System and techniques for drug reservoir volume detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11458250-B2
Application number	US-201916428294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

Reservoir systems with improved wake up and fill volume detection techniques are provided. An example reservoir system may include a flexible reservoir and electrical components for detecting fill volume of the flexible reservoir without adversely affecting performance of the flexible reservoir when receiving or dispensing a liquid drug.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a flexible reservoir;
a pair of electrical contact elements operable to contact one another when the flexible reservoir is empty;
a fluid path component coupled to the flexible reservoir; and
a controller component coupled to the electrical contact elements.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of electrical contact elements include:
a first clamp component positioned under the flexible reservoir; and
a second clamp component positioned over the flexible reservoir.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller component is operable to:
detect a capacitance between the first and second clamp components when the flexible reservoir is filled with a first amount of the liquid;
use the detected capacitance to determine a distance between the first and second clamp components; and
determine a fill volume of the flexible reservoir based the determined distance.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second clamp component positioned over the flexible reservoir is operable to move as the flexible reservoir fills.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second clamp component is further operable to move away from the first clamp component.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first clamp component and the second clamp component are coupled together by one or more springs.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second clamp component contacts the first clamp component at an outer portion of the second clamp component.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the fluid path component extends into an interior of the flexible reservoir.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path component is operable to enable a fluid to enter or exit the reservoir.

Assignees

• Insulet Corp

Inventors

• Phillips Kenneth
• CARDINALI Steven
• Nazzaro David

Classifications

• G01F23/263

  by measuring variations in capacitance of capacitors · CPC title

• A61M5/1684 Primary

  by detecting the amount of infusate remaining, e.g. signalling end of infusion · CPC title

• A61M2205/3389

  Continuous level detection (A61M2205/3393 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M5/14593

  the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title