Patent Grant
8206353
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to systems and methods with reservoirs and, in specific embodiments, to systems and methods with reservoirs with multiple layers, including, but not limited to, reservoirs in pen-like injection devices.
2. Related Art
According to modern medical techniques, certain chronic diseases may be treated by delivering a medication or other substance to the body of a patient. For example, diabetes is a chronic disease that is commonly treated by delivering defined amounts of insulin to a patient at appropriate times. In recent times, modern systems have been designed to include programmable pumps for delivering controlled amounts of medication to a patient.
Pump-type delivery devices have been configured in external devices, which connect to a patient, and have been configured in implantable devices, which are implanted inside of the body of a patient. External pump-type delivery devices include devices designed for use in a stationary location, such as a hospital, a clinic, or the like, and further include devices configured for ambulatory or portable use, such as devices designed to be carried by a patient, or the like. External pump-type delivery devices may contain reservoirs of fluidic media, such as, but is not limited to, insulin. External pump-type delivery devices may be connected in fluid flow communication to a patient or user-patient, for example, through a suitable hollow tubing. The hollow tubing may be connected to a hollow needle that is designed to pierce the skin of the patient and to deliver fluidic media there through. Alternatively, the hollow tubing may be connected directly to the patient as through a cannula, or the like.
Examples of some external pump type delivery devices are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/211,095, filed Aug. 23, 2005, titled “Infusion Device And Method With Disposable Portion” and Published PCT Application WO 01/70307 (PCT/US01/09139) titled “Exchangeable Electronic Cards For Infusion Devices” (each of which is owned by the assignee of the present invention), Published PCT Application WO 04/030716 (PCT/US2003/028769) titled “Components And Methods For Patient Infusion Device,” Published PCT Application WO 04/030717 (PCT/US2003/029019) titled “Dispenser Components And Methods For Infusion Device,” U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0065760 titled “Method For Advising Patients Concerning Doses Of Insulin,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,229 titled “Wearable Self-Contained Drug Infusion Device,” each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
External pump type delivery devices may be connected in fluid-flow communication to a user-patient, for example, through a suitable hollow tubing. The hollow tubing may be connected to a hollow needle that is designed to pierce the user-patient's skin and deliver an infusion medium to the user-patient. Alternatively, the hollow tubing may be connected directly to the user-patient as or through a cannula or set of micro-needles.
In contexts in which the hollow tubing is connected to the user-patient through a hollow needle that pierces the user-patient's skin, a manual insertion of the needle into the user-patient can be somewhat traumatic to the user-patient. Accordingly, insertion mechanisms have been made to assist the insertion of a needle into the user-patient, whereby a needle is forced by a spring to quickly move from a retracted position into an extended position. As the needle is moved into the extended position, the needle is quickly forced through the user-patient's skin in a single, relatively abrupt motion that can be less traumatic to certain user-patients as compared to a slower, manual insertion of a needle. While a quick thrust of the needle into the user-patient's skin may be less traumatic to some patient's than a manual insertion, it is believed that, in some contexts, some patients may feel less trauma if the needle is moved a very slow, steady pace. Examples of insertion mechanisms that may be used with and may be built into a delivery device are described in: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/645,435, filed Dec. 26, 2006, titled “Infusion Medium Delivery system, Device And Method With Needle Inserter And Needle Inserter Device And Method,”; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/211,095, filed Aug. 23, 2005, titled “Infusion Device And Method With Disposable Portion” (each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention), each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other examples of insertion tools are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0022855, titled “Insertion Device For An Insertion Set And Method Of Using The Same” (assigned to the assignee of the present invention), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other examples of needle/cannula insertion tools that may be used (or modified for use) to insert a needle and/or cannula, are described in, for example U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/389,132 filed Mar. 14, 2003, and entitled “Auto Insertion Device For Silhouette Or Similar Products,” and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/314,653 filed Dec. 9, 2002, and entitled “Insertion Device For Insertion Set and Method of Using the Same,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Pump type delivery devices can be significantly convenient to a user-patient, in that accurate doses of insulin may be calculated and delivered automatically to a user-patient at any time during the day or night. Furthermore, when used in conjunction with glucose sensors or monitors, insulin pumps may be automatically controlled to provide appropriate doses of infusion medium at appropriate times of need, based on sensed or monitored levels of blood glucose.
Pump type delivery devices have become an important aspect of modern medical treatments of various types of medical conditions, such as diabetes. As pump technologies improve and as doctors and user-patients become more familiar with such devices, the popularity of external medical infusion pump treatment increases and is expected to increase substantially over the next decade.
A system for delivering fluidic media may include a housing, a reservoir, and a fluid conduit. The reservoir may be disposed within the housing. The reservoir may have at least one wall bordering an interior volume for containing fluidic media. The wall may be made of a material comprising a cyclic olefin copolymer. The material of the wall may substantially prevent light from passing through the material of the wall. The fluid conduit may be in communication with the interior volume of the reservoir for allowing fluidic media contained in the interior volume to be expelled from the reservoir.
In various embodiments, the fluid conduit may comprise a needle. In various embodiments, the reservoir may be removable from the housing. In various embodiments, the wall may comprise at least one layer made of a material that is not a cyclic olefin copolymer. In various embodiments, the wall may be opaque to substantially prevent light from passing through the material of the wall. In various embodiments, the wall may be adapted to be at least one of frosted, textured, and etched to substantially prevent light from passing through the material of the wall. In various embodiments, the wall may have a light transmission at 400 nm of less than 25%.
In various embodiments, the wall of the reservoir may have at least one window for allowing light to pass into the interior volume of the reservoir. In some embodiments, the reservoir may have a circular cross-section circumference. The at least one window may have a width dimension corresponding to less than a quarter of the circular cross-section circumference of the reservoir. In some embodiments, the at least one window may have a width dimension corresponding to an angle of less than 90° relative to a central axis of the reservoir.
In some embodiments, the at least one window may be for providing a viewing angle into the interior volume of the reservoir of less than 90° relative to a central axis of the reservoir. In some embodiments, the at least one window may comprise a plurality of windows. Each of the plurality of windows may be offset less than 90° relative to a central axis of the reservoir from any other window of the plurality of windows.
In some embodiments, the housing may be sufficiently transparent for allowing light to pass through the housing and the window in the reservoir into the interior volume of the reservoir. In some embodiments, the housing may have at least one window for allowing light to pass through the at least one window of the housing and the at least one window in the reservoir into the interior volume of the reservoir. In further embodiments, the at least one window of the housing may be adjacent and facing the at least one window of the reservoir.
In some embodiments, the window may have a width dimension extending partially around a central axis of the reservoir. The width dimension may be between a first width edge and a second width edge. The first width edge may be linearly spaced from the central axis of the reservoir in a first linear dimension, and the second width edge may be linearly spaced from the central axis of the reservoir in a second linear dimension. The first linear dimension and the second linear dimension may be at an angle of less than 90° relative to each other.
In various embodiments, the system may further include a drive mechanism for forcing fluidic media from the interior volume of the reservoir out the fluid conduit in a case where the interior volume of the reservoir contains fluidic media and the drive mechanism is activated.
A method of manufacturing a system for delivering fluidic media may include (but is not limited to) any one of or combination of: (i) providing a housing; (ii) disposing a reservoir within the housing, the reservoir having at least one wall bordering an interior volume for containing fluidic media, the wall being made of a material comprising a cyclic olefin copolymer, the wall for substantially preventing light from passing through the material of the wall; and (iii) providing a fluid conduit in communication with the interior volume of the reservoir for allowing fluidic media contained in the interior volume of the reservoir to be expelled from the reservoir. In various embodiments, the wall of the reservoir may have at least one window for allowing light to pass into the interior volume of the reservoir.
The system 10, the delivery device 12, the sensing device 14, the CCD 16, and computer 18 may be similar to those described in the following U.S. patent applications that were assigned to the assignee of the present invention, however, with a reservoir configuration such as described herein (e.g.,
The delivery device 12 may be configured to deliver fluidic media to the body 5 of the user-patient 7. In various embodiments, fluidic media may include a liquid, a fluid, a gel, or the like. In some embodiments, fluidic media may include a medicine or a drug for treating a disease or a medical condition. For example, fluidic media may include insulin for treating diabetes, or may include a drug for treating pain, cancer, a pulmonary disorder, HIV, or the like. In some embodiments, fluidic media may include a nutritional supplement, a dye, a tracing medium, a saline medium, a hydration medium, or the like.
The sensing device 14 may include a sensor, a monitor, or the like, for providing sensor data or monitor data. In various embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be configured to sense a condition of the user-patient 7. For example, the sensing device 14 may include electronics and enzymes reactive to a biological condition, such as a blood glucose level, or the like, of the user-patient 7.
In various embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be secured to the body 5 of the user-patient 7 or embedded in the body 5 of the user-patient 7 at a location that is remote from the location at which the delivery device 12 is secured to the body 5 of the user-patient 7. In various other embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be incorporated within the delivery device 12. In other embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be separate and apart from the delivery device, and may be, for example, part of the CCD 16. In such embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be configured to receive a biological sample, analyte, or the like, to measure a condition of the user-patient 7.
In further embodiments, the sensing device 14 and/or the delivery device 12 may utilize a closed-loop system. Examples of sensing devices and/or delivery devices utilizing closed-loop systems may be found at, but are not limited to, the following references: (i) U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,608, entitled “Electrochemical Sensor And Integrity Tests Therefor”; (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,028, entitled “Implantable Enzyme-Based Monitoring Systems Having Improved Longevity Due To Improved Exterior Surfaces”; (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,229, entitled “Implantable Enzyme-Based Monitoring Systems Adapted for Long Term Use”; (iv) U.S. Pat. No. 6,740,072, entitled “System And Method For Providing Closed Loop Infusion Formulation Delivery”; (v) U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,702, entitled “Safety Limits For Closed-Loop Infusion Pump Control”; (vi) U.S. Pat. No. 7,323,142, entitled “Sensor Substrate And Method Of Fabricating Same”; (vii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/360,342, filed Jul. 22, 1999, entitled “Substrate Sensor”; and (viii) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/318,060, filed Sep. 7, 2001, entitled “Sensing Apparatus and Process”, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
In such embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be configured to sense a condition of the user-patient 7, such as, but not limited to, blood glucose level, or the like. The delivery device 12 may be configured to deliver fluidic media in response to the condition sensed by the sensing device 14. In turn, the sensing device 14 may continue to sense a new condition of the user-patient, allowing the delivery device 12 to deliver fluidic media continuously in response to the new condition sensed by the sensing device 14 indefinitely. In some embodiments, the sensing device 14 and/or the delivery device 12 may be configured to utilize the closed-loop system only for a portion of the day, for example only when the user-patient is asleep or awake.
Each of the delivery device 12, the sensing device 14, the CCD 16, and the computer 18 may include transmitter, receiver, or transceiver electronics that allow for communication with other components of the system 10. The sensing device 14 may be configured to transmit sensor data or monitor data to the delivery device 12. The sensing device 14 may also be configured to communicate with the CCD 16. The delivery device 12 may include electronics and software that are configured to analyze sensor data and to deliver fluidic media to the body 5 of the user-patient 7 based on the sensor data and/or preprogrammed delivery routines.
The CCD 16 and the computer 18 may include electronics and other components configured to perform processing, delivery routine storage, and to control the delivery device 12. By including control functions in the CCD 16 and/or the computer 18, the delivery device 12 may be made with more simplified electronics. However, in some embodiments, the delivery device 12 may include all control functions, and may operate without the CCD 16 and the computer 18. In various embodiments, the CCD 16 may be a portable electronic device. In addition, in various embodiments, the delivery device 12 and/or the sensing device 14 may be configured to transmit data to the CCD 16 and/or the computer 18 for display or processing of the data by the CCD 16 and/or the computer 18.
In some embodiments, the sensing device 14 may be integrated into the CCD 16. Such embodiments may allow the user-patient to monitor a condition by providing, for example, a sample of his or her blood to the sensing device 14 to assess his or her condition. In some embodiments, the sensing device 14 and the CCD 16 may be for determining glucose levels in the blood and/or body fluids of the user-patient without the use of, or necessity of, a wire or cable connection between the delivery device 12 and the sensing device 14 and/or the CCD 16.
In some embodiments, the CCD 16 may be for providing information to the user-patient that facilitates the user-patient's subsequent use of a drug delivery system. For example, the CCD 16 may provide information to the user-patient to allow the user-patient to determine the rate or dose of medication to be administered into the body of the user-patient. In other embodiments, the CCD 16 may provide information to the delivery device 12 to control the rate or dose of medication administered into the body of the user-patient
Examples of the types of communications and/or control capabilities, as well as device feature sets and/or program options may be found in the following references: (i) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/445,477, filed May 27, 2003, entitled “External Infusion Device with Remote Programming, Bolus Estimator and/or Vibration Alarm Capabilities”; (ii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/429,385, filed May 5, 2003, entitled “Handheld Personal Data Assistant (PDA) with a Medical Device and Method of Using the Same”; and (iii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/813,660, filed Mar. 21, 2001, entitled “Control Tabs for Infusion Devices and Methods of Using the Same,” all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Elements of the delivery device 12 that ordinarily contact the body of a user-patient or that ordinarily contact fluidic media during operation of the delivery device 12 may be considered as a disposable portion of the delivery device 12. For example, a disposable portion of the delivery device 12 may include the disposable housing 20 and the reservoir system 40. The disposable portion of the delivery device 12 may be recommended for disposal after a specified number of uses.
On the other hand, elements of the delivery device 12 that do not ordinarily contact the body of the user-patient or fluidic media during operation of the delivery device 12 may be considered as a durable portion of the delivery device 12. For example, a durable portion of the delivery device 12 may include the durable housing 30, electronics (not shown in
In various embodiments, the disposable housing 20 supports the reservoir system 40 and has a bottom surface (facing downward and into the page in
In other embodiments, the disposable housing 20 and/or the remaining portions of the delivery device 12 may be worn or otherwise attached on or underneath clothing of the user-patient. Similarly, the delivery device 12 may be supported by any suitable manner, such as, but not limited to, on a belt, in a pocket, and the like. Representative examples of such delivery devices 12 may include, but is not limited to, the MiniMed Paradigm 522 Insulin Pump, MiniMed Paradigm 722 Insulin Pump, MiniMed Paradigm 515 Insulin Pump, MiniMed Paradigm 715 Insulin Pump, MiniMed Paradigm 512R Insulin Pump, MiniMed Paradigm 712R Insulin Pump, MiniMed 508 Insulin Pump, MiniMed 508R Insulin Pump, and any other derivatives thereof.
The reservoir system 40 is configured for containing or holding fluidic media, such as, but not limited to insulin. In various embodiments, the reservoir system 40 includes a hollow interior volume for receiving fluidic media, such as, but not limited to, a cylinder-shaped volume, a tubular-shaped volume, or the like. In some embodiments, the reservoir system 40 may be provided as a cartridge or canister for containing fluidic media. In various embodiments, the reservoir system 40 can be refilled with fluidic media. In further embodiments, the reservoir system 40 is pre-filled with fluidic media.
The reservoir system 40 may be supported by the disposable housing 20 in any suitable manner. For example, the disposable housing 20 may be provided with projections or struts (not shown), or a trough feature (not shown), for holding the reservoir system 40. In some embodiments, the reservoir system 40 may be supported by the disposable housing 20 in a manner that allows the reservoir system 40 to be removed from the disposable housing 20 and replaced with another reservoir. Alternatively, or in addition, the reservoir system 40 may be secured to the disposable housing 20 by a suitable adhesive, a strap, or other coupling structure.
In various embodiments, the reservoir system 40 includes a port 41 for allowing fluidic media to flow into and/or flow out of the interior volume of the reservoir system 40. In some embodiments, the infusion path 50 includes a connector 56, a tube 54, and a needle apparatus 52. The connector 56 of the infusion path 50 may be connectable to the port 41 of the reservoir system 40. In various embodiments, the disposable housing 20 is configured with an opening near the port 41 of the reservoir system 40 for allowing the connector 56 of the infusion path 50 to be selectively connected to and disconnected from the port 41 of the reservoir system 40.
In various embodiments, the port 41 of the reservoir system 40 is covered with or supports a septum (not shown in
Examples of needle/septum connectors can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/328,393, filed Dec. 22, 2003, entitled “Reservoir Connector,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In other alternatives, non-septum connectors such as Luer locks, or the like may be used. In various embodiments, the needle apparatus 52 of the infusion path 50 includes a needle that is able to puncture the skin of a user-patient. In addition, in various embodiments, the tube 54 connects the connector 56 with the needle apparatus 52 and is hollow, such that the infusion path 50 is able to provide a path to allow for the delivery of fluidic media from the reservoir system 40 to the body of a user-patient.
The durable housing 30 of the delivery device 12 in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention includes a housing shell configured to mate with and secure to the disposable housing 20. The durable housing 30 and the disposable housing 20 may be provided with correspondingly shaped grooves, notches, tabs, or other suitable features, that allow the two parts to easily connect together, by manually pressing the two housings together, by twist or threaded connection, or other suitable manner of connecting the parts that is well known in the mechanical arts.
In various embodiments, the durable housing 30 and the disposable housing 20 may be connected to each other using a twist action. The durable housing 30 and the disposable housing 20 may be configured to be separable from each other when a sufficient force is applied to disconnect the two housings from each other. For example, in some embodiments the disposable housing 20 and the durable housing 30 may be snapped together by friction fitting. In various embodiments, a suitable seal, such as an o-ring seal, may be placed along a peripheral edge of the durable housing 30 and/or the disposable housing 20, to provide a seal against water entering between the durable housing 30 and the disposable housing 20.
The durable housing 30 of the delivery device 12 may support a drive device (not shown in
Also, in some embodiments, the motor may be controllable to reverse direction to move the plunger arm and the plunger head to cause fluid to be drawn into the reservoir system 40 from a patient. The motor may be arranged within the durable housing 30 and the reservoir system 40 may be correspondingly arranged on the disposable housing 20, such that the operable engagement of the motor with the plunger head, through the appropriate linkage, occurs automatically upon the user-patient connecting the durable housing 30 with the disposable housing 20 of the delivery device 12. Further examples of linkage and control structures may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/813,660, filed Mar. 21, 2001, entitled “Control Tabs for Infusion Devices and Methods of Using the Same”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In various embodiments, the durable housing 30 and the disposable housing 20 may be made of suitably rigid materials that maintain their shape, yet provide sufficient flexibility and resilience to effectively connect together and disconnect, as described above. The material of the disposable housing 20 may be selected for suitable compatibility with skin. For example, the disposable housing 20 and the durable housing 30 of the delivery device 12 may be made of any suitable plastic, metal, composite material, or the like. The disposable housing 20 may be made of the same type of material or a different material relative to the durable housing 30. In some embodiments, the disposable housing 20 and the durable housing 30 may be manufactured by injection molding or other molding processes, machining processes, or combinations thereof.
For example, the disposable housing 20 may be made of a relatively flexible material, such as a flexible silicone, plastic, rubber, synthetic rubber, or the like. By forming the disposable housing 20 of a material capable of flexing with the skin of a user-patient, a greater level of user-patient comfort may be achieved when the disposable housing 20 is secured to the skin of the user-patient. In addition, a flexible disposable housing 20 may result in an increase in site options on the body of the user-patient at which the disposable housing 20 may be secured.
In the embodiment illustrated in
In some embodiments, the sensor 15 may include a continuous glucose sensor. The continuous glucose sensor may be implantable within the body of the user-patient. In other embodiments, the continuous glucose sensor may be located externally, for example on the skin of the user-patient, or attached to clothing of the user-patient. In such embodiments, fluid may be drawn continually from the user-patient and sensed by the continuous glucose sensor. In various embodiments, the continuous glucose sensor may be configured to sense and/or communicate with the CCD 16 continuously. In other embodiments, the continuous glucose sensor may be configured to sense and/or communicate with the CCD 16 intermittently, for example sense glucose levels and transmit information every few minutes. In various embodiments, the continuous glucose sensor may utilize glucose oxidase.
The sensor 15 may be an external sensor that secures to the skin of a user-patient or, in other embodiments, may be an implantable sensor that is located in an implant site within the body of the user-patient. In further alternatives, the sensor may be included with as a part or along side the infusion cannula and/or needle, such as for example as shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/149,119, filed Jun. 8, 2005, entitled “Dual Insertion Set”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In the illustrated example of
While the embodiment shown in
As described above, by separating disposable elements of the delivery device 12 from durable elements, the disposable elements may be arranged on the disposable housing 20, while durable elements may be arranged within a separable durable housing 30. In this regard, after a prescribed number of uses of the delivery device 12, the disposable housing 20 may be separated from the durable housing 30, so that the disposable housing 20 may be disposed of in a proper manner. The durable housing 30 may then be mated with a new (un-used) disposable housing 20 for further delivery operation with a user-patient.
The base 21 of the disposable housing 20 is configured to be secured to the body of a user-patient. The reservoir retaining portion 24 of the disposable housing 20 may be configured to house the reservoir system 40. The reservoir-retaining portion 24 of the disposable housing 20 may be configured to have an opening to allow for the port 41 of the reservoir system 40 to be accessed from outside of the reservoir-retaining portion 24 while the reservoir system 40 is housed in the reservoir-retaining portion 24. The durable housing 30 may be configured to be attachable to and detachable from the base 21 of the disposable housing 20. The delivery device 12 in the embodiment illustrated in
The infusion path 50 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
Alternatively, the needle 58 may be extended through a hollow cannula (not shown in
In various embodiments, the durable housing 30 may include an interior volume for housing the motor 84, the drive device linkage portion 82, other electronic circuitry, and a power source (not shown in
In various embodiments, the reservoir system 40 is housed within the reservoir retaining portion 24 of the disposable housing 20, and the reservoir system 40 is configured to hold fluidic media. In addition, in various embodiments, the plunger head 70 is disposed at least partially within the reservoir system 40 and is moveable within the reservoir system 40 to allow fluidic media to fill into the reservoir system 40 and to force fluidic media out of the reservoir system 40. In some embodiments, the plunger arm 60 is connected to or is connectable to the plunger head 70.
Also, in some embodiments, a portion of the plunger arm 60 extends to outside of the reservoir-retaining portion 24 of the disposable housing 20. In various embodiments, the plunger arm 60 has a mating portion for mating with the drive device linkage portion 82 of the drive device 80 (refer to
When the durable housing 30 and the disposable housing 20 are fitted together with the drive device linkage portion 82 engaging or mating with the plunger arm 60, the motor 84 may be controlled to drive the drive device linkage portion 82 and, thus, move the plunger arm 60 to cause the plunger head 70 to move within the reservoir system 40. When the interior volume of the reservoir system 40 is filled with fluidic media and an infusion path is provided from the reservoir system 40 to the body of a user-patient, the plunger head 70 may be moved within the reservoir system 40 to force fluidic media from the reservoir system 40 and into the infusion path, so as to deliver fluidic media to the body of the user-patient.
In various embodiments, once the reservoir system 40 has been sufficiently emptied or otherwise requires replacement, a user-patient may simply remove the durable housing 30 from the disposable housing 20, and replace the disposable portion 9, including the reservoir system 40, with a new disposable portion having a new reservoir. The durable housing 30 may be connected to the new disposable housing of the new disposable portion, and the delivery device including the new disposable portion may be secured to the skin of a user-patient, or otherwise attached to the user-patient.
In various other embodiments, rather than replacing the entire disposable portion 9 every time the reservoir system 40 is emptied, the reservoir system 40 may be refilled with fluidic media. In some embodiments, the reservoir system 40 may be refilled while remaining within the reservoir retaining portion 24 (refer to
With reference to
In various embodiments, the reservoir status circuitry is further configured to store data to the reservoir circuitry after at least some of the contents of the reservoir system 40 have been transferred out of the reservoir system 40, so as to update information in the reservoir circuitry related to an amount of contents still remaining in the reservoir system 40. In some embodiments, the reservoir status circuitry is configured to store data to the reservoir circuitry, to update information in the reservoir circuitry related to an amount of contents remaining in the reservoir system 40, when the reservoir system 40 is inserted into the disposable portion 9. In some embodiments, the delivery device 12 includes the reservoir status circuitry (not shown) and the reservoir system 40 includes the reservoir circuitry (not shown), and the reservoir status circuitry selectively inhibits use of the delivery device 12 or selectively provides a warning signal based on information read by the reservoir status circuitry from the reservoir circuitry.
The reservoir body 110 may have an interior volume 112 for containing fluidic media. The reservoir body 110 may be pre-filled with fluidic media prior to the reservoir body 110 being installed in or otherwise used with a delivery device (not shown). The reservoir body 110 may have a port for expelling fluidic media contained in the interior volume 112 of the reservoir body 110. In various embodiments, the reservoir body 110 may be made of various suitable materials, including, but not limited to, glass, plastic, TOPAS® polymers, or the like.
The reservoir body 110 may be adapted to store fluidic media for a specific duration of time, for example days, weeks, months, or longer depending on needs of user-patients. The reservoir body 110 may be of any suitable shape and/or size and may be adapted to hold any volume depending on needs of user-patients. In various embodiments, the reservoir body 110 may be adapted to store fluidic media external to the human body.
The reservoir body 110 may be located within the casing 102. The casing 102 may enclose the reservoir body 110 partially or in its entirety. In other embodiments, the casing 102 may be omitted. In some embodiments, the casing 102 may be removed from the reservoir body 110 before the reservoir body 110 is used with the delivery device (not shown). In other embodiments, the casing 102 may remain on the reservoir body 110 while the reservoir body 110 is used with the delivery device (not shown).
In some embodiments, the casing 102 may be for protecting the reservoir body 110. In further embodiments, the casing 102 may be a barrier to inhibit infusion or diffusion of substances into or out of the reservoir body 110. For example, the casing 102 may be configured to prevent preservatives or the like from diffusing or “leeching” out from the interior volume 112 of the reservoir body 110. In yet further embodiments, the casing 102 may be for protecting a septum of the reservoir, for example keeping the septum sterile. In further embodiments, the casing 102 may protect the plunger head 120, for example from accidental movement of the plunger head 120.
The plunger head 120 may be located within the reservoir body 110 and may be moveable in an axial direction of the reservoir body 110 to expand or contract the interior volume 112 of the reservoir body 110. The plunger head 120 may be advanced within the reservoir body 110 to expel fluidic media contained in the interior volume 112 of reservoir body 110 out the port of the reservoir body 110. In various embodiments where the reservoir body 110 is pre-filled with fluidic media, the plunger head 120 may be made of Bromobutyl rubber, silicone rubber, or any other suitable material and/or any derivative thereof.
The plunger head 120 may have a front surface 122. The front surface 122 of the plunger head 120 may be in contact with fluidic media contained in the interior volume 112 of the reservoir body 110. The plunger head 120 may have a hollow interior 125 on an opposite side from the front surface 123 of the plunger head 120.
The plunger head 120 may be configured to be removably attachable or otherwise connectable to the plunger support 170. For example, the plunger head 120 may include mating teeth 124 located within the hollow interior 125 of the plunger head 120. The plunger support 170 may include mating teeth 174 to complement or otherwise engage the mating teeth 124 of the plunger head 120 to allow the plunger support 170 to be inserted within the hollow interior 125 of the plunger head 120. In some embodiments, when in engaged, the mating teeth 174 of the plunger support 170 and the mating teeth 124 of the plunger head 120 may be for restricting a movement, such as, but not limited to, a rotational or a longitudinal movement, of the plunger head 120 relative to the reservoir body 110. In other embodiments, the reservoir system 100 may offer any suitable mating shapes and/or configurations that inhibit relative rotation or other movement between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110.
The plunger support 170 may be connected to the base 160. In some embodiments, the plunger support 170 and the base 160 may be integral to each other. In some embodiments, the base 160 and/or the plunger support 170 may be configured to receive at least a portion of the reservoir body 110. In further embodiments, the base 160 and/or the plunger support 170 may be configured to receive at least a portion of the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110.
In some embodiments, the casing 102 may include a connection structure that removably attaches the casing 102 to the base 160. In addition, the connection structure may allow for removal of the casing 102 from the base 160. For example, in some embodiments, the casing 102 may include one or more locking tabs 104 and the base 160 may include one or more recesses 164, apertures, or the like, for receiving the locking tabs 104 of the casing 102. In such embodiments, the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 may be placed at least partially within the base 160 to fit the locking tabs 104 of the casing 102 within the recesses 164 of the base 160. Once the locking tabs 104 of the casing 102 reach an end of the recesses 164 of the base 160, the casing 102, for example, may be then rotated to lock the casing 102 and reservoir body 110 to the base 160. Accordingly, the casing 102 and the reservoir body 110 may remain locked to the base 160 until a user-patient removes the casing 102 and reservoir body 110, for example by rotating the casing 102 in an opposite direction and then removing the casing 102 and the reservoir body 110 from the base 160. In other embodiments, the locking tabs 104 and recesses 164 can be reversed in the casing 102 and the base 160. In yet other embodiments, any combination of tabs 104 and recesses 164 can be utilized with the casing 102 and the base 160.
The plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110 may have a certain frictional retaining force (or stiction) between each other. Advancement or movement of the plunger head 120 may be facilitated by at least partially reducing the frictional retaining force. As such, the plunger head 120 may be primed for use, for example, in a case where the reservoir body 110 is placed within the delivery device (not shown) and fluidic media is to be expelled out the port of the reservoir body 110. Thus, in some embodiments, the plunger head 120 and/or the reservoir body 110 may be configured to be moved relative to one another when and/or in response to detaching the reservoir body 110 and/or the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 from the base 160. Accordingly, the frictional retaining force (or stiction) between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110 may be reduced at least partially to facilitate advancement of the plunger head 120.
In some embodiments, the plunger head 120 and/or the reservoir body 110 may be configured to move rotatably relative to one another to reduce the frictional retaining force between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110, for example, in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction.
For example, as previously discussed the mating teeth 124 within the hollow interior 125 of the plunger head 120 may be engaged with the complementing mating teeth 174 of the plunger support 170. Thus, the mating teeth 124 of the plunger head 120 and the complementing mating teeth 174 of the plunger support 170 may engage each other and prevent the plunger head 120 from rotating about the reservoir body 110 in a case where the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 is connected to the base 160 and the casing 102 is rotated, for example, when the casing 102 is removed from the base 160. Thus, when the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 is rotated while the plunger head 120 is prevented from rotating by the plunger support 170, the frictional retaining force between the reservoir body 110 and the plunger head 120 may be reduced as the reservoir body 110 is allowed to rotate relative to the plunger head 120. The reservoir body 110 having a reduced frictional retaining force with the plunger head 120 is primed and may then be placed in the delivery device (not shown).
In some embodiments, the user-patient may hold the base 160 and the casing 102 and rotate one of the base 160 and the casing 102 relative to the other. In other embodiments, the user-patient may hold the base 160 and the casing 102 and pull one of the base 160 and casing 102 apart from the other. In yet further embodiments, the user-patient may hold the base 160 and the casing 102 and do a relative twist of one of the base 160 and the casing 102 relative to the other, for example rotating and pulling apart one of the base 160 and the casing 102 relative to the other.
In some embodiments, the base 160 may be attached or otherwise be part of a packaging (not shown). The base 160 and/or the packaging may be configured to move the plunger head 120 relative to the reservoir body 110 when the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 is removed from the base 160 connected to the packaging. For example, in some embodiments, the packaging may be configured to hold the base 160. The casing 102 can then be removed from the base 160; leaving the base 160 attached to the packaging. Because the plunger head 120 is engaged with the plunger support 170, using any suitable manner, such as, but not limited to, the embodiments discussed, including complementing mating teeth 124 and 174, movement of the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110, for example, to remove the casing 102 from the packaging may cause the reservoir body 110 to rotate relative to the plunger head 120. Accordingly, the frictional retaining force (or stiction) between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110 may be reduced.
In some embodiments, the plunger head 120 and/or the reservoir body 110 may be configured to move longitudinally relative to one another to reduce the frictional retaining force between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110. In such embodiments, the plunger support 170 may prevent the plunger head 120 from moving longitudinally along a lengthwise axis A of the reservoir body 110 relative to the reservoir body 110, for example, when the casing 102 is removed from the base 160. For example, the plunger support 170 may prevent the plunger head 120 from moving along the axis A relative to the reservoir body 110 in a case where the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 is operatively connected to the base 160 and the casing 102 is moved away from the base 160 along the axis A.
For example, the plunger support 170 and the plunger head 120 may have opposing mating teeth that interlock when engaged to hold the plunger head 120 to the plunger support 170 when the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 is moved away longitudinally from the base 160. As a result, the frictional retaining force between the reservoir body 110 and the plunger head 120 may be reduced as the reservoir body 110 is allowed to move longitudinally along the axis A relative to the plunger head 120. The reservoir body 110 having a reduced frictional retaining force with the plunger head 120 may then be placed in the delivery device (not shown).
In some embodiments, the base 160 may be attached or otherwise be part of a packaging, which may configured similar to the embodiments previously discussed. The base 160 and/or the packaging may be configured to move the plunger head 120 relative to the reservoir body 110 when the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110 is removed from the base 160 connected to the packaging. For example, in some embodiments, the packaging may be configured to hold the base 160. The casing 102 can then be removed from the base 160; leaving the base 160 attached to the packaging. Because the plunger head 120 is engaged with the plunger support 170, in any suitable manner, such as, but not limited to, the embodiments discussed, including opposing teeth, movement of the casing 102 containing the reservoir body 110, for example to remove the casing 102 from the packaging may cause the reservoir body 110 to move longitudinally relative to the plunger head 120. Accordingly, the frictional retaining force (or stiction) between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110 may be reduced.
In yet other embodiments, the plunger head 120 and/or the reservoir body 110 may be configured to move laterally and longitudinally along the axis A relative to one another to reduce the frictional retaining force between the plunger head 120 and the reservoir body 110. Such embodiments may be configured using, but is not limited to, any one or combination of frictional retaining force reduction structures previously discussed.
The reservoir body 510 may comprise a container structure having a container wall 501 made of a first material. The container wall 501 may be shaped or otherwise configured to form the reservoir body 510. The reservoir body 510 may have an interior volume 512 for containing fluidic media, such as, but not limited to, insulin, or the like. The reservoir body 510 may have a port for expelling fluidic media contained in the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 510, for example, through the head portion 516 of the reservoir body 510.
The reservoir body 510 may be pre-filled with fluidic media prior to the reservoir body 510 being used by a user-patient. The reservoir body 510 may be adapted to store fluidic media for a specific duration of time, for example days, weeks, months, or longer depending on needs of user-patients. The reservoir body 510 may be of any suitable shape and/or size and may be adapted to hold any volume depending on needs of user-patients. In various embodiments, the reservoir body 510 may be adapted to store fluidic media external to the human body.
The first material may be compatible with fluidic media contained in the reservoir body 510. In various embodiments, the reservoir body 510 may be made of various suitable materials, including, but not limited to, polyethylene, polystyrene, Teflon, glass, plastic, TOPAS® polymers, or the like. For example, with such materials, the reservoir body 510 may contain an insulin formula or other infusion medium compatible with such material. Other embodiments may be configured to contain other fluidic media, in which case, the material for the reservoir body 510 may be selected to be compatible with the fluidic media.
In various embodiments where the reservoir body 510 is pre-filled with fluidic media, the reservoir body 510 may include a plunger head (not shown) that may be attachable to a delivery device (not shown). In further embodiments, the plunger head may be placed in the reservoir body 510 before or after the reservoir body 510 is filled with fluidic media. The plunger head may be made of Bromobutyl rubber, silicone rubber, or any other suitable material and/or any derivative thereof.
In some embodiments, the plunger head may be configured, treated, or otherwise adapted to frictionally seal or engage an inner wall of the reservoir body 510 as the plunger head moves along the reservoir body 510. In further embodiments, the inner wall of the reservoir body 510 may be made of or treated with a cyclic olefin copolymer (or polymer), such as (but not limited to) TOPAS®, or the like. In such embodiments, the plunger head may be configured, treated, or otherwise adapted to interact with the inner wall of the reservoir body 510, for example, to frictionally seal or engage the inner wall of the reservoir body 510 as the plunger head moves along the reservoir body 510.
The outer body 520 may be or may include a barrier layer made of a second material different from the first material. The barrier layer may be shaped or otherwise configured to form the outer body 520. Thus in various embodiments, the outer body 520 may be a layer or wall section to form the reservoir body 510 along with the container wall 501, and in other embodiments, the outer body 520 may be a body separate from the reservoir body 510. The outer body 520 may be for receiving at least a portion of the reservoir body 510. In some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be formed on and/or supported by the reservoir body 510, as in the form of a layer, coating, film, or other structure on the reservoir body 510. Thus, in various embodiments, the reservoir system 500 may be a multi-layered structure (e.g., reservoir body 510 and outer body 520).
The outer body 520 may be adjacent the container wall 501. Thus in some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be adjacent the reservoir body 510. In some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be in firm contact with the container wall 501.
The outer body 520 may substantially cover the container wall 501. In some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be disposed outside the container wall 501. In various embodiments, the head portion 516 of the reservoir body 510 may be made of the first material of the container wall 501 and/or the second material of the outer body 520.
The outer body 520 may be for inhibiting diffusion of substances into and/or out of the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 510. Thus, the properties, composition, and/or stability of fluidic media contained within the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 510 may be more accurately maintained, controlled, and/or monitored. In some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be for inhibiting an outward diffusion of preservatives within fluidic media contained in the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 510. In further embodiments, the outer body 520 may be for regulating an interaction between fluidic media contained in the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 510 and the outer body 520, for example through the use of hydrophobic or hydrophilic materials.
In some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be configured to cover entirely the reservoir body 510 including the head portion 516 of the reservoir body 510. In some embodiments, the outer body 520 may be any suitable gas for inhibiting diffusion of substances into and/or out of the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 110.
In some embodiments, the material comprising the outer body 520 may be selected from a group of halogenated polymers such as, but not limited to, polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE Teflon), polyvinylidene chloride (Saran), polyvinylidene fluoride (Kynar), or derivatives of any of these materials. In some embodiments, the material comprising the outer body 520 may comprise polymeric materials such as, but not limited to, polyamides, ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), nylon, polyester, or derivatives of any of these materials. In some embodiments, the material comprising the outer body 520 may comprise inorganic materials such as, but not limited to, capillary glass or diamond coated materials, or the like. In some embodiments, the material comprising the outer body 520 may comprise a cyclic olefin copolymer (or polymer), such as (but not limited to) a TOPAS® polymer; a metal, such as (but not limited to) a metallic foil (e.g., aluminum); or the like.
In various embodiments, the material comprising the reservoir body 510 may include any of the materials that may make up the outer body 520. Similarly, in various embodiments, the material comprising the outer body 520 may include any of the materials that may make up the reservoir body 510.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, an example of which is illustrated in
In other embodiments, an example of which is illustrated in
Further, in some embodiments, an example of which is illustrated in
In some embodiments, such as the embodiment exemplified in
In various embodiments, the one or more other layers may or may not be adhered to the container wall 501 or each other. In some embodiments, a space or gap may be provided in between some or all of the one or more other layers and the container wall 501, for example, in which a vacuum or pressurized fluid may be provided. In some embodiments, some or all of the one or more other layers and the container wall 501 may be in contact and, in addition, may or may not be bonded. In some embodiments, some or all of the one or more other layers and the container wall 501 may be extruded together.
In further embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in
In some embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in
In various embodiments, the one or more other layers may or may not be adhered to one or more of the first container wall 501 and the second container wall 501′. In some embodiments, a space or gap may be provided in between some or all of the one or more other layers and one or more of the first container wall 501 and the second container wall 501′, for example, in which a vacuum or pressurized fluid may be provided. In some embodiments, some or all of the one or more other layers and one or more of the first container wall 501 and the second container wall 501′ may be in contact and, in addition, may or may not be bonded. In some embodiments, some or all of the one or more other layers and the one or more of the first container wall 501 and the second container wall 501′ may be extruded together.
With reference to
In some embodiments, an interior layer (not shown) may be provided on an inner surface of the outer body 542 (520 or 522 in
In other embodiments, the outer body 520 may be a fluid (i.e., gas or liquid) adapted to exert a pressure (e.g., positive pressure) on the reservoir body 510. In such embodiments, the pressure may inhibit diffusion of substances out from the reservoir body 510 and/or inhibit diffusion of substances into the reservoir body 510. In further embodiments, the fluidic media contained in the interior volume 512 of the reservoir body 510 may include preservatives (e.g., cresol, phenol), which may prevent diffusion into the reservoir body 510.
Reservoir systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention may be manufactured in any suitable manner, including, but not limited to, extruding or molding the container wall and the outer body together or separately. For example, in some embodiments, a surface of the reservoir body may be plasma treated as known in the art. In further embodiments, a lubricant may be applied to the plasma treated surface of the reservoir body. The lubricant may be a silicone-free lubricant, such as, but not limited to, TriboGlide® (manufactured by Tribofilm), or the like. In yet further embodiments, the lubricated surface may be plasma treated. In addition, the container wall and the outer body may be combined in any suitable manner, including, but not limited to, packaging the container wall and the outer body or otherwise manually applying the container wall and outer body together. Various methods of manufacturing a reservoir body and/or components therein (e.g., a plunger head) e are disclosed in, but not limited to, U.S. patent application No. (not yet assigned), entitled “Reservoir Plunger Head Systems and Methods,” filed Jul. 31, 2009, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The reservoir body 610 may be similar to the reservoir body 510 (e.g.,
The reservoir body 610 may be pre-filled with fluidic media prior to the reservoir body 610 being used by a user-patient. The reservoir body 610 may be adapted to store fluidic media for a specific duration of time, for example days, weeks, months, or longer depending on needs of user-patients. The reservoir body 610 may be of any suitable shape and/or size and may be adapted to hold any volume depending on needs of user-patients. In various embodiments, the reservoir body 610 may be adapted to store fluidic media external to the human body.
The container wall 605 may be for inhibiting diffusion of substances into and/or out of the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610. Thus, the properties, composition, and/or stability of fluidic media contained within the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 may be more accurately maintained, controlled, and/or monitored. In some embodiments, the container wall 605 may be for inhibiting an outward diffusion of preservatives within fluidic media contained in the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610. In further embodiments, the container wall may be for regulating an interaction between fluidic media contained in the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 and the outer body 620, for example through the use of hydrophobic or hydrophilic materials. In some embodiments, the container wall 605 may be made of (or treated with) a cyclic olefin copolymer (or polymer), such as TOPAS®, or the like.
In some embodiments, the container wall 605 may be formed or otherwise adapted to be opaque to limit partially or completely an amount of light from passing through the container wall 605 (e.g., through opposing wall sections of the container wall 605 and the interior volume 612). For example, the container wall 605 may have a light transmission at 400 nm of less than 25% through the reservoir body (e.g., through both of the container walls 605 of the reservoir body 610 and the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610) relative to air in a case where the interior volume 612 contains water.
In further embodiments, the container wall 605 may be provided with a window 607 for allowing contents in the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 to be viewable. In such embodiments, the entire container wall 605 may be opaque except for the viewing window 607. Allowing light to enter into the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610, for example, may allow a user-patient to view contents (e.g., fluidic media) in the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 to determine an amount contained in the interior volume 612 and/or look for a presence of bubbles, contaminants, crystallized particles, or the like.
In various embodiments, multiple windows 607 may be provided along the container wall 605. For example, each window may be provided at a location of or corresponding to a fill gradient or other visual indicator. Thus, a user-patient can determine approximately how much fluidic media is contained within the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610.
In some embodiments, the window(s) 607 may be sized, configured, and/or arranged to provide a viewing angle θ of less than a 90° relative to a central axis of the reservoir body 610 as shown for example in
In some embodiments, such as the embodiment exemplified in
With reference to
With reference to
In various embodiments, the reservoir body may be configured to be opaque and/or frosted in a manner previously described to a point where light cannot pass through the reservoir body (i.e., passing through the walls of the reservoir body), for example, as previously described. The reservoir body may include a plunger head or portions/components (e.g., seal members) thereof within the reservoir body adapted to be visible through a wall of the reservoir body. For example, the reservoir body may be frosted white (or any other suitable shade or color), which may allow a black seal member of the plunger head to be visible through the wall of the reservoir body. Accordingly, a user-patient may be able to determine approximately an amount of fluidic media within the reservoir body by determining a position of the black seal member. As a further example, each seal member of the plunger head may have a different color and/or visibility through the wall of a white (or any other suitable shade or color) frosted reservoir body. Accordingly, one or more of the seal members may be distinguishable from the other(s).
In various embodiments, the reservoir body may be configured, adapted, or otherwise formed of a material reactable with contents in the interior volume of the reservoir body. For example, the reservoir body may be adapted to change in color, temperature, condensation level, or otherwise provide an indicator for indicating fluid level or an amount of fluidic media within the interior volume of the reservoir body along locations in contact with the contents within the interior volume of the reservoir body. In various embodiments, the reservoir body may include a detecting mechanism for determining a level or amount of fluidic media in the interior volume of the reservoir body and/or a position of the plunger head or portion(s) thereof. For example, the plunger head may be provided with a magnet arranged to be detectable by the detecting mechanism to determine a position of the plunger head that may correspond to the amount of fluidic media within the interior volume of the reservoir body.
In various embodiments, it should be noted that reservoir systems employing a multiple layer configuration as described throughout may include any suitable configuration having one or more layers, which, for example, may be layers or sheets that may or may not be in contact, firm contact, bonded, adjacent, adherable to each other, removable, or the like. Similarly, a multiple layer configuration may include any suitable configuration including a main body (e.g., reservoir body 510) as a first (or other) layer and an enclosure (e.g., packaging material or a casing, such as 102 in
With reference to
The reservoir body 610 may have an outlet 720 for expelling fluidic media contained in the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610. The outlet 720 may be a needle, tubing, or other fluid conduit for allowing fluidic media contained in the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 to be expelled to a user-patient. In some embodiments, the reservoir body 610 may be a cartridge or other container configured to be removable from the housing 602, for example, when the reservoir body has been sufficiently (but not necessarily) depleted, and replaceable with a new reservoir body.
The drive mechanism (not shown) may be adapted to force fluidic media from the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 and out the outlet 720 upon activation of the drive mechanism, for example, by operating a trigger 730, button, or the like. For instance, a plunger (not shown) operatively connected with a bias member (not shown) and a trigger 730 or the like may be provided in the housing to selectively force fluidic media contained in the interior volume 612 from the interior volume 612 of the reservoir body 610 and out the outlet 720. Various examples of drive mechanisms are disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 730876A2; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,599,323; 5,626,566; 5,683,361; 6,302,855; 6,454,746; 7,104,972; U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. US 2007/0244445; U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. US 2008/0065026; U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. US 2008/0097322, all of which are herein incorporated by reference.
The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative, and not restrictive of the invention. The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is indicated by the attached claims, rather than the embodiments. Various modifications and changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be within the scope of the invention.
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/360,077, filed Jan. 26, 2009, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which claims priority from Provisional Application U.S. Application 61/044,292, filed Apr. 11, 2008, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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