Drug delivery pump drive using a shaped memory alloy wire

1. A pump drive used to dispense a liquid drug from a container having a plunger piston, said pump drive comprising:

a unidirectional clutch provided about a rotational axis and supporting centrally a wheel, the unidirectional clutch having an inner race operably connected to the plunger piston, wherein the unidirectional clutch is configured to rotate both the inner race about the rotational axis in unison with rotation of the wheel in only a first rotational direction which advances the plunger piston, and to let the wheel rotate relative to the inner race about the rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction without advancing the plunger piston;

at least one shape memory alloy wire providing a motor force when excited to rotate the wheel in at least the first rotational direction;

a spring to rotate the wheel in the second rotational direction; and

a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes with helical slots and bearings therebetween located about the axis of rotation,

wherein the shaped memory alloy wire and the spring act on the inner tube in opposition such that the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation,

wherein the helical slots and bearings cause the outer tube to reciprocate with only rotary motion about the axis of rotation as the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, and

wherein the outer tube is connected to the wheel such that the rotary motion of the outer tube causes the wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction and then in the second rotational direction as the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation.

2. A pump drive used to dispense a liquid drug from a container having a plunger piston, said pump drive comprising:

a lead screw having a rotational axis and being operably connected to the plunger piston, wherein rotation of the lead screw about the rotational axis advances the piston plunger in a dispensing direction which dispenses the liquid drug from the container;

a wheel;

a unidirectional clutch provided about the rotational axis and supporting centrally the wheel, the unidirectional clutch having an inner race connected centrally to the lead screw, wherein the unidirectional clutch is configured to rotate both the inner race and lead screw about the rotational axis in unison with rotation of the wheel in only a first rotational direction, and to let the wheel rotate relative to the inner race without rotating the lead screw about the rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction;

at least one shape memory alloy wire providing a motor force when excited to rotate the wheel in at least the first rotational direction;

a spring to rotate the wheel in the second rotational direction; and

a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes with helical slots and bearings therebetween located about the axis of rotation,

wherein the shaped memory alloy wire and the spring act on the inner tube in opposition such that the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation,

wherein the helical slots and bearings cause the outer tube to reciprocate with only rotary motion about the axis of rotation as the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, and

wherein the outer tube is connected to the wheel such that the rotary motion of the outer tube causes the wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction and then in the second rotational direction as the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation.

3. The pump drive according to claim 2 further comprising an actuator body and a plunge rod, wherein the shaped memory alloy wire and the spring are provided in the-actuator body and act on the-plunge rod in opposition such that the plunge rod reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, wherein the plunger rod is slidably housed in the actuator body and has a portion that extends from the actuator body which connects to the inner tube.

4. The pump drive according to claim 2 provided in a drug delivery pump which also accommodates the container holding the liquid drug.

5. The pump drive according to claim 2 , wherein the shape memory alloy wire is excited by applying and removing electric energy to the shape memory alloy wire.

6. The pump drive according to claim 5 , further includes a battery coupled to the shape memory alloy wire to provide the electric energy to the shape memory alloy wire.

7. The pump drive according to claim 2 , wherein the shape memory alloy wire is formed from a material selected from copper based alloys, copper-zinc-aluminum-nickel, copper-aluminum-nickel, iron-manganese-silicon alloys, and nickel-titanium alloys.

8. The pump drive according to claim 2 , wherein the shaped memory alloy is formed as a coil.

9. A pump drive used to dispense a liquid drug from a container having a plunger piston, said pump drive comprising:

a unidirectional clutch provided about a rotational axis and supporting centrally a wheel, the unidirectional clutch having an inner race operably connected to the plunger piston, wherein the unidirectional clutch is configured to rotate both the inner race about the rotational axis in unison with rotation of the wheel in only a first rotational direction which advances the plunger piston, and to let the wheel rotate relative to the inner race about the rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction without advancing the plunger piston;

a linear drive to rotate the wheel in the second rotational direction; and

a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes with helical slots and bearings therebetween located about the axis of rotation, wherein the linear drive acts on the inner tube in opposition such that the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, wherein the helical slots and bearings cause the outer tube to reciprocate with rotary motion about the axis of rotation as the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, and wherein the outer tube is connected to the wheel such that the rotary motion of the outer tube causes the wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction and then in the second rotational direction.

10. A method of dispensing a liquid drug from a container having a plunger piston, said method comprises:

providing a unidirectional clutch about a rotational axis which supports centrally a wheel, the unidirectional clutch having an inner race operably connected to the plunger piston, wherein the unidirectional clutch both rotates the inner race about the rotational axis in unison with rotation of the wheel in only a first rotational direction which advances the plunger piston, and lets the wheel rotate relative to the inner race about the rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction without advancing the plunger piston;

providing a motor force by exciting at least one shape memory alloy wire which rotates the wheel in at least the first rotational direction;

providing a spring to rotate the wheel in the second rotational direction; and

providing a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes with helical slots and bearings therebetween located about the axis of rotation,

wherein the shaped memory alloy wire and the spring act on the inner tube in opposition such that the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation,

wherein the helical slots and bearings cause the outer tube to reciprocate with only rotary motion about the axis of rotation as the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, and

wherein the outer tube is connected to the wheel such that the rotary motion of the outer tube causes the wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction and then in the second rotational direction as the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation.

11. A method of dispensing a liquid drug from a container having a plunger piston, said method comprises:

providing a unidirectional clutch about a rotational axis which supports centrally a wheel, the unidirectional clutch having an inner race operably connected to the plunger piston, wherein the unidirectional clutch both rotates the inner race about the rotational axis in unison with rotation of the wheel in only a first rotational direction which advances the plunger piston, and lets the wheel rotate relative to the inner race about the rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction without advancing the plunger piston;

providing a linear drive to rotate the wheel in the second rotational direction; and

providing a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes with helical slots and bearings therebetween located about the axis of rotation, wherein the linear drive acts on the inner tube in opposition such that the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, wherein the helical slots and bearings cause the outer tube to reciprocate with rotary motion about the axis of rotation as the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, and wherein the outer tube is connected to the wheel such that the rotary motion of the outer tube causes the wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction and then in the second rotational direction.

12. A method of dispensing a liquid drug from a container having a plunger piston, said method comprises:

providing a lead screw having a rotational axis and operably connecting the lead screw to the plunger piston wherein rotation of the lead screw about the rotational axis advances the piston plunger in a dispensing direction which dispenses the liquid drug from the container;

providing a wheel;

providing a unidirectional clutch to support the wheel about the rotational axis;

connecting an inner race of the unidirectional clutch centrally to the lead screw, wherein the unidirectional clutch is configured to rotate both the inner race and lead screw about the rotational axis in unison with rotation of the wheel only in a first rotational direction, and to let the wheel rotation relative to the inner race without rotating the lead screw about the rotational axis in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction;

providing at least one shape memory alloy wire which when excited provides a motor force to rotate the wheel in at least the first rotational direction;

providing a spring to rotate the wheel in the second rotational direction; and

providing a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes with helical slots and bearings therebetween located about the axis of rotation,

wherein the shaped memory alloy wire and the spring act on the inner tube in opposition such that the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation,

wherein the helical slots and bearings cause the outer tube to reciprocate with only rotary motion about the axis of rotation as the inner tube reciprocates with linear motion along the axis of rotation, and

wherein the outer tube is connected to the wheel such that the rotary motion of the outer tube causes the wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction and then in the second rotational direction as the inner tube reciprocates only with linear motion along the axis of rotation; and

exciting the shape memory alloy wire.