Drug Heating Cycle Limiter For Injection Device

• US 20100057003A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Dos Santos, Cesario
• Application Number:
  US12/444,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057003A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags

Abstract

An injection assembly includes a dispensing chamber housing, a temperature control device, a thermal sensor, a switch, and a controller. The dispensing chamber housing has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface partially defines a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance. The temperature control device at least partially surrounds the dispensing chamber housing and alters a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber. The thermal sensor is located near the temperature control device and reads a temperature near the temperature control device. The switch is coupled to the temperature control device. The controller controls the temperature control device and the switch such that a first voltage is applied to the temperature control device until the temperature control device reaches a desired temperature, and a second voltage is applied to the temperature control device thereafter to maintain the temperature control device at the desired temperature.

Claims

1. A dispensing assembly comprising:

a dispensing chamber housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface partially defining a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance;

a temperature control device at least partially surrounding the dispensing chamber housing, the temperature control device for altering a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber;

a thermal sensor located near the temperature control device, the thermal sensor for reading a temperature near the temperature control device; and

a controller for controlling the temperature control device such that the substance in the dispensing chamber is not exposed to elevated temperature nor overexposed to heat.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller counts a number of times the temperature control device is activated.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the controller disables a tip segment if the number of times the temperature control device is activated exceeds a set number.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller times a period when the temperature control device is activated.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the controller shuts off the temperature control device when the period when the temperature control device is activated exceeds a set period.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a switch coupled to the temperature control device.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the controller controls the switch such that a first voltage is applied to the temperature control device until the temperature control device reaches a desired temperature, and a second voltage is applied to the temperature control device thereafter to maintain the temperature control device at the desired temperature.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the temperature control device is a heater comprising a resistive element.

9. An injection assembly comprising:

a dispensing chamber housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface partially defining a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance;

a temperature control device at least partially surrounding the dispensing chamber housing, the temperature control device for altering a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber;

a thermal sensor located near the temperature control device, the thermal sensor for reading a temperature near the temperature control device;

a switch coupled to the temperature control device; and

a controller for controlling the temperature control device;

wherein the controller controls the switch such that a first voltage is applied to the temperature control device until the temperature control device reaches a desired temperature, and a second voltage is applied to the temperature control device thereafter to maintain the temperature control device at the desired temperature.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the controller counts a number of times the temperature control device is activated.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the controller disables a tip segment if the number of times the temperature control device is activated exceeds a set number.

12. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the controller times a period when the temperature control device is activated.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the controller shuts off the temperature control device when the period when the temperature control device is activated exceeds a set period.

14. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the temperature control device is a heater comprising a resistive element.

15. A method of operating a dispensing assembly comprising:

checking a count of a number of times a temperature control device has been activated;

if the count does not exceed a preset number, incrementing a counter;

applying a first voltage across a temperature control device to bring the temperature control device to a desired temperature;

after the temperature control device reaches the desired temperature, applying a second voltage across the temperature control device to maintain the temperature control device at the desired temperature;

starting a timer to count the amount of time that the temperature control device is activated; and

if the amount of time that the temperature control device is activated exceeds a preset amount of time, turning off the temperature control device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

if the count exceeds a preset number, then disabling a tip segment so that an injection cannot be performed.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein applying a first voltage across a temperature control device to bring the temperature control device to a desired temperature further comprises controlling a switch to apply the first voltage.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein applying a second voltage across a temperature control device to bring the temperature control device to a desired temperature further comprises controlling a switch to apply the second voltage.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein starting a timer to count the amount of time that the temperature control device is activated further comprises starting the timer when the switch is controlled to apply the second voltage.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein starting a timer to count the amount of time that the temperature control device is activated further comprises starting the timer after the temperature control device has reached the desired temperature.