Infusion device and method with disposable portion
AssigneeMedtronic MiniMed, Inc.
InventorsSheldon B. Moberg, Ian B. Hanson, Paul S. Cheney, II
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims26
A delivery device for delivering an infusion media to a user, the device comprising:
- a disposable housing portion adapted to be secured to a user;
- a durable housing portion configured to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the disposable housing portion to allow disposal of the disposable housing portion without disposing of the durable housing portion;
- a reservoir for containing infusion media supported on the disposable housing portion;
- electrical control circuitry contained in the durable housing portion, wherein the electrical control circuitry controls the delivery of infusion media from the reservoir to the user when the durable housing portion and the disposable housing portion are engaged;
- the disposable housing portion comprising:
- a base portion having a surface configured to be placed adjacent a user's skin to adhere the base portion to the user's skin;
- a bladder containing a flowable agent;
- a conduit structure connected to the bladder;
- and
- an operator coupled to the bladder and operable by a user to selectively dispense the flowable agent from the bladder into the conduit structure;
- the conduit structure having at least one opening adjacent the surface of the base portion and arranged to dispense the flowable agent from the conduit structure to a space between the surface of the base portion and the user's skin, when the surface of the base portion is placed adjacent the user's skin.
A method of assembling a delivery device, the method comprising:
- providing a housing having a disposable housing portion with a base for arranging adjacent to a user, the housing also having a durable housing portion;
- configuring the durable housing portion for attaching the durable housing portion to the disposable housing portion in a manner that allows a user to selectively detach the durable housing portion from the disposable housing portion;
- supporting a reservoir for containing infusion media on the disposable housing portion;
- containing electrical control circuitry in the durable housing portion for controlling the delivery of the infusion media from the reservoir to the user;
- supporting a bladder with the housing;
- containing a flowable agent in the bladder;
- coupling a conduit structure in flow communication with the bladder;
- coupling an operator to the bladder for selectively dispensing the flowable agent from the bladder into the conduit structure;
- and
- arranging the conduit structure to dispense flowable agent from the conduit structure to a space between the surface of the base and the user's skin, when the surface of the base is arranged adjacent the user's skin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.