Implantable infusion device
First Claim
1. An improved implantable infusion device for delivering a precisely regulated amount of infusate into the body of a patient, comprising, means defining a reservoir for containing the infusate to be infused, said reservoir defining means including a collapsible bellows comprised of non-compliant material and being movable between a full position and a collapsed position, said bellows being resiliently biased toward said full position, means defining a passage for conducting said infusate from said reservoir to an infusion site within the body of the patient in direct response to incremental collapse of said bellows, drive means for incrementally collapsing said bellows in accordance with a preselected infusate dosage rate, said drive means comprising a motor, and a gear train which mechanically locks said bellows to said motor, and housing means at least partially enclosing said bellows and forming with said bellows a hermetically sealed volume arranged to accommodate expansion of said bellows, said sealed volume being at or below atmospheric pressure for all positions of said bellows from said full position to said collapsed position, said housing means comprising a rigid outer case comprised of biocompatible and biostable material, said case enclosing and substantially hermetically sealing the moving parts of said reservoir defining means and said drive means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved implantable infusion device for delivering precisely regulated doses of fluid into the body of a patient is disclosed. The device utilizes a resilient non-compliant pump bellows that is directly coupled by a gear train to a motor. The bellows is biased toward the expanded position and this factor, combined with the mechanical inertia of the gear train, substantially eliminates the danger of an overdose of infusate being released into the patient.
81 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. An improved implantable infusion device for delivering a precisely regulated amount of infusate into the body of a patient, comprising, means defining a reservoir for containing the infusate to be infused, said reservoir defining means including a collapsible bellows comprised of non-compliant material and being movable between a full position and a collapsed position, said bellows being resiliently biased toward said full position, means defining a passage for conducting said infusate from said reservoir to an infusion site within the body of the patient in direct response to incremental collapse of said bellows, drive means for incrementally collapsing said bellows in accordance with a preselected infusate dosage rate, said drive means comprising a motor, and a gear train which mechanically locks said bellows to said motor, and housing means at least partially enclosing said bellows and forming with said bellows a hermetically sealed volume arranged to accommodate expansion of said bellows, said sealed volume being at or below atmospheric pressure for all positions of said bellows from said full position to said collapsed position, said housing means comprising a rigid outer case comprised of biocompatible and biostable material, said case enclosing and substantially hermetically sealing the moving parts of said reservoir defining means and said drive means.
- 7. An improved implantable infusion device for delivering a precisely regulated amount of infusate into the body of a patient, comprising, means defining a reservoir for containing the infusate to be infused, said reservoir defining means including a collapsible bellows comprised of non-compliant material and being movable between a full position and a collapsed position, means defining a passage for conducting said infusate from said reservoir to an infusion site within the body of the patient in direct response to incremental collapse of said bellows, drive means for incrementally collapsing said bellows in accordance with a preselected infusate dosage rate, said drive means comprising a motor, and a gear train which mechanically locks said bellows to said motor, said gear train comprising a worm gear and a worm wheel, said worm gear being directly driven by said rotary motor, and housing means at least partially enclosing said bellows and forming with said bellows a hermetically sealed volume arranged to accommodate expansion of said bellows, said sealed volume being at or below atmospheric pressure for all positions of said bellows from said full position to said collapsed position, said housing means comprising a rigid outer case comprised of biocompatible and biostable material, said case enclosing and substantially hermetically sealing the moving parts of said reservoir defining means and said drive means.
Specification