Systems and methods allowing for reservoir filling and infusion medium delivery

• US 20080097328A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Moberg, Sheldon B., Kavazov, Julian D., Hanson, Ian B., Mounce, R. Paul, Bente, Paul F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,828,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1406 Septums, pierceable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• 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 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• 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 5/385 using hydrophobic filters

Abstract

A system includes a durable portion with a durable housing and a separable disposable portion with a disposable housing that selectively engage with and disengage from each other. The disposable housing secures to a patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient or with an infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion to allow for disposal after a prescribed use. A reservoir for holding the infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion, and may be supported by the disposable housing. The durable portion may include other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir, and a drive device including a motor and drive linkage.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a reservoir for holding an infusion medium; and

a piston disposed at least partially within the reservoir, the piston being moveable within the reservoir, the piston comprising;

a piston body for forcing the infusion medium out of the reservoir, the piston body configured to have an opening; and

a piston septum capable of being pierced to allow the infusion medium to be filled into the reservoir through the opening in the piston body.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the piston is moveable to allow the infusion medium to be filled into the reservoir.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the reservoir has an outlet port that is connectable to an infusion path to allow for delivering the infusion medium from the reservoir to a body of a user.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein the piston septum is located within the opening in the piston body.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the piston septum covers the opening in the piston body.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein the piston septum is a self sealing septum so as to allow for keeping the infusion medium within the reservoir when the piston septum is not being pierced.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a fill apparatus, the fill apparatus comprising;

an engagement portion for engaging with an engagement portion of the piston body;

a compressible portion that is able to be compressed; and

a needle for piercing the piston septum when (i) the engagement portion of the fill apparatus is engaged with the engagement portion of the piston body and (ii) the compressible portion of the fill apparatus is compressed;

wherein the needle provides a path for transferring the infusion medium from an infusion medium container to the reservoir when the needle has pierced the piston septum.

8. The system of claim 7,

wherein the fill apparatus further comprises a covering portion for at least partially surrounding a particular end of the needle;

wherein the covering portion of the fill apparatus is able to be mated with the infusion medium container; and

wherein the fill apparatus is configured such that, when the covering portion of the fill apparatus is mated with the infusion medium container, the particular end of the needle pieces a particular septum of the infusion medium container.

9. The system of claim 7,

wherein the piston is configured such that when (i) the engagement portion of the fill apparatus is engaged with the engagement portion of the piston body and (ii) a user pulls on the fill apparatus, the piston moves within the reservoir so as to allow the infusion medium to be filled into the reservoir.

10. The system of claim 7,

wherein the engagement portion of the fill apparatus is threaded;

and

wherein the engagement portion of the piston body is threaded.

11. The system of claim 7,

wherein the compressible portion of the fill apparatus comprises a bellows.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a plunger shaft having an engagement portion for engaging with the engagement portion of the piston body and having a mating portion for mating with a linkage portion of a drive device, the drive device allowing for driving the plunger shaft so as to move the piston body to force the infusion medium out of the reservoir when the linkage portion of the drive device is mated with the mating portion of the plunger shaft.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plunger shaft having an engagement portion for engaging with an engagement portion of the piston body, the plunger shaft further having a mating portion for mating with a linkage portion of a drive device, the drive device allowing for driving the plunger shaft so as to move the piston body to force the infusion medium out of the reservoir when (i) the engagement portion of the plunger shaft is engaged with the engagement portion of the piston body and (ii) the linkage portion of the drive device is mated with the mating portion of the plunger shaft.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

the drive device having the linkage portion;

wherein the drive device further comprises a motor for moving the linkage portion.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a disposable housing for housing the reservoir and for being secured to a user; and

a durable housing for housing the motor of the drive device, the durable housing configured to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the disposable housing.

16. The system of claim 1,

wherein the reservoir has a degassing portion that comprises a hydrophobic material for allowing gases to escape from the reservoir while keeping the infusion medium within the reservoir.

17. The system of claim 1,

wherein the piston has a degassing portion that comprises a hydrophobic material for allowing gases to escape from the reservoir while keeping the infusion medium within the reservoir.

18. A method for using a system, the system comprising a reservoir and a piston, the reservoir allowing for holding an infusion medium, the piston comprising a piston body and a piston septum, the piston body allowing for forcing the infusion medium out of the reservoir, the piston body configured to have an opening, the piston septum capable of being pierced to allow the infusion medium to be filled into the reservoir through the opening in the piston body, the method comprising:

piercing the piston septum with a transfer element; and

transferring the infusion medium from an infusion medium container to the reservoir through the opening in the piston body.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein the system further comprises a fill apparatus including an engagement portion, a compressible portion, and the transfer element;

and

wherein the step of piercing the piston septum comprises;

engaging the engagement portion of the fill apparatus with an engagement portion of the piston body; and

compressing the compressible portion of the fill apparatus so as to cause the transfer element to pierce the piston septum.

20. The method of claim 18,

wherein the system further comprises a fill apparatus including an engagement portion and the transfer element;

and

wherein the step of piercing the piston septum comprises;

engaging the engagement portion of the fill apparatus with an engagement portion of the piston body; and

piercing the piston septum with the transfer element after the engagement portion of the fill apparatus has been engaged with the engagement portion of the piston body.

21. The method of claim 20,

wherein the system further comprises a plunger shaft and a drive device, the plunger shaft having an engagement portion and a mating portion, the drive device having a linkage portion and a motor;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

disengaging the engagement portion of the fill apparatus from the engagement portion of the piston body;

engaging the engagement portion of the plunger shaft with the engagement portion of the piston body;

mating the linkage portion of the drive device with the mating portion of the plunger shaft; and

controlling the motor to move the linkage portion of the drive device to move the plunger shaft so as to move the piston to force the infusion medium out of the reservoir.

22. The method of claim 20,

wherein the step of transferring, comprises:

pulling the fill apparatus so as to move the piston within the reservoir to allow the infusion medium to fill into the reservoir from the infusion medium container through the opening in the piston body.

23. The method of claim 18,

wherein the reservoir has a port that is separate from the opening in the piston body;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

connecting the port of the reservoir to an infusion path that allows for a transfer of the infusion medium from the reservoir to a body of a user.