Insulin dispenser

• US 5,707,365 A
• Filed: 08/06/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Inventors: Foster, Clark B., Smedley, William H., Haber, Terry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US08/692,596
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 604/191, 604/187, 604/83-90, 604/247, 604/248, 604/218, 604/204, 604/205, 604/249
• US Class Current: 604/191
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3128 Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/314 Flat shaped barrel forms, e.g. credit card shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3227 the needle being retracted laterally outside the syringe barrel, e.g. with separate guideway
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3228 the needle being retracted by a member protruding laterally through a slot in the barrel, e.g. double-ended needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612

Abstract

An insulin dispenser having a retractable needle cannula and an easy to transport and store disk-shaped body. First and second plungers are removably received in first and second plunger storage chambers that extend through the body. First and second fluid medications are stored in first and second fluid storage chambers that extend through the body. A fluid accumulator having an accumulator plunger moveable therethrough lies in fluid communication with the first and second fluid storage chambers. The first and second plungers are first removed from the first and second plunger storage chambers to be located in and moved through the first and second fluid storage chambers to cause the first and second fluid medications therein to be expulsed to and combined within the fluid accumulator. The accumulator plunger is then moved through the fluid accumulator to cause the combined first and second fluid medications to be injected to a diabetic via the needle cannula.

Claims

1. A fluid medication dispenser, comprising:

a housing;

first and second fluid storage chambers extending within said housing;

first and second fluid medications located within respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers;

a fluid accumulator extending within said housing;

valve means by which to place said first and second fluid storage chambers in fluid communication with said fluid accumulator;

first and second plungers adapted to be positioned within and moved through respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers to cause at least some of said first and second fluid medications to be delivered from said first and second fluid storage chambers to said fluid accumulator via said valve means;

first and second plunger storage chambers extending through said housing for removably receiving and storing respective ones of said first and second plungers, said first and second plungers being removed from said first and second plunger storage chambers to be positioned within and moved through respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers;

a hypodermic needle adapted to be placed in fluid communication with said fluid accumulator for injecting said first and second fluid medications delivered to said fluid accumulator into living tissue; and

means by which to cause said first and second fluid medications to be supplied from said fluid accumulator to said hypodermic needle.

2. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 1, wherein said housing is disk-shaped.

3. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 1, further comprising first and second pistons located within respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers, said first and second pistons being coupled to respective ones of said first and second plungers to be driven through said first and second fluid storage chambers when said first and second plungers move through said first and second fluid storage chambers.

4. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 1, wherein said valve means are first and second check valves that are closed to block the delivery of said first and second fluid medications from said first and second fluid storage chambers to said fluid accumulator, said first and second check valves being momentarily opened to permit the delivery of said first and second fluid medications from said first and second fluid storage chambers to said fluid accumulator when said first and second plungers move through said first and second fluid storage chambers.

5. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 4, wherein said first and second check valves are located within respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers.

6. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 1, wherein said means by which to cause said first and second fluid medications to be supplied from said fluid accumulator to said hypodermic needle is an accumulator plunger positioned within and moveable through said fluid accumulator.

7. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 6, further comprising an accumulator piston located within said fluid accumulator and coupled to said accumulator plunger to be driven through said fluid accumulator when said accumulator plunger moves through said fluid accumulator.

8. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 1, further comprising a fluid transfer port formed through said housing and extending between said fluid accumulator and said hypodermic needle, said first and second fluid medications being supplied from said fluid accumulator to said hypodermic needle by way of said fluid transfer port.

9. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 8, further comprising a needle hub, said needle hub carrying said hypodermic needle and having a fluid aperture formed therethrough for communicating with said hypodermic needle, said aperture through said needle hub communicating with said fluid transfer port through said housing so that said first and second fluid medications are supplied from said fluid accumulator to said hypodermic needle by way of said fluid transfer port and said fluid aperture.

10. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 1, further comprising means to move said hypodermic needle from a retracted position within said housing at which said hypodermic needle is shielded to an axially advanced position outwardly of said housing at which said hypodermic needle is exposed for administering an injection.

11. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 10, further comprising a guide track formed in and extending laterally across said housing, said hypodermic needle being moved through said guide track between said retracted position and said axially advanced position.

12. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 11, further comprising a needle control arm coupled to said hypodermic needle and riding through said guide track for moving said hypodermic needle between said retracted and axially advanced positions in response to a pushing force manually applied to said needle control arm;

and

means by which to engage said needle control arm so as to releasably lock said needle control arm and thereby retain said hypodermic needle in each of said retracted and axially advanced positions.

13. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 12, further comprising a latch cover plate having a needle position control slot formed therethrough and first and second notches respectively located at opposite ends of said needle position control slot, said needle control arm being received in and sliding through said needle position control slot so as to be captured by one of said first and second notches at the opposite ends of said needle position control slot to prevent the displacement of said needle control arm through said guide track and thereby retain said hypodermic needle at one of said retracted and axially advanced positions.

14. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 13, wherein said latch cover plate is affixed to said housing so as to completely cover said guide track extending laterally across said housing.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising first and second plunger storage chambers extending through said body for removably receiving and storing respective ones of said first and second plungers, said first and second plungers being removed from said first and second plunger storage chambers to be positioned within and move through said first and second fluid storage chambers.

15. Apparatus for administering an injection, comprising;

a body;

first and second fluid storage chambers extending within said body;

first and second fluids located within respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers;

a fluid accumulator extending within said body and communicating with said first and second fluid storage chambers;

first and second plungers moving through respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers to cause at least some of said first and second fluids to be delivered from said first and second fluid storage chambers to said fluid accumulator;

a hypodermic needle to be connected in fluid communication with said fluid accumulator for injecting said first and second fluids delivered to said fluid accumulator into living tissue;

an accumulator plunger moving through said fluid accumulator so as to cause said first and second fluids to be supplied from said fluid accumulator to said hypodermic needle; and

means by which move said hypodermic needle relative to said body between a retracted position inwardly of said body and an axially advanced position outwardly of said body at which to administer the injection.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15, wherein said body is disk-shaped.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 15, further comprising first and second check valves located between respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers and said fluid accumulator to control the delivery of said first and second fluids from said first and second fluid storage chambers to said fluid accumulator.

19. A fluid medication dispenser, comprising:

a housing having an interior and an exterior;

first and second fluid storage chambers extending within the interior of said housing;

first and second fluid medications located within respective ones of said first and second fluid storage chambers;

a fluid accumulator extending within the interior of said housing;

valve means by which to place said first and second fluid storage chambers in fluid communication with said fluid accumulator;

plunger means adapted to be positioned within and moved through said first and second fluid storage chambers to cause at least some of said first and second fluid medications to be delivered from said first and second fluid storage chambers to said fluid accumulator via said valve means;

a hypodermic needle located at a retracted and shielded position at the exterior of said housing so as to lie out of fluid communication with said fluid accumulator;

a fluid transfer port extending through said housing between the interior and the exterior thereof, said fluid transfer port communicating with said fluid accumulator;

means to slide said hypodermic needle in an axial direction along the exterior of said housing between said retracted and shielded position and an axially extended and exposed position so that said hypodermic needle is aligned with said fluid transfer port to communicate with said fluid accumulator; and

means by which to cause said first and second fluid medications to be supplied from said fluid accumulator at the interior of said housing to said hypodermic needle at the exterior of said housing by way of said fluid transfer port extending therebetween so that an injection of said first and second fluid medications can be administered to living tissue with said hypodermic needle in the axially extended and exposed position.

20. The fluid medication dispenser recited in claim 19, further comprising a guide track formed in and extending across the exterior of said housing, said hypodermic needle sliding in said axial direction through said guide track between said retracted and shielded position and said axially extended and exposed position.