Disposable micropump
First Claim
1. An apparatus for delivery of a fluid comprising:
- a syringe pump having a fluid-containing chamber, with an opening at a first end and a hole at a second end, and a plunger dimensioned for slidable engagement within the chamber such that when the plunger is acted upon by an activating force, the movement of the plunger from the opening towards the hole causes the fluid to be expelled from the chamber through the hole;
an electronic control element releasing at least one charge at predetermined time intervals;
a power source for providing electrical energy to the electronic control element;
a shape memory element connected to the electronic control element in such a manner to form an electric circuit, said shape memory element having a changeable length decreasing from a uncharged length to a charged length when the at least one charge is applied to the shape memory element and, under force of a return element, returning to the uncharged length when the at least one charge is removed; and
a driving mechanism connecting the shape memory element and the plunger such that the changeable length decreasing from the uncharged length to the charged length causes the driving mechanism to provide the activating force for movement of the plunger and expulsion of the fluid from the syringe pump chamber.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for delivery of a fluid is disclosed. The apparatus includes a syringe pump with a plunger, an electronic control element which releases at least one electric charge at predetermined time intervals, a shape memory element with a contractible length decreasing from an uncharged length to a charged length, and a driving mechanism connected to both the shape memory element and the plunger so that the change in length of the shape memory element causes the driving mechanism to provide an activating force to move the plunger and force the expulsion of the fluid from the syringe pump'"'"'s chamber. As the apparatus according to the present invention can be manufactured as a disposable unit, the problems associated with reusable syringe pumps are avoided.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for delivery of a fluid comprising:
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a syringe pump having a fluid-containing chamber, with an opening at a first end and a hole at a second end, and a plunger dimensioned for slidable engagement within the chamber such that when the plunger is acted upon by an activating force, the movement of the plunger from the opening towards the hole causes the fluid to be expelled from the chamber through the hole; an electronic control element releasing at least one charge at predetermined time intervals; a power source for providing electrical energy to the electronic control element; a shape memory element connected to the electronic control element in such a manner to form an electric circuit, said shape memory element having a changeable length decreasing from a uncharged length to a charged length when the at least one charge is applied to the shape memory element and, under force of a return element, returning to the uncharged length when the at least one charge is removed; and a driving mechanism connecting the shape memory element and the plunger such that the changeable length decreasing from the uncharged length to the charged length causes the driving mechanism to provide the activating force for movement of the plunger and expulsion of the fluid from the syringe pump chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification