Medicament delivery device

Abstract

A medicament delivery device comprises a delivery assembly for transdermally delivering medicament to a patient and a system for providing information on the volume of medicament in the device. The system comprises a sensing unit configured to measure at least one physical parameter dependent on the volume of medicament in the device.

1 . A medicament delivery device comprising:
 a delivery assembly comprising a plurality of microneedles configured to transdermally deliver medicament to a patient, and   a system configured to provide information about a volume of the medicament in the medicament delivery device, the system comprising:   a sensing unit configured to measure at least one physical parameter dependent on the volume of the medicament in the medicament delivery device, wherein the sensing unit comprises:   a first electrode;   a second electrode; and   a current source connected to the first and second electrodes and configured to generate a voltage between the first and second electrodes,   wherein the first electrode is arranged upstream of the second electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged to form a capacitor. 
     
     
         3 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 2 , wherein the current source is a direct current source, wherein the sensing unit is configured to measure a capacitance of the capacitor formed by the first and second electrodes, wherein the system is configured to determine information about the volume of the medicament between the first and second electrodes based on the measured capacitance. 
     
     
         4 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the current source is a direct current source, wherein the sensing unit is configured to measure a resistance of the medicament between the first and second electrodes, wherein the system is configured to determine information about the volume of the medicament between the first and second electrodes based on the measured resistance. 
     
     
         5 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the current source is an alternating current source, wherein the sensing unit is configured to measure an impedance of the medicament between the first and second electrodes, wherein the system is configured to determine information about the volume of the medicament between the first and second electrodes based on the measured impedance. 
     
     
         6 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is disposed upstream of the second electrode. 
     
     
         7 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is permeable, the second electrode is permeable, or the first and second electrodes are permeable. 
     
     
         8 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a perforated plate or a hole mask, the second electrode comprises a perforated plate or a hole mask, or the first and second electrodes each comprise a perforated plate or a hole mask. 
     
     
         9 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrodes extend substantially perpendicular to a direction of a medicament flow between the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         10 . The medicament delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a tube, a hose dispatcher, or a manifold, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged downstream of the tube, the hose dispatcher, or the manifold. 
     
     
         11 . The medicament delivery device of  claim 1 , comprising a manifold comprising an inlet and a dispense outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a porous membrane configured to retain the medicament. 
     
     
         13 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 12 , wherein the porous membrane is disposed between the first electrode and second electrode. 
     
     
         14 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 12 , wherein the porous membrane defines a funnel-shaped passage. 
     
     
         15 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a medicament pump mechanism configured to pump the medicament towards the delivery assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 15 , wherein the medicament pump mechanism is configured to operate based on information about the volume of the medicament in the medicament delivery device provided by the system. 
     
     
         17 . The medicament delivery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge containing the medicament. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 arranging a first electrode of a medicament delivery device and a second electrode of the medicament delivery device such that a substance of the medicament delivery device flows from the first electrode to the second electrode, fluidly connecting the first electrode and second electrode,   measuring a physical property of the substance using the first and second electrodes, and   determining a volume of the substance based on the measured physical property.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the physical property is at least one of a capacitance of the substance, a resistance of the substance, and an impedance of the substance. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the substance is a medicament. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 applying a direct current or an alternating current to the substance to generate a voltage between the first electrode and second electrode.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first electrode is disposed upstream of the second electrode. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first electrode is permeable, the second electrode is permeable, or the first and second electrodes are permeable. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first electrode comprises a perforated plate or a hole mask, the second electrode comprises a perforated plate or a hole mask, or the first and second electrodes each comprise a perforated plate or a hole mask. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first and second electrodes extend substantially perpendicular to a direction of medicament flow between the first and second electrodes. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising a tube, a hose dispatcher, or a manifold, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged downstream of the tube, the hose dispatcher, or the manifold. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising a manifold comprising an inlet and a dispense outlet. 
     
     
         28 . A medicament delivery device comprising:
 a delivery assembly comprising a plurality of microneedles configured to transdermally deliver medicament to a patient, and   a system configured to provide information about a volume of the medicament in the medicament delivery device, the system comprising:   a sensing unit configured to measure at least one physical parameter dependent on the volume of the medicament in the medicament delivery device, wherein the sensing unit comprises:   a first electrode, and   a second electrode, wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes is permeable to a medicament.