INFUSION MEDIUM DELIVERY DEVICE AND METHOD WITH DRIVE DEVICE FOR DRIVING PLUNGER IN RESERVOIR

• US 20080077081A1
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Holt, Mark, Mounce, R., Bente, Paul, Norton, Melissa, Guezuraga, Robert, Maule, Susie, Enegren, Bradley, Moberg, Sheldon, Griffin, Christopher, Kavazov, Julian, Hanson, Ian, Kovelman, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14573 with a replaceable reservoir for quick connection/disconnection with a driving system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/103 rotating
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/58 Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14236 Screw, impeller or centrifugal type pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A delivery device includes first and second housing portions that selectively engage and disengage. A reservoir on one housing portion operatively engages a drive device and/or a needle inserting device on the other housing portion. Upon proper engagement of the housing portions, the reservoir operatively couples to the drive device and/or the needle inserting device. A first magnet on the first housing portion and a second magnet (or a magnetically-attractive material) on the second housing portion are positioned to magnetically interact with each other, upon operative engagement of the housing portions. A third magnet on the second housing portion may be opposed to the first magnet to help align the housing portions for connection. A magnet-responsive device may be on one or both housing portions to detect alignment and/or connection of the housing portions.

Claims

1. A delivery device for delivering an infusion medium to a user, the device comprising:

a first housing portion adapted to be carried by a user;

a second housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion;

a reservoir supported by one of the first and second housing portions;

at least one of a drive device and a needle inserting device supported by the other of the first and second housing portions relative to the housing portion that supports the reservoir, such that upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged, the reservoir is operatively coupled to the at least one of a drive device and a needle inserting device; and

a first pair of magnets including a first magnet supported on the first housing portion and a second magnet supported on the second housing portion in a position to magnetically interact with the first magnet, upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

2. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second magnets have a pole that faces a pole of the other of the first and second magnet, when the first and second housing portions are properly aligned and brought together for operative engagement and wherein the facing poles of the first and second magnets are of opposite polarity such that the first and second magnets mutually attract each other upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

3. A delivery device according to claim 2, further comprising a second pair of magnets comprising third and fourth magnets, wherein each of the third and fourth magnets have a pole that faces a pole of the other of the third and fourth magnet when the first and second housing portions are not properly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement, and wherein the facing poles of the third and fourth magnets are of the same polarity such that the third and fourth magnets mutually repel each other upon the first and second housing portions being improperly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement.

4. A delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the third and fourth magnets are positioned relative to each other so as to impart a repelling force directed toward properly aligning the first and second housing portions for operative engagement, when the first and second housing portions are not properly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement.

5. A delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the third and fourth magnets are positioned laterally offset from each other upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

6. A delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a second pair of magnets comprising the first magnet and a third magnet, wherein each of the first and third magnets have a pole that faces a pole of the other of the first and third magnet when the first and second housing portions are not properly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement, and wherein the facing poles of the first and third magnets are of the same polarity such that the first and third magnets mutually repel each other upon the first and second housing portions being improperly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement.

7. A delivery device according to claim 6, wherein the first and third magnets are positioned relative to each other so as to impart a repelling force directed toward properly aligning the first and second housing portions for operative engagement, when the first and second housing portions are not properly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement.

8. A delivery device according to claim 6, wherein the first and third magnets are positioned laterally offset from each other upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

9. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second magnets have a pole that faces a pole of the other of the first and second magnet, when the first and second housing portions are not properly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement and wherein the facing poles of the first and second magnets are of the same polarity such that the first and second magnets mutually repel each other upon the first and second housing portions being improperly aligned when brought toward each other for operative engagement.

10. A delivery device according to claim 9, wherein the first and second magnets are positioned relative to each other so as to impart a repelling force directed toward properly aligning the first and second housing portions for operative engagement.

11. A delivery device according to claim 9, wherein the first and second magnets are positioned laterally offset from each other upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

12. A delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the first housing portion includes a first surface for engaging a corresponding surface on the second housing portion, upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged, wherein the first surface of the first housing portion and the corresponding surface on the second housing portion are shaped to mate with each other, upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

13. A delivery device according to claim 12, wherein the first surface and the corresponding surface each comprise a sloping surface.

14. A delivery device according to claim 13, wherein the sloping first surface and the sloping corresponding surface are arranged to abut and to force the first and second housing portions toward an aligned position for operative engagement, upon the first and second housing portions being brought together for operative engagement.

15. A delivery device for delivering an infusion medium to a user, the device comprising:

a first housing portion adapted to be carried by a user;

a second housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion;

a reservoir supported by one of the first and second housing portions;

at least one of a drive device and a needle inserting device supported by the other of the first and second housing portions relative to the housing portion that supports the reservoir, such that upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged, the reservoir is operatively coupled to the at least one of a drive device and a needle inserting device; and

a first magnet supported on the first housing portion and at least one of a magnetically attractive material and a magnet-responsive device supported on the second housing portion in a position to magnetically interact with the first magnet, upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

16. A delivery device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one of a magnetically attractive material and a magnet-responsive device comprises a magnetically attractive material that is attracted to the first magnet upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

17. A delivery device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one of a magnetically attractive material and a magnet-responsive device comprises a magnet-responsive device that provides a signal or changes a state, upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

18. A delivery device according to claim 17, further comprising a user-perceptible indicator operatively coupled to the magnet-responsive device for providing a user-perceptible indication in response to a signal or changes a state of the magnet-responsive device upon the first and second housing portions being operatively engaged.

19. A delivery device according to claim 18, wherein the user-perceptible indication comprises at least one of an audible indication, a visual indication and a tactile indication.

20. A delivery device according to claim 17, wherein at least one of a drive device and a needle inserting device comprises a drive device for selectively driving fluid from the reservoir and wherein the delivery device further comprises control electronics operatively coupled to the magnetically-responsive device, for controlling the drive device dependent upon the signal from or state of the magnetically responsive device.

21. A delivery device according to claim 20, wherein the control electronics is configured to inhibit operation of the drive device unless the signal from or state of the magnetically-responsive device corresponds to the signal or state when the first and second housing portions are operatively engaged.

22. A delivery device for delivering an infusion medium to a user, the device comprising:

first and second housing portions adapted to be carried by a user and configured to be selectively engaged together for operation and selectively separated from each other;

a reservoir supported by the first housing portion, the reservoir including a reservoir housing having an interior volume, a plunger head moveable within the reservoir interior to selectively change the volume of the reservoir interior and a plunger shaft extending from the plunger head to a position outside of the reservoir housing;

a nut member having an open side, the nut member being supported in a fixed relation with the plunger shaft of the reservoir, the nut member having a structure for engaging a threaded shaft in any one of a plurality of positions in a first dimension relative to the nut member;

a rotatable lead shaft supported by the second housing portion for rotation about a rotary axis, the rotatable lead shaft being supported by the second housing portion in a position to be inserted through the open side of the nut member to threadably engage with the nut member, as the first and second housing portions are brought together for operative engagement.

23. A delivery device according to claim 22, wherein the nut member comprises a generally U-shaped member having a pair of arms that are separated by a gap between the arms.

24. A delivery device according to claim 23, wherein the plunger shaft comprises a pair of rods, each rod extending from the plunger head to one respective arm of the U-shaped member.

25. A delivery device according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the nut member and at least one of the rods includes a detectable feature and wherein the delivery device further includes a sensor arranged to detect the detectable feature to provide a signal corresponding to the position of the detectable feature, wherein the position of the detectable feature corresponds to a fill state of the reservoir.

26. A delivery device according to claim 25, wherein the detectable feature comprises a magnetic material.

27. A delivery device according to claim 22, wherein the nut member includes a detectable feature and wherein the delivery device further includes a sensor arranged to detect the detectable feature to provide a signal corresponding to the position of the detectable feature, wherein the position of the detectable feature corresponds to a fill state of the reservoir.

28. A delivery device according to claim 27, wherein the detectable feature comprises a magnetic material.