Liquid detection sensor
AssigneeInsulet Corporation
InventorsDavid Seward, Ehsan Hajisaeid, Kyle Breingan, Ayden Henson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an aspect, a system for determining a liquid level in a drug delivery device is presented. The system includes a first spring and a second spring positioned adjacent the first spring. The system includes a rod configured to compress at least the first spring and contact the second spring. The system includes a sensing element in communication with the first spring and the second spring. The sensing element is configured to detect a difference in voltage of at least the first spring. A difference in voltage of at least the first spring corresponds to an amount of liquid drug of the drug delivery device.
Claims20
A system for determining a position of a plunger in a drug delivery device comprising a drive mechanism configured to allow the plunger to move in a first direction while a liquid drug is being inserted into a reservoir and drive the plunger in a second direction to deliver the liquid drug to a patient, the system comprising:
- sensor circuitry;
- a first electrical contact;
- a second electrical contact, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are coupled to the sensor circuitry;
- and
- a conductive element in electrical communication with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact;
- wherein the sensor circuitry is in electrical communication with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact and is operable to:
- receive a voltage or current value for at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact, the voltage or current value indicative of an electrical resistance between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact;
- determine a position of the plunger in the drug delivery device based on a mapping of the voltage, current value, or electrical resistance between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact to a state or position of the plunger;
- compare the position of the plunger to a predetermined threshold value indicating that the reservoir has reached at least a partially-filled state;
- and
- when the position of the plunger passes the predetermined threshold value, set the drug delivery device into a wakeup mode via the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the wakeup mode initializes or starts up the drug delivery device.
A method of determining a position of a plunger in a drug delivery device, comprising a drive mechanism configured to allow the plunger to move in a first direction while a liquid drug is being inserted into a reservoir and drive the plunger in a second direction to deliver the liquid drug to a patient, the method comprising:
- contacting, by a conductive element, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;
- receiving, by sensor circuitry in communication with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, a voltage or current value for at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact, the voltage or current value indicative of an electrical resistance between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact;
- determining, by the sensor circuitry, the position of the plunger in the drug delivery device based on a mapping of the voltage, current value, or electrical resistance between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact to a state or position of the plunger;
- comparing the position of the plunger to a predetermined threshold value indicating that the reservoir has reached at least a partially-filled state;
- and
- when the position of the plunger passes the predetermined threshold value, setting the drug delivery device into a wakeup mode via the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the wakeup mode initializes or starts up the drug delivery device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.