Position detection

• US 7,138,806 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: TecPharma Licensing AG (Ypsomed Holding AG)
• Inventors: Krieftewirth, Michael, Gafner, Simone, Yeandel, Julian, Steffen, Beat
• Primary Examiner(s): Deb, Anjan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoai-An D.
• Application Number:
  US10/754,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 324/661, 324/658, 324/649, 324/600, 324/519, 324/686, 324/660, 604/97.02, 604/118, 604/502, 604/19, 604/21, 604/65, 604/67, 600/1, 600/3, 600/7
• US Class Current: 324/660
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• 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 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3155 by rotational movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31556 Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2412 by varying overlap
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/16 Circuit arrangements for detecting position

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for detecting the position of a rotor relative to a stator, wherein at least one electrode is arranged on the rotor and at least one electrode is arranged on the stator, such that the electrodes at least partially overlap in at least one rotational position of the rotor relative to the stator, and encompasses a method for measuring the rotational position of a rotor including at least one rotor electrode relative to a stator including at least one stator electrode, wherein the rotational position is detected using a capacitive coupling between the rotor electrode and the stator electrode.

Claims

1. An injection device configured to detect a position of a rotor relative to a stator for setting a dose of medicament, the rotor operatively coupled to a rod within an interior of the injection device, and the stator operatively coupled to a surface in the interior of the injection device, wherein the rotor is rotatable relative to the stator to effect dosage of the medicament, and at least one rotor electrode is arranged on said rotor and at least one stator electrode is arranged on said stator, such that said electrodes at least partially overlap in at least one position of the rotor relative to the stator, said at least one rotor electrode disposed on an exterior surface of the rotor and comprising an exterior rotor electrode surface that faces an interior portion of the stator, and said at least one stator electrode disposed on the interior portion of the stator and comprising an exterior stator electrode surface that faces the exterior surface of the rotor;

and wherein a relative position of the rotor to the stator indicates a dosage and the injection device for detecting the position of the rotor relative to the stator provides an indication of the dosage as set.

2. The injection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least two electrodes are arranged on the stator.

3. The injection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode on the rotor and the at least one electrode on the stator comprises a partially annular area of the rotor and stator respectively.

4. The injection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode on the rotor and the at least one electrode on the stator are arranged such that, when the rotor is turned by a predetermined angle relative to the stator, the polarity of the electrodes can be reversed.

5. The injection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor is rotatable about the rod within the injection device.

6. The injection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor and rod are materially coupled and rotate within the injection device.

7. The injection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of rotational positions, each rotational position corresponding to the rotor electrode at least partially overlapping one electrode of a plurality of electrodes of the stator.

8. The injection device as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of rotational positions is associated with a voltage.

9. The injection device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the voltages of each of the plurality of rotational positions are different from each other.