Lead screw driven reservoir with integral plunger nut and method of using the same
First Claim
1. A reservoir for use with a medication infusion device having a rotatable lead screw with uniform thread size throughout the length of the lead screw for controllably dispensing fluid from the reservoir, the reservoir comprising:
- a hollow reservoir barrel adapted for receiving and supporting a supply of the fluid; and
a reservoir plunger slidably received into the barrel and movable within the barrel to deliver the fluid from the barrel;
wherein the reservoir plunger includes at least two radially flexible legs and an integral split nut connector that comprises at least a threaded partial nut formed at the end of each leg of the plunger such that the plunger is configured to engage the uniform thread sized lead screw between the at least two legs and the threaded partial nut on each leg can simultaneously engage the lead screw when the legs are compressed radially inwards to form a whole nut on the lead screw; and
wherein the at least two radially flexible legs have arched surfaces to provide flexibility in the radial direction and rigidity in the axial direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved reservoir is provided for use in a medication infusion device for operating the reservoir to administer a fluid to a patient. The reservoir comprises a hollow barrel adapted to receive a supply of fluid for delivery through infusion tubing or the like to the patient, in combination with a reservoir plunger. The reservoir plunger is designed to engage a motor-driven lead screw of the medication infusion device. The reservoir plunger has an integral split nut connector formed on the end of the plunger, which is in co-axial alignment with the lead screw whereby the split nut connector can be engaged directly to the lead screw.
183 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A reservoir for use with a medication infusion device having a rotatable lead screw with uniform thread size throughout the length of the lead screw for controllably dispensing fluid from the reservoir, the reservoir comprising:
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a hollow reservoir barrel adapted for receiving and supporting a supply of the fluid; and a reservoir plunger slidably received into the barrel and movable within the barrel to deliver the fluid from the barrel; wherein the reservoir plunger includes at least two radially flexible legs and an integral split nut connector that comprises at least a threaded partial nut formed at the end of each leg of the plunger such that the plunger is configured to engage the uniform thread sized lead screw between the at least two legs and the threaded partial nut on each leg can simultaneously engage the lead screw when the legs are compressed radially inwards to form a whole nut on the lead screw; and wherein the at least two radially flexible legs have arched surfaces to provide flexibility in the radial direction and rigidity in the axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An infusion device system comprising:
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a reservoir having a reservoir barrel adapted to be filled with a fluid, and a reservoir plunger slidably received into the barrel and movable within the barrel to deliver the fluid from the barrel, and an infusion device including a device housing defining a reservoir compartment for receiving and supporting the reservoir, and drive means for engaging and controllably moving the plunger to deliver the fluid from the reservoir, the drive means including a rotatably driven lead screw; wherein the reservoir plunger includes at least two radially flexible legs and an integral split nut connector that comprises at least a partial nut formed at the end of each leg of the plunger such that the plunger is adapted to permit the lead screw to fit between the at least two legs and the partial nut on each leg can simultaneously engage the lead screw when the legs are compressed radially to form a whole nut on the lead screw, wherein the lead screw has uniform thread size throughout the length of the lead screw; and wherein the partial nuts are engaged to the lead screw by a camming receptacle, wherein the camming receptacle has camming surfaces to press the partial nuts together to form a whole nut over the lead screw when the plunger is twisted within the camming receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification