Injection device comprising an optical sensor

• US 8,771,238 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Nielsen, Preben Mikael, Von Munchow, Bodo, Pedersen, Carsten Bitsch, Pedersen, Per Molgaard
• Primary Examiner(s): BERDICHEVSKY, AARTI
• Application Number:
  US13/461,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 604/65, 604/187, 604/189, 604/207
• US Class Current: 604/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3155 by rotational movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31556 Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31568 Means keeping track of the total dose administered, e.g. since the cartridge was inserted
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/3473 Circular or rotary encoders
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34792 with only digital scales or both digital and incremental scales

Abstract

The present invention relates to an injection device comprising an optically-based sensor for determining the position or setting of a dose setting member arranged to set a dose to be injected from the injection device. In particular, the present invention relates to an injection device comprising a rotatably mounted member having a plurality of optically coded paths arranged on an outer surface thereof. The rotatably mounted member is operatively connected to the dose setting member and is adapted to rotate with the dose setting member.

Claims

1. An arrangement for determining the position of a dose setting member adapted to set a dose of a medicament to be injected from an injection device, the arrangement comprising:

a rotatably mounted member having a plurality of optically coded tracks arranged on an outer surface thereof adapted to set a dose of medicament to be injected from an injection device,

a plurality of light generators each for generating a beam of light towards the rotatably mounted member,

structure for guiding light beams from the plurality of light generators to the rotatably mounted member and structure for guiding light beams from the rotatably mounted member to a plurality of light sensitive elements or areas,

a control circuit coupled to the plurality of light sensitive elements or areas to determine the position of the rotatably mounted member relative to the plurality of light sensitive elements or areas, and

whereby the arrangement is structured to determine the position of a dose setting member relative to the plurality of light sensitive elements or areas.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the structure for guiding light beams illuminate different areas of the optically coded tracks.

3. The arrangement according to any of claim 1, wherein six optically coded tracks paths are arranged on the outer surface of the rotatably mounted member.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the optically coded tracks are provided by varying the optical properties along said tracks.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the optical properties along the tracks paths are varied by varying an optical reflectivity or transparency of the outer surface of the rotatably mounted member.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the rotatably mounted member is at least partly transparent.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, further comprising a light emitter adapted to couple a beam of light into the rotatably mounted member.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising a light detecting structure having a plurality of light sensitive areas, the light detecting structure being arranged to detect light escaping the outer surface of the rotatably mounted member.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the number of light sensitive areas equals the number of optically coded tracks.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising structure for guiding a plurality of guided light beams, each light beam being guided so as to be incident on one optically coded track path.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the number of guided light beams equals the number of optically coded tracks paths.

12. The arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising a light detector, the light detector comprising a plurality of light sensitive elements.

13. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the number of light sensitive elements equals the number of optically coded tracks.

14. The arrangement according to claim 12, further comprising structure for guiding a plurality of light beams reflected from the optically coded tracks to the light-sensitive elements.

15. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the light guiding structure arranged to provide light beams to and from the optically coded tracks are arranged as through-going openings in a housing.

16. The arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the light guiding structure for guiding light to the optically coded tracks are arranged so that the light beams are incident onto the optically coded tracks in the range of 40-50 degrees.

17. The arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the light guiding structure for guiding light from the optically coded tracks-to the light sensitive elements are arranged so that the light beams leave the optically coded tracks in the range of 40-50 degrees.

18. An arrangement for determining an amount of a medicament injected from an injection device, the arrangement comprising:

a rotatably mounted member having a plurality of optically coded tracks arranged on an outer surface thereof,

a plurality of light generators each for generating a beam of light towards the rotatably mounted member,

structure for guiding light beams from the plurality of light generators to the rotatably mounted member and structure for guiding light beams from the rotatably mounted member to a plurality of light sensitive elements or areas,

a control circuit coupled to the plurality of light sensitive elements or areas to determine the position of the rotatably mounted member relative to the plurality of light sensitive elements or areas, and

whereby the arrangement is structured to determine an amount of a medicament injected from an injection device.

19. The arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the structure for guiding light beams illuminate different areas of the optically coded tracks.

20. The arrangement according to any of claim 18, wherein six optically coded tracks are arranged on the outer surface of the rotatably mounted member.

21. The arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the optically coded tracks are provided by varying the optical properties along said tracks.

22. The arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the optical properties along the tracks are varied by varying an optical reflectivity or transparency of the outer surface of the rotatably mounted member.

23. The arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the rotatably mounted member is at least partly transparent.

24. The arrangement according to claim 23, further comprising a light emitter adapted to couple a beam of light into the rotatably mounted member.

25. The arrangement according to claim 24, further comprising a light detecting structure having a plurality of light sensitive areas, the light detecting structure being arranged to detect light escaping the outer surface of the rotatably mounted member.

26. The arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the number of light sensitive areas equals the number of optically coded tracks.

27. The arrangement according to claim 18, further comprising structure for guiding a plurality of guided light beams, each light beam being guided so as to be incident on one optically coded path.

28. The arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the number of guided light beams equals the number of optically coded tracks.

29. The arrangement according to claim 27, further comprising a light detector, the light detector comprising a plurality of light sensitive elements.

30. The arrangement according to claim 29, wherein the number of light sensitive elements equals the number of optically coded tracks.

31. The arrangement according to claim 29, further comprising structure for guiding a plurality of light beams reflected from the optically coded tracks to the light sensitive elements.

32. The arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the light guiding structure arranged to provide light beams to and from the optically coded tracks are arranged as through-going openings in a housing.

33. The arrangement according to claim 32, wherein the light guiding structure for guiding light to the optically coded tracks are arranged so that the light beams are incident onto the optically coded tracks in the range of 40-50 degrees.

34. The arrangement according to claim 32, wherein the light guiding structure for guiding light from the optically coded tracks to the light sensitive elements are arranged so that the light beams leave the optically coded tracks in the range of 40-50 degrees.