Medical apparatus for use by a patient for medical self treatment of diabetes

• US 6,302,855 B1
• Filed: 05/17/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Munk, Jens Aage, Lav, Steffen, Ritsing, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/312,796
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 604/66, 604/50, 604/65, 604/67, 604/93, 604/131, 604/71, 600/181, 600/183, 600/573, 600/583, 600/584
• US Class Current: 600/584
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157 disposable multilayered or laminated electrodes G01N27/307; details of handling chemical test elements G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150267 Modular design or construction, i.e. subunits are assembled separately before being joined together or the device comprises interchangeable or detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15186 Devices loaded with a single lancet, i.e. a single lancet with or without a casing is loaded into a reusable drive device and then discarded after use; drive devices reloadable for multiple use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• 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 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31546 Electrically operated dose setting, e.g. input via touch screen or plus/minus buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31553 without axial movement of dose setting member

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for self-treatment of diabetes. The apparatus is particularly advantageous by comprising a plurality of devices each of which has its own dedicated function corresponding to a number of acts which a diabetic must perform on himself. The individual devices are mutually interconnectible, and the combination comprises at least a body fluid analyzer and a dosing apparatus for administering a predetermined dose of insulin to the patient. Each of the devices may be provided in several sizes so that the user himself may combine the relevant devices of the relevant size with respect to the current need. This reduces the risk of forgetting parts of the equipment, and the confidence of using the equipment is enhanced because it is evident to the user that it is a complete apparatus consisting of unified parts.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus for use by a patient for medical self treatment of diabetes, the treatment including a first operation and at least a second operation, said medical apparatus comprising a first device for performing the first operation and a second device for performing the second operation, wherein said first and said second devices have mutually cooperating coupling means for detachably assembling said first and second devices so as to form a single portable unit, and wherein said first and second devices at least comprise a body fluid analyzer device and a dosing device for administering a predetermined dose of insulin to a patient.

2. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said body fluid analyzer device is a blood glucose monitor.

3. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said blood glucose monitor includes a temperature monitoring device located such that, when said blood glucose monitor and insulin injecting device are assembled together, the temperature monitoring device will monitor the temperature of insulin which may be present in said dosing device.

4. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said medical apparatus includes a cap, and wherein said dosing device comprises two insulin injecting pens arranged to be received as a pair in said cap.

5. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said medical apparatus includes a cap, and wherein said dosing device comprises an insulin injecting pen and a storage device arranged to be received as a pair in said cap.

6. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dosing device is an insulin injecting device.

7. The medical apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said insulin injecting device utilizes a replaceable carpoule of insulin, and wherein said medical apparatus has storage space for storing at least one spare carpoule of insulin.

8. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said medical apparatus has storage space for storing a supply of lancets for the body fluid analyzer device.

9. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said medical apparatus has storage space for storing a supply of test strips for said body fluid analyzer device.

10. A medical apparatus for use by a patient for medical self treatment of diabetes, the treatment including analysis of a body fluid, comprising:

a cap having an open end and a cap interior;

a body fluid analyzer coupled to said cap; and

at least one additional member having a portion which is selectively insertable into, and removable from, said cap interior, wherein said at least one additional member is selected from the group consisting of an insulin injecting device and a storage container, wherein said cap, body fluid analyzer, and at least one additional member can be assembled to form a single, compact, portable unit.

11. The medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said body fluid analyzer and cap are integral with one another.

12. A medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said cap and said body fluid analyzer include mutually cooperating elements for detachably coupling said body fluid analyzer to said cap.

13. A medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the body fluid analyzer is a blood glucose monitor.

14. A medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one additional member is an insulin injecting device.

15. A medical apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a lancet device, wherein said lancet device and said body fluid analyzer include mutually cooperating elements for detachably coupling said lancet device to said body fluid analyzer, wherein said cap, body fluid analyzer, lancet device, and said at least one additional member can be assembled to form a single, compact, portable unit.

16. A medical apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said cap and said body fluid analyzer include mutually cooperating elements for detachably coupling said body fluid analyzer to said cap, wherein the cooperating elements between said cap and body fluid analyzer include at least one locking member on said body fluid analyzer, and wherein the cooperating elements between said body fluid analyzer and lancet device include at least one said locking member on said lancet device, such that said lancet device may optionally be detachably coupled to said cap.

17. A medical apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a storage container for storing a supply of lancets for the body fluid analyzer.

18. A medical apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a storage container, wherein said body fluid analyzer and storage container include mutually cooperating elements for detachably coupling said storage container to said body fluid analyzer, wherein said storage container and lancet device include mutually cooperating elements for detachably coupling said lancet device to said storage container, and wherein said cap, body fluid analyzer, storage container, and at least one additional member can be assembled to form a single, compact, portable unit.

19. A medical apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said cap and said body fluid analyzer include mutually cooperating elements for detachably coupling said body fluid analyzer to said cap, wherein the cooperating elements between said cap and body fluid analyzer include at least one locking member on said body fluid analyzer, and wherein the cooperating elements between said body fluid analyzer and storage container include at least one said locking member on said storage container, such that said storage container may optionally be detachably coupled to said cap.

20. A medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one additional member is a storage container providing a storage space which is closed when said storage container is inserted in said cap interior and which is accessible when said storage container is removed from said cap interior.

21. A medical apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said at least one additional member also includes an insulin injecting device, and wherein said storage container and insulin injecting device together have an outer shape which conforms to the shape of said cap interior.

22. A medical apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one additional member includes a pair of insulin injecting devices which together have an outer shape which conforms to the shape of the cap interior.

23. A medical apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said body fluid analyzer includes a temperature monitoring device positioned such that, when said body fluid analyzer is mounted on said cap, and said insulin dispensing device is inserted into said cap, the temperature monitoring device will monitor the temperature of the insulin in the insulin injecting device.

24. A medical apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said cap and said body fluid analyzer include mating surfaces which, in conjunction with said mutually cooperating elements, releasably secure body fluid analyzer to said cap.

25. A medical apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said lancet device and said body fluid analyzer include mating surfaces which, in conjunction with said mutually cooperating elements, releasably secure said lancet device to said body fluid analyzer.

26. A medical apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said storage container, said body fluid analyzer, and said lancet device include mating surfaces which, in conjunction with said mutually cooperating elements, releasably secure said storage container to said body fluid analyzer and said lancet device to said storage container.