DRUG DELIVERY PUMP DRIVE USING LINEAR PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR
First Claim
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1. A drive system used to dispense a liquid drug from a drug container having a piston, said drive system comprising:
- a lead screw having a rotational axis and operably connected to the piston;
a ratchet wheel provided along the rotational axis and operably connected to the lead screw to move the lead screw;
a piezoelectric motor having a shaft, a nut engaging the shaft, and piezoelectric elements configured to produce reciprocating linear motion of the shaft relative to the nut adjacent the rotational axis, wherein the shaft of the piezoelectric motor is situated perpendicular to the rotational axis and is connected to a rocker; and
a pawl operably connected to the shaft and engaging the ratchet wheel such that the reciprocating linear motion of the shaft is converted into unidirectional rotary motion of the ratcheted wheel about the rotational axis which moves the lead screw and advances the piston to dispense the liquid drug from the drug container.
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Abstract
A drug delivery pump drive which uses a linear piezoelectric motor to advance a syringe piston to deliver a liquid drug and a method thereof are disclosed. The pump drive, provided in a drug delivery pump, provides silent operation and very low energy consumption compared to electric motor-based drives. The small size of the motor helps also to reduce overall size of the pump drive and the resulting drug delivery pump.
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22 Claims
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1. A drive system used to dispense a liquid drug from a drug container having a piston, said drive system comprising:
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a lead screw having a rotational axis and operably connected to the piston; a ratchet wheel provided along the rotational axis and operably connected to the lead screw to move the lead screw; a piezoelectric motor having a shaft, a nut engaging the shaft, and piezoelectric elements configured to produce reciprocating linear motion of the shaft relative to the nut adjacent the rotational axis, wherein the shaft of the piezoelectric motor is situated perpendicular to the rotational axis and is connected to a rocker; and a pawl operably connected to the shaft and engaging the ratchet wheel such that the reciprocating linear motion of the shaft is converted into unidirectional rotary motion of the ratcheted wheel about the rotational axis which moves the lead screw and advances the piston to dispense the liquid drug from the drug container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for dispensing a liquid drug from a drug container having a piston, said method comprising:
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providing a lead screw having a rotational axis and operably connected to the piston; providing a ratchet wheel along the rotational axis and operably connected to the lead screw to move the lead screw; providing a piezoelectric motor having a shaft, a nut engaging the shaft, and piezoelectric elements configured to produce reciprocating linear motion of the shaft relative to the nut adjacent the rotational axis, wherein the shaft of the piezoelectric motor is situated perpendicular to the rotational axis and is connected to a rocker; and providing a pawl operably connected to the shaft and engaging the ratchet wheel such that the reciprocating linear motion of the shaft is converted into unidirectional rotary motion of the ratcheted wheel about the rotational axis which moves the lead screw, wherein moving the lead screw advances the piston dispensing the liquid drug from the drug container. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A drive system used to dispense a liquid drug from a drug container having a piston, said drive system comprising:
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a lead screw having a rotational axis and operably connected to the piston; a piezoelectric motor having a shaft, a nut engaging the shaft, and piezoelectric elements configured to produce rotary motion of the shaft relative to the nut adjacent the rotational axis, wherein the shaft of the piezoelectric motor is situated parallel to the rotational axis; and a pair of gears operably connecting the shaft to the lead screw, wherein one of the pair of gears is provided along the rotational axis, and wherein the rotary motion of the shaft is converted into rotary motion of the pair of gears which moves the lead screw and advances the piston to dispense the liquid drug from the drug container. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification