Fluid metering device

• US 9,995,295 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medipacs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Medipacs, Inc.
• Inventors: Banister, Mark, Fanter, Dale L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Quynh-Nhu H
• Application Number:
  US12/745,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,478 Days
• Field of Search: 6048911, 604246
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/02 having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms F04B43/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2231/00 Organic materials not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2251/08 Shape memory

Abstract

A device for metering fluids comprising a fluid chamber with one inlet or outlet port, at least one sidewall and a movable separator that is in contact with and separates the fluid in the chamber from the other components of the device, a porous actuator housing and wicking material, a flexible polymer actuator material in contact with the porous actuator housing and the moveable separator, an actuator hydrating solution reservoir with at least one sidewall, an inlet port, and in fluid contact with porous actuator housing, a fluid gate located at some point between actuator hydrating solution reservoir and the polymer actuator, effectively keeping actuator dry, and an external shell to hold all components so that the polymer actuator can only move in a direction and apply pressure to the separator in contact with the fluid in the fluid chamber, thereby dispensing fluid from fluid chamber.

Claims

1. A device for metering a fluid comprising a walled fluid chamber with at least one fluid inlet or fluid outlet port, at least one chamber wall and a movable separator that is in contact with and retains the fluid in the chamber, a porous media substrate and a wicking material, an actuator formed of a flexible polymer material in contact with the porous media substrate and with the moveable separator, an actuator hydrating solution reservoir bounded by said at least one chamber wall and a hydrating solution inlet port, in fluid contact with the porous media substrate, a fluid gate located between the actuator hydrating solution reservoir and the polymer actuator, effectively keeping the actuator dry, contained in an external shell so that the actuator is adapted to move in a direction and apply pressure to the separator in contact with the fluid in the fluid chamber, thereby dispensing fluid from the fluid chamber, wherein the actuator is formed of a material having varying layers of density and porosity or varying degrees of reacted and unreacted molecular sites.

2. The device in claim 1 wherein the actuator hydrating solution has a pH or chemical makeup that effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator material.

3. The device in claim 2, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted in a person or animal and utilizes body fluids as the actuator hydrating solution and the said hydrating inlet port in the exterior shell allows the uptake of fluids by the actuator material.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid chamber and/or the actuator is removable.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid chamber and/or the porous actuator housing is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, a metal, glass, a ceramic, a carbon or a combination thereof.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid chamber inlet and/or outlet port is capped or sealed by a pierceable septum.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable separator is a rubber plunger.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable separator is an elastomeric membrane and also a part of or attached to the fluid chamber.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is formed of a hydrophilic polymer material or a combination of a hydrophilic material and an hydrophobic polymer material.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator, fluid gate, porous media substrate, and actuator hydrating solution reservoir are enclosed together as a sealed unit with an elastic membrane in contact with the actuator, and said hydrating solution inlet port is covered by a pierceable septum that allows filling and venting of the actuator hydrating solution reservoir with actuator hydrating solution.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid gate is compromisable by breaking, piercing, dissolving, tearing, pushing or pulling the gate out of the actuator hydrating solution to allow hydration of the actuator material.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid gate is a membrane.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid in the fluid chamber is a medicine or has therapeutic value.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid gate is adapted to be pierced and fluid released into tubing adapted for contact with a person or animal.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator hydrating solution has a ratio of reacted to unreacted molecular sites that effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

16. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein protonation of reactive molecular sites within the actuator material, by interaction with the actuator hydrating solution or chemical byproduct of that interaction, effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

17. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a density or porosity of the actuator material effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

18. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an amount of surface area of actuator surface in fluid contact with the actuator hydrating solution via the porous a wicking material effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

19. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted into a person or animal.

20. A device for metering fluids comprising two or more separate fluid chambers with at least one fluid inlet or fluid outlet port, at least one chamber wall and a movable separator that is in contact with and retains the fluid in the fluid chambers, a porous media substrate and wicking material, an actuator formed of a flexible polymer material in contact with the porous media substrate and with the movable separators, an actuator hydrating solution reservoir bounded by said at least one chamber wall and a hydrating solution inlet port, in fluid contact with the porous media substrate, a fluid gate located between each actuator hydrating solution reservoir, and the actuator, contained in an external shell so that the actuator is adapted to move in a direction and apply pressure to the separator in contact with the fluid in the fluid chambers, thereby dispensing fluid from the fluid chambers, wherein the actuator is formed of a material having varying layers of density and porosity or varying degrees of reacted and unreacted molecular sites.

21. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the actuator hydrating solution pH or chemical makeup effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator material.

22. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted into a person or animal, and utilizes body fluids as the actuator hydrating solution and the said hydrating inlet port in the exterior shell allows the uptake of body fluids by the actuator material.

23. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein multiple types of medication, gene therapies or proteins are metered to a patient at a desired site on or in the patient.

24. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein one or more of the fluid chambers and/or the porous actuator housing are made of a material selected from the group consisting of a plastic, a metal, glass, a ceramic, a carbon or a combination thereof.

25. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein one or more of the fluid chambers inlet and/or outlet ports are capped or sealed by a pierceable septum.

26. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the movable separator is a rubber plunger.

27. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the movable separator is an elastomeric membrane and also a part of the fluid chamber.

28. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the actuator is formed of a hydrophilic polymer material or a combination of a hydrophilic and hydrophobic material.

29. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the actuator, fluid gate, the porous media substrate, and the actuator hydrating solution reservoir are enclosed together as a sealed unit with said movable separator in contact with the actuator with a port covered by a pierceable septum that allows filling and venting of the actuator hydrating solution reservoir with actuator hydrating solution.

30. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the fluid gate is compromisable by breaking, piercing, dissolving, tearing, pushing or pulling the gate out of way of the actuator hydrating solution to allow hydration of the actuator material.

31. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the fluid gate is a membrane.

32. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the fluids in the fluid chambers are a medicine or have a therapeutic value.

33. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the fluid gate is adapted to be pierced and fluid released into tubing that is in contact with a person or animal.

34. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the actuator is formed of an epoxy material.

35. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the actuator hydrating solution has a ratio of reacted to unreacted molecular sites that effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

36. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein a density or porosity of the actuator material effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

37. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein an amount of surface area of actuator surface in fluid contact with the actuator hydrating solution via the wicking material effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

38. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the actuator comprises a bundle of two or more actuators formed of different materials providing different speeds and pressures for the fluid chambers.

39. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted into a person or animal.

40. A device for metering fluids comprising two or more separate fluid walled chambers with one or more fluid inlet or fluid outlet ports that are in fluid connection with a mixing chamber, and have at least one chamber wall and a movable separator that is in contact with and retains the fluid in the fluid chambers, said outlet port being in fluid contact with tubing or fluid channel to transport mixed fluids to a desired delivery site;

a porous media substrate and wicking material, an actuator formed of a flexible polymer material in contact with a porous media substrate and with the moveable separators, an actuator hydrating solution reservoir bounded by said at least one chamber wall and a hydrating solution inlet port, in fluid contact with the porous media substrate, a fluid gate located between each actuator hydrating solution reservoir and the actuator, contained in an external shell so that the actuator is adapted to move in a direction and apply pressure to the separator in contact with the fluid in the fluid chamber, thereby dispensing fluid from the fluid chambers wherein the actuator is formed of a material having varying layers of density and porosity or varying degrees of reacted and unreacted molecular sites.

41. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the actuator hydrating solution pH or chemical makeup effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator material.

42. The device as claimed in claim 41, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted in the body of a person or animal, and utilizes body fluids as the actuator hydrating solution and said hydrating inlet port in the exterior shell that allows an uptake of body fluids by the actuator material.

43. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein multiple types of medication, gene therapies or proteins are metered to a patient at a desired site on or in the patient.

44. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein one or more of the fluid chambers and/or the porous media substrate are made of a material selected from a plastic, a metal, glass, a ceramic, a carbon or a combination thereof.

45. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein one or more of the fluid chambers inlet and/or outlet ports are capped or sealed by a pierceable septum.

46. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the movable separator is a rubber plunger.

47. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the movable separator is an elastomeric membrane and also a part of the fluid chamber.

48. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the polymer actuator is formed of an hydrophilic material or a combination of an hydrophilic and an hydrophobic material.

49. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the actuator, fluid gate, the porous media substrate, and the actuator hydrating solution reservoir are enclosed together as a sealed unit with the movable separator in contact the with actuator, with the hydration solution inlet port covered by a pierceable septum that allows filling and venting of the actuator hydrating solution reservoir with actuator hydrating solution.

50. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the fluid gate is compromisable by breaking, piercing, dissolving, tearing, pushing or pulling the fluid gate out of the actuator hydrating solution path to allow hydration of the actuator material.

51. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the fluid gate is a membrane.

52. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the fluids in the fluid chambers are a medicine or have therapeutic value.

53. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the fluid inlet or outlet port is capped or sealed by a septum adapted to be pierced and fluid released into tubing adapted for contact with a person or animal.

54. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the actuator is formed of an epoxy material.

55. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the actuator hydrating solution has a ratio of reacted to un-reacted molecular sites that effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator material.

56. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein a density or porosity of the actuator material effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator material.

57. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein an amount of surface area of actuator surface in fluid contact with the actuator hydrating solution via the porous actuator housing wicking material effects a speed and pressure generation of the actuator.

58. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein there are two or more different actuator materials which effect speeds and pressures for the fluid chambers.

59. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted into a person or animal.