Infusion pump assembly

Abstract

An infusion pump assembly is disclosed. The infusion pump assembly includes a locking tab and a pump barrel inside a pump barrel housing, where the pump barrel accommodates a reservoir assembly. The reservoir assembly includes a reservoir and a plunger rod. The infusion pump assembly also includes a locking disc at a terminus of the pump barrel. The locking disc includes a clearance hole for the plunger rod. The locking disc also includes at least one locking tab notch in close proximity with the locking tab. The locking tab is in moveable engagement with the locking tab notch, and the reservoir moves the locking tab from a locked position to an unlocked position when the plunger rod is inserted through clearance hole. The locking disc rotates upon torque being applied to the reservoir assembly, the locking disc rotating from a non-loaded position to a loaded position with respect to the plunger rod and a drive screw.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A delivery device for delivering an infusion medium to a user, the device comprising:
 a disposable housing portion adapted to be secured to a user;   a durable housing portion configured to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the disposable housing portion to allow disposal of the disposable housing portion without disposing of the durable housing portion;   a reservoir supported by the disposable housing portion, the reservoir having an interior for containing a fluidic medium and a plunger moveable within the interior of the reservoir the plunger having a threaded portion;   a rotatable shaft having a longitudinal axis parallel to and displaced from the longitudinal axis of the reservoir, the rotatable shaft having a threaded portion engaged with the threaded portion of the plunger, wherein rotation of the rotatable shaft causes the rotatable shaft to move along the length of the threaded portion of the plunger to vary the interior volume of the reservoir; and   a drive device supported by the durable housing portion in a position to operatively connect to the rotatable shaft, to selectively rotate the rotatable shaft, when the disposable and durable housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         14 . A delivery device according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the durable housing portion has an enclosed interior volume containing the drive device;   the rotatable shaft has a connection end; and   the drive device operatively connects to the connection end of the rotatable shaft through a drive linkage that extends through an aperture in the durable housing portion.   
     
     
         15 . A delivery device according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the drive linkage includes a connection end for connecting to the connection end of the rotatable shaft; and   the connection end of the drive linkage and the connection end of the rotatable shaft have mating shapes that mate together and allow transfer of rotational motion from the drive linkage to the rotatable shaft, when the disposable and durable housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         16 . A delivery device according to  claim 13 , further comprising electrical control circuitry contained in the durable housing portion, wherein the electrical control circuitry controls the delivery of infusion medium from the reservoir to the user when the durable housing portion and the disposable housing portion are engaged. 
     
     
         17 . A delivery device according to  claim 13 , wherein the disposable housing portion comprises a base portion having a bottom surface and an adhesive material on the bottom surface for securing the disposable housing portion to the skin of the user. 
     
     
         18 . A delivery device according to  claim 13 , wherein the reservoir includes a septum that may be pierced by a hollow needle for providing a fluid flow path from the interior of the reservoir to the hollow needle. 
     
     
         19 . A delivery device according to  claim 13 , further comprising an anti-rotation structure to inhibit the plunger from rotating within the reservoir. 
     
     
         20 . A delivery device according to  claim 19 , wherein the reservoir has an interior surface and wherein the anti-rotation structure comprises at least one projection extending from one of the plunger and the interior surface of the reservoir and at least one channel provided in the other one of the plunger and the interior surface of the reservoir, wherein the at least one projection is configured to extend at least partially into the at least one channel. 
     
     
         21 . A delivery device according to  claim 13 , wherein the plunger has an outer peripheral surface and at least one seal arranged around the outer peripheral surface, for inhibiting the passage of infusion medium between the outer peripheral surface of the plunger and an interior surface of the reservoir. 
     
     
         22 . A method of making a delivery device for delivering an infusion medium to a user, the method comprising:
 providing a first housing portion adapted to be secured to a user;   providing a second housing portion configured to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion to allow disposal of the first housing portion without disposing of the second housing portion;   supporting a reservoir on the first housing portion, the reservoir having an interior for containing a fluidic medium;   arranging a plunger within the interior of the reservoir and moveable relative to the reservoir along an axial direction of the reservoir, the plunger having a threaded channel;   arranging a rotatable shaft along the axial direction of the reservoir, extending the rotatable shaft through the threaded channel of the plunger, and operatively engaging a threaded portion of the rotatable shaft with the threaded channel of the plunger, wherein rotation of the rotatable shaft relative to the plunger causes the plunger to move along the length of the threaded portion of the rotatable shaft to vary the interior volume of the reservoir; and   supporting a drive device on the second housing portion in a position to operatively connect to the rotatable shaft, to selectively rotate the rotatable shaft, when the first and second housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 the second housing portion has an enclosed interior volume containing the drive device;   the rotatable shaft has a connection end; and   the method further comprises extending a drive linkage through an aperture in the second housing portion to a position to operatively connect to the connection end of the rotatable shaft when the first and second housing portions are engaged; and   coupling the drive linkage with the drive device, for transmitting drive force from the drive device to the rotatable drive shaft when the first and second housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 providing the drive linkage with a connection end for connecting to the connection end of the rotatable shaft; and   providing the connection end of the drive linkage and the connection end of the rotatable shaft with mating shapes that mate together and allow transfer of rotational motion from the drive linkage to the rotatable shaft, when the first and second housing portions are engaged.   
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising supporting electrical control circuitry on the second housing portion, wherein the electrical control circuitry controls the delivery of infusion medium from the reservoir to the user when the first housing portion and the second housing portion are engaged. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein providing a first housing portion comprises providing a base portion having a bottom surface and an adhesive material on the bottom surface for securing the base to the skin of the user. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising supporting a septum that may be pierced by a hollow needle for providing a fluid flow path from the interior of the reservoir to the hollow needle. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising providing an anti-rotation structure to inhibit the plunger from rotating within the reservoir. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the reservoir has an interior surface and wherein providing the anti-rotation structure comprises providing at least one projection extending from one of the plunger and the interior surface of the reservoir and providing at least one channel in the other one of the plunger and the interior surface of the reservoir, wherein the at least one projection is configured to extend at least partially into the at least one channel. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising arranging at least one seal around an outer peripheral surface of the plunger, for inhibiting the passage of infusion medium between the outer peripheral surface of the plunger and an interior surface of the reservoir.