Apparatus for dispensing medicinal fluids and method of making same

• US 8,821,454 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BioQ Pharma Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BioQuiddity, Inc.
• Inventors: Kriesel, Marshall S., Watts, Richard P., Bivin, Donald B., Trenholme, Phillip C., Kriesel, Joshua W., Langerud, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, BRANDY SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/800,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 604/244, 604/132, 604/131, 422/22, 294/28
• US Class Current: 604/244
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/141 with capillaries for restricting fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2425 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/283 by telescoping of ampoules or carpules with the syringe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/288 by piercing without internal pressure increase A61M5/283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A dispensing device and the method of making same for dispensing medicaments to a patient that includes a housing, a first assembly connected to the first end of the housing that includes a body portion, and a penetrating sub-assembly. The first assembly also includes a rate control chip of novel construction that is connected to the penetrating sub-assembly and functions to control the rate of flow of medicinal fluid to the patient. Disposed within the housing is a second assembly that includes a shuttle, a collapsible container carried by the shuttle and a plurality of variable force springs that function to thrust the collapsible container into penetrating engagement with the penetrating member of the penetrating assembly and then to collapse the collapsible container to deliver the medicinal fluid to the patient. Connected to the second end of the housing is a novel third assembly that includes an operating member that is threadably connected to the shuttle. The operating member functions to controllably move the shuttle forwardly of the housing. The apparatus also includes a novel locking mechanism that releasably locks the operating member against rotation relative to the shuttle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing medicinal fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) housing having first and second ends;

(b) a first assembly connected to said first end of said housing, said first assembly comprising;

(i) a front cover;

(ii) a connecter member disposed within said front cover, said connecter member including an O-ring;

(iii) a container positioning collar connected to said connecter member, said container positioning collar including an O-ring;

(iv) a penetrating sub-assembly sealably connected to said connecter member, said penetrating sub assembly comprising a support member and a penetrating member connected to said support member, said penetrating member having a centrally disposed fluid passageway;

(v) a rate control assembly connected to said penetrating sub-assembly for controlling the rate of fluid flow toward the patient, said rate control assembly including a rate control member having an inlet in communication with said fluid passageway of said penetrating member and having an outlet; and

(vi) an administration set in communication with said outlet of said rate control assembly for delivering medicinal fluid to the patient;

(c) an internally threaded shuttle disposed within said housing;

(d) a collapsible container carried by said shuttle, said collapsible container comprising an integrally formed, hermetically sealed container having a neck portion sealably connected to said container positioning collar, an accordion sidewall connected to said neck portion, a pierceable top wall connected to said accordion sidewall, a pierceable membrane positioned over said pierceable top wall and a bottom wall connected to said side wall, said accordion sidewall, said pierceable top wall and said bottom wall being continuously formed and cooperating to define a reservoir for containing a medicinal fluid;

(e) an externally threaded operating member rotatably connected to said second end of said housing for rotation between first and second positions and being operably associated with said shuttle for moving said shuttle within said housing from a starting position to a first advanced position wherein said pierceable top wall of said collapsible container is disposed proximate said piercing member;

(f) stored energy means disposed within said housing and operably associated with said shuttle for moving said shuttle within said housing from said first advanced position to a second advanced position wherein said piercing member pierces said pierceable top wall of said collapsible container to open communication between said fluid passageway of said penetrating member and said reservoir of said collapsible container and then into a third advanced position wherein said side wall of said collapsible container is collapsed; and

(g) a locking assembly for releasably locking said operating member in said first position, said locking assembly for releasably locking said operating member in said first position, said locking assembly comprising;

(i) a locking member having a central portion having a plurality of arcuate shaped grooves; and

(ii) a pusher member connected to said locking member, said pusher member being movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, said pusher member having a plurality of outwardly extending members receivable within said plurality of arcuate shaped grooves.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said bottom wall of said collapsible container includes an inwardly extending protuberance.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said rate control member has a micro-channel etched therein, said micro-channel having a width of between about 0.025 in. and about 0.127 in. and a depth of between about 0.025 in. and about 0.127 in.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said container positioning collar has a flange portion in engagement with said accordion wall of said container.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a retainer collar affixed to said neck portion of said collapsible container for holding said pierceable membrane in position.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said hollow housing is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, longitudinally extending guide grooves and in which said shuttle includes a protuberance slidably receivable within said circumferentially spaced apart guide grooves of said hollow housing.

7. An apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) housing having first and second ends;

(b) a first assembly connected to said first end of said housing, said first assembly comprising;

(i) body portion;

(ii) a penetrating sub-assembly connected to said body portion, said penetrating sub-assembly comprising a support member and a penetrating member connected to said support member, said penetrating member having a fluid passageway; and

(iii) a rate control assembly connected to said penetrating sub-assembly, said rate control assembly including a rate control member having a micro-channel formed therein, said micro-channel having an inlet in communication with said fluid passageway of said penetrating member and an outlet;

(c) a shuttle disposed within said housing;

(d) a collapsible container carried by said shuttle, said collapsible container comprising an integrally formed, hermetically sealed container having an accordion sidewall, a pierceable top wall connected to said accordion sidewall and a bottom wall connected to said sidewall, said accordion sidewall, said pierceable top wall and said bottom wall being continuously formed and cooperating to define a reservoir for containing a medicinal fluid;

(e) a rotatable operating member connected to said second end of said housing and threadably connected to said shuttle for rotation relative thereto for advancing said shuttle within said housing from a starting position to a first advanced position wherein said pierceable top wall of said collapsible container is disposed proximate said piercing member;

(f) stored energy means disposed within said housing and operably associated with said shuttle for moving said shuttle within said housing from said first advanced position to a second advanced position wherein said piercing member completely pierces said pierceable top wall of said collapsible container to open communication between said fluid passageway of said penetrating member of said reservoir of said collapsible container;

(g) an administration set connected to said housing, said administration set being in communication with said outlet of said micro-channel; and

(h) a locking assembly for releasably locking said operating member in said starting position, said locking assembly comprising;

(i) a generally planar locking member including a generally circular shaped central portion having a central aperture having a plurality of generally arcuate shaped grooves; and

(ii) a pusher member connected to said locking member, said pusher member being movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, said pusher member having a plurality of outwardly extending members receivable within said plurality of generally arcuate shaped grooves.

8. An apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:

(a) housing having first and second ends;

(b) a first assembly connected to said first end of said housing, said first assembly comprising;

(i) body portion;

(ii) a penetrating sub-assembly connected to said body portion, said penetrating sub-assembly comprising a support member and a penetrating member connected to said support member, said penetrating member having a fluid passageway; and

(iii) a rate control assembly connected to said penetrating sub-assembly, said rate control assembly including a rate control member having a micro-channel formed therein in communication with said fluid passageway of said penetrating member;

(c) a second assembly connected to said housing for movement relative thereto between a first position and a second position, said second assembly comprising;

(i) a shuttle;

(ii) a collapsible container carried by said shuttle; and

(iii) stored energy means operably associated with said shuttle for moving said shuttle within said housing;

(d) a third assembly connected to said housing proximate said second end thereof, said third assembly comprising a rotatable operating member connected to said shuttle for rotational movement relative thereto between a first position and a second position to act upon said shuttle to move said shuttle of said second assembly within said housing from a first position to a second position; and

(e) a locking assembly for releasably locking said operating member in said first position, said locking assembly comprising;

(i) a generally planar locking member having a generally circular central portion having a central aperture having a plurality of generally arcuate shaped grooves and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, radially outwardly extending arms; and

(ii) a pusher member connected to said locking member, said pusher member being movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, said pusher member having a plurality of outwardly extending members receivable within said plurality of arcuate shaped grooves.