Non-contact scanning using magneto-resistive sensor
AssigneeTecPharma Licensing AG
InventorBeat Steffen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for administering a fluid product includes a measuring assembly for measuring a position between spaced apart elements of the apparatus that can be moved relative to each other. The measuring assembly includes at least one magneto-resistive sensor that is fixed to a first element, such as a casing, and is arranged opposite at least a second element, such as a sleeve, which can be moved relative to the first element. A magnetic device co-operates with the at least one sensor and is formed by a permanent magnet on the first element and a magnetized second element including a magnetic surface profile or including of a number of alternately arranged, different magnetic pole areas.
Claims20
A fluid administration device comprising a measuring assembly for measuring a position between spaced apart elements of said device, said measuring assembly comprising:
- at least one magneto-resistive sensor, said magneto-resistive sensor being fixedly connected to a casing of said device and being arranged opposite a sleeve of said device, said sleeve being rotationally and axially movable relative to said casing and being spaced apart from said casing, said sleeve serving both as a radially rotational dosing element for setting a dose amount to be administered and as an axial sliding element for administering a dose of fluid;
- a first permanent magnet fixedly arranged relative to said casing;
- and
- at least one second permanent magnet including a predetermined surface profile fixedly attached to said sleeve, said predetermined surface profile configured to enable detection by the at least one magneto-resistive sensor of (a) the set dose amount based upon radial rotation of the sleeve with respect to the casing and (b) the administration of the dose of fluid based upon axial movement of the sleeve with respect to the casing, wherein said magneto-resistive sensor is spaced apart from said surface profile.
A method for measuring a position between spaced apart elements of a fluid administration device, comprising the steps of:
- measuring with a magneto-resistive sensor a change in resistance generated between a casing of the fluid administration device and a sleeve of said fluid administration device when the casing and the sleeve are moved relative to each other in a radial direction around a longitudinal axis of the administration device, thereby causing alteration of a magnetic field of a first permanent magnet fixedly arranged relative to said casing wherein the distance between the first permanent magnet and a surface profile of a second permanent magnet fixedly attached to said sleeve is changed;
- detecting a first radial movement of the sleeve based on the measured change in resistance to enable detection of a set dose amount;
- and
- detecting a second movement of the sleeve along the longitudinal axis of the administration device to enable detection of administration of a dose of fluid.
A method for measuring a position between spaced apart elements of a fluid administration device, comprising the steps of:
- measuring with a magneto-resistive sensor a change in resistance generated between a casing of the fluid administration device and a sleeve of said fluid administration device when the casing and the sleeve are moved relative to each other around and along a longitudinal axis of the administration device, thereby causing alteration of a magnetic field of a first permanent magnet fixedly arranged relative to said casing, wherein a surface profile of a second permanent magnet fixedly attached to said sleeve includes a plurality of magnetically polarized areas arranged with alternating polarities is moved relative to said first permanent magnet;
- detecting a first movement of the sleeve around the longitudinal axis of the administration device based on the magnetic field alteration to enable detection of a set dose amount;
- and
- detecting a second movement of the sleeve along the longitudinal axis of the administration device based on the magnetic field alteration to enable detection of administration of a dose of fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.