Rotary Sensor Assembly with Axial Switch and Redundancy Feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016287807-A1
Application number	US-201415036997-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensor assembly comprising a first rotary sensor part with a plurality of individual electrically conducting axial position sensor segments arranged in a circumferential pattern, and a second rotary sensor part arranged rotationally relative to the first portion and comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged electrically interconnected axial position contacts adapted to be arranged in contact with the axial position sensor segments. The assembly further comprises actuator means for axially moving the axial position contacts between a connected and a dis-connected position, wherein the axial position contacts and the axial position sensor segments are arranged such that for a given rotational position at least two axial position contacts each are in contact with a different axial position sensor segment.

First claim

1 . A sensor assembly comprising:
a first portion comprising a first rotary sensor part, the first rotary sensor part comprising a surface with a plurality of individual electrically conducting axial position sensor segments arranged in a circumferential pattern, a second portion comprising a second rotary sensor part arranged rotationally relative to the first portion, the second rotary sensor part comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged electrically interconnected axial position contact structures adapted to be arranged in contact with the conducting axial position sensor segment on the first sensor rotary part,
wherein the axial position contact structures each comprises an axial position contact having a connected position in which the axial position contact is in contact with an axial position sensor segment and a dis-connected position in which the axial position contact is not in contact with an axial position sensor segment,
actuator means for axially moving the axial position contacts between the connected and the dis-connected position,
wherein the axial position contacts and the axial position sensor segments are arranged such that for a given rotational position at least two axial position contacts each are in contact with a different axial position sensor segment.

2 . A sensor assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the gaps formed between two neighbouring axial position sensor segments are dimensioned such that an axial position contact structure will electrically connect the two axial position sensor segments when arranged corresponding to the gap.

3 . A sensor assembly as in claim 1 , further comprising electronic circuitry adapted to:
detect whether electric contact is established between the individual axial position sensor segments and an axial position contact, and detect a fail state when no electric contact is established for one of the axial position contacts when the axial position contacts are in the connected position.

4 . A sensor assembly as in claim 1 , wherein:
the first rotary sensor part surface further comprises a plurality of individual electrically conducting rotational position sensor segments arranged in a pattern, the second rotary sensor part further comprises a plurality of rotational position contact structures adapted to be in contact with conducting rotational position sensor segments on the first sensor rotary part, and the rotational position contact structures are configured to engage and connect different rotational position sensor segments as the first and second part of the rotary sensor rotate relative to each, the created connections being indicative of a rotational position between the first and second portions.

5 . A sensor assembly as in claim 4 , wherein the rotational position contact structures engages the position sensor segments in both the connected and the dis-connected positions.

6 . A sensor assembly as in claim 4 , further comprising:
electronic circuitry adapted to determine a rotational position between the first and second portions based on a given pattern of created connections.

7 . A sensor assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the second rotary sensor part is in the form of a metallic disc member comprising a plurality of integrally formed flexible contact arms forming the contact structures, at least two of the flexible contact arms being axially moveable to each form a flexible switch arm comprising an axial position contact.

8 . A sensor assembly as in claim 1 combination with a housing, wherein:
the first portion is arranged rotationally relative to the housing,
the second portion is arranged non-rotationally relative to the housing, and
at least one of the first and second portions are arranged axially moveable relative to the housing, and
the actuator means is arranged between the housing and the second portion.

9 . A combination as in claim 8 , wherein the actuator structure is in the form of a mechanical connection formed between the housing and the flexible switch arm, whereby relative axial movement between the housing and the second rotary sensor part moves the axial position contacts between the connected and dis-connected positions.

10 . A drug delivery device comprising a sensor assembly as in claim 1 , the drug delivery device further comprising:
a housing, a drug-filled cartridge or structure for receiving a drug-filled cartridge, the cartridge comprising an axially displaceable piston and a distal outlet portion, and drug expelling structure comprising:
dose setting structure allowing a user to set a dose of drug to be expelled,
an axially displaceable piston rod ( 128 ) adapted to move the piston of a cartridge in a distal direction to thereby expel drug from the cartridge,
an indicator member adapted to rotate corresponding to a set and/or expelled dose, and
an axially moveable actuation member adapted to actuate the drug expelling structure to thereby expel the set dose of drug,

wherein:
the first and second rotary sensor parts rotate relative to each other during setting and/or expelling of a dose of drug, and
the axial position contacts are actuated between the two positions when the actuation member is moved axially.

11 . A drug delivery device as in claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the sensor assembly is mounted to and rotates with the indicator member, the first portion comprising electronic circuitry adapted to estimate an amount of expelled drug based on detection of rotational movement between the first and second portions corresponding to a set and/or expelled dose.

12 . A drug delivery device as in claim 10 , wherein the indicator member is adapted to move axially between an initial and an actuated position, the first portion of the sensor assembly being mounted to move axially with the indicator member.

13 . A drug delivery device as in claim 12 , wherein the second portion is mounted to move axially with the indicator member.

14 . A drug delivery device as in claim 10 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises logging structure adapted to create a log for dose amounts of drug expelled from a cartridge by the drug expelling structure, wherein the dose amounts are calculated based on relative rotation between the first and second rotary sensor parts during setting and/or expelling of a dose of drug.

15 . A drug delivery device as in claim 10 , wherein the first portion comprises a display, and wherein the display may be turned off during rotation of the first portion.

Assignees

• Novo Nordisk As

Inventors

• Madsen John Oestergaard
• Windum Jesper Peter

Classifications

• G01D5/25

  Selecting one or more conductors or channels from a plurality of conductors or channels, e.g. by closing contacts · CPC title

• A61M2005/3126

  Specific display means related to dosing · CPC title

• A61M5/3155

  by rotational movement of dose setting member, e.g. during setting or filling of a syringe · CPC title

• G01D5/251

  one conductor or channel · CPC title

• A61M2205/52

  with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient · CPC title