# US 10,307,529 B2 · Cartridge insertion mechanism for a fluid delivery device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,529 B2 - Document ID: US10307529B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/512,907 - Filed: 2015-10-12 - Published: 2017-10-19 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-15 - Assignees: Valeritas, Inc. - Applicants: Valeritas, Inc. - Inventors: Christopher C. Gregory - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307529B2 ## CPC - A61M 5/14248: {of the skin patch type} - A61M 5/14526: {the piston being actuated by fluid pressure} - A61M 5/288: {by piercing without internal pressure increase (A61M5/283 takes precedence)} - A61M 2005/14513: {with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion} - A61M 2005/14573: {with a replaceable reservoir for quick connection/disconnection with a driving system} - A61M 2205/6045: having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A fluid delivery device comprises a drive unit including an actuator and one or more first features and a cartridge filled with a fluid prior to being inserted into the housing. The cartridge having a fluid reservoir sealed at one end by a movable piston and sealed at another end by a pierceable septum. The cartridge includes one or more second features that are configured to align and mate with the one or more first features allowing the cartridge to be inserted into the drive unit. The piston is moveable by the actuator once the cartridge is inserted into the drive unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid delivery device comprising: a drive unit including an actuator and one or more first features; and a cartridge filled with a fluid prior to being inserted into the housing and having a fluid reservoir sealed at one end by a movable piston and sealed at another end by a pierceable septum, the cartridge including one or more second features that are configured to align and mate with the one or more first features allowing the cartridge to be inserted into the drive unit, the piston being moveable by the actuator once the cartridge is inserted into the drive unit, wherein the actuator is a hydraulically driven actuator and the cartridge is sealed to the drive unit by a seal, and wherein the one or more first features are spaced from a rear surface of the drive unit a distance less than a distance the one or more second features are spaced from a proximal end of the seal such that the seal is compressed against the rear surface to seal the cartridge to the drive unit once the cartridge is inserted in the drive unit and the one or more first features mate with the one or more second features. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the seal is secured to the fluid reservoir by a sleeve that slips over the cartridge and at least partially over a portion of the seal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fluid delivery device of claim 2, wherein the sleeve includes the one or more second features. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the seal is coupled to the one or more second features. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the seal is a ring secured to an exterior of the cartridge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the seal is an integral feature of the cartridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the seal includes at least two pieces that are coupled together from opposing lateral sides of the cartridge and create a friction fit with the cartridge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a first compliant portion proximate an end of the cartridge and a second compliant portion, the second compliant portion being less compliant than the first compliant portion and including the one or more second features. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more first features and/or at least one of the one or more second features includes a tapered lead-in configured to help guide the cartridge into place during insertion and compress the seal against the cartridge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge includes a longitudinal axis and the one or more first features and the one or more second features include one or more radially projecting protrusions and/or indentations relative to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first features are generally rectangular projections and the one or more second features are grooves configured to intermesh with the generally rectangular projections. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first features are grooves and the one or more second features are generally rectangular projections configured to intermesh with the grooves. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the drive unit includes a housing having a door, the door being rotatable relative to the housing to cover the cartridge and seat the cartridge into position within the drive unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge includes a cover structure configured to be generally flush with a housing of the drive unit when the cartridge is fully inserted into the drive unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1 further comprising: a needle assembly having a needle, the needle having a delivery end and a fluid coupling end, the fluid coupling end being fluidly disengaged from the fluid reservoir in an initial position, the delivery end extending past the bottom surface of the housing in a deployed position and the fluid coupling end extending through the pierceable septum and fluidly coupled with the fluid reservoir in the deployed position. ### Claim 16 A cartridge for insertion in a fluid delivery device, the cartridge comprising: a reservoir filled with a fluid, the reservoir sealed at a proximal end by a movable piston and sealed at a distal end by a pierceable septum; a sleeve coupled to an outer sidewall of the reservoir proximate the proximal end of the reservoir, the sleeve including one or more radial projecting and circumferentially extending keyed features spaced from the proximal end and configured to align and mate with one or more corresponding keyed features of the fluid delivery device allowing the cartridge to be inserted into the fluid delivery device; and an annular seal sandwiched between the sleeve and the outer surface of the reservoir, extending around a circumference of the reservoir and projecting proximally past the proximal end of the reservoir and the sleeve.