Device, kit, and method for filling a flexible reservoir container in a negative pressure chamber

• US 8,720,496 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Huwiler, Christoph, Kuehni, Florian, Studer, Gerald, Wyss, Martin, Haueter, Ulrich, Teutsch, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL III, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US12/939,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20110108158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141/7, 141/10, 141/18, 141 25- 27, 141/59, 141/65, 141/114, 604/131, 604/408
• US Class Current: 141/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2075 for external venting
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2089 Containers or vials which are to be joined to each other in order to mix their contents combinations of vial and syringe for mixing their contents A61J1/2096
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/224 of the slide-valve type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/38 using hydrophilic or hydrophobic filters
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/14 pneumatically

Abstract

A device, kit, and method for transferring a liquid medicament from a supply container to a flexible reservoir container are disclosed. The device may comprise a compartment unit and an adapter unit. The compartment unit may have a sealingly closable chamber, arranged for housing the flexible reservoir container and for being fluidly connected with a pump mechanism. The adapter unit may have at least one transfer passage for transferring liquid from a supply container connected to the adapter unit to the flexible reservoir container, and a separator arranged in the transfer passage for separating gas bubbles from a liquid streaming through the transfer passage. The separator may be fluidly connected to the chamber.

Claims

1. A device for transferring a liquid medicament from a supply container to a flexible reservoir container, with a compartment unit and an adapter unit;

wherein the compartment unit comprises a sealingly closable evacuation chamber, arranged for housing the flexible reservoir container and for being fluidly connected with a pump mechanism; and

wherein the adapter unit comprises at least one transfer passage for transferring liquid from a supply container connected to the adapter unit to the flexible reservoir container, and a separator arranged in the transfer passage for separating gas bubbles from a liquid streaming through the transfer passage, the separator being fluidly connected to the chamber, wherein the separator comprises a liquid-impermeable, gas-permeable membrane that is on one side fluidly connected to the transfer passage and on the other side is fluidly connected to the chamber.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the separation of the gas bubbles from the liquid stream in the separator can be effected by a negative pressure in the chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the separator comprises a liquid-permeable, hydrophilic membrane or a filter arranged in the transfer passage.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a main valve and a flow restrictor is arranged in the transfer passage upstream of the separator.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the device comprises the main valve arranged in the transfer passage upstream of the separator, and wherein the main valve is controlled by the pressure in the chamber.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter unit is detachable and can be detachably secured and sealingly connected to the compartment unit.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the compartment unit comprises two casing parts that can be detachably secured to each other, thereby forming the sealingly closed chamber.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the adapter unit can be detachably secured to a casing part of the compartment unit.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein a pump port or connector fluidly connects the chamber with the pump mechanism.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible reservoir container is mounted in the chamber.

11. A kit comprising a device according to claim 1 and one or more flexible reservoir containers.

12. The kit according to claim 11, further comprising at least one of one or more casing parts in which a flexible reservoir container can be mounted, and one or more casing parts in which a flexible reservoir container is mounted.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a venting valve fluidly connected to the chamber.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the compartment unit comprises two casing parts that can be detachably secured to each other, thereby forming the sealingly closed chamber, and wherein the adapter unit is detachable and can be detachably secured and sealingly connected to one of the casing parts.

16. The device according to claim 7, wherein one of the casing parts has a curved wall with a plurality of venting conduits.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter unit comprises a connector part which connects with a corresponding connector part of the compartment unit.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a main valve arranged in the transfer passage upstream of the separator, and wherein the main valve is a slide valve mechanism.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter unit comprises a main valve arranged in the transfer passage upstream of the separator.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter unit comprises a connector part which connects with a corresponding connector part of the compartment unit, and a main valve arranged in the transfer passage upstream of the separator, wherein the main valve is a slide valve mechanism.

13. A method for transferring a liquid medicament from a supply container to a flexible reservoir container, the method comprising:

providing a fluid connection between the supply container and the flexible reservoir container;

providing a separator arranged in the fluid connection for separating gas bubbles from the liquid;

subjecting the flexible reservoir container to a reduced ambient pressure, thereby generating a negative pressure inside of the flexible reservoir container;

sustaining normal ambient pressure inside of the supply container;

subjecting the separator to the reduced ambient pressure, wherein the separation of the gas bubbles from the liquid in the separator is effected by the pressure difference between the liquid and the reduced ambient pressure; and

conveying the liquid from the supply container to the flexible reservoir container, driven by the pressure difference between the inside of the supply container and the inside of the flexible reservoir container, wherein prior to filling the flexible reservoir container is evacuated via the separator, the separator being designed so that the flexible reservoir container is fluidly connected to its surroundings with its reduced ambient pressure as long as the separator has not yet come into contact with liquid.