Medication delivery device

• US 6,893,415 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Original Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Inventors: Munk, Jens, Madsen, Mads Koerstz
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H.
• Application Number:
  US09/960,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 604151-152, 604/154, 604/187, 604/207, 604/208, 604 65- 67, 604/235, 128/DIG.1
• US Class Current: 604/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2073 preventing premature release, e.g. by making use of a safety lock
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/276 preventing unwanted use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• 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

Abstract

A medication delivery device comprising a system that is able to sense if the delivery device is in actual physical contact with a human being or if the delivery device has been abandoned. The system comprises an electronic control and a touch sensitive switch preferably formed as a part of the housing of the medication delivery device. The housing can be divided into two parts each constituting separate electrical conductors being spaced apart from each other by an insulating material. When the two parts a temporarily bridged e.g. by the skin of a human being a direct current path between the parts are created, which can provide an electrical signal at the electronic control. When a dose has been set, absence of the signal will cause the electronic control to cancel the set dose and to sound an alarm.

Claims

1. A medication delivery device comprising:

a. housing for accommodating a cartridge of a medicament, which has a moveable piston sealing one end of the cartridge and which is capable of being coupled to an injection needle so that medicament in the cartridge can be pressed out through the needle when the piston is moved in a first direction;

b. a piston rod for driving the piston in the cartridge to expel medication from the cartridge;

c. a electric drive coupled to the piston rod;

d. an electronic control unit communicating into which the size of a desired dose can be inputted by a user;

wherein the electronic control unit communicates with the electric drive to drive the piston rod;

e. a touch sensor sensitive to the touch of a human being, the sensor comprising two parts, each constituting separate electrical conductors spaced apart from one another, such that when the two parts are temporarily bridged by the skin of a human being a direct current path between the two parts is established, and

f. wherein the touch sensor is in communication with the control unit so that the control unit receives a signal when the sensor is in contact with human skin.

2. The medication delivery device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is incorporated into the housing.

3. A medication delivery device comprising:

a housing accommodating a cartridge from which medicine can be pressed out through a needle mounted at the distal end of said cartridge when an injection button is operated, wherein the medicine is pressed out by driving a piston forward inside said cartridge, and an electronic control unit into which the size of a set dose can be read by operation of a dose setting button located on said housing, said set dose being displayed in a display provided in said housing, and wherein an electronic control unit is in communication with piston rod drive mechanism that drives forward a piston rod that abuts the piston inside said cartridge, wherein the piston is drive a distance corresponding to the set dose when said injection button is operated, wherein a touch sensitive switch sensitive to the touch of a human being is provided, said switch comprising two parts each constituting separate electrical conductors spaced apart from another by an insulating material, such that said two parts when temporarily bridged, by the skin of human being, allows a direct current path between said two parts.

4. The injection device according to claim 3, wherein the two parts are integrated with the housing so that the touch sensor is an integral part of the housing.