Low force valves for drug delivery pumps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12429141-B2
Application number	US-202318338411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2023
Priority date	Jul 17, 2018
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed are examples of valve systems and methods of operating the respective valve systems. An example valve system may include a valve body, an inlet component, an outlet component and a valve tube. The valve body may include a first void and a second void. The inlet component may be coupled to the first void and the outlet component may be coupled to the second void. The valve tube may include a side port and may be positioned through the valve body and coupled to the first void, the inlet component, the second void, and the outlet component. Other valve system examples may include including a valve body, a first septum, a second septum, a first piston, a second piston and a tube. The disclosed methods describe the interaction of the respective components of the respective valve system example.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve system, comprising:
a valve body;
a first septum positioned within the valve body;
a second septum positioned within the valve body and aligned with the first septum along a first axis;
a first piston coupled to a first pump chamber and positioned on a first side of the first septum and a first side of the second septum;
a second piston coupled to a second pump chamber and positioned on a second side of the first septum and a second side of the second septum, wherein the first piston and the second piston are aligned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and
a tube piercing through the first septum and the second septum, the tube comprising a first side port, a second side port, and a center plug positioned between the first and second side ports.

2. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the tube is positioned through the valve body and the first septum and the second septum and positioned between the first and second pistons.

3. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the first side port is coupled to an inlet component portion of the tube and the second side port coupled to an outlet component portion of the tube.

4. The valve system of claim 3 , wherein the inlet component portion is coupled to a reservoir storing a fluid and the outlet component portion coupled to a fluid path component.

5. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein during a first stage of operation, the tube is operable to be moved to couple the first side port to the first piston and the first pump chamber and to couple the second side port to the second piston and the second pump chamber.

6. The valve system of claim 5 , wherein during a second stage of operation subsequent to the first stage of operation, the first and second pistons are both operable to be moved in a first direction to draw fluid into the first pump chamber through an inlet component portion and the first side port and to pump out fluid from the second pump chamber through the second side port and an outlet component portion.

7. The valve system of claim 6 , wherein during a third stage of operation subsequent to the second stage of operation, the tube is operable to be moved to couple the first side port to the second piston and the second pump chamber and to couple the second side port to the first piston and the first pump chamber.

8. The valve system of claim 7 , wherein during a fourth stage of operation subsequent to the third stage of operation, the first and second pistons are both operable to be moved in a second direction opposite the first direction to draw fluid into the second pump chamber through the inlet component portion and the first side port and to pump out fluid from the first pump chamber through the second side port and the outlet component portion.

9. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the first septum includes a first angled opening, wherein the first angled opening is configured to allow a bidirectional flow of fluid.

10. The valve system of claim 9 , wherein the first septum includes a second angled opening, wherein the second angled opening is configured to allow a bidirectional flow of fluid.

11. A drug delivery device, comprising:
a valve body;
a first septum positioned within the valve body;
a second septum positioned with the valve body and aligned with the first septum, wherein the first septum forms a first radial seal facing the valve body and the second septum forms a second radial seal facing the valve body;
a first piston coupled to a first pump chamber and positioned on a first side of the first septum and a first side of the second septum;
a second piston coupled to a second pump chamber and positioned on a second side of the first septum and a second side of the second septum; and
a tube piercing through the first septum and the second septum, the tube comprising a first side port, a second side port, and a center plug positioned between the first and second side ports.

Assignees

• Insulet Corp

Inventors

• Mclaughlin Ian
• Allis Daniel

Classifications

• A61M39/223

  Multiway valves · CPC title

• A61M2039/224

  of the slide-valve type · CPC title

• A61M5/14216

  Reciprocating piston type · CPC title

• G05D7/0153

  using slidable elements · CPC title

• F16K2099/0086

  Medical applications · CPC title