SLIDEABLE FLOW METERING DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100065579A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tandem Diabetes Care Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tandem Diabetes Care Incorporated
• Inventors: DiPerna, Paul M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16809 by repeated filling and emptying of an intermediate volume pressure infusion using positive displacement pumps A61M5/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/36 the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/16 for liquid or semiliquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/02 involving measurement of pressure

Abstract

A novel enhanced flow metering device is disclosed, as well as related methods, that safely controls and meters the flow of a flow material. A pump fills a flow metering device with a flow material, which then dispenses the flow material to a target. The flow material charges the device by moving into at least one chamber when an actuation shaft is in a charging position. Flow materials are dispensed from the chambers of the flow metering device when the actuation shaft is moved into at least one dispensing positions.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an actuation shaft disposed in a cavity of the device having at least one movable seal defining at least one flow space;

an input port;

an outlet port; and

at least one chamber having a compressible member for holding a flow material;

wherein only one of the inlet port and outlet port are in fluid communication with each chamber at a time.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one chamber is two chambers.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein four movable seals define a proximal flow space, an output flow space, a sealed flow space, and a distal flow space, and

wherein actuation shaft further comprises at least a shaft channel defined at the ends by at least one proximal shaft opening and at least one distal shaft opening.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein each chamber is a different volume.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one chamber is one chamber.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the compressible member is an elastomeric membrane.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor disposed in a chamber holding a fixed volume of gas or fluid, wherein the volume of the chamber varies according to the volume of a flow material contained in at least one chamber.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the volume of a flow material in the device at the time when the device is fully charged with the flow material is determined at the source of the flow material.

9. A method comprising providing a device having:

an actuation shaft disposed in a cavity of the device having at least one movable seal defining at least one flow space;

an input port;

an outlet port; and

at least one chamber having a compressible member;

wherein only one of the inlet port and outlet port are in fluid communication with each chamber at a time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one chamber is two chambers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein four movable seals define a proximal flow space, an output flow space, a sealed flow space, and a distal flow space, and

wherein actuation shaft further comprises at least a shaft channel defined at the ends by at least one proximal shaft opening and at least one distal shaft opening.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each chamber is a different volume.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one chamber is one chamber.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the compressible member is an elastomeric membrane.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising a pressure sensor disposed in a chamber holding a fixed volume of gas or fluid, wherein the volume of the chamber varies according to the volume of a flow material contained in at least one chamber.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the volume of a flow material in the device at the time when the device is fully charged with the flow material is determined at the source of the flow material.

17. A method comprising:

positioning an actuation shaft of a flow metering device into a first position whereby at least one chamber, a proximal flow space, and an input conduit are in fluid communication; and

positioning the actuation shaft into a second position whereby the chamber is in fluid communication with a distal flow space and an output conduit;

wherein the proximal flow space and the input conduit are never in fluid communication with the distal flow space and the output conduit.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

measuring the pressure of the chamber at intervals; and

calculating the flow rate in about real time;

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

where the flow metering device contains more than one chamber, positioning the actuation shaft in a third position whereby at least one chamber is in fluid communication with the distal flow space and the output conduit and at least one other chamber is either sealed or in fluid communication with the input conduit and proximal flow space.