Drive circuit having improved energy efficiency for implantable beneficial agent infusion or delivery device
First Claim
1. An implantable beneficial agent infusion device, comprising:
- an hermetically sealed enclosure;
a fluid reservoir positioned at least partially within the hermetic enclosure, the fluid reservoir being adapted to contain a fluid containing a beneficial agent therewithin;
a catheter for delivering the fluid into a patient'"'"'s body;
a controllable pump, the pump communicating with the resevoir and the catheter and causing the fluid to move from the reservoir into the catheter upon receiving a command actuating same;
a valve assembly comprising a deflectable energy storing member; and
an electrical circuit configured to controllably energize and deflect the energy storing member by providing an output voltage and electric charge thereacross or therein, and configured to recover at least a portion of the electric charge from the deflectable energy storing member when the output voltage provided thereto is switched off.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable beneficial agent infusion device featuring a unique energy recovery circuit and a deflectable energy storing member such as a piezo-electric membrane is disclosed. The circuit and deflectable energy storing member cooperate to permit electrical energy employed to activate the member to be at least partially recovered. In a preferred embodiment, the deflectable energy storing member is connected to a seal which is opened to permit the delivery or infusion of a pre-determined amount of a beneficial agent to a patient when the member is deflected or actuated through the application of a sufficiently high voltage thereacross. Charge stored on or in the deflectable energy storing member as a result of the voltage being applied thereacross is recovered by a novel circuit when the deflectable energy storing membrane is permitted to return to its non-actuated state or position.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An implantable beneficial agent infusion device, comprising:
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an hermetically sealed enclosure; a fluid reservoir positioned at least partially within the hermetic enclosure, the fluid reservoir being adapted to contain a fluid containing a beneficial agent therewithin; a catheter for delivering the fluid into a patient'"'"'s body; a controllable pump, the pump communicating with the resevoir and the catheter and causing the fluid to move from the reservoir into the catheter upon receiving a command actuating same; a valve assembly comprising a deflectable energy storing member; and an electrical circuit configured to controllably energize and deflect the energy storing member by providing an output voltage and electric charge thereacross or therein, and configured to recover at least a portion of the electric charge from the deflectable energy storing member when the output voltage provided thereto is switched off. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of causing fluid flow through an implantable beneficial agent infusion device, the device comprising a deflectable energy storing member and a fluid flow path blocked by the deflectable energy storing member in an un-energized position, the method comprising;
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(a) energizing the deflectable energy storing member with at least one of electric charge and electric voltage and causing same to deflect from an un-energized position to an energized position; (b) causing fluid to flow through the path blocked by the deflectable energy storing member in the un-energized position in response to the energy storing member deflecting; (c) de-energizing the deflectable energy storing member and causing same to move to the un-energized position, and (d) recovering at least a portion of the electric charge from the deflectable energy storing member when the deflectable energy storing member returns to its un-energized position. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification