With Threaded Drive Means Patents (Class 604/155)
  • Patent number: 7959609
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to metering devices, systems, and methods that mitigate differential thermal expansion/contraction for the efficient, accurate, and reproducible metered delivery of fluids. The present invention allows the net fluid volume and a plunger location within a fluid dispensing container to automatically adjust under the influence of differential thermal expansion/contraction between the fluid and the fluid dispensing container that the fluid is contained within. Further, the present invention allows the metering system drive to sense the adjusted plunger location and allows the metering system drive to re-zero itself to produce an accurate volumetric delivery of fluid from the fluid dispensing container. The metering system includes means for controlling the travel of the metering system drive, and hence the travel of the plunger into the fluid dispensing container, for delivering accurate/precise amounts of the fluid from the fluid dispensing container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Peter A. Gaydos, Brian A. Lipp, Bruce D. Mcveety, George C. Proicou
  • Patent number: 7959608
    Abstract: A device suitable for removing material from a living being is provided, featuring an infusate pump, and an aspiration pump, both powered by a motor. The aspiration pump and infusate pump preferably feature a helical pumping mechanism, and operate at a high rate of rotation, thereby ensuring adequate pumping performance and flexibility. Additionally, a narrow crossing profile is maintained, ensuring that the device may reach more tortuous regions of the vasculature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: The Spectranetics Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Nash, Greg Walters, Dennis M. Sauro, Mark Eberhart, William T. Fisher
  • Patent number: 7938803
    Abstract: Some embodiments of an infusion pump device may include a drive system that accurately and incrementally dispenses fluid from the pump device in a controlled manner. Particular embodiments of the drive system may include a rotational motor that is coupled to a string member, which is used to adjust a pawl relative to a ratchet body. In such circumstances, the drive system can provide a reliable and compact infusion pump device that accurately dispenses the desired volume of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Asante Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Morten Mernoe, Mitchell Wenger, James Causey, Todd Kirschen
  • Publication number: 20110087166
    Abstract: A syringe pump which includes a pusher block is slidably mounted on bearings on one or more guide rails. The pusher block is advanced or retracted by a lead screw having an axis which is offset from the axis of the one or more guide rails which are supported at their respective ends by support blocks, wherein forward and/or trailing sides of the pusher block bearings are extended, and wherein the guide rail support blocks include recesses for accommodating the extended ends of the pusher block slide bearings. In another embodiment, the syringe pump includes quick connect-disconnect fixtures for loading and unloading syringes. Other mechanical and programmable improvements are described in the specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: Mark Davis, Richard K. Bennett, Bruce H. Edwards, Andrew J. McKenna, Justin M. Piccirillo, Ron Y. Sostek
  • Patent number: 7922695
    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 deliver pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Wiegel, Marco De Polo, Steven Roe
  • Patent number: 7905868
    Abstract: A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with infusion medium are supported by the disposable housing portion, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics and a drive device. A reservoir is supported by the disposable housing portion and has a moveable plunger that operatively couples to the drive device, when the disposable and durable housing portions are engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Medtronic Minimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheldon B. Moberg, R. Paul Mounce, Paul F. Bente, IV, Ian B. Hanson, Julian D. Kavazov, Christopher G. Griffin, Colin A. Chong, Philip J. Hudak
  • Patent number: 7862544
    Abstract: A drive arrangement for an injection device, including a first stage, a second stage and a drive for shifting the stages, wherein the drive acts on one of the stages to shift said one of the stages first and wherein the stage which is first shifted encounters a higher resistance than does the other stage, such that the other stage is shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG
    Inventors: Daniel Peter, Beat Spoerri, Hanspeter Niklaus
  • Patent number: 7828764
    Abstract: A system includes a durable portion with a durable housing and a separable disposable portion with a disposable housing that selectively engage with and disengage from each other. The disposable housing secures to a patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient or with an infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion to allow for disposal after a prescribed use. A reservoir for holding the infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion, and may be supported by the disposable housing. The durable portion may include other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir, and a drive device including a motor and drive linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic Minimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheldon B. Moberg, Ian B. Hanson, R. Paul Mounce, Paul F. Bente, IV, Julian D. Kavazov
  • Patent number: 7823287
    Abstract: The syringe pump comprises a receiving position for a syringe. The piston plate of the syringe is moved by a drive head which is fastened to a drive rod. For locking the piston rod prior to fixing the piston plate in the drive head, a braking element is provided on a syringe holding head. The syringe holding head further serves for determining the respective syringe size. After placing the syringe holding head against a syringe cylinder, the brake element is actuated to temporarily engage the piston rod and fix it relatively to the syringe cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: B. Braun Melsungen AG
    Inventors: Hans-Josef Gerlach, Rene Wildner, Berthold Wolfram
  • Patent number: 7819845
    Abstract: A syringe plunger/jacket assembly may comprise a flexible jacket attached to a rigid plunger. The jacket may comprise at least two sealing rings (front and rear) that prevent fluid from leaking out of the rear of the barrel during injection of fluid from the syringe. The rear sealing ring may or may not contact or seal the interior surface of the syringe barrel in an unloaded state. In the loaded state, when force is applied in the direction of the forward discharge end of the syringe, pressure is created on the jacket. This condition causes the rear seal to expand and contact and/or seal the interior surface of the syringe barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Coeur, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Michael Cude
  • Patent number: 7806868
    Abstract: A drug reservoir loading and unloading mechanism for drug delivery device using unidirectional rotated lead screw and method thereof are disclosed. The drug reservoir loading/unloading mechanism allows exchanging the drug reservoir quickly with very few steps and with more safety. The invention neither requires rewinding of the drive system either automatically or manually while replacing the drug reservoir nor requires an additional adapter to secure the drug reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignees: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Disetronic Licensing AG
    Inventors: Marco C. De Polo, Christopher Wiegel, Charles C. Raney, Arturo Meuniot, Arne Lang-Ree
  • Patent number: 7803134
    Abstract: A syringe assembly for use with an infusion pump having a drive piston. The syringe assembly comprises a substantially hollow syringe housing and a plunger axially movable within the syringe housing to dispense a fluid therefrom. The plunger has a body with a portion thereof configured to engage a radially elastic member associated with the drive piston such that the plunger is releasably axially secured relative to the drive piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Animas Corporation
    Inventors: Bahram Sharifi, Patrick Paul, William Lawson, IV
  • Patent number: 7794430
    Abstract: Injection devices are known for the self administration of medicament by patients in which the medicaments is typically contained within a cartridge located within the injection device. It is a problem that injection devices should be small enough to fit into a jacket pocket or a hand bag without difficulty. Also, the injection device must be of a size that enables a piston or similar used to drive a cartridge bung within the cartridge to be moved both to a maximum dispense position within the cartridge and to be fully withdrawn from the cartridge to allow for replacement of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: DCA Design International Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Nigel Langley, Robert Woolston
  • Patent number: 7753879
    Abstract: A combination of a disposable, wearable, self-contained medicine dispensing device, a cylindrical medicine container 52 incorporating a piston and having an open distal end and a proximal end closed by a closure body 54 made of a material, preferably silicone, that can be perforated by a needle, and a catheter device 16 having adhesive means 26 for attaching the catheter device to the skin of a user of the combination, the dispensing device comprising a housing 34, 36 having a compartment for receiving the container and further a not shown piston rod for displacing the piston towards the closed proximal end and actuating means for displacing the piston rod, the catheter device comprising a sealing ring 56?for receiving the closure body, and the dispensing device and the catheter device comprising co-operating attachment means for attaching the dispensing device to the catheter device with the container received in the compartment with the piston rod abutting the piston and the closure body received in the sea
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: M2 Group Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Morten Mernoe
  • Patent number: 7717880
    Abstract: The inflation device comprises a syringe whose piston presents a thread. It further comprises a retaining mechanism for retaining the piston and comprising two half-nuts movable between a position in which they are spaced apart from the thread and a position in which they engage the thread, together with control members mounted to tilt relative to the syringe body. For each half-nut, the retaining mechanism comprises two resilient tabs pressing against the corresponding half-nut and against the syringe body. In addition, each of the control members comprises a finger pressing against the corresponding half-nut and adapted, when the member tilts, to press against one of two bearing surfaces carried by the half-nut and offset relative to each other in a radial direction of the syringe body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Sedat
    Inventor: Pascal Denolly
  • Patent number: 7695456
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a medicament delivery device such as a pen type injector used to expel medicament from a medicament cartridge under the action of a lead screw. The medicament cartridge typically comprises a cylinder having a displaceable piston at one end displacement causing medicament contained within the cartridge to be expelled. It is of advantage to know when the plunger contacts the displaceable piston since no delivery of medicament can occur before this point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: DCA Design International Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Nigel Langley, Robert Frederick Veasey
  • Patent number: 7686787
    Abstract: A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient or with infusion media are supported by the disposable housing portion for disposal after the prescribed use, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of infusion media from the reservoir and a drive device and drive linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic Minimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheldon B. Moberg, Ian B. Hanson, Paul S. Cheney, II
  • Publication number: 20100063449
    Abstract: A system for the metering and delivery of small discrete volumes of liquid is comprised of a small or minimal number of inexpensive components. One such component is a movable member, such as a miniature precision reciprocating displacement pump head, which is driven by an actuator that comprises a shape memory alloy material. The operating mechanism of the system is of little or minimal complexity. The system facilitates the precise metering and delivery of the small discrete volumes of liquid. Potential applications for the system include subcutaneous, long-term, automated drug delivery, for example, the delivery of insulin to a person with diabetes. In such an application, the small, simple and inexpensive nature of the invention would allow for its use as both a portable and a disposable system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: ABBOTT DIABETES CARE, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin M. Rush, Christopher V. Reggiardo
  • Patent number: 7670315
    Abstract: An injector for injection a fluid into a patient, including: a first pressurizing mechanism adapted to operatively connect with a first fluid container to pressurize fluid therein; at least a second pressurizing mechanism to operatively connect with a second fluid container to pressurize a fluid therein; a single drive; and a transmission to control how power from the drive is distributed to the first pressurizing mechanism of the first container and to the second pressurizing mechanism of the second container to control injection of fluid from the first container and from the second container. The drive can, for example, be an electric motor or other drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin P. Cowan, David M. Reilly, Joseph J. Fularz, Paul J. Swartz, Mark Trocki, David A. Mishler
  • Publication number: 20090326459
    Abstract: Described is a drive mechanism for a drug infusion pump. In one embodiment, an in-line drive mechanism is provided that includes a motor operatively coupled to a lead screw, which is configured to engage a piston. The piston includes a cavity to receive the motor and the lead screw such that the lead screw and at least a portion of the motor are substantially contained within the piston cavity when the piston is in a retracted position. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the motor is also substantially contained within a cavity of the lead screw regardless of whether the piston is in the retracted or extended position. The configuration of the piston, the lead screw and the motor results in a more compact drug delivery device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Animas Corporation
    Inventors: Ian M. Shipway, Sean O'Connor
  • Patent number: 7635351
    Abstract: A device for administering doses of a substance, the device including a housing forming one of a product reservoir or a receiving seat for a product reservoir, a force sensor, a delivery mechanism which executes an axial output movement in a delivery direction to deliver a dose from the product reservoir, and which is supported via the sensor on the housing counter to the delivery direction, and a contact element on which the sensor is axially supported, at least one of the contact element and sensor forming a device for reducing play which, in an adjustment engagement with at least one of the housing or the delivery mechanism, is displaced into an adjustment position and axially secured in the adjustment position in such a way that axial play between the delivery mechanism and the housing is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Disetronic Licensing AG
    Inventor: Daniel Peter
  • Patent number: 7632251
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a volume-adjustable micro-injection device. The device includes a base structure having a syringe positioning structure and a grip, in which the syringe positioning structure can flexibly accommodate injection syringes with different volumes; a holding structure capable of flexibly adjusting an injection angle of syringe content for easier operation; a qualitative controller capable of accurately controlling injection volume; a pressure pushing structure to hold and push a plunger; an injection controller interlinked with the qualitative controller and the pressure pushing structure; and an eject structure facilitating simple operation and easy replacement of injection syringes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Dermato-Plastica Beauty (DPB) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsai-Ming Lin, Ping-Sen Liao
  • Patent number: 7625358
    Abstract: A flexible piston rod includes a piston and a row of elements, the top surface of one element being connected to the bottom surface of an adjacent element by a hinge that allows the two adjacent elements to pivot from a first position, where a portion of the top surface of one element abuts a corresponding portion of the bottom surface of the adjacent element and corresponding to a rectilinear, relatively stiff configuration of the piston rod, to a second position wherein the top surface of one element is spaced from the bottom surface of the adjacent element and corresponding to a curved configuration of the piston rod. Each element has cylindrical surface portions incorporating a thread for meshing with a corresponding thread of an actuator for displacing the piston rod longitudinally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: M2 Group Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Morten Mernoe
  • Patent number: 7608060
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for an infusion pump linearly moves a syringe plunger within a syringe barrel supported by the pump and includes: (i) a motor; (ii) a lead screw rotatably connected to the motor; (iii) a slide assembly having a threaded member supported thereon, the threaded member being associated with the lead screw; (iv) an arm having one end connected to the slide assembly and one end adapted to be engaged with the syringe plunger, and (v) the threaded member being rotatably biased in engagement with the lead screw, wherein upon rotation of the lead screw by the motor, the slide assembly linearly moves the arm wherein the arm is adapted to move the syringe plunger within the syringe barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: John Gillespie, Jr., Ralph H. LaBedz, Michael Kenneth Platt, Ronald H. Spang, Jr., James Frei Berrill, Matthew Stephen Vogel, Michelle Kowalski Greaney
  • Publication number: 20090143735
    Abstract: A drug reservoir loading and unloading mechanism for drug delivery device using unidirectional rotated lead screw and method thereof are disclosed. The drug reservoir loading/unloading mechanism allows exchanging the drug reservoir quickly with very few steps and with more safety. The invention neither requires rewinding of the drive system either automatically or manually while replacing the drug reservoir nor requires an additional adapter to secure the drug reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Marco C. De Polo, Christopher Wiegel, Charles C. Raney, Arturo Meuniot, Arne Lang-Ree
  • Publication number: 20090143730
    Abstract: A drug delivery device drive that includes a single shape memory alloy wire actuator to advance a lead screw via a ratcheting mechanism and method thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a shape memory alloy wire is operably connected to one of a pair of ratchet wheels and configured to drive incrementally the rotation of the connected ratchet wheel via a contraction, which in turn drives the rotation of the other ratchet wheel about a rotational axis which moves a lead screw and advances a plunger to dispense a liquid drug from a drug container. A drug delivery device using the shape memory alloy wire actuator in combination with the ratcheting mechanism to incrementally rotate a shaft, a lead screw or a sleeve provides for a more compact an less complicated design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco C. De Polo, Christopher Wiegel, Steve N. Roe
  • Patent number: 7534226
    Abstract: Some embodiments of an infusion pump device may include a drive system that accurately and incrementally dispenses fluid from the pump device in a controlled manner. Particular embodiments of the drive system may include a rotational motor that is coupled to a string member, which is used to adjust a pawl relative to a ratchet body. In such circumstances, the drive system can provide a reliable and compact infusion pump device that accurately dispenses the desired volume of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: M2 Group Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Morten Mernoe, Mitchell Wenger, James Causey, Todd Kirschen
  • Publication number: 20090124994
    Abstract: A drug delivery pump which uses a piezoelectric drive system to advance a small syringe piston to deliver a liquid drug and a method thereof are disclosed. The present invention has a cost and size advantage compared to traditional pumps and is a very compact and potentially disposable pump device design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventor: Steven N. Roe
  • Patent number: 7422570
    Abstract: The syringe pump comprises a receiving position for a syringe. The piston plate of the syringe is moved by a drive head which is fastened to a drive rod. For locking the piston rod prior to fixing the piston plate in the drive head, a braking element is provided on a syringe holding head. The syringe holding head further serves for determining the respective syringe size. After placing the syringe holding head against a syringe cylinder, the brake element is actuated to temporarily engage the piston rod and fix it relatively to the syringe cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: B. Braun Melsungen AG
    Inventors: Hans-Josef Gerlach, Rene Wildner, Berthold Wolfram
  • Publication number: 20080154203
    Abstract: A syringe driver system comprises a rotatable threaded lead screw shaft and a plunger which directly engages the threaded shaft such that rotation of the shaft drives the plunger into the syringe body. The plunger is formed with a threaded shaft engaging portion in the form of a half nut to engage with and follow the threaded shaft. The syringe driver system further comprises a guide system to secure the plunger in direct engagement with the threaded shaft and to prevent rotation of the plunger. An arm of the plunger stem carries markers useful in determining the near end of infusion. The syringe body carries a marker or markers useful in determining a characteristic about the syringe, such as its volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Cardinal Health 303, Inc.
    Inventor: James G. J. Shearn
  • Patent number: 7390314
    Abstract: An improved reservoir is provided for use in a medication infusion device for operating the reservoir to administer a fluid to a patient. The reservoir comprises a hollow barrel adapted to receive a supply of fluid for delivery through infusion tubing or the like to the patient, in combination with a reservoir plunger. The reservoir plunger is designed to engage a motor-driven lead screw of the medication infusion device. The reservoir plunger has an integral split nut connector formed on the end of the plunger, which is in co-axial alignment with the lead screw whereby the split nut connector can be engaged directly to the lead screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Stutz, Jr., Herman L. Renger, Cary D. Talbot
  • Publication number: 20080147008
    Abstract: Rotation of a rotatalbe assembly of a medical pumping apparatus such as a pump rotor of a rotary peristaltic pump is monitored via electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared radiation). The rotatable assembly is formed such that it has portions that are reflective and non-reflective with respect to the electromagnetic radiation. A electromagnetic radiation emitter-detector pair is positioned such that as the rotatable assembly rotates, the reflective and non-reflective portions alternately pass through the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter. The detector receives electromagnetic radiation reflected by the reflective portions, but the non-reflective portions abosorb or disperse the radiation such that it is not received by the detector. An output circuit provides a signal indicating the position of the rotatable assembly as a function of the electromagnetic radiation received by the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: TYCO HEALTHCARE GROUP LP
    Inventors: Thomas G. Lewis, Mark A. Davis
  • Publication number: 20080097327
    Abstract: A system includes a durable portion with a durable housing and a separable disposable portion with a disposable housing that selectively engage with and disengage from each other. The disposable housing secures to a patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient or with an infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion to allow for disposal after a prescribed use. A reservoir for holding the infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion, and may be supported by the disposable housing. The durable portion may include other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir, and a drive device including a motor and drive linkage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Paul F. Bente, Ian B. Hanson, Sheldon B. Moberg, R. Paul Mounce, Paul H. Kovelman, Julian D. Kavazov, Truong Gia Luan
  • Publication number: 20080097326
    Abstract: A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with infusion medium are supported by the disposable housing portion, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics and a drive device. A reservoir is supported by the disposable housing portion and has a moveable plunger that operatively couples to the drive device, when the disposable and durable housing portions are engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Sheldon B. Moberg, R. Paul Mounce, Paul F. Bente, Ian B. Hanson, Julian D. Kavazov, Christopher G. Griffin, Colin A. Chong, Philip J. Hudak
  • Publication number: 20080097328
    Abstract: A system includes a durable portion with a durable housing and a separable disposable portion with a disposable housing that selectively engage with and disengage from each other. The disposable housing secures to a patient and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient or with an infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion to allow for disposal after a prescribed use. A reservoir for holding the infusion medium may be part of the disposable portion, and may be supported by the disposable housing. The durable portion may include other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir, and a drive device including a motor and drive linkage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Sheldon B. Moberg, Ian B. Hanson, R. Paul Mounce, Paul F. Bente, Julian D. Kavazov
  • Publication number: 20080097381
    Abstract: A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with infusion medium are supported by the disposable housing portion, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics and a drive device. A reservoir is supported by the disposable housing portion and has a moveable plunger that operatively couples to the drive device, when the disposable and durable housing portions are engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Sheldon B. Moberg, Ian B. Hanson, Paul F. Bente, Ruth Marie Tieck, Julian D. Kavazov, R. Paul Mounce
  • Patent number: 7357899
    Abstract: A piston coupling for a micro-liter range liquid dispensing system for connecting a piston to a piston drive shaft generally includes a U-shaped body portion having a U-shaped arm and an annular barrel-shaped bearing seated in the U-shaped body portion and retained by the U-shaped arm. The bearing includes an axial bore for receiving the piston, wherein the annular barrel-shaped bearing is designed for balancing the forces applied to the piston by the piston drive shaft symmetrically about the centerline of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Oyster Bay Pump Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Gaillard, Peter Kurzyna, Drasko Vukicevic
  • Patent number: 7338472
    Abstract: A syringe driver system comprises a rotatable threaded lead screw shaft and a plunger which directly engages the threaded shaft such that rotation of the shaft drives the plunger into the syringe body. The plunger is formed with a threaded shaft engaging portion in the form of a half nut to engage with and follow the threaded shaft. The syringe driver system further comprises a guide system to secure the plunger in direct engagement with the threaded shaft and to prevent rotation of the plunger. An arm of the plunger stem carries markers useful in determining the near end of infusion. The syringe body carries a marker or markers useful in determining a characteristic about the syringe, such as its volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Cardinal Health 303, Inc.
    Inventor: James G. J. Shearn
  • Patent number: 7294312
    Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus that make more accurate and reduces risk of filling reaction chambers of cartridge cells with blood samples to conduct blood coagulation tests of the type employing the plunger technique are disclosed. A cartridge holder is provided that secures a test cartridge in a fixed upright position and deflects the plunger flag of each cartridge cell to enable manual insertion of a blood dispenser deeply into the reaction chamber to fill the reaction chamber and avoid contamination of surfaces of the cartridge outside the reaction chamber. Preferably, the cartridge holder provides illumination of the reaction chamber during filling, so that the user can judge when the reaction chamber is properly filled with blood dispensed from the blood dispenser. The cartridge holder may incorporate image magnification to facilitate viewing of the reaction chamber as it is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Green, Douglas D. Nippoldt, William D. Zillmann, Brent E. Wallace, Jeff N. Rejent
  • Patent number: 7273472
    Abstract: A drive arrangement for an injection device, including a first stage, a second stage and a drive for shifting the stages, wherein the drive acts on one of the stages to shift said one of the stages first and wherein the stage which is first shifted encounters a higher resistance than does the other stage, such that the other stage is shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Disetronic Licensing AG
    Inventors: Daniel Peter, Beat Spoerri, Hanspeter Niklaus
  • Patent number: 7198615
    Abstract: Injection devices are known for the self administration of medicament by patients in which medicament is typically contained within a cartridge located within the injection device. It is a problem that injection devices should be small enough to fit into a jacket pocket or a hand bag without difficulty. Also, the injection device must be of a size that enables a piston or similar used to drive a cartridge bung within the cartridge to be moved both to a maximum dispense position within the cartridge and to be fully withdrawn from the cartridge to allow for replacement of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: DCA Design International Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Nigel Langley, Robert Woolston
  • Patent number: 7192417
    Abstract: A syringe interface for attaching syringes to a drive mechanism which includes a drive member to impart motion to a syringe plunger includes a plurality of syringe mount apertures having different dimensions to attach each of a plurality of syringes to the syringe interface. Each of the syringes for attachment to the syringe interface includes at least one mounting flange, and each of the plurality of syringes has a different mounting flange dimension. Each of the plurality of syringe mount apertures is in general alignment with an axis of the drive member. A syringe drive mechanism includes a syringe interface as described above. The syringe drive mechanism can further include a sensing system to sense which size of the plurality of syringes is mounted on the syringe interface. The syringe drive mechanism can also include a processor and a memory which are in operative communication with the drive member. The memory includes a control program stored therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Thompson, David M. Reilly, Matthew Beale, Drew Degentesh, Matthew Goodworth, Robert Parks
  • Patent number: 7153290
    Abstract: A flange attaching section has a flange supporting section and a movable section, and the movable section can approach the flange supporting section and separate therefrom due to rotational moving. Even if a flange section of a barrel of a syringe has various thickness, the flange section is easily attached between the flange supporting section and the movable section, and although the attachment is easy, the flange section comes in pressure contact with the flange supporting section in the attached state. Even if, therefore, the flange section of the barrel of the syringe has various thickness, a syringe pump, in which moving of the barrel of the syringe during infusion is prevented securely and the infusion is executed at an accurate speed, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Atom Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Wakabayashi, Tatsuhiko Seki, Kazuo Matsubara
  • Patent number: 7063684
    Abstract: A pump for dispensing a fluid from a reservoir provides a drive system seal within the pump. The pump includes a reservoir cavity adapted to receive the reservoir, and a drive system. The pump also includes at least one plunger slider having one end coupled to the drive system and the other end coupled to the reservoir. The plunger slider is adapted to translate from a retracted position to an extended position to dispense the fluid from the reservoir in response to actuation by the drive system. The pump further includes a sealing ring mounted around the plunger slider, and a spring disposed within the sealing ring. The sealing ring with the spring disposed therein is adapted to allow the plunger slider to translate from the retracted position to the extended position, and to prevent entry of fluid from the reservoir cavity into the drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheldon B. Moberg
  • Patent number: 7001360
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a medicament delivery device in which the medicament to be delivered is stored within a cartridge having a displaceable piston therein. The displaceable piston is driven to expel medicament by way of a lead screw that is advanced and retracted by way of a suitable drive mechanism. A guideway through which the lead screw travels is provided. However, in known devices the guideway is held in position by other components of the apparatus. Such devices can be complex to manufacture. Also they may require disassembly and reassembly when a cartridge is to be replaced. This is a disadvantage if the user, as is common amongst those with diabetes, is infirm or has impaired vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: DCA Design International Limited
    Inventors: Robert Frederick Veasey, James Alistair Holdgate
  • Patent number: 6966895
    Abstract: A syringe pump has a motor rotating a leadscrew to drive a plunger head actuator along it. The head actuator engages the plunger of a syringe and moves the plunger along the syringe barrel to dispense medication. An optical encoder mounted on the leadscrew is rotated by the motor to produce a pulse output. A control unit times the interval between the pulses and compares these timings with a stored value representative of a predetermined multiple of the minimum time. If the head actuator is obstructed, the speed of rotation of the motor is slowed and the time interval between pulses rises. When this exceeds the stored value, the control unit stops the drive to the head actuator and generates an alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Smiths Group PLC
    Inventor: Robert James Tribe
  • Patent number: 6932242
    Abstract: The syringe pump comprises a housing (10). The operating panel (32) is situated on a swiveling lid (30) on the front side of the housing (10). The lid (30) further comprises a window (34) with a magnifying device (35) through which the user can view the syringe. The invention allows for a miniaturization of the syringe pump in a highly densified modular system. The lid (30) may further include a lighting means for illuminating the syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: B. Braun Melsungen AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joseph Gerlach, Martin Sippel
  • Patent number: 6834242
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method to analyze the pressure variation in a perfusion device including multiple perfusion modules each equipped with a pump to deliver a liquid to be perfused in a line placed downstream from the pump as well as a means to measure the pressure in the line, with junction points enabling connection of certain lines among each other or certain lines with lines from units outside the perfusion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Fresenius Vial SAS
    Inventors: RĂ©mi Wolff, Jean-Claude Rondelet
  • Patent number: 6817990
    Abstract: An improved pump, reservoir and reservoir piston are provided for controlled delivery of fluids. A motor is operably coupled to a drive member, such as a drive screw, which is adapted to advance a plunger slide in response to operation of the motor. The plunger slide is removably coupled to the piston. The piston comprises a first member and a second member. The first member has an external proximate side and an external distal side. The external proximate side is adapted to contact the fluid and is made of a material having a first stiffness. The second member has a first side and a second side and is at least partially disposed within the first member. The first side of the second member is adjacent to the external proximate side of the first member and is made of a material having a stiffness which is greater than the first stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Y. K. Yap, Poonam Gulati, Paul H. Kovelman, William P. Van Antwerp, Bradley J. Enegren, Eric P. Geismar, Philip J. Hudak, Susan McConnell, Sheldon B. Moberg
  • Patent number: 6800071
    Abstract: An improved pump, reservoir and reservoir piston are provided for controlled delivery of fluids. A motor is operably coupled to a drive member, such as a drive screw, which is adapted to advance a plunger slide in response to operation of the motor. The plunger slide is removably coupled to the piston. The piston comprises a first member and a second member. The first member has an external proximate side and an external distal side. The external proximate side is adapted to contact the fluid and is made of a material having a first stiffness. The second member has a first side and a second side and is at least partially disposed within the first member. The first side of the second member is adjacent to the external proximate side of the first member and is made of a material having a stiffness which is greater than the first stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan McConnell, Sheldon B. Moberg