Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080267796 | Residual energy recovery in a drug delivery device - An implantable drug delivery device includes a pump motor that is driven by electrical energy from a storage capacitor. At the end of each pump delivery cycle, electrical energy stored in the pump motor is recovered and returned to the storage capacitor, so that it can be used in subsequent delivery cycles. | 10-30-2008 |
20080269724 | Implantable drug delivery device with programmable rate capacitor charge control - An implantable drug delivery device includes a pump motor that is asserted by drive currents from a storage capacitor. A programmable rate charge control delivers charging current from a battery to the storage capacitor based upon a programmable charge rate value, a minimum battery voltage value, sensed charging current, and sensed battery voltage. When sensed battery voltage droops to below a threshold value, the charge control reduces the charging rate value until other electrical loads within the drug device have been serviced and battery voltage is restored. The charge control also monitors capacitor voltage and provides a charge complete signal to a motor control, which then connects the pump motor to the storage capacitor to produce a pump stroke. Efficiency of charging is enhanced by controlling the charging at a programmable substantially constant rate. | 10-30-2008 |
20080286132 | REDUCING CYLINDER WEAR IN A DRUG PUMP - The present invention relates to a method and related apparatus for rotating a piston of a drug pump during the pumping stroke to reduce drug pump wear. The actuator may move a piston that pumps fluid through a pumping channel. In the present invention, the armature includes one or more openings or shapes that cause the actuator, including the armature and the piston, to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the piston during the pumping stroke. Rotation of the actuator member may help to reduce wear to the actuator member and the pump itself caused by repetitive pumping motions. | 11-20-2008 |
20080294098 | End of stroke detection for electromagnetic pump - Detection of end of stroke for an electromagnetic pump is performed using, for example, a calculated first flux derivative. | 11-27-2008 |
20080312595 | ARTICULATED ACTUATOR FOR IMPLANTABLE PUMP - The present invention is an actuator for a piston pump that includes a separately formed piston and armature. The piston and the armature are later assembled together or are inserted into the piston pump in such a manner as to cooperate during pumping. Assembling the piston and the armature as separate components may provide for improved form of the piston component when manufactured separately from the armature, due to, for example, increased simplification of the manufacturing process. In addition, effects of manufacturing the piston and the armature together, such as stress on the piston, may be reduced. | 12-18-2008 |
20090118711 | REDUCED-NOISE IMPLANTABLE INFUSION DEVICE - A drive mechanism for delivery of infusion medium in an implantable medical device includes an inlet for receiving the infusion medium and a piston channel for communication of infusion medium received by the inlet. The piston channel has a distal end and a proximal end. The proximal end is closer to the inlet than the distal end. The drive mechanism further includes a coil surrounding the piston channel and a piston located within the piston channel and moveable axially within the piston channel to drive infusion medium out of the distal end of the piston channel. The mechanism also includes an armature operably coupled to the piston and disposed adjacent the coil. The armature has first and second opposing major surfaces and a plurality of vents extending through the armature from the first major surface to the second major surface. The plurality of vents cumulatively occupy between about 20% and about 40% of the total surface area of the first major surface. Electromagnetic interaction between the armature and the coil cause the piston move in the channel. | 05-07-2009 |
20100152714 | AIR TOLERANT IMPLANTABLE PISTON PUMP - An implantable infusion device includes a reservoir for housing an infusion medium and a drive mechanism having an inlet chamber, a piston and a piston channel. The inlet chamber is in fluid communication with the reservoir. The piston channel is in fluid communication with the inlet chamber, and has a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being closer to the inlet channel than the distal end. The piston is axially moveable within the piston channel to drive infusion medium out of the distal end of the piston channel. The clearance between the piston and the channel is sufficiently small to prevent undissolved gas in the inlet chamber from passing through the clearance. The inlet chamber may be sufficiently large to allow undissolved gas to accumulate without adversely affecting the performance of the infusion device. | 06-17-2010 |
20100280447 | MEDICAL PUMP WITH FIXED STROKE LENGTH - A method comprises measuring a volume of fluid delivered per pump stroke for each of a plurality of substantially identical medical pumps. The substantially identical medical pumps each have a fixed stroke length. The method further comprises: storing indications of the measured volumes on one or more data storage mediums; and for each of the plurality of substantially identical medical pumps, generating a separate therapy control program based on the indication of the measured volume associated with that one of the plurality of substantially identical medical pumps. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280501 | MODULAR MEDICAL PUMP ASSEMBLY - A medical pump subassembly comprises a magnetic cup forming a recess. The magnetic cup includes a protrusion within the recess. The cup forms a central aperture through the protrusion. The medical pump subassembly further comprises an electromagnetic coil within the recess and circumscribing the protrusion, a weld ring surrounding the recess, a barrier plate covering the recess, and a seal between the weld ring and the barrier plate to fluidically separate an interior of the cup from an external surface of the barrier plate. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280502 | MODULAR MEDICAL PUMP - An implantable medical device comprises a fluid reservoir configured to store a therapeutic agent; a port configured to deliver the therapeutic agent to a patient; a medical pump subassembly configured to actively transfer the therapeutic fluid from the fluid reservoir to the port; and a housing that contains the fluid reservoir, the port and the medical pump subassembly. The medical pump subassembly is configured to facilitate mechanical and electrical testing of the medical pump subassembly as a standalone component. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280531 | SNAP-ON SUTURE RING FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - A suture bar for securing an implantable medical device into a body. The suture bar including a body member having a length disposed between a first and a second end, the body member being formed of a generally elongate tube that is piercable by a suture needle. The suture bar also including a first and second connector fixedly attached on the first and second end of the body member, the first and second connector operable to connect the implantable medical device to a pocket in a body. | 11-04-2010 |
20110166522 | ACCUMULATOR FOR THERAPEUTIC FLUID DELIVERY DEVICES - A therapeutic fluid delivery device includes a flexible member configured as an accumulator for flow of a therapeutic fluid through the fluid delivery device to a patient. In one example, the flexible member includes a catheter access port (CAP) septum. | 07-07-2011 |
20110172646 | MULTI-MATERIAL SINGLE-PIECE ACTUATOR MEMBER FOR MINIATURE RECIPROCATING PISTON PUMP IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS - An implantable medical device including a two piece actuator member which comprises a monocrystaline piston and a magnetizable pole. The monocrystalline piston is positioned within a piston channel having a surface having a titanium-oxide layer. The monocrystalline piston is selectively movable within the piston bore to permit intake and output of fluids. | 07-14-2011 |
20110280737 | END OF STROKE DETECTION FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC PUMP - Detection of end of stroke for an electromagnetic pump is performed using, for example, a calculated first flux derivative. | 11-17-2011 |
20110296925 | CAPACITIVE PRESSURE SENSOR ASSEMBLY - The disclosure is directed to a capacitive pressure sensor, and the assembly of a capacitive pressure sensor, that may be used within an implantable medical pump. In one example, a housing ferrule that encloses one capacitive plate and includes at least one protrusion for attaching a support structure of the capacitive plate. The at least one protrusion defines a smaller inner diameter as a reference point for securing the support structure while the ferrule provides a larger inner diameter to allow the support structure to tilt inside the ferrule to orient the capacitive plate into a desired plane. Despite manufacturing irregularities, the capacitive plate can be mounted in the desired plane parallel to another capacitive plate, a diaphragm, mounted to an edge of the ferrule. In another example, an assembly tool provides a stage to orient the capacitive plate and support structure within the ferrule at a desired depth. | 12-08-2011 |
20110301575 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL PUMP WITH PRESSURE SENSOR - The disclosure is directed to a pressure sensor of an implantable medical device. The pressure sensor may utilize detect fluid pressure based on a changing capacitance between two capacitive elements. The pressure sensor may define at least a portion of a fluid enclosure of the IMD. In one example, the pressure sensor has a self-aligning housing shape that occludes an opening in the pump bulkhead of the IMD. An operative surface of the pressure and the portion of the fluid enclosure may be formed of a corrosion resistant and/or biocompatible material. A first capacitive element of the pressure sensor may be a metal alloy diaphragm that deflects in response to external fluid pressure. A second capacitive element of the pressure sensor may be a metal coating on a rigid insulator sealed from the fluid by the diaphragm and a housing of the sensor. | 12-08-2011 |
20120197238 | MEDICAL PUMP WITH FIXED STROKE LENGTH - A method comprises measuring a volume of fluid delivered per pump stroke for each of a plurality of substantially identical medical pumps. The substantially identical medical pumps each have a fixed stroke length. The method further comprises: storing indications of the measured volumes on one or more data storage mediums; and for each of the plurality of substantially identical medical pumps, generating a separate therapy control program based on the indication of the measured volume associated with that one of the plurality of substantially identical medical pumps. | 08-02-2012 |
20120259283 | DETECTING FILL STATUS FOR MEDICAL PUMP RESERVOIR - A medical device system comprises a reservoir configured to store a therapeutic fluid and a medical pump configured to deliver the therapeutic fluid from the reservoir to a patient. The system also comprises a reservoir fill level detector configured to detect a fill status of the reservoir, the reservoir fill level detector including a contact pad operably attached to the reservoir whereby the contact pad moves in a predetermined path during the emptying and filling of the reservoir. A resistor strip mounted on the inside of the chamber is in continual contact with the contact pad and the resistance of an electric current passed through the resistor strip is monitored by a processor to determine the position of a selected portion of the reservoir. The position of the reservoir is directly related to the fill status. | 10-11-2012 |
20120265141 | DETECTING A FULL RESERVOIR OF AN IMPLANTABLE INFUSION DEVICE - An implantable infusion device includes a housing and a collapsible member and an interference member disposed within the housing. The collapsible member defines a reservoir for containing fluid and has an outer surface that moves between an empty position and a full position in response to a change in volume of fluid contained in the reservoir. The interference member is configured to engage the outer surface of the collapsible member as the reservoir approaches the full position and to cause pressure in the reservoir to increase following engagement with the surface of the collapsible member and concomitant fluid introduction into the reservoir. The infusion device further includes a pressure sensor in communication with the reservoir, which can be used to determine whether the reservoir is full by measuring characteristic pressures associated with the interference member engaging the outer surface of the collapsible member and concomitant fluid introduction into the reservoir. | 10-18-2012 |
20130096503 | ACCUMULATOR FOR IMPLANTABLE INFUSION DEVICE - An accumulator is employed in an implantable infusion device to provide compliance in the flow path of the device. The accumulator may act to increase the pumping accuracy and repeatability while simultaneously reducing the energy requirements of the device. In one example, the accumulator is arranged at the outlet of a fluid delivery pump of the infusion device. The accumulator includes a cover and a diaphragm biased away from the cover and configured to deflect toward the cover under pressure generated by the therapeutic agent in a flow path of the infusion device. The cover of the accumulator is configured to withstand the pressure generated by the therapeutic agent in the flow path without deforming. | 04-18-2013 |
20130096537 | IMPLANTABLE INFUSION DEVICE INCLUDING ANTI-SEALING RESERVOIR - Techniques are disclosed for reducing the accumulation of gases in an implantable infusion device. In one example, an implantable infusion device (IID) includes a housing, an expandable and contractible reservoir, and a standoff member. The expandable and contractible reservoir is configured to store a therapeutic agent and is arranged within the housing. A first end of the reservoir is configured to collapse toward a second end of the reservoir as the reservoir contracts. The standoff member is interposed between the first end and the second end of the reservoir and is configured to hold at least a portion of the first end offset from the second end when the reservoir is in a contracted state. | 04-18-2013 |