Gas generation dispenser method for on-demand fluid delivery

• US 8,353,426 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microlin LLC
• Original Assignee: Microlin LLC
• Inventors: Wold, Truman, Gordon, John Howard, Joshi, Ashok V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shearer, Daniel R
• Application Number:
  US13/323,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20120145742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 222/387, 222/389, 222/129, 222/397, 222/399, 222/1
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/132 Piezo or ultrasonic elements for dispensing
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/12 Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8231 using electrochemical gas generating device for the driving gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/025 with stepwise advancement of the piston, e.g. for spraying a predetermined quantity of content
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/04 Deformable containers producing the flow, e.g. squeeze bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/061 characterised by the means producing the gas or vapour pressure

Abstract

A method of dispensing a fluid comprising generating a gas from a liquid, directing the gas to an expandable gas chamber to expand a volume of the expandable gas chamber, reducing a volume of a fluid chamber in response to expansion of the expandable gas chamber to dispense an amount of the fluid from the fluid chamber, and removing the gas from the expandable gas chamber to collapse the expandable gas chamber.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a fluid comprising:

generating a gas from a liquid;

directing the gas to an expandable gas chamber to expand the expandable gas chamber, wherein expanding the expandable gas chamber comprises translating a first movable wall of the expandable gas chamber along a linear path, the first movable wall comprising a first mechanism to inhibit movement of the first movable wall in a backward direction along the linear path;

reducing a volume of a fluid chamber in response to expansion of the expandable gas chamber to dispense an amount of the fluid from the fluid chamber; and

removing the gas from the expandable gas chamber to collapse the expandable gas chamber, wherein collapsing the expandable gas chamber comprises drawing a second movable wall of the expandable gas chamber along the linear path toward the first movable wall, the second movable wall comprising a second mechanism to inhibit movement of the second movable wall in the backward direction along the linear path wherein removing the gas comprises converting the gas back into the liquid and storing the liquid in a liquid storage reserve.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising collapsing the expandable gas chamber while substantially maintaining the volume of the fluid chamber.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the gas comprises generating the gas at a gas generation rate that is higher than a gas removal rate associated with removing the gas from the expandable gas chamber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the gas back into the liquid comprises inducing an electrochemical reaction of chemical components within the gas.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the gas comprises generating a volume of gas in a first range from about one to one hundred microliters for a single delivery of fluid from the fluid chamber.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating the volume of gas in less than approximately five seconds.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the gas to dispense the fluid on demand in response to a user input.