Apparatus with a main control unit, a control unit and an electromechanical device and a method for operating such an apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9813003-B2
Application number	US-201214367458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 22, 2011
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus comprising an electromechanical device, a control unit, a main control unit and a motion detector, wherein said control unit is configured to control said electromechanical device. The invention also relates to a method for operating an apparatus with a main control unit, a control unit and an electromechanical device. The technical problem of providing an apparatus with an electromechanical device, the reliability of which is improved, is solved by an apparatus wherein the main control unit is configured to provide information to the control unit. The motion detector and the main control unit are configured such that information about the movement of the electromechanical device is provided by the motion detector at least to the main control unit. The technical problem is also solved by a method for operating an apparatus, in particular an apparatus or medical device according to the invention.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus comprising: an electromechanical device, a control unit, a main control unit and a motion detector, wherein said control unit is configured to control said electromechanical device, and wherein said electromechanical device is a motor, characterized in that said control unit and said main control unit are realized with microprocessors, said main control unit is configured to provide information to said control unit, and said motion detector and said main control unit are configured such that information about the movement of said electromechanical device is provided by said motion detector at least to said main control unit, wherein said main control unit is configured to provide information regarding control of the electromechanical device to said control unit, and said control unit is configured to provide a corresponding control signal to said electromechanical device to control said electromechanical device, wherein said motion detector and said main control unit are configured such that the information about the movement of said electromechanical device is provided by said motion detector to said main control unit and said control unit.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said motion detector is configured to provide the information to said control unit.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the main control unit is configured to control a switch to disconnect the control unit from the electromechanical device.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the main control unit is configured to control a switch to disconnect an H-bridge used to control the electromechanical device from a power supply.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the main control unit is configured to enable and/or disable the output of a voltage regulator providing power to the control unit.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said electromechanical device comprises a stepper motor.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said main control unit is configured to control at least a further element of said apparatus.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said motion detector comprises an optical chopper, an emission source and at least one detector.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
at least a first reservoir containing a first fluid, and
a fluidic channel connected at least to said first reservoir,
wherein said electromechanical device is configured to exert a pressure at least on said first fluid in said first reservoir such that said fluid is guided through said fluidic channel.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive train, wherein said electromechanical device drives said drive train to exert pressure on said first fluid.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second electromechanical device,
a second motion detector,
wherein said control unit is configured to control said second electromechanical device,
wherein said main control unit is configured to provide to said control unit and
wherein said second motion detector and said main control unit are configured such that information about the movement of second electromechanical device is provided by said second motion detector at least to said main control unit.

12. Medical device, in particular a portable medical device, for delivering at least one fluid, in particular a drug delivery device, comprising an apparatus according to claim 1 .

13. Method for operating an apparatus, in particular an apparatus or medical device according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of
providing information from a main control unit to a control unit, wherein said control unit and said main control unit are realized with microprocessors,
controlling an electromechanical device by means of said control unit, wherein said electromechanical device is a motor,
detecting movement of said electromechanical device, and
providing information about said movement of said electromechanical device to said main control unit.

14. Method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of
providing information about said movement of said electromechanical device to said control unit.

15. Method according to claim 13 , wherein said main control unit compares the information provided from said main control unit to said control unit with said information provided from said motion detector to said main control unit.

16. Method according to claim 13 , wherein the connection between an H-bridge used to control the electromechanical device and a power supply is interrupted by said main control unit in dependence of said information from said motion detector.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is configured to perform a comparative operation between the control signal sent to said electromechanical device and the information about the movement of said electromechanical device, and wherein said main control unit is configured to compare the information provided by the main control unit with the information about the movement of said electromechanical device, and, in the case of a mismatch between the information provided by the main control unit and the information about the movement of said electromechanical device, said main control unit is configured to overrule the control signal provided by the control unit.

18. A medical device for delivering at least one fluid, said medical device comprising:
an electromechanical device, wherein said electromechanical device is a motor,
a control unit,
a main control unit and
a motion detector,
wherein:
said control unit and said main control unit are realized with microprocessors,
said main control unit is configured to provide information regarding control of the electromechanical device to said control unit, and said control unit is configured to provide a corresponding control signal to said electromechanical device to control said electromechanical device,
said motion detector and said main control unit are configured such that information about the movement of said electromechanical device is provided by said motion detector to said main control unit and said control unit,
said control unit is configured to perform a comparative operation between the control signal sent to said electromechanical device and the information about the movement of said electromechanical device, and
said main control unit is configured to compare the information provided by the main control unit with the information about the movement of said electromechanical device, and, in the case of a mismatch between the information provided by the main control unit and the information about the movement of said electromechanical device, said main control unit is configured to overrule the control signal provided by the control unit.

Assignees

• Sanofi Aventis Deutschland

Inventors

• Day Shane Alistair
• Yates Barry
• O'Hare Aidan Michael

Classifications

• A61M5/30

  Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules · CPC title

• A61M2205/3306

  Optical measuring means · CPC title

• A61M5/14546

  Front-loading type injectors · CPC title

• A61M5/2448

  comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing · CPC title

• A61M2205/103

  rotating · CPC title