Reduced height implantable drug infusion device

• US 6,485,464 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lu̅edi, Manfred K., Heruth, Kenneth T., Christenson, Steven R., Robinson, Reginald D., Randall, James, Pèclat, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Michalsky, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US09/560,173
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 417/477.1, 604/153
• US Class Current: 604/153
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation

Abstract

An implantable drug infusion device includes a pumphead assembly and a motor assembly operably connected to the pumphead assembly. The motor assembly is adjacent to and laterally offset from the pumphead assembly, advantageously reducing the overall height of the implantable drug infusion device.

Claims

1. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a race;

a pumphead assembly having a gear connected to a drive shaft;

a motor assembly having a housing, a motor positioned within the housing, a gear assembly comprising a plurality of gears and positioned within the housing, and a gear outside the housing that is driven by the gear assembly and engages the gear of the pumphead assembly;

the motor housing being adjacent the race in a radial direction with respect to the drive shaft.

2. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the pumphead assembly comprises a peristaltic pump.

3. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the gear assembly comprises a first gear driven by the motor, a second gear driven by the first gear, and a third gear driven by the second gear, the gear outside the motor housing being driven by the third gear.

4. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 3, wherein the first gear comprises a teethed shaft, and each of the second gear and third gear comprise a teethed shaft and a teethed gear wheel secured to the shaft.

5. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 4, wherein the gear outside the motor housing includes a shaft extending into the motor housing, an upper teethed gear wheel secured to the shaft, and a lower teethed gear wheel positioned inside the housing and secured to the shaft, and the gear of the pumphead assembly is a teethed gear wheel secured to the drive shaft, wherein the lower teethed gear wheel is driven by the teethed gear wheel of the third gear, and the upper teethed gear wheel drives the gear of the pumphead assembly.

6. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 1, wherein the pumphead assembly includes a pump tube and a plurality of rollers rotatably driven by the drive shaft to compress the pump tube.

7. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a bulkhead having a first chamber including a race and a second chamber;

a pump tube having an inlet and an outlet and being positioned within the race;

a pumphead assembly having a gear connected to a drive shaft and being positioned within the first chamber; and

a motor assembly having a housing that is positioned within the second chamber, a motor positioned within the housing, a gear assembly comprising a plurality of gears and positioned within the housing, and a gear outside the motor housing that is driven by the gear assembly and engages the gear of the pumphead assembly;

wherein the motor housing is adjacent the race in a radial direction with respect to the drive shaft.

8. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 7, wherein the pumphead assembly includes a plurality of rollers rotatably driven by the drive shaft and oriented to compress the pump tube.

9. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 7, wherein the gear assembly comprises a first gear driven by the motor, a second gear driven by the first gear, and a third gear driven by the second gear, the gear outside the motor housing being driven by the third gear.

10. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 7, wherein the pumphead comprises a plurality of rollers rotatably driven by the drive wheel and oriented to compress the pump tube.

11. An implantable drug infusion device comprising, in combination:

a race;

a pumphead assembly having a gear connected to a drive shaft; and

a motor assembly having a housing, a motor positioned within the housing, a gear assembly comprising a plurality of gears and positioned within the housing, and a gear outside the housing that is driven by the gear assembly and engages the gear of the pumphead assembly, the motor assembly being adjacent to and laterally offset from the race.

12. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 11, further comprising a reservoir, the reservoir being laterally offset from the pumphead assembly and the motor assembly.

13. An implantable drug infusion device having a thickness in a first direction and a width in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the implantable drug infusion device comprising:

a pump assembly comprising;

a pump having a thickness in the first direction; and

a motor operably connected to the pump, the motor having a thickness in the first direction,

the motor and pump being arranged in a side-by-side manner generally perpendicular to the first direction, the motor and pump having an overall thickness in the first direction no greater than either the thickness or the thickness of the pump; and

a reservoir adjacent the pump assembly in the first direction such that the reservoir and pump assembly are arranged in a side-by-side manner along the first direction.

14. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 13, wherein the pump has a drive shaft driven by a drive shaft of the motor.

15. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 14, wherein the drive shafts of the motor and the pump each have an axial direction extending parallel to the first direction.

16. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 14, wherein the motor includes a plurality of gears, the gears operably connected to drive the drive shaft of the pump.

17. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 16, further including a motor housing.

18. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 17, wherein the gears are contained within the motor housing.

19. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 13, wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

20. An implantable drug infusion device having a thickness in a first direction and a width in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, the implantable drug infusion device comprising:

an pump assembly comprising;

a motor; and

a pump operably connected to the motor;

the motor and pump being arranged in a side-by-side manner generally perpendicular to the first direction; and

a reservoir adjacent the pump assembly in the first direction such that the reservoir and pump assembly are arranged in a side-by-side manner along the first direction.

21. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20, wherein the pump has a drive shaft driven by a drive shaft of the motor.

22. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 21, wherein the drive shafts of the motor and the pump have an axial direction parallel to the first direction.

23. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 21, wherein the motor includes a plurality of gears, the gears operably connected to drive the drive shaft of the pump.

24. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 23, further including a motor housing.

25. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 24, wherein the gears are contained within the motor housing.

26. The implantable drug infusion device of claim 20, wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic pump.