Micropump for peristaltic pumping of a liquid medium

• US 7,985,057 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Haar, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodríguez; William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): STIMPERT, PHILIP EARL
• Application Number:
  US11/686,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20080038128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 417/474, 417/475, 417/476, 417/479, 417/63, 604/153, 731/49, 732/90.R
• US Class Current: 417/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0294 Piezoelectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3313 used specific wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14228 with linear peristaltic action, i.e. comprising at least three pressurising members or a helical member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/365 Air detectors A61M5/1684 takes precedence; in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3626
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/082 the tubular flexible member being pressed against a wall by a number of elements, each having an alternating movement in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the tubular member and each having its own driving mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to a micropump for peristaltic pumping of a liquid medium and to a device which contains a peristaltic micropump and which is for metered administration of a liquid drug.

Claims

1. A micropump for peristaltic pumping of a liquid medium, the micropump comprising:

at least one flow channel with a wall element, the flow channel having a cross-sectional area which, at least in subportions of the flow channel, can be altered by the exertion of a force on the wall element of the flow channel;

actuators arranged in such a manner that they are able to exert the force on the wall element of the flow channel in at least two subportions of the channel to reduce the cross-sectional area in those subportions of the channel so that no liquid medium is detected in those subportions with reduced cross-sectional area;

at least one sensor arrangement for detecting a quantity of liquid medium in the portion of the channel between the at least two subportions of the channel with reduced cross-sectional area and for calculating a volume of the liquid medium in the portion of the channel, the sensor arrangement being located outside the flow channel; and

at least two further sensor arrangements for detecting the quantity of the liquid medium in the at least two subportions of the channel with reduced cross-sectional area, the at least two further sensor arrangements being located outside the flow channel.

2. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the actuators comprise at least two actuators which are arranged in such a way that they are able to exert the force on the wall element of the flow channel in at least two portions of the channel, thereby temporarily closing the relevant portion of the channel and allowing a volume segment to be isolated in the flow channel, such that the sensor arrangement lying outside the flow channel can detect the quantity of liquid medium in the volume segment.

3. The micropump according to claim 1, further comprising at least three pin-shaped actuators which are arranged next to each other outside the flow channel and which comprise at least two valve pins and at least one pump pin.

4. The micropump according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reservoir of the liquid medium, comprising a liquid drug, and

an infusion needle arrangement wherein the reservoir being connected to the infusion needle arrangement by means of the flow channel.