Fluid dispenser with fill adapter

Details Fluid dispenser with fill adapter Fluid dispenser with fill adapter

2000-05-01

2001-06-12

Mendez, Manuel (Department: 3763)

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06245041

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to infusion devices. More particularly, the invention concerns an elastomeric bladder type infusion apparatus which is used for controllably delivering a beneficial agent to a patient. The device uniquely includes novel fill means for filling the reservoir of the infusion apparatus with the medicament to be delivered to the patient.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
Many types of infusion pumps embodying an elastomeric balloon or bladder for delivery of a quantity of pharmaceutically active material to a patient have been suggested in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,693 issued to Hessel discloses an infusion pump comprising an elastomeric bladder having at least an open end, and an elongate stress member extending concentrically within the entire length of the hollow portion of the bladder and having a fluid tight seal therewith. Both a filling port and an exit port are provided in the stress member, each in fluid communication with the interior of the bladder by way of an influent and an effluent lumen, respectively. The stress member has a diameter that is greater than the relaxed internal diameter of the bladder, and has a length that exceeds the relaxed internal length of the hollow portion of the bladder, so that it prestresses the bladder in both the axial and radial directions when disposed therein, substantially filling the bladder in its unfilled state. The Hessel device also includes a one-way valve on the stress member which permits flow only in the direction of the interior of the bladder.
Very early balloon type infusion devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,468,308 and 3,469,578 issued to Bierman. These patents disclose a device for expelling a liquid from a bladder member at an extremely slow rate over an extended period of time.
One of the more advanced elastomeric bladder type devices ever developed is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,278 issued to the present inventor. Because the present invention comprises an improvement to the devices disclosed in this latter patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,278 is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. Another advanced elastomeric bladder type device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,857 also issued to the present inventor. This patent is also incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Still another novel bladder type device having a unique filling means is disclosed in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/329,840 filed by the present inventor on Jun. 10, 1999. This application is also incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
None of the prior art devices known to applicant have the unique capability of the present invention for expeditiously filling the fluid reservoir of the delivery device in the field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an elastomeric bladder, stored energy type infusion apparatus that can be filled in the field with a medicinal fluid and after being filled, can efficiently deliver a precise volume of the medicinal fluid to the patient. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide an infusion device of the aforementioned character which includes a novel filling means which can expeditiously be used in the field by a caregiver or physician.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned character which includes a delivery component and a filling component which can be operably interconnected with the delivery component to enable expeditious filling in the field of the fluid reservoir of the delivery component. More particularly, the novel filling component permits the pharmacist to aseptically fill the container under patient-specific-variable volume and concentration of medicament. In this way, body mass index requirements can be met for selected agents as, for example, immuno- and chemo-therapeutic agents.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as described in the preceding paragraph in which the filling component comprises a container having a fluid chamber that is accessible via either a septum that is sealably connected to the container or via a luer type connector.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in the preceding paragraphs which is highly reliable, inexpensive to produce in quantity, and easy to use in the home care environment.

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