Medical device and related assembly having an offset element for a piezoelectric speaker

• US 8,603,033 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bazargan, Afshin, Vazquez, Pablo
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US12/905,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20120095399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 381/330, 381/190, 381/306, 381/390, 310/324, 604 65- 67, 604/151, 604/131, 128/DIG.1, 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.13
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/58 Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2811 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/44 Special adaptations for subaqueous use, e.g. for hydrophone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00

Abstract

A device for delivering fluid to a user includes a housing, a drive motor assembly in the housing, other internal components in the housing, and a keypad external to the housing. The device includes a number of features and elements that enhance its operation, manufacturability, reliability, and user-friendliness. These features and elements include a shock absorbing element for a battery of the device, a keypad actuator layer that overlies a keypad assembly and forms a water resistant seal with the housing, and an offset element for a piezoelectric speaker that is located inside the housing.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a rigid housing having an interior surface;

a piezoelectric speaker enclosed within the rigid housing, the piezoelectric speaker comprising an actuator that is controlled to generate sound during operation of the medical device; and

a rigid offset element located between the interior surface and the actuator, wherein the offset element, the actuator, and the interior surface at least partially define a resonant cavity for the piezoelectric speaker.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the offset element is shaped and sized such that the resonant cavity causes air to resonate at a predetermined frequency in response to activation of the actuator.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the offset element has a flat abutment surface; and

the flat abutment surface physically contacts the interior surface.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the actuator has an outer perimeter; and

the offset element comprises a ring-shaped shim coupled around the outer perimeter.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the offset element is formed from a rigid material.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein:

the rigid housing is formed from a plastic material; and

the offset element is formed from the plastic material.

7. A transducer assembly for a medical device comprising a rigid housing having a flat interior surface, the transducer assembly comprising:

a piezoelectric speaker comprising an actuator; and

a rigid offset element for the piezoelectric speaker, the offset element comprising an actuator side that mates with the piezoelectric speaker, a housing side that mates with the flat interior surface of the rigid housing, an outer sidewall that connects the actuator side to the housing side and substantially surrounds a perimeter of the piezoelectric speaker, and an opening formed therein and extending from the actuator side to the housing side, wherein the actuator side and the housing side are separated by an offset thickness, and the opening and the offset thickness at least partially define a resonant cavity for the piezoelectric speaker.

8. The transducer assembly of claim 7, wherein the flat interior surface of the rigid housing further defines the resonant cavity.

9. The transducer assembly of claim 7, wherein the offset element is located between the flat interior surface and the actuator.

10. The transducer assembly of claim 7, wherein the housing side of the offset element physically contacts the flat interior surface of the rigid housing.

11. The transducer assembly of claim 7, wherein the actuator resides within an area defined by the outer sidewall.

12. The transducer assembly of claim 7, wherein the offset element and the rigid housing are composed of the same material.

13. An electronic assembly for a medical device, comprising:

a carrier substrate;

a piezoelectric speaker having a first major side and a second major side, the first major side coupled to the carrier substrate; and

a rigid offset ring coupled to the second major side of the piezoelectric speaker, the offset ring having an opening formed therein through which a portion of the second major side is exposed, wherein the opening at least partially defines a resonant cavity for the piezoelectric speaker.

14. The electronic assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the medical device comprises a rigid housing; and

the carrier substrate, the piezoelectric speaker, and the offset ring together form a subassembly that is inserted into the rigid housing.

15. The electronic assembly of claim 14, wherein:

the rigid housing has a flat interior surface;

the offset ring has a flat abutment surface; and

the flat abutment surface physically contacts the flat interior surface when the subassembly is inserted into the rigid housing.

16. The electronic assembly of claim 13, further comprising a mounting component coupling the piezoelectric speaker to the carrier substrate.

17. The electronic assembly of claim 16, wherein the mounting component comprises a resilient material that biases the piezoelectric speaker away from the carrier substrate.

18. The electronic assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the medical device includes a rigid housing having a flat interior surface;

the offset ring comprises an actuator side that mates with the piezoelectric speaker, and a housing side that mates with the flat interior surface of the rigid housing, the actuator side and the housing side separated by an offset thickness; and

the opening, the offset thickness, and the flat interior surface at least partially define the resonant cavity for the piezoelectric speaker.

19. The electronic assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the offset ring comprises an outer sidewall that connects the housing side and the actuator side; and

the piezoelectric speaker resides within an area defined by the outer sidewall such that the outer sidewall substantially surrounds a perimeter of the piezoelectric speaker.