Insertion Head for Medical or Pharmaceutical Applications

• US 20070129688A1
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Disetronic Licensing Ag
• Inventors: Hunn, Marcel, Scheurer, Simon, Liniger, Jurg
• Granted Patent: US 8,636,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/263
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0612 Devices for protecting the needle; Devices to help insertion of the needle, e.g. wings or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3216 Caps placed transversally onto the needle, e.g. pivotally attached to the needle base

Abstract

An insertion head for medical or pharmaceutical uses including a housing with a side that can be positioned on tissue and a penetrating device with a tip, the penetrating device carried by the housing in a protected orientation in which the housing covers the tip and a penetrating orientation in which the tip protrudes, wherein the penetrating orientation is angled relative to the protected orientation.

Claims

1. An insertion head comprising a housing with a side that can be positioned on tissue and a penetrating structure with a tip, the penetrating structure carried by the housing and moveable from a protected orientation in which the housing covers the tip to a penetrating orientation in which the tip protrudes, wherein the penetrating orientation is angled relative to the protected orientation.

2. The insertion head according to claim 1, further comprising a connector connecting the penetrating structure to the housing, wherein the connector has a capacity for accommodating at least one of a fluid or signals.

3. The insertion head according to claim 2, wherein the housing and the connector form an articulation by which the penetrating structure is movably connected to the housing to and from catching positions in which the connector and the housing catch.

4. The insertion head according to claim 3, further comprising a handle for moving the penetrating structure to and from the penetrating and protected orientations, the handle releasably associated with connector.

5. The insertion head according to claim 2, the penetrating structure comprising a flexible penetrating element and a stabilizing element, the stabilizing element releasably connected to the connector.

6. The insertion head according to claim 1, wherein the penetrating structure comprises a puncturing needle which remains in the tissue during a use of the insertion head, and wherein the puncturing needle has a flexibility that increases upon contact with tissue.

7. The insertion head according to claim 6, wherein the puncturing needle consists at least partially of a polymer material which binds at least one component of a body fluid whereby the flexibility of the puncturing needle increases.

22. The insertion head according to claim 1, wherein the connecting structure has a connection for a fluid or signals.

8. An insertion head for medical or pharmaceutical applications, the insertion head comprising:

a) a housing with an underside which can be positioned on organic tissue; and

b) a puncturing device which comprises a puncturing section with a tip, the puncturing device held by the housing in a protected position in which the housing covers the tip and in a puncturing position in which the tip projects beyond the underside, wherein

c) in the puncturing position the puncturing section adopts a position which is tilted relative to the protected position.

9. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the puncturing device is permanently connected to the housing such that it is movable from the protected position to the puncturing position.

10. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the puncturing section is connected to the housing in a swivelling manner.

11. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the puncturing device and the housing form with one another an articulation with an axis of articulation about which the puncturing device is rotatable relative to the housing.

12. The insertion head according to claim 11, wherein the axis of articulation is generally transverse to the puncturing section.

13. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the housing also holds the puncturing device in a predetermined further puncturing position, wherein the puncturing section in one of the puncturing positions has an inclination with respect to the bottom side which is different from that in the other puncturing position.

14. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the housing holds the puncturing device either positively and/or non-positively in a catching connection in at least one of the positions.

15. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the housing comprises a receptacle which, in the protected position, receives at least the tip of the puncturing section.

16. The insertion head according to claim 15, wherein the receptacle is open toward an outer side of the housing.

17. The insertion head according to claim 16, wherein the receptacle is open toward the underside.

18. The insertion head according to claim 15, wherein the puncturing device comprises a connecting structure connected to the housing in an articulated manner and from which the puncturing section projects, and in that the receptacle opens toward the connecting structure.

19. The insertion head according to one claim 8, wherein the puncturing section comprises or is a line element for a fluid.

20. The insertion head according to claim 19, wherein the puncturing device comprises a fluid chamber with a fluid connection connected to the line element and a seal for the fluid connection.

21. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the puncturing device comprises a connecting structure connected to the housing, the puncturing section projecting from the connecting structure.

23. The insertion head according to claim 21, wherein the housing and the connecting structure form with one another an articulation by which the puncturing device is movably connected to the housing between catching positions in which the connecting structure and the housing catch.

24. The insertion head according to claim 21, wherein the puncturing device further comprises a handle for transferring the puncturing device to and from the puncturing and protected positions, the handle projecting from the connecting structure and releasably connected thereto.

25. The insertion head according to claim 24, wherein the housing forms a support with a support surface facing away from the underside, the handle resting on the support surface when the puncturing device is in the protected position.

26. The insertion head according to claim 21, wherein the puncturing section comprises a flexible penetrating element and a stabilizing element for the penetrating element, the stabilizing element releasably connected to the connecting structure.

27. The insertion head according to claim 26, wherein the puncturing device comprises a handle holding the stabilizing element at a proximal end and the housing forms a support with a support surface facing away from the underside, the handle restin on the support surface when the puncturing device adopts the protected position.

28. The insertion head according to claim 27, wherein the stabilizing element is attached to the connecting structure by a catching connection.

29. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the puncturing section comprises a puncturing needle, which remains in the tissue during the application.

30. The insertion head according to one claim 8, wherein the puncturing section is or comprises a puncturing needle which remains in the tissue during the application, and wherein the flexibility of the puncturing needle increases upon contact with the tissue.

31. The insertion head according to claim 30, wherein the puncturing needle consists at least partially of a polymer material which binds at least one component of a body fluid, and wherein the flexibility of the puncturing needle increases as a result of the binding.

32. The insertion head according to claim 8, further comprising a handle projecting from the housing for handling the insertion head when placing the insertion head on the tissue or removing the insertion head from the tissue.

33. The insertion head according to claim 8, further comprising a connector having a line element for a fluid or signals which can be attached to the puncturing device.

34. The insertion head according to claim 33, wherein the connector is mechanically connected to the housing or the connecting structure.

35. The insertion head according to claim 34, wherein the puncturing device comprises a handle holding a stabilizing element at a proximal end and the housing forms a support with a support surface facing away from the underside, the handle resting on the support surface when the puncturing device is in the protected position, and wherein the support forms a guide for the connector when the connector is connected to the puncturing device.