Systems and methods allowing for reservoir air bubble management
First Claim
1. A plunger head moveable within a reservoir to expel fluidic media from an interior volume of the reservoir, the plunger head comprising:
- a plunger head body having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, the front end of the plunger head body defining an end of a front portion of the interior volume, the rear end of the plunger head body defining an end of a rear portion of the interior volume, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; and
a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body;
wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and
wherein the plunger head body and the seal member are arranged in the reservoir to prevent fluidic media from passing between the rear portion of the interior volume and the front portion of the interior volume.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to limiting a presence of air bubbles in a fluidic medium expelled from a reservoir. In various embodiments, a plunger head within a reservoir is shaped so as to limit a presence of air bubbles in a fluidic medium expelled from the reservoir. Also, in various embodiments, a reservoir is shaped so as to limit a presence of air bubbles in a fluidic medium expelled from the reservoir. In some embodiments, both a reservoir and a plunger head within the reservoir are shaped so as to limit a presence of air bubbles in a fluidic medium expelled from the reservoir.
248 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A plunger head moveable within a reservoir to expel fluidic media from an interior volume of the reservoir, the plunger head comprising:
-
a plunger head body having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, the front end of the plunger head body defining an end of a front portion of the interior volume, the rear end of the plunger head body defining an end of a rear portion of the interior volume, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; and a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and wherein the plunger head body and the seal member are arranged in the reservoir to prevent fluidic media from passing between the rear portion of the interior volume and the front portion of the interior volume. - 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. A system for delivering fluidic media, the system comprising:
-
a reservoir, the reservoir comprising; a reservoir body portion having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a plunger head moveable within the reservoir to expel fluidic media contained in the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the plunger head comprising; a plunger head body having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, the front end of the plunger head body defining an end of a front portion of the interior volume, the rear end of the plunger head body defining an end of a rear portion of the interior volume, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion through the port of the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; and a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and wherein the plunger head body and the seal member are arranged in the reservoir to prevent fluidic media from passing between the rear portion of the interior volume and the front portion of the interior volume. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A system for delivering fluidic media, the system comprising:
-
a reservoir, the reservoir comprising; a reservoir body portion having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; and a reservoir bubble trap portion having a volume in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the reservoir bubble trap region for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a plunger head moveable within the reservoir to expel fluidic media contained in the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the plunger head comprising; a plunger head body having a front end, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavit for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion through the port of the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; the front end of the plunger head body comprising; a first protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body; and a second protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body, the concavit located between the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion; a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and wherein a contour of the first protrusion portion substantially matches an inner contour of the reservoir bubble trap portion.
-
-
35. A system for delivering fluidic media, the system comprising:
-
a reservoir, the reservoir comprising; a reservoir body portion having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; and a reservoir bubble trap portion having a volume in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the reservoir bubble trap region for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a plunger head moveable within the reservoir to expel fluidic media contained in the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the plunger head comprising; a plunger head body having a front end, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion through the port of the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; the front end of the plunger head body comprising; a first protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body; and a second protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body, the concavity located between the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion; a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and the first protrusion portion shaped and positioned such that the first protrusion portion extends at least partially into the volume of the reservoir bubble trap portion when the plunger head is sufficiently advanced within the reservoir.
-
-
36. A system for delivering fluidic media, the system comprising:
-
a reservoir, the reservoir comprising; a reservoir body portion having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a reservoir bubble trap portion having a volume in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the reservoir bubble trap region for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a material for shunting air bubbles in the fluidic media away from the port of the reservoir and toward the volume of the reservoir bubble trap portion as fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a plunger head moveable within the reservoir to expel fluidic media contained in the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the plunger head comprising; a plunger head bod having a front end the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion through the port of the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; the front end of the plunger head body comprising; a first protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body; and a second protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body, the concavity located between the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion; a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head.
-
-
37. A system for delivering fluidic media, the system comprising;
-
a reservoir, the reservoir comprising; a reservoir body portion having an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the reservoir having a port in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a reservoir bubble trap portion having a volume in fluid flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the reservoir bubble trap region for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; the reservoir having a channel that leads from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion to the port of the reservoir; the reservoir bubble trap portion comprising; a first portion that extends from the reservoir body portion away from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; and a second portion that returns back toward the interior volume of the reservoir body portion; a plunger head moveable within the reservoir to expel fluidic media contained in the interior volume of the reservoir body portion, the plunger head comprising; a plunger head body having a front end, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air bubbles in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the interior volume of the reservoir body portion through the port of the reservoir by the plunger head the front end of the plunger head bod defining a wall around the concavity; the front end of the plunger head body comprising; a first protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body; and a second protrusion portion protruding from the plunger head body, the concavity located between the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion; a seal member arranged along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and wherein the reservoir bubble trap portion encircles at least a portion of the channel of the reservoir.
-
-
38. A method of manufacturing a plunger head moveable within a reservoir to expel fluidic media from an interior volume of the reservoir, the method comprising:
-
providing a plunger head body having a front end and a rear end opposite the front end, the front end of the plunger head body defining an end of a front portion of the interior volume, the rear end of the plunger head body defining an end of a rear portion of the interior volume, the front end of the plunger head body having a concavity for trapping air in the fluidic media as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head, the front end of the plunger head body defining a wall around the concavity; and arranging a seal member along a side surface of the plunger head body that is substantially parallel with an inner surface of the reservoir to engage the inner surface of the reservoir, the seal member arranged at a location on the side surface that is spaced apart from the front end of the plunger head body; wherein the wall of the plunger head body is spaced apart from the inner surface of the reservoir as the fluidic media is expelled from the reservoir by the plunger head; and wherein the plunger head body and the seal member are arranged in the reservoir to prevent fluidic media from passing between the rear portion of the interior volume and the front portion of the interior volume.
-
Specification