Infusion pump assembly
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. 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.
2. A delivery device according to claim 1 , 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.
3. A delivery device according to claim 2 , 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.
4. A delivery device according to claim 1 , 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.
5. A delivery device according to claim 1 , 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.
6. A delivery device according to claim 1 , 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.
7. A delivery device according to claim 1 , further comprising an anti-rotation structure to inhibit the plunger from rotating within the reservoir.
8. A delivery device according to claim 7 , 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.
9. A delivery device according to claim 1 , 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.