Sensing system for medication delivery device

A fluid sensing system for a medication delivery device, the medication delivery device including a reservoir adapted to contain a supply of a fluid medication, and a discharge structure through which the fluid medication is discharged from the medication delivery device, the discharge structure being adapted to introduce the fluid medication into a patient the fluid sensing system being disposed on the medication delivery device and comprising:

• a fluid channel communicating the fluid medication from an inlet to an outlet, the inlet being in fluid communication with the reservoir with the reservoir being disposed upstream of the inlet, and the outlet being in fluid communication with the discharge structure with the discharge structure being disposed downstream of the outlet;
• a thermal device operably coupled with the fluid channel at a first position between the inlet and the outlet whereby thermal energy is transferable between the thermal device and the fluid medication flowing in the fluid channel at the first position and wherein a downstream section of the fluid channel downstream of the first position has a predefined cross section and a predefined flow path;
• a thermal imaging device positioned to capture a thermal image of at least a portion of the downstream section of the fluid channel;
• and
• a processor coupled with the thermal imaging device and configured to determine, based on at least one thermal image, at least one output value that is representative of a property of the fluid medication and/or the fluid flow in the fluid channel, wherein the fluid channel forms a helical coil and the thermal imaging device is positioned to capture discrete discontinuous portions of the downstream section of the fluid channel.

A fluid sensing system for a medication delivery device, the medication delivery device including a reservoir adapted to contain a supply of a fluid medication, and a discharge structure through which the fluid medication is discharged from the medication delivery device, the discharge structure being adapted to introduce the fluid medication into a patient the fluid sensing system being disposed on the medication delivery device and comprising:

• a fluid channel communicating the fluid medication from an inlet to an outlet, the inlet being in fluid communication with the reservoir with the reservoir being disposed upstream of the inlet, and the outlet being in fluid communication with the discharge structure with the discharge structure being disposed downstream of the outlet;
• a thermal device operably coupled with the fluid channel at a first position between the inlet and the outlet whereby thermal energy is transferable between the thermal device and the fluid medication flowing in the fluid channel at the first position and wherein a downstream section of the fluid channel downstream of the first position has a predefined cross section and a predefined flow path;
• a thermal imaging device positioned to capture a thermal image of at least a portion of the downstream section of the fluid channel;
• and
• a processor coupled with the thermal imaging device and configured to determine, based on at least one thermal image, at least one output value that is representative of a property of the fluid medication and/or the fluid flow in the fluid channel, wherein a substrate structure defines the fluid channel and wherein the substrate structure further defines at least one insulative void.