Disposable, wearable insulin dispensing device, a combination of such a device and a programming controller and a method of controlling the operation of such a device
First Claim
1. A medicine dispensing device, comprising:
- a disposable and wearable pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine carpule;
a flexible piston rod movably arranged in the housing to adjust from a curved configuration to a rigid configuration so as to dispense medicine from the carpule when the carpule is received in the pump housing;
a drive actuator to advance the flexible piston rod toward the medicine carpule when the medicine carpule is received in the pump housing; and
a control circuit to communicate control signals to the drive actuator to cause the dispensation of the medicine, the control circuit including a programmable unit that is programmed to react to user input information indicating a blood glucose level of a user and the intake of nutrients by the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable, wearable, self-contained insulin dispensing device includes a housing and an insulin source in the housing that is connected to a catheter for injecting insulin into a user. The catheter projects generally perpendicularly to a generally planar surface of the housing configured for abutting a skin surface of the user; which planar surface includes an adhesive layer for adhering the housing surface to the skin surface. A removable release sheet covers the adhesive layer for protecting the adhesive layer prior to use of the device. The release sheet is provided with a catheter protection element to enclose and protect an end portion of the catheter, such that removal of the release sheet for exposing the adhesive layer also exposes the end portion. A pump in the housing includes an actuator employing a shape memory alloy wire.
262 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A medicine dispensing device, comprising:
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a disposable and wearable pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine carpule; a flexible piston rod movably arranged in the housing to adjust from a curved configuration to a rigid configuration so as to dispense medicine from the carpule when the carpule is received in the pump housing; a drive actuator to advance the flexible piston rod toward the medicine carpule when the medicine carpule is received in the pump housing; and a control circuit to communicate control signals to the drive actuator to cause the dispensation of the medicine, the control circuit including a programmable unit that is programmed to react to user input information indicating a blood glucose level of a user and the intake of nutrients by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A medicine dispensing device, comprising:
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a disposable and wearable pump housing that defines a space to receive a carpule containing insulin medicine; a flexible piston rod movably arranged in the housing to adjust from a curved configuration to a rigid configuration so as to dispense medicine from the carpule when the carpule is received in the pump housing, the flexible piston rod comprising rod segments connected in series by hinge elements, the rod segments having exterior threads on at least a portion of an outer surface; a drive actuator to advance the flexible piston rod toward the carpule when the carpule is received in the pump housing, wherein the drive actuator comprises a gear wheel, a pawl arranged to engage at least one tooth of the gear wheel, and a spring device coupled to the pawl so as to urge the pawl to rotate the gear wheel, wherein the exterior threads of the rod segments of the flexible piston rod cooperate with interior screw threads of the drive actuator; and a control circuit to communicate control signals to the drive actuator to cause the dispensation of the medicine, the control circuit including a programmable unit that is programmed to react to user input information indicating a blood glucose level of a user and the intake of nutrients by the user, wherein the control circuit communicates the control signals according to a program that indicates a sequence of a particular amount of actuations of the drive actuator that varies according to the time of day, the program being stored in the programmable unit of the control circuit and being alterable by user input on an input device. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification