Infusion pump system and an infusion pump unit

• US 6,270,478 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mernøe, Morton
• Inventors: Mernøe, Morton
• Primary Examiner(s): Kennedy, Sharon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Ann Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/545,741
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/132, 604/133, 604/138-141, 604/146, 604/147, 604/151-154, 604/65-67, 604/207, 604/236
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body

Abstract

An infusion pump system comprises one or more infusion pump units and a stationary receptor system. Each unit comprises a housing of a size allowing the unit to be carried by a user as a portable unit and defining an exterior surface, a fluid inlet for establishing fluid communication from an external infusion bag, a fluid outlet for establishing fluid communication to an infusion site, a controllable pumping system having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to the fluid inlet and the outlet being connected to the fluid outlet for allowing transfer of fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet through activating the controllable pumping system, a first check valve provided at the inlet, a second check valve provided at the outlet, an electronic control means for controlling the operation of the pumping system and including at least two preset pumping programs for allowing the pumping system to be controlled in at least two alternative infusion pumping operations, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the pumping system and to the electronic control means and connectible through exterior terminals to external electric energy supply means. The receptor system includes a receptor for receiving the unit for maintaining the unit in a stationary mode and exposing the fluid inlet and fluid outlet and a mains supply unit for receiving electric energy from the mains supply and having terminals connectible to the exterior terminals for supplying electric energy to the power supply unit of the unit.

Claims

1. An infusion pump system, comprising:

at least one infusion pump unit, comprising;

a housing of a size allowing said infusion pump unit to be carried by a user as a portable infusion pump unit, said housing defining an exterior surface,

a fluid inlet provided accessibly at said exterior surface for establishing fluid communication from an external infusion bag to said fluid inlet,

a fluid outlet provided accessibly at said exterior surface for establishing fluid communication to an infusion site,

a controllable pumping system included within said housing and having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being connected to said fluid inlet and said outlet being connected to said fluid outlet for allowing transfer of fluid from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet through activating said controllable pumping system, a first check valve provided at said inlet of said controllable pumping system, a second check valve provided at said outlet of said controllable pumping system,

an electronic control means received within said housing for controlling the operation of said controllable pumping system, said electronic control means including at least two preset pumping programs for allowing said controllable pumping system to be controlled in at least two alternative infusion pumping operations,

a power supply unit housed within said housing for supplying power to said controllable pumping system and to said electronic control means and connectible through exterior terminals provided at said exterior surface of said housing to external electric energy supply means, and

a first capacitive detector circuit for detecting the presence of infusion liquid or alternatively air within the pumping system; and

a stationary receptor system including;

a receptor means for receiving and fixating said at least one infusion pump unit therein so as to maintain said at least one infusion pump unit in a stationary mode and exposing said fluid inlet and fluid outlet of said at least one infusion pump unit for allowing access thereto, and

a mains supply unit for receiving electric energy from the mains supply and having terminals connectible to said exterior terminals for supplying said electric energy to said power supply unit of said at least one infusion pump unit, said mains supply unit constituting said external electric supply means.

2. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, said electronic control means comprising a microprocessor control means.

3. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, said electronic control means including display means for displaying the operational mode of the infusion pump unit and keyboard means for addressing said electronic control means.

4. The infusion pump system according to claim 3, said keyboard means allowing said electronic control means to be programmed.

5. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, said electronic control means being programmable through an external program port.

6. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, said electronic control means being pre-programmed.

7. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, at least one of said check valves being controllable between a first active state and a second non-active state.

8. The infusion pump system according to claim 7, said inactive state being established by means of a bypass valve establishing in a bypass mode a bypass of said controllable check valve.

9. The infusion pump system according to the claim 1, said controllable pumping system including a reciprocating plunger pump, the operation frequency of which is controllable from said electronic control means for altering the fluid transfer rate of said controllable pumping system.

10. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, said first capacitive detector circuit comprising a capacitive attenuator including a variable capacitor communicating with said pumping system, said capacitive attenuator being supplied with an alternating input signal for generating an alternating output signal including an amplitude modulated component which is detected by an amplitude demodulator circuit.

11. The infusion pump system according to claim 1, further comprising a second capacitive detector circuit for monitoring the operational mode of the pumping system.

12. The infusion pump system according to claim 11, said second capacitive detector circuit comprising a capacitive attenuator including a variable capacitor communicating with said pumping system, said capacitive attenuator being supplied with an alternating input signal for generating an alternating output signal including an amplitude modulated component which is detected by an amplitude demodulator circuit.

13. The infusion pump system according to claim 9, said reciprocating plunger pump including a solenoid actuator and a mechanical attenuator for providing mechanical attenuation of solenoid activated plunger of the plunger pump.

14. An infusion pump unit comprising:

a housing of a size allowing said infusion pump unit to be carried by a user as a portable infusion pump unit, said housing defining an exterior surface,

a fluid inlet provided accessibly at said exterior surface for establishing fluid communication from an external infusion bag to said fluid inlet,

a fluid outlet provided accessibly at said exterior surface for establish-ing fluid communication to an infusion site,

a controllable pumping system included within said housing and having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being connected to said fluid inlet and said outlet being connected to said fluid outlet for allowing transfer of fluid from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet through activating said controllable pumping system, a first check valve provided at said inlet of said controllable pumping system, a second check valve provided at said outlet of said controllable pumping system,

an electronic control means received within said housing for controlling the operation of said controllable pumping system, said electronic control means including at least two preset pumping programs for allowing said controllable pumping system to be controlled in at least two alternative infusion pumping operations,

a power supply unit housed within said housing for supplying power to said controllable pumping system and to said electronic control means and connectible through exterior terminals provided at said exterior surface of said housing to external electric energy supply means, and

a first capacitive detector circuit for detecting the presence of infusion liquid or alternatively air within the pumping system;

and to be used in connection with a stationary receptor system including;

a receptor means for receiving and fixating said at least one infusion pump unit therein so as to maintain said at least one infusion pump unit in a stationary mode and exposing said fluid inlet and fluid outlet of said at least one infusion pump unit for allowing access thereto, and

a mains supply unit for receiving electric energy from the mains supply and having terminals connectible to said exterior terminals for supplying said electric energy to said power supply unit of said at least one infusion pump unit, said mains supply unit constituting said external electric supply means.

15. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said electronic control means comprising a microprocessor control means.

16. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said electronic control means including display means for displaying the operational mode of the infusion pump unit and keyboard means for addressing said electronic control means.

17. The infusion pump system according to claim 16, said keyboard means allowing said electronic control means to be programmed.

18. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said electronic control means being programmable through an external program port.

19. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said electronic control means being pre-programmed.

20. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, at least one of said check valves being controllable between a first active state and a second non-active state.

21. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said inactive state being established by means of a bypass valve establishing in a bypass mode a bypass of said controllable check valve.

22. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said controllable pumping system including a reciprocating plunger pump, the operation frequency of which is controllable from said electronic control means for altering the fluid transfer rate of said controllable pumping system.

23. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, said first capacitive detector circuit comprising a capacitive attenuator including a variable capacitor communicating with said pumping system, said capacitive attenuator being supplied with an alternating input signal for generating an alternating output signal including an amplitude modulated component which is detected by an amplitude demodulator circuit.

24. The infusion pump system according to claim 14, further comprising a second capacitive detector circuit for monitoring the operational mode of the pumping system.

25. The infusion pump system according to claim 24, said second capacitive detector circuit comprising a capacitive attenuator including a variable capacitor communicating with said pumping system, said capacitive attenuator being supplied with an alternating input signal for generating an alternating output signal including an amplitude modulated component which is detected by an amplitude demodulator circuit.

26. The infusion pump system according to claim 22, said reciprocating plunger pump including a solenoid actuator and a mechanical attenuator for providing mechanical attenuation of solenoid activated plunger of the plunger pump.