Pressurized fluid dispenser
First Claim
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1. An infusion pump for delivering a quantity of fluid material at a substantially constant flow rate, comprising:
- an elongate elastomeric bladder having a central lumen and at least one open end, said central lumen having an internal length dimension and an internal diameter dimension in its relaxed state;
an elongate stress member having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its axial length, said stress member extending throughout the length of and within the central lumen of the bladder;
said stress member having a length dimension which is greater than the relaxed internal length of the central lumen on the elastomeric bladder, and said stress member having a diameter which is greater than the relaxed internal diameter of the central lumen on the elastomeric bladder;
wherein the assembly of the elastomeric bladder onto the stress member prestresses the bladder in both the axial and radial directions prior to introduction of any of the fluid material into the bladder, and the axial length of the bladder is substantially unchanged upon filling with said fluid material.
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Abstract
Disclosed is an elastomeric bladder infusion pump which may be used for delivering a pharmaceutically active material to a patient at a substantially constant flow rate. A unitary internal stress member or mandrel is disposed within the bladder, prestressing the bladder in both the axial and radial dimensions.
42 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An infusion pump for delivering a quantity of fluid material at a substantially constant flow rate, comprising:
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an elongate elastomeric bladder having a central lumen and at least one open end, said central lumen having an internal length dimension and an internal diameter dimension in its relaxed state; an elongate stress member having a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its axial length, said stress member extending throughout the length of and within the central lumen of the bladder; said stress member having a length dimension which is greater than the relaxed internal length of the central lumen on the elastomeric bladder, and said stress member having a diameter which is greater than the relaxed internal diameter of the central lumen on the elastomeric bladder; wherein the assembly of the elastomeric bladder onto the stress member prestresses the bladder in both the axial and radial directions prior to introduction of any of the fluid material into the bladder, and the axial length of the bladder is substantially unchanged upon filling with said fluid material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An infusion pump for delivering a quantity of fluid material at a substantially constant flow rate, comprising:
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an elongate elastomeric bladder having a central lumen and at least one open end, said bladder having in its relaxed, unassembled state a relaxed interior diameter and a relaxed internal length; an elongate, unitary stress member extending throughout the length of and within the lumen of the bladder, said stress member having a diameter which is greater than the relaxed diameter of the bladder and a length which is greater than the relaxed length of the bladder, thereby prestressing the bladder in both the axial and radial directions; and a flow channel through at least a portion of the stress member and in fluid communication with the interior of the bladder; said stress member having a substantially cylindrical configuration throughout the portion of its length which is disposed within the bladder, so that the radial prestressing of the bladder when it is assembled onto the stress member is substantially constant throughout the length of the portion of the internal stress member which is disposed within the bladder.
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Specification