Methods and apparatuses for detecting medical device acceleration, temperature, and humidity conditions

An external infusion device for infusing fluid into a person from a reservoir, comprising:

• a reservoir;
• a housing adapted to be carried on an exterior of the person;
• a drive mechanism contained in the housing and operatively coupled to the reservoir to deliver fluid from the reservoir into the person;
• a processor contained in the housing;
• an indicator operatively coupled to the processor and adapted to provide at least one of a visual indication, an audible indication, or a tactile indication to indicate information about the infusion device to the person;
• and
• an acceleration sensor coupled to the processor and adapted to provide an acceleration output signal as a function of acceleration forces acting on the housing, wherein the acceleration sensor is an impact switch disposed within the housing, the impact switch comprising:
• an electrical input and an electrical output,
• an electrically conductive seismic mass having an anchored end and a free end, the mass being electrically coupled to the electrical output, and coupled to the housing at the anchored end and adapted for resilient deflection at the free end in a plurality of directions, and
• a plurality of electrically conductive contact surfaces fixedly mounted adjacent to the mass, each of the contact surfaces being electrically coupled to the electrical input,
• wherein the mass is adapted to deflect in one of the plurality of directions from a first position to a second position, touch one of the plurality of contact surfaces, and return from the second position to the first position such that a circuit between the electrical input and the electrical output is closed to provide the acceleration output signal when a predetermined acceleration force in one of the plurality of directions acts on the housing, and
• wherein the seismic mass comprises:
• an electrically conductive arm member having an anchored end and a free end, the arm member being electrically coupled to the electrical output and coupled to the housing at the anchored end and adapted for resilient deflection at the free end in the plurality of directions;
• and
• an electrically conductive impact head mounted on the free end of the arm member, the impact head being electrically coupled to the arm member,
• wherein the arm member is adapted to deflect in one of the plurality of directions from the first position to the second position, the impact head is adapted to touch one of the plurality of contact surfaces, and the arm member is adapted to return from the second position to the first position such that a circuit between the electrical input and the electrical output is closed to provide the acceleration output signal when a predetermined acceleration force in one of the plurality of directions acts on the housing, and wherein the arm member has a curved bend,
• wherein the processor is adapted to control the infusion device in accordance with the acceleration output signal.