Infusion medium delivery device and method with compressible or curved reservoir or conduit

Abstract

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with infusion media are supported by the disposable housing portion for disposal after the prescribed use, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of infusion media from the reservoir and a drive device and drive linkage.

1 . A delivery device comprising:
 a first housing portion;   a second housing portion configured to selectively engage with and disengage from the first housing portion;   a reservoir located in the first housing portion, the reservoir having a first interior volume for containing a fluid, the reservoir having an outlet connectable in fluid flow communication with the first interior volume and an injection site, the first interior volume of the reservoir being selectively variable;   a volume varying mechanism defining a boarder of the first interior volume and supported for motion in a curved path to selectively vary the first interior volume of the reservoir, to selectively reduce the first interior volume and increase fluid pressure within the interior volume to drive fluid from the interior volume to the injection site; and   a drive device supported by the second housing portion and operatively connectable to the volume varying mechanism when the first and second housing portions are engaged, to selectively drive the volume varying mechanism in the curved path of motion.   
     
     
         2 . A delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume varying mechanism comprises a rotary arm supported for rotation about a rotary axis within the reservoir and wherein the first interior volume is located on one side of the rotary arm. 
     
     
         3 . A delivery device according to  claim 2 , further comprising a drive linkage operatively coupled to the drive device and the rotary arm, for conveying drive force from the drive device to the rotary arm when the first and second housing portions are engaged. 
     
     
         4 . A delivery device according to  claim 3 :
 wherein the drive linkage comprises a shaft extending from one of the first and second housing portions and a receptacle located on the other of the first and second housing portions, the shaft and receptacle each having a mating shape that engages and mates with the mating shape on the other of the shaft and receptacle when the first and second housing portions are engaged; and   wherein one of the shaft and the receptacle is operatively coupled to the drive device for rotation by the drive device; and   wherein the other of the shaft and the receptacle is operatively coupled to the rotary arm to selectively rotate the rotary arm relative to the reservoir, to selectively vary the first interior volume of the reservoir.   
     
     
         5 . A delivery device according to  claim 3  wherein the drive linkage comprises:
 a shaft operatively coupled to the drive device for rotation by the drive device and extending from the second housing portion;   a receptacle coupled to the rotary arm on the first housing portion;   wherein the shaft and receptacle each having a mating shape that engages and mates with the mating shape on the other of the shaft and receptacle when the first and second housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         6 . A delivery device according to  claim 2 , wherein the reservoir has a disk-shaped interior and wherein the first interior volume comprises a portion of the disk-shaped interior. 
     
     
         7 . A delivery device according to  claim 6 , wherein the disk-shaped interior has a central axis and the rotary arm is supported for rotation about the central axis of the disk-shaped interior. 
     
     
         8 . A delivery device according to  claim 7 , wherein the rotary arm has one end supported at the central axis of the disk shaped interior. 
     
     
         9 . A delivery device according to  claim 7 , wherein the reservoir includes a pair of walls within the disk-shaped interior, defining a wedge-shaped volume that is outside of the first interior volume of the reservoir. 
     
     
         10 . A delivery device according to  claim 9 , wherein the reservoir outlet is provided through one of the walls defining the wedge-shaped volume. 
     
     
         11 . A delivery device according to  claim 9 , further comprising an air vent through one of the walls defining the wedge-shaped volume and provided in air-flow communication with the disk-shaped interior of the reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . A delivery device according to  claim 6 , further comprises an air vent provided in air-flow communication with the disk-shaped interior of the reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . A delivery device according to  claim 12 , wherein the air vent is located in a wall of the reservoir on a side of the rotary arm opposite to the side of the first interior volume. 
     
     
         14 . A delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has an overall interior volume in which the first interior volume is included; and wherein the delivery device further comprises an air vent provided in air-flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a delivery device for delivering a fluidic medium to or from a patient, the method comprising:
 providing a first housing portion;   providing a second housing portion configured to selectively engage with and disengage from the first housing portion;   providing a reservoir in the first housing portion, the reservoir having a first interior volume for containing a fluid, the reservoir having an outlet connectable in fluid flow communication with the first interior volume and an injection site, the first interior volume of the reservoir being selectively variable;   supporting a volume varying mechanism adjacent a boarder of the first interior volume for motion in a curved path to selectively vary the first interior volume of the reservoir, to selectively reduce the first interior volume and increase fluid pressure within the interior volume to drive fluid from the interior volume to the injection site; and   supporting a drive device on the second housing portion in a position to operatively connect to the volume varying mechanism when the first and second housing portions are engaged, to selectively drive the volume varying mechanism in the curved path of motion.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein supporting a volume varying mechanism comprises supporting a rotary arm for rotation about a rotary axis within the reservoir, wherein the first interior volume is located on one side of the rotary arm. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising operatively coupling a drive linkage to the drive device and the rotary arm for conveying drive force from the drive device to the rotary arm when the first and second housing portions are engaged. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein operatively coupling a drive linkage comprises extending a shaft from one of the first and second housing portions and providing a receptacle on the other of the first and second housing portions, the shaft and receptacle each having a mating shape that engages and mates with the mating shape on the other of the shaft and receptacle when the first and second housing portions are engaged, and wherein the method further comprises:
 operatively coupling one of the shaft and the receptacle to the drive device for rotation by the drive device; and   operatively coupling the other of the shaft and the receptacle to the rotary arm to selectively rotate the rotary arm relative to the reservoir, to selectively vary the first interior volume of the reservoir.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein operatively coupling a drive linkage comprises:
 operatively coupling a shaft to the drive device for rotation by the drive device and extending the shaft from the second housing portion; and   coupling a receptacle to the rotary arm on the first housing portion;   wherein the shaft and receptacle each having a mating shape that engages and mates with the mating shape on the other of the shaft and receptacle when the first and second housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the reservoir has a disk-shaped interior and wherein the first interior volume comprises a portion of the disk-shaped interior. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the disk-shaped interior has a central axis and wherein supporting a rotary arm comprises supporting the rotary arm for rotation about the central axis of the disk-shaped interior. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein supporting the rotary arm further comprises supporting one end of the rotary arm at the central axis of the disk shaped interior. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the reservoir includes a pair of walls within the disk-shaped interior, defining a wedge-shaped volume that is outside of the first interior volume of the reservoir. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the reservoir outlet is provided through one of the walls defining the wedge-shaped volume. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 23 , further comprising providing an air vent through one of the walls defining the wedge-shaped volume, in air-flow communication with the disk-shaped interior of the reservoir. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising providing an air vent in air-flow communication with the disk-shaped interior of the reservoir. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein providing an air vent comprises providing an air vent in a wall of the reservoir on a side of the rotary arm opposite to the side of the first interior volume. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the reservoir has an overall interior volume in which the first interior volume is included; and wherein the method further comprises providing an air vent in air-flow communication with the interior volume of the reservoir.