Bellowed fluid delivery apparatus

• US 6,485,471 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Corporation (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Zivitz, Maury, Hill, Brian S., Bhullar, Raghbir Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAMTU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US09/518,817
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 604/153, 604/216, 604/28, 604/500, 604/131, 604/232, 604/212, 604/208, 73/11.6, 73/11.9, 73/10.5, 73/12.3
• US Class Current: 604/212
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14533 cam actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/148 flexible, e.g. independent bagsA61M5/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/282 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall

Abstract

A fluid-delivery apparatus for delivering a medicament to a patient is provided in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus includes a housing defining a passageway, a bellowed ampoule positioned to lie in the passageway of the housing, and a piston. The bellowed ampoule includes a body with first and second ends and is formed to define a cavity configured to contain the medicament. The piston presses the second end of the ampoule toward the first end to dispense the medicament from the cavity. In addition, the fluid-delivery apparatus includes a visible non-linear scale that represents the relationship between a volume of medicament delivered from the first end of the ampoule and a distance that the piston has traveled in the housing toward the first end.

Claims

1. A fluid-delivery apparatus for delivering a medicament to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a passageway,

a bellowed ampoule positioned to lie in the passageway of the housing, the bellowed ampoule including a body having first and second ends and formed to define a cavity configured to contain the medicament,

a piston positioned in the housing and formed to press the second end of the ampoule toward the first end, and

a visible non-linear scale representing the relationship between a volume of medicament delivered from the first end of the ampoule and a distance that the piston has traveled in the housing toward the first end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ampoule includes a travel limit coupled to the body adjacent to the first end.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the body includes a wall extending between the first and second ends and the wall is formed to fold about the travel limit in the passageway of the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the travel limit includes tabs that cooperate with housing to couple the ampoule in the passageway of the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tabs engage the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tabs are spaced-apart from the housing a distance sufficient to permit limited movement between the ampoule and the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ampoule includes a rigid plate coupled to the first end.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ampoule includes a neck extending through the rigid plate and away from the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the ampoule includes a travel limit adjacent to the first end and the neck is coupled to the travel limit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is transparent.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second end of the ampoule is formed to include micropores.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ampoule includes a wall extending between first and second ends and the wall includes at least one bellows.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one bellows is formed to include micropores.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a piston-drive system formed to apply a force to piston to dispense medicament from apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the piston-drive system includes a torque-production system and an actuator system.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the piston-drive system includes a cam.

17. A fluid-delivery apparatus for delivering a constant volume of medicament to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a passageway,

a bellowed ampoule positioned to lie in the passageway of the housing, the ampoule including first and second and being formed to define a cavity configured to contain the medicament,

a piston formed for movement in the housing to press the second end of the ampoule toward the first end, and

a piston-drive system cooperating with the piston, the piston-drive system adjusting the movement of the piston in the housing so that the medicament is delivered in uniform increments from the first end of the ampoule.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the piston-drive system includes a torque-production system and an actuator system.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the actuator system includes an encoder and a controller in communication with the torque-production system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the torque-production system includes a motor in communication with the encoder, a gear train coupled to the motor and in mechanical communication with the piston.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the piston-drive system includes a cam formed for rotation about a shaft and in mechanical communication with the piston.

22. A fluid-delivery apparatus for delivering a constant volume of medicament to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a passageway,

a bellowed ampoule positioned to lie in the passageway of the housing, the ampoule including first and second and being formed to define a cavity configured to contain the medicament,

a piston formed for movement in the housing to press the second end of the ampoule toward the first end, and

a piston-drive system cooperating with the piston, the piston-drive system adjusting the movement of the piston in the housing so that the medicament is delivered in uniform increments from the first end of the ampoule, wherein

the piston-drive system includes a cam formed for rotation about a shaft and in mechanical communication with the piston, and the cam includes a cam surface that changes in radius to dispense successive equal volumes of medicament from the ampoule.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the cam surface includes a ramp.

24. A method for determining the amount of fluid delivered from a bellowed ampoule positioned in a cylindrical housing having a radius of r₀ that is substantially equal to an outermost radius of the ampoule, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating the relative encroachment function Err of the bellowed ampoule from the equation

25. A method for delivering a constant linear volume of fluid from a bellowed ampoule positioned in a cylindrical housing having a radius of rthat is substantially equal to an outermost radius of the ampoule, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating the relative encroachment function Err of the bellowed ampoule from the equation