FLUID RESERVOIR HAVING A FLUID DELIVERY NEEDLE FOR A FLUID INFUSION DEVICE

• US 20120215179A1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Halili, Edgardo C., Lorenzen, Eric M., Yavorsky, Matthew William
• Granted Patent: US 8,945,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/247
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1623 Details of air intake
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3123 having air entrapping or venting means, e.g. purging channels in pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0072 Means for increasing tightness of the septum, e.g. compression rings, special materials, special constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0081 Means for facilitating introduction of a needle in the septum, e.g. guides, special construction of septum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1066 having protection means, e.g. sliding sleeve to protect connector itself, shrouds to protect a needle present in the connector, protective housing, isolating sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1072 with a septum present in the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/248 Ball-valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/266 where the valve comprises venting channels, e.g. to insure better connection, to help decreasing the fluid space upon disconnection, or to help the fluid space to remain the same during disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/267 having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0468 non-physiological
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/07 Proteins
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/00 Tubes, tube connectors, tube couplings, valves, access sites or the like, specially adapted for medical use for respiratory devices, e.g. tracheal tubes A61M16/00; artificial heart valves A61F2/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/12 for joining a flexible tube to a rigid attachment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/22 Valves or arrangement of valves A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• 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 5/158 : Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/162 : Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube ; Connections between reservoir and tube in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 : Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31 : Details

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a fluid infusion device of the type that delivers medication fluid to the body of a patient. The device includes or cooperates with a fluid reservoir, and the device has a sealing assembly to receive and form a fluid seal with the fluid reservoir. A retractable sealing element surrounding a hollow fluid delivery needle may be used to seal a port of the fluid reservoir. The port may include a pressure vent that is sealed by the retractable sealing element. In one variation, the reservoir includes a moving valve sleeve that holds a septum. The septum moves to allow the reservoir to vent, and to form a seal with the port when the needle pierces the septum. In another variation, the device includes a needleless sealing assembly. In yet other variations, the device uses a needled fluid reservoir.

Claims

1. A fluid reservoir for a fluid infusion device that delivers a medication fluid to a body, the fluid reservoir comprising:

a main body section that defines a fluid chamber for the medication fluid;

a hollow needle extending from the main body section and defining a fluid conduit that communicates with the fluid chamber, the hollow needle terminating at a needle end; and

a needle hood extending from the main body section and at least partially surrounding the hollow needle, the needle hood terminating at a lip that extends further from the main body section than the needle end.

2. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, wherein the needle end comprises a blunt tip to engage a sealing element of the fluid infusion device.

3. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, wherein the needle end comprises a sharp tip to pierce a sealing element of the fluid infusion device.

4. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, wherein:

the hollow needle and the main body section are physically distinct and separate components; and

the hollow needle is physically coupled to the main body section to communicate with the fluid chamber.

5. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, wherein the hollow needle is integrated and contiguous with the main body section.

6. The fluid reservoir of claim 5, wherein the hollow needle and the main body section are molded together an a single component.

7. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, wherein the hollow needle is unsealed.

8. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, further comprising an alignment structure that mates with cooperating structure of a reservoir port receptacle of the fluid infusion device, wherein the alignment structure aligns and orients the hollow needle relative to the reservoir port receptacle for insertion of the hollow needle into a sealing element of the reservoir port receptacle.

9. The fluid reservoir of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the alignment structure is integrally formed with the needle hood.

10. The fluid reservoir of claim 8, wherein:

the alignment structure mates with cooperating structure of a reservoir filling apparatus; and

the alignment structure aligns and orients the hollow needle relative to the reservoir filling apparatus for insertion of the hollow needle into a sealing element of the reservoir filling apparatus.

11. The fluid reservoir of claim 1, wherein the medication fluid comprises insulin.

12. A fluid infusion device that delivers a medication fluid to a body, the fluid infusion device comprising:

a base plate;

a delivery conduit coupled to the base plate, wherein the delivery conduit provides the medication fluid to the body;

a fluid reservoir comprising a main body section that defines a fluid chamber for the medication fluid, a hollow needle extending from the main body section and in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, and a needle hood extending from the main body section and at least partially surrounding the hollow needle; and

a reservoir port receptacle located on the base plate and comprising mating structure to engage and mate with the needle hood, a sealing element to receive the hollow needle and form a seal around an exterior surface of the hollow needle, and an outlet conduit at least partially defined by the sealing element, wherein the outlet conduit is coupled to the delivery conduit.

13. The fluid infusion device of claim 12, wherein the mating structure aligns and orients the hollow needle relative to the reservoir port receptacle for insertion of the hollow needle into the sealing element.

14. The fluid infusion device of claim 12, wherein:

the hollow needle terminates at a blunt tip;

the sealing element comprises a self-sealing opening for the blunt tip; and

engagement of the fluid reservoir with the reservoir port receptacle causes the blunt tip to penetrate the self-sealing opening to establish fluid communication from the fluid chamber to the outlet conduit.

15. The fluid infusion device of claim 12, wherein:

the hollow needle terminates at a sharp tip;

the sealing element is pierceable to accommodate the sharp tip; and

engagement of the fluid reservoir with the reservoir port receptacle causes the sharp tip to pierce the sealing element to establish fluid communication from the fluid chamber to the outlet conduit.

16. The fluid infusion device of claim 12, wherein:

the sealing element comprises an unsealed inlet end to receive the hollow needle;

the sealing element comprises an outlet end having a pressure valve; and

the pressure valve actuates in response to a fluid delivery action of the fluid infusion device to accommodate flow of the medication fluid from the hollow needle to the outlet conduit.

17. The fluid infusion device of claim 12, wherein:

the hollow needle terminates at a needle end; and

the needle hood terminates at a lip that extends further from the main body section than the needle end.

18. The fluid infusion device of claim 12, wherein the hollow needle is open to ambient pressure.

19. A fluid infusion device that delivers a medication fluid to a body, the fluid infusion device comprising:

a fluid reservoir comprising a main body section that defines a fluid chamber for the medication fluid, and comprising a hollow needle extending from the main body section and in fluid communication with the fluid chamber; and

a reservoir port receptacle comprising a sealing element, and comprising mating structure to engage the fluid reservoir in an aligned orientation for introducing the hollow needle into the sealing element to form a seal around an exterior surface of the hollow needle.

20. The fluid infusion device of claim 19, wherein:

the hollow needle terminates at a blunt tip;

the sealing element comprises a self-sealing opening for the blunt tip; and

engagement of the fluid reservoir with the reservoir port receptacle causes the blunt tip to penetrate the self-sealing opening.

21. The fluid infusion device of claim 19, wherein:

the hollow needle terminates at a sharp tip;

the sealing element is pierceable to accommodate the sharp tip; and

engagement of the fluid reservoir with the reservoir port receptacle causes the sharp tip to pierce the sealing element.

22. The fluid infusion device of claim 19, wherein:

the sealing element comprises an unsealed inlet end to receive the hollow needle;

the sealing element comprises an outlet end having a pressure valve; and

the pressure valve actuates in response to a fluid delivery action of the fluid infusion device to accommodate flow of the medication fluid from the hollow needle through the pressure valve.