Capacitance-based dose measurements in syringes

• US 6,352,523 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J., Worthington, David R. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/644,251
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 604/207, 604/246, 604/65-67, 222/23, 222/30, 128/DIG.1
• US Class Current: 604/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1684 by detecting the amount of infusate remaining, e.g. signalling end of infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31533 Dosing mechanisms, i.e. setting a dose administrating mechanisms A61M5/31565
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31535 Means improving security or handling thereof, e.g. blocking means, means preventing insufficient dosing, means allowing correction of overset dose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31546 Electrically operated dose setting, e.g. input via touch screen or plus/minus buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31555 by purely axial movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31556 Accuracy improving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31568 Means keeping track of the total dose administered, e.g. since the cartridge was inserted
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31591 Single dose, i.e. individually set dose administered only once from the same medicament reservoir, e.g. including single stroke limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/023 with provision for varying the stroke of the piston
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/027 of the syringe type
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/029 provided with electric controlling means G01F11/022 and G01F11/024 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/292 Light , e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/16 in stationary cylinders

Abstract

Measurements of insulin quantities in a syringe are performed capacitively in an integrated insulin dose recorder/blood glucose meter. The syringe is placed in a holder before and after the administration of the dose. Capacitor electrodes may be situated within the syringe and/or outside the syringe in various geometries. Liquid quantities in the syringe are determined by comparing capacitive response patterns of the syringe with calibration data stored. in the device. Dose histories are downloaded to a patient computer for transfer to a clinician'"'"'s computer. Standard or customized syringes may be used.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capacitively measuring and electronically recording a dose in a syringe, comprising:

a) A holder including a capacitive element configured to generate a capacitive response, the holder configured to receive and hold a syringe in a measurement position, wherein the capacitive response of said capacitive element is indicative of said dose when said syringe is in said measurement position;

b) a measuring device in communication with said capacitive element, for measuring said capacitive response; and

c) a recording device in communication with said measuring device, for recording a dose datum indicative of said capacitive response, whereby said dose datum is indicative of said dose.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said holder comprises a well laterally enclosing said syringe in said measurement position; and

said capacitive element externally and laterally enclose said syringe in said measurement position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said dose comprises an insulin dose.

a) A holder for receiving and holding a syringe containing insulin in a measurement position, the holder comprises:

a capacitive element configured to generate a capacitive response that is indicative of said insulin dose when said syringe is in said measurement position;

b) a measuring device in communication with said capacitive element, for measuring said capacitive response;

c) a computing device in communication with said measuring device, for computing from said capacitive response a dose datum indicative of said insulin dose;

d) a blood glucose meter for determining a blood glucose datum indicative of a blood glucose level; and

e) a recording device in communication with said computing device and said blood glucose meter, for recording said dose datum and said blood glucose datum.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a needle contact coupled to said holder, for establishing an electrical communication between said measuring device and a needle of said syringe when said syringe is in said measurement position, wherein said needle is electrically connected to said liquid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said capacitive element comprises:

(a) a first electrically conducting longitudinal plate; and

(b) a second electrically conducting longitudinal plate opposite said first longitudinal plate, and electrically insulated from said first plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said capacitive element comprises a plurality of longitudinally-spaced capacitors such that said capacitive response comprises a capacitive response pattern of said plurality of capacitors.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a port in communication with said recording device, for transmitting said dose datum from said recording device to a host computer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a testing device for testing a physical condition of a patient and for generating a condition datum representative of said physical condition, said testing device being in communication with said recording device such that said recording device records said condition datum.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said testing device comprises a blood glucose meter and said condition datum comprises a blood glucose level.

10. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a display connected to said measuring device, for displaying said dose.

11. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said recording device comprises a digital memory unit.

12. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a computing device in communication with said recording device, for computing said dose datum from said capacitive response.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a calibration memory in communication with said computing device, for providing said computing device with calibration data indicative of a correspondence between said capacitive response and said dose datum.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing enclosing said measuring device and said recording device, wherein said holder is mechanically coupled to said housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said housing encloses said holder and said capacitive element, for shielding said capacitive element and said syringe from external electric fields.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said housing is sufficiently compact to be hand-held and carried by a patient.

17. A method of calibrating an apparatus for capacitively measuring and electronically recording a dose delivered using a syringe, comprising the steps of:

a) placing a syringe in a holder;

b) measuring a plurality of capacitive responses of a capacitive element mechanically coupled to said holder and capacitively coupled to said syringe, wherein

each of said plurality of capacitive responses is indicative of a distinct predetermined liquid quantity in said syringe, and

said plurality of capacitive responses correspond to a range of potential liquid quantities in said syringe; and

c) recording calibration data indicative of said plurality of capacitive responses, whereby said calibration data establishes a correspondence between said plurality of capacitive responses and liquid quantities within said range of potential liquid quantities in said syringe.

18. A diabetes monitoring and insulin dose recording apparatus comprising:

a) a holder for receiving and holding a syringe containing insulin in a measurement position, the holder comprises a capacitive element configured to generate a capacitive response that is indicative of said insulin dose when said syringe is in said measurement position;

b) a measuring device in communication with said capacitive element, for measuring said capacitive response;

c) a computing device in communication with said measuring device, for computing from said capacitive response a dose datum indicative of said insulin dose;

d) a blood glucose meter for determining a blood glucose datum indicative of a blood glucose level; and

e) a recording device in communication with said computing device and said blood glucose meter, for recording said dose datum and said blood glucose datum.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a port connected to said recording device, for displaying said insulin dose and said blood glucose level.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a display connected to said measuring device, for displaying said insulin dose and said blood glucose level.

21. An apparatus for capacitively measuring and electronically recording a dose, the apparatus comprising:

a syringe comprising a barrel, the barrel including a capacitive element;

a housing enclosing a measuring device and a recording device; and

a field coupled to said housing, comprising;

an input contact for contacting an input terminal of the syringe when said syringe is in a measurement position, and

an output contact for contacting an output terminal of said syringe when said syringe is in said measurement position;

wherein

said input terminal and said output terminal are electrically connected to the syringe capacitive element such that a capacitive response of said capacitive element is indicative of said dose,

said input contact and said output contact are connected to said measuring device such that said measurement device is capable of measuring said capacitive response when said input terminal contacts said input contact and said output contacts said output contact, and

said recording device is connected to said measuring device, for recording a dose datum indicative of said capacitive response, whereby said dose datum is indicative of said dose.