Reservoir filling systems and methods

• US 8,512,289 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Chong, Colin A., Luan, Truong Gia, Bikovsky, Rafael, Ibranyan, Arsen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/348,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20120116302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 294/28, 137/565.17, 141/2, 604/151, 604/152, 604/218, 604/228
• US Class Current: 604/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1726 the body parameters being measured at, or proximate to, the infusion site
• 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: F04B 23/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0402 Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85978 With pump
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A reservoir may be filled with fluidic media in a first type of environment, a plunger head may be placed within the reservoir in the first type of environment, and a casing that may be configured to envelop at least a portion of a plunger arm operatively connected to the plunger head may be attached adjacent to at least a portion of the reservoir in a second type of environment. A reservoir may be provided having a first and second portion for respectively containing fluidic media, the second portion may be adapted to be removable, the reservoir may be selectively filled with a first volume or a second volume of fluidic media, a seal member may be placed in the reservoir, and the second portion may be removed in a case where the reservoir contains the first volume of fluidic media.

Claims

1. A method of making a system for transferring fluidic media, the method comprising:

filling an interior volume of a reservoir body with fluidic media in a first type of environment;

placing a plunger head within the reservoir body in the first type of environment, the plunger head adapted to be moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir body;

attaching a casing adjacent to at least a portion of the reservoir body in a second type of environment, the casing configured to envelop at least a portion of a plunger arm operatively connected to the plunger head, the casing further configured to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the reservoir body and at least partially within the reservoir body;

locating the plunger arm at least partially in the casing; and

operatively connecting the plunger arm to the plunger head after the casing is attached to the reservoir body;

wherein the first type of environment is an aseptic environment and the second type of environment is not an aseptic environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the aseptic environment is free of at least one of contaminants and pathogens.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

operatively connecting the plunger arm to the plunger head in the second type of environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plunger arm is operatively connected to the plunger head before the casing is attached to the reservoir body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plunger arm and the plunger head are integral to one another.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching a casing adjacent to at least a portion the reservoir body comprises welding the casing to the reservoir body.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the casing is laser welded to the reservoir body.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir body has an open end;

and attaching a casing comprises attaching the casing to the open end of the reservoir body to close the open end of the reservoir body.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the casing to the open end of the reservoir body comprising fitting the casing to the open end of the reservoir body by friction fit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the casing comprising attaching the casing to the reservoir body, the method further comprising connecting the plunger arm to the plunger head after attaching the casing to the reservoir body.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the plunger arm comprises guiding the plunger arm through the casing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein guiding the plunger arm through the casing comprises passing a tool through an opening in the casing to move the plunger arm along the plunger arm casing to the plunger head.

13. A method of making a system for transferring fluidic media, the method comprising:

providing a reservoir body having an interior volume for containing a fluidic media;

placing the reservoir body in a first environment that is separate from a second environment;

placing a plunger head within the reservoir body while the reservoir body is in the first environment, the plunger head adapted to be moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir body;

placing the reservoir body with the plunger head placed therein into the second environment;

attaching a casing to at least a portion of the reservoir body while the reservoir body is in a second type of environment, the casing enveloping at least a portion of a plunger arm that is connected to the plunger head, the casing further configured to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the reservoir body and the casing;

locating the plunger arm at least partially in the casing; and

operatively connecting the plunger arm to the plunger head after the casing is attached to the reservoir body;

wherein the first environment is more aseptic than the second environment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein second environment contains more contaminants and pathogens than the first environment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first environment is controlled to be more free of contaminants than the second environment.

16. A system for transferring fluidic media, the system comprising:

a reservoir body having an interior volume for containing a fluidic media;

a plunger head installed within the reservoir body while the reservoir body is in the first environment, the plunger head adapted to be moveable in an axial direction within the reservoir body a plunger arm operatively connected to the plunger head;

a casing attached to at least a portion of the reservoir body after the reservoir body is removed from the first environment and placed in a second type of environment, the casing enveloping at least a portion of a plunger arm that is connected to the plunger head, the casing further configured to allow the plunger arm to move in the axial direction relative to the reservoir body and the casing;

wherein the first environment is more aseptic than the second environment.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first environment is controlled to be more free of contaminants than the second environment.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the plunger arm and the plunger head are integral to one another.