Fluid delivery apparatus with adjustable flow rate control
A compact fluid dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments, such as, antibiotics, analgesics, and like medicinal agents from the device reservoir. The fluid dispenser includes a unique stored energy mechanism which takes the form of a constant force spring member of novel design that provides the force necessary to continuously and substantially uniformly expel fluid from the device reservoir. The device also includes novel adjustable flow rate control assembly that is disposed intermediate the fluid reservoir outlet and the outlet port of the device for precisely controlling the rate of fluid flow from the outlet port toward the patient.
1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said fluid reservoir;
(b) fluid displacement means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet;
(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said fluid displacement means to cause said fluid displacement means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring, said constant force spring being carried within a spring support mounted within said housing and comprising a high strength, long deflection device movable from a retracted configuration to an expanded configuration;
(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed and for causing said constant force spring to move from said retracted configuration to said expanded configuration;
(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising a selector member rotatably mounted within said housing, said selector member having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein; and
(f) dispensing means connected to said housing and in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said control member for dispensing fluid to the patient.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said housing includes a cavity in communication with said inlet of said fluid reservoir and in which said fill means comprises a pierceable septum disposed within said cavity.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said fill means comprises a fill vial receivable within said housing.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said housing further includes a connector portion and in which said fill means comprises a pierceable septum mounted within said housing and a fill syringe assembly interconnectable with said connector portion, said fill syringe assembly comprising:
(a) a hollow housing having a chamber; and
(b) a fill vial telescopically receivable with and said chamber of said hollow housing, said fill vial having a fluid reservoir and a plunger disposed within said fluid reservoir for movement between first and second positions.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said housing further includes a connector portion and in which said fill means comprises a pierceable septum mounted within said housing and a fill assembly including a connector component and a fill line connected to said connector component, said connector component being removably interconnectable with said connector portion of said housing.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including volume indicator means carried by said housing for indicating the volume of fluid within said reservoir.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including disabling means carried by said housing for preventing fluid flow toward the patient.
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including indicating means carried by said housing for indicating the volume of fluid being delivered to the patient over a particular period of time.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said flow control means further includes a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said selector member.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including stop means for preventing rotation of said selector member.
11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said flow control means further comprises a second selector member rotatably mounted within said housing, said second flow selector member having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said flow control means further includes a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said second selector member.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which said plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels of said flow rate control member have a depth of approximately 10-100 um.
14. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said fluid reservoir;
(b) fluid displacement means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet;
(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said fluid displacement means to cause said fluid displacement means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring, said constant force spring being carried within a spring support mounted within said housing and comprising a high strength, long deflection device movable from a retracted configuration to an expanded configuration;
(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed and for causing said constant force spring to move from said retracted configuration to said expanded configuration;
(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising:
(i) a selector member rotatably mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein; and
(ii) a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said selector member; and
(f) dispensing means connected to said housing and in communication with said plurality of fluid.
15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further including stop means for preventing rotation of said selector member.
16. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said housing includes a vial receiving chamber and in which said fill means comprises a fill vial receivable within said vial receiving chamber.
17. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels of said flow rate control member have a depth of approximately 10-100 um.
18. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 and which said flow rate control member is constructed from a medical grade polymer and in which said fluid flow control channels are made by injection molding techniques.
19. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 and which said plurality of the elongated fluidic flow control channels will deliver fluid at a flow rate of between about 0.25 and about 5.0 milliliters per hour.
20. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said flow control means further comprises a second selector member rotatably mounted within said housing, said second flow selector member having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein in communication with said elongated fluidic flow control channels of said flow rate control member.
21. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said housing further includes a connector portion and in which said fill means comprises a pierceable septum mounted within said housing and a fill syringe assembly interconnectable with said connector portion, said fill syringe assembly comprising:
(a) a hollow housing having a chamber; and
(b) a fill vial telescopically receivable with and said chamber of said hollow housing, said fill vial having a fluid reservoir and a plunger disposed within said fluid reservoir for movement between first and second positions.
22. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further including disabling means carried by said housing for irrevocably disabling the device and rendering it inert.
23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22 in which said disabling means comprises a disabling shaft that is telescopically movable within a passageway formed within said housing.
24. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluids to a patient comprising:
(a) a housing having a fluid reservoir for containing fluid to be dispensed to the patient, said housing being provided with an inlet for permitting fluid flow into said fluid reservoir and an outlet for permitting fluid flow from said fluid reservoir and including a vial receiving chamber for receiving a first fill vial;
(b) fluid displacement means disposed within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position to cause said fluid contained within said fluid reservoir to flow toward said outlet;
(c) stored energy means disposed within said outer housing for acting upon said fluid displacement means to cause said fluid displacement means to move toward said second position, said stored energy means comprising a constant force spring, said constant force spring being carried within a spring support mounted within said housing and comprising a high strength, long deflection device movable from a retracted configuration to an expanded configuration;
(d) fill means carried by said housing for filling said reservoir with the fluid to be dispensed and for causing said constant force spring to move from said retracted configuration to said expanded configuration, said fill means comprising said fill vial receivable within said vial receiving chamber;
(e) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling fluid flow from said reservoir to the patient, said flow control means comprising:
(i) a selector member rotatably mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of fluid passageways formed therein; and
(ii) a flow rate control member mounted within said housing, said flow control member having a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels in communication with said plurality of fluid passageways formed in said selector member; and
(f) dispensing means connected to said housing and in communication with said plurality of fluid.
25. The apparatus as defined in claim 24 in which said housing includes;
(a) a removable vial cover for covering said vial receiving chamber;
(b) a fluid passageway in communication with said inlet of said fluid reservoir; and
(c) an elongated support mounted within said removable vial cover.
26. The apparatus as defined in claim 24 in which said housing includes:
(a) a fluid passageway in communication with said inlet of said fluid reservoir; and
(b) an elongated support mounted within said vial receiving said elongated support haying an elongated hollow needle, said hollow needle defining a flow passageway in communication with said fluid passageway.
27. The apparatus as defined in claim 26 in which said fill means includes a second fill vial and which said housing comprises;
(a) a second chamber for receiving said second fill vial; and
(b) an elongated support mounted within said second chamber, said elongated support having an elongated hollow needle, said hollow needle defining a flow passageway in communication with said fluid passageway.
28. The apparatus as defined in claim 27 in which each of said first and second fill vials has a first open end, a closed second end and each includes;
(a) a fluid reservoir disposed between said first and second ends; and
(b) a pierceable plunger disposed within said fluid reservoir for movement between first and second positions.
29. The apparatus as defined in claim 28 in which said housing includes a cavity in communication with said inlet of said fluid reservoir and in which said fill means comprises a pierceable septum disposed within said cavity.
30. The apparatus as defined in claim 29 further including locking means carried by said housing for blocking rotation of said selector knob.