disposed in such a manner that each pallet alternately engages and releases each projection with each oscillation of said anchor and permits said escape wheel to rotate intermittently by the circumferential distance between adjacent projections; and said apparatus including means to transmit said continuous force alternately to said escape wheel and to said plunger during each intermittent rotation of said escape wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a conduit from said aperture to a subcutaneous site in said patient;
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8. Apparatus for the transcutaneous infusion of a liquid medicament into a patient in controlled doses over an extended period, comprising a syringe including a plunger, and defining a cylindrical reservoir for said medicament and a discharge aperture;
- a conduit from said aperture to a subcutaneous site in said patient;
means for generating a continuous force, and means for intermittently impelling said liquid medicament from said reservoir through said conduit to said subcutaneous site under the influence of said continuous force;said conduit comprising a flexible and compressible tube and said apparatus also including means for transmitting said continuous force to said plunger;
constrictor means about said flexible tube, said constrictor means having an open position which permits fluid passage through said conduit and a closed position which constricts said conduit transversely and cuts off fluid passage therethrough;
closing means normally urging said constrictor means to its closed position;
opening means to overcome said closing means and move said constrictor means to its open position; and
means to actuate said opening means periodically to permit the doses of said medicament to pass through said conduit to said subcutaneous site. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
- a conduit from said aperture to a subcutaneous site in said patient;
- 12. Apparatus for the transcutaneous infusion of a liquid medicament into a patient comprising a syringe body which includes an elongated barrel having an open end, a central passageway and a discharge end provided with a discharge aperture therein, a plunger situated within the barrel and defining a medicament reservoir between the discharge end and the plunger, delivery conduit means communicating with said reservoir via said discharge aperture and providing a medicament passageway for medicament delivery to a subcutaneous site in the patient, a force generating means, force application means operably associated with said force generating means for transmitting generated force to the plunger, medicament delivery regulator means operably associated with said plunger for governing plunger movement within the barrel in response to the applied force and including an escapement mechanism for interrupting application of generated force to said plunger, and dispensing control means operably associated with said regulator means.
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15. Method for the transcutaneous infusion of a liquid medicament into a patient in controlled doses over an extended period which comprises maintaining a reservoir of said liquid medicament in communication with a subcutaneous site in the body of said patient through a conduit which includes a flexible and transversely compressible tube having a constrictable passageway therethrough, maintaining a constant impelling force, and intermittently forcing liquid medicament from said reservoir through said conduit to said subcutaneous site in response to said impelling force on said liquid medicament in said reservoir by maintaining a transverse constricting force on said flexible tube to bar passage of said liquid medicament through said passageway and periodically applying a force opposite to said transverse constricting force to overcome said transverse constricting force and thereby open said passageway to the passage of said liquid medicament under the influence of said impelling force;
said constant impelling force being transmitted continuously to said liquid medicament in said reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- 21. Method for the transcutaneous infusion of a liquid medicament into a patient in controlled doses over an extended period which comprises maintaining a reservoir of said liquid medicament in communication with a subcutaneous site in the body of said patient through a conduit, maintaining a constant impelling force, and transmitting said constant impelling force intermittently to said liquid medicament in said reservoir through an escapement mechanism which includes an oscillating anchor and an escape wheel driven to rotate by said constant impelling force by rotating said escape wheel through a predetermined arc at each oscillation of said anchor.
Specification