Connection and alignment systems and methods

• US 8,377,002 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hanson, Ian B., Bente, Paul F. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/050,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20120095400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 294/28, 295/921, 604/151, 604/152, 604/232, 604533-535
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6036 characterised by physical shape, e.g. array of activating switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/003 Kits for diabetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0402 Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A medical device system may include a set of housing portions, which includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion, and a third housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion. Each of one or more fluid conduits may provide a fluid path between a user and one or more reservoirs, for containing fluidic media, supported by at least one of the third housing portion and a selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion. A drive device supported by the third housing portion may be configured to transfer fluidic media between one of the one or more reservoirs and the user via the fluid conduit in a case where the third housing portion is operatively engaged with one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

Claims

1. A medical device system, the system comprising:

a set of housing portions, the set of housing portions comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion;

a third housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, one at a time such that the third housing portion is able to engage with no more than one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion at any given time, the third housing portion supporting one or more reservoirs for containing fluidic media;

at least one fluid conduit for providing a fluid path between a user and a respective reservoir of the one or more reservoirs, the at least one fluid conduit comprising at least one first conduit for connecting the first housing portion in fluid flow communication with an injection site module and for connecting the second housing portion in fluid flow communication with an injection site module, the at least one fluid conduit comprising at least one second conduit connecting the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion in fluid flow communication with the first housing portion when the third housing portion is engaged with the first housing portion, and connecting the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion in fluid flow communication with the second housing portion when the third housing portion is engaged with second housing portion; and

a drive device configured to transfer fluidic media between one of the one or more reservoirs and the user via the fluid conduit in a case where the third housing portion is operatively engaged with one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the third housing portion is configured to be disengageable from the one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion and engageable with another one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first housing portion is configured to be secured to the skin of the user;

and

wherein the second housing portion is configured to be held on or in a piece of clothing worn by the user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises:

a first flexible tube connecting the first housing portion in fluid flow communication with a first injection site module to provide a flexible fluid path between the user and the first housing portion; and

a second flexible tube connecting the second housing portion in fluid flow communication with a second injection site module to provide a flexible fluid path between the user and the second housing portion.

5. The medical device system of claim 4, wherein the first injection site module and the second injection site module are each configured to be securable on the user, each injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the user and a respective one of the first flexible tube and the second flexible tube.

6. The medical device system of claim 4, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises a flexible tube having a first end selectively connectable to each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, one at a time, the flexible tube having a second end connected in fluid flow communication with the injection site module securable on the user, the injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the flexible tube and the user.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one second conduit comprises a flexible tube configured to be selectively operatively connectable to a selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion to provide a fluid path between the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion and the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the flexible tube is configured to be operatively disconnectable from the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion and operatively connectable with another one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises a second flexible tube configured to be connectable to an injection site module securable on the user, the injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the user and the second flexible tube.

10. The system of claim 3,

wherein the at least one second conduit configured to be selectively operatively connectable to a selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion;

and

wherein the at least one second conduit is connected at a second end to the third housing portion to provide a fluid path between the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion and the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the the at least one second conduit is configured to be operatively disconnectable from the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion and operatively connectable with another one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one first conduit is configured to be connectable to an injection site module securable on the user, the injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the user and the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

13. The medical device system of claim 1,

wherein the at least one second conduit comprises a flexible tube having a first end selectively operatively connectable to the first housing portion and to the second housing portion, one at a time;

the flexible tube having a second end connected in fluid communication with the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion, the first end of the flexible tube configured to be selectively operatively connectable to a selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion to provide a fluid path between the injection site module and the one or more reservoirs.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the flexible tube is configured to be operatively disconnectable from the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion and operatively connectable with another one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises a second flexible tube configured to be connectable to a first injection site module securable on the user and a third flexible tube configured to be connectable to a second injection site module securable to the user, each injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the user and a respective one of the second and third flexible tubes.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises at least one second flexible tube configured to be connectable to a injection site module conduit securable on the user, the injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the at least one second flexible tube and the user.

17. The medical device system of claim 1,

wherein the at least one first conduit comprises a flexible tube having a first end configured to be selectively operatively connectable to a selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion;

the flexible tube having a second end connected to the injection site module to provide a fluid path between the user and the one or more reservoirs.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first end of the flexible tube is configured to be operatively disconnectable from the selected one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion and operatively connectable with another one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second end of the flexible tube is configured to be selectively connectable and disconnectable to an injection site module securable on the user, the injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the user and the reservoir.

20. The medical device system of claim 1,

wherein the at least one second conduit comprises a flexible tube operatively connectable to the reservoir of the third housing portion to provide a fluid path between the user and the reservoir.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the injection site module having a cannula for providing a fluid path between the reservoir and the user.

22. The medical device system of claim 1,

wherein the first housing portion has an adhesive that is configured to secure the first housing portion to skin of the user;

and

wherein the second housing portion has a clip that is configured to secure the second housing portion to a location on an article of clothing, off the skin of the user.

23. The medical device system of claim 22, the first housing portion configured to be securable to skin of the user.

24. The medical device system of claim 22, the second housing portion configured to be clipped to an article to be carried by the user.

25. The medical device system of claim 24, the second housing portion configured to be securable to apparel of the user.

26. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second conduits comprise a flexible tubing structure.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises a first conduit connecting the first housing portion in fluid flow communication with a first injection site module and another first conduit connecting the second housing portion in fluid flow communication with a second injection site module.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each injection site module comprising a hollow needle or cannula configured to be inserted into a user'"'"'s skin at an injection site on the user'"'"'s skin.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein each of the first conduits comprises a separate respective flexible tube having a length dimension that allows the first injection site module to be located in a spaced apart relation relative to the first housing portion and that allows the second injection site module to be located in a spaced apart relation relative to the second housing portion.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first conduit comprises a flexible tube and a connector for selectively connecting and disconnecting the flexible tube in fluid flow communication with each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, one at a time, the flexible tube also in fluid flow communication with the injection site module.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the injection site module comprising a hollow needle or cannula configured to be inserted into a user'"'"'s skin at an injection site on the user'"'"'s skin.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one second conduit comprises a second flexible tube and a second connector for selectively connecting and disconnecting the second flexible tube in fluid flow communication with the first housing portion and the second housing portion, one at a time, the second flexible tube also in fluid flow communication with the third housing portion.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the flexible tube has a length dimension that allows the injection site module to be located in a spaced apart relation relative to the first housing portion when the connector connects the flexible tube to the first housing portion, and that allows the injection site module to be located in a spaced apart relation relative to the second housing portion when the connector connects the flexible tube to the second housing portion.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second conduit comprises a flexible tube and connector for selectively connecting and disconnecting the flexible tube in fluid flow communication with the first housing portion and the second housing portion, one at a time, the flexible tube also in fluid flow communication with the third housing portion.

27. A method of making a medical device, the method comprising:

providing a set of housing portions, the set of housing portions comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion;

configuring a third housing portion to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, one at a time such that the third housing portion is able to engage with no more than one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion at any given time, the third housing portion supporting one or more reservoirs for containing fluidic media;

providing at least one fluid conduit for providing a fluid path between a user and a respective reservoir of the one or more reservoirs, the at least one fluid conduit comprising at least one first conduit for connecting the first housing portion in fluid flow communication with an injection site module and for connecting the second housing portion in fluid flow communication with an injection site module, the at least one fluid conduit comprising at least one second conduit connecting the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion in fluid flow communication with the first housing portion when the third housing portion is engaged with the first housing portion, and connecting the one or more reservoirs supported by the third housing portion in fluid flow communication with the second housing portion when the third housing portion is engaged with second housing portion; and

arranging a drive device in a position to transfer fluidic media between one of the one or more reservoirs and the user via the fluid conduit in a case where the third housing portion is operatively engaged with one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion.