Drug delivery device and method
First Claim
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1. A drug delivery device for metered delivery of a liquid medicament to an outlet, the device comprising:
- (a) a pressurized reservoir configured for storing and supplying the liquid medicament at a pressure above atmospheric pressure;
(b) a flow path in fluid communication with said pressurized reservoir and the outlet, said flow path including;
(i) a first valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said first valve,(ii) a flow restriction configured to limit fluid flow along said flow path, and(iii) a second valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said second valve,
said first and second valves and said flow restriction being deployed such that, when both said first valve and second valve are in said open state, the liquid medicament flows from the pressurized reservoir along said flow path to the outlet at a rate limited primarily by said flow restriction, and such that, when any one of said first and second valves is in said flow-blocking state, flow through said flow restriction is blocked;
(c) a pressure measurement arrangement deployed in pressure-sensing engagement with a first point and a second point along said flow path, at least part of said flow restriction being between said first and second points, one of said first and second points being intermediate to said first and second valves; and
(d) a controller electronically associated with said pressure measurement arrangement and said first and second valves, and configured to selectively open said first and second valves to deliver a defined quantity of the liquid medicament to the outlet, said controller being further configured to;
(i) actuate said first and second valves such that said first and second valves close sequentially, thereby trapping a quantity of the liquid medicament between said first and second valves with a pressure differential across at least one of said first and second valves;
(ii) while said first and second valves are closed, monitor measurements of said pressure measurement arrangement; and
(iii) if said measurements vary so as to indicate a reduction in said pressure differential across said at least one valve, generate a malfunction indication.
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Abstract
A drug delivery device includes a pressurized reservoir in communication with a flow path to an outlet. The flow path includes two normally-closed valves and a flow restriction. A pressure measurement arrangement measures a differential fluid pressure between two points along the flow path which span at least part of the flow restriction, one of the points being between the valves. A controller selectively opens the valves to deliver a defined quantity of the liquid medicament to the outlet.
109 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A drug delivery device for metered delivery of a liquid medicament to an outlet, the device comprising:
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(a) a pressurized reservoir configured for storing and supplying the liquid medicament at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; (b) a flow path in fluid communication with said pressurized reservoir and the outlet, said flow path including; (i) a first valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said first valve, (ii) a flow restriction configured to limit fluid flow along said flow path, and (iii) a second valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said second valve,
said first and second valves and said flow restriction being deployed such that, when both said first valve and second valve are in said open state, the liquid medicament flows from the pressurized reservoir along said flow path to the outlet at a rate limited primarily by said flow restriction, and such that, when any one of said first and second valves is in said flow-blocking state, flow through said flow restriction is blocked;(c) a pressure measurement arrangement deployed in pressure-sensing engagement with a first point and a second point along said flow path, at least part of said flow restriction being between said first and second points, one of said first and second points being intermediate to said first and second valves; and (d) a controller electronically associated with said pressure measurement arrangement and said first and second valves, and configured to selectively open said first and second valves to deliver a defined quantity of the liquid medicament to the outlet, said controller being further configured to; (i) actuate said first and second valves such that said first and second valves close sequentially, thereby trapping a quantity of the liquid medicament between said first and second valves with a pressure differential across at least one of said first and second valves; (ii) while said first and second valves are closed, monitor measurements of said pressure measurement arrangement; and (iii) if said measurements vary so as to indicate a reduction in said pressure differential across said at least one valve, generate a malfunction indication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for identifying malfunction of at least one valve of a drug delivery device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a drug delivery device having a pressurized source of a liquid medicament supplying a flow path including two valves and a flow restriction; (b) closing both valves in such a manner as to trap a quantity of the liquid medicament in a part of the flow path between the two valves with a pressure differential across at least one of the valves; and (c) monitoring by use of a pressure measurement arrangement for a change in liquid pressure between the valves. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method for delivery of a liquid medicament to an outlet the method comprising:
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(a) providing a drug delivery device including; (i) a pressurized reservoir storing and supplying the liquid medicament at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; (ii) a flow path in fluid communication with said pressurized reservoir and the outlet, said flow path including two valves and a flow restriction, said two valves and said flow restriction being deployed such that, when any one of said two valves is closed, flow though said flow restriction is blocked; (b) opening the two valves to allow flow from the reservoir through the flow restriction to the outlet; (c) while the drug is flowing, measuring a fluid pressure differential across at least part of the flow restriction and deriving from the pressure differential a rate of fluid flow; (d) closing at least one of the valves; and (e) monitoring a differential fluid pressure between two points in the flow path while at least one of the valves is closed so as to identify at least one state of malfunction. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A drug delivery device for metered delivery of a liquid medicament to an outlet, the device comprising:
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(a) a pressurized reservoir configured for storing and supplying the liquid medicament at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; (b) a flow path in fluid communication with said pressurized reservoir and the outlet, said flow path including; (i) a first valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said first valve, (ii) a flow restriction configured to limit fluid flow along said flow path, and (iii) a second valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said second valve,
said first and second valves and said flow restriction being deployed such that, when both said first valve and second valve are in said open state, the liquid medicament flows from the pressurized reservoir along said flow path to the outlet at a rate limited primarily by said flow restriction, and such that, when any one of said first and second valves is in said flow-blocking state, flow through said flow restriction is blocked;(c) a pressure measurement arrangement deployed in pressure-sensing engagement with a first point and a second point along said flow path, at least part of said flow restriction being between said first and second points, one of said first and second points being intermediate to said first and second valves; and (d) a controller electronically associated with said pressure measurement arrangement and said first and second valves, and configured to selectively open said first and second valves to deliver a defined quantity of the liquid medicament to the outlet, wherein said pressurized reservoir includes an elastic pressurizing member such that a fluid pressure within said reservoir varies as a function of a volume of the liquid medicament currently stored, and wherein said controller is configured to; (i) estimate a remaining volume of the liquid medicament in said reservoir based upon at least one measurement from said pressure measurement arrangement obtained under zero flow conditions; and (ii) if said remaining volume is less than a minimum volume value, generate a low-remaining-volume indication.
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21. A drug delivery device for metered delivery of a liquid medicament to an outlet, the device comprising:
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(a) a pressurized reservoir configured for storing and supplying the liquid medicament at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; (b) a flow path in fluid communication with said pressurized reservoir and the outlet, said flow path including; (i) a first valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow trough said first valve, (ii) a flow restriction configured to limit fluid flow along said flow path, and (iii) a second valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said second valve,
said first and second valves and said flow restriction being deployed such that when both said first valve and second valve are in said open state, the liquid medicament flows from the pressurized reservoir along said flow pat to the outlet at a rate limited primarily by said flow restriction, and such that, when any one of said first and second valves is in said flow-blocking state, flow through said flow restriction is blocked;(c) a pressure measurement arrangement deployed in pressure-sensing engagement with a first point and a second point along said flow path, at least part of said flow restriction being between said first and second points, one of said first and second points being intermediate to said first and second valves; and (d) a controller electronically associated with said pressure measurement arrangement and said first and second valves, and configured to selectively open said first and second valves to deliver a defined quantity of the liquid medicament to the outlet, said controller being configured to; (i) during operation of the drug delivery device, repeatedly; (A) selectively actuate one of said first and second valves to said open state such that said pressure measurement arrangement measures a value of a differential fluid pressure under zero flow conditions between said reservoir and the outlet, and (B) store said differential fluid pressure values; (ii) monitor said stored values to identify an increase in said values relative to a mean peak pressure difference; and (iii) if an increase in said values is identified, generate a disconnection indication.
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22. A drug delivery device for metered delivery of a liquid medicament to an outlet, the device comprising:
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(a) a pressurized reservoir configured for storing and supplying the liquid medicament at a pressure above atmospheric pressure; (b) a flow path in fluid communication with said pressurized reservoir and the outlet, said flow path including; (i) a first valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said first valve, (ii) a flow restriction configured to limit fluid flow along said flow path, and (iii) a second valve assuming a normally-closed flow-blocking state and selectively actuatable to an open state which permits fluid flow through said second valve,
said first and second valves and said flow restriction being deployed such that, when both said first valve and second valve are in said open state, the liquid medicament flows from the pressurized reservoir along said flow path to the outlet at a rate limited primarily by said flow restriction, and such that, when any one of said first and second valves is in said flow-blocking state, flow through said flow restriction is blocked;(c) a pressure measurement arrangement deployed in pressure-sensing engagement with a first point and a second point along said flow path, at least part of said flow restriction being between said first and second points, one of said first and second points being intermediate to said first and second valves; (d) a controller electronically associated with said pressure measurement arrangement and said first and second valves, and configured to selectively open said first and second valves to deliver a defined quantity of the liquid medicament to the outlet; and (e) a reservoir pressure release mechanism associated with said controller and selectively actuatable to depressurize said reservoir so as to deactivate delivery of the liquid medicament to the outlet.
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Specification