Ceramic Chamber With Integrated Temperature Control Device For Ophthalmic Medical Device
A dispensing assembly includes a dispensing chamber housing, a needle with a needle hub, and a temperature control device. The dispensing chamber housing has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface partially defines a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance. The dispensing chamber housing is made of a sintered ceramic. The needle is fluidly coupled to the dispensing chamber. The temperature control device is encapsulated in the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process. The temperature control device is configured to alter a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber.
1 . A dispensing assembly comprising:
a dispensing chamber housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface partially defining a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance, the dispensing chamber housing made of a ceramic;
a needle fluidly coupled to the dispensing chamber; and
a temperature control device integrated with the dispensing chamber housing, the temperature control device for altering a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 wherein the dispensing chamber housing is made of a sintered ceramic.
3 . The assembly of claim 2 wherein the temperature control device is encapsulated by the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a needle hub fixed to the needle.
5 . The assembly of claim 4 wherein the needle hub is affixed to the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process.
6 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a liner located between the inner surface of the dispensing chamber housing and the substance.
7 . The assembly of claim 6 wherein the liner is press fit into the dispensing chamber housing.
8 . The assembly of claim 6 wherein the substance is preloaded in the liner.
9 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a liner located between the inner surface of the dispensing chamber housing and the substance, the liner having a wall portion and a top portion, the wall portion in contact with the inner surface of the dispensing chamber housing, the top portion holding the needle.
10 . The assembly of claim 9 further comprising:
a needle hub fixed to the needle, the needle hub held by the top portion of the
liner.
11 . The assembly of claim 9 wherein the liner is press fit into the dispensing chamber housing.
12 . The assembly of claim 9 wherein the substance is preloaded in the liner.
13 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a housing at least partially enclosing the dispensing chamber housing.
14 . The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a thermal sensor in thermal contact with the dispensing chamber housing.
15 . The assembly of claim 1 wherein the substance is a drug for treating a condition of the eye.
16 . A dispensing assembly comprising:
a dispensing chamber housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface partially defining a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance, the dispensing chamber housing made of a sintered ceramic;
a needle fluidly coupled to the dispensing chamber;
a needle hub connected to the needle; and
a temperature control device encapsulated in the dispensing chamber housing, the temperature control device for altering a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber;
wherein the temperature control device is encapsulated in the dispensing chamber and the needle hub is affixed to the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process.
17 . A dispensing assembly comprising:
a dispensing chamber housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface partially defining a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance, the dispensing chamber housing made of a sintered ceramic;
a needle fluidly coupled to the dispensing chamber;
a needle hub connected to the needle, the needle hub affixed to the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process;
a temperature control device encapsulated in the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process, the temperature control device for altering a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber; and
a liner located between the inner surface of the dispensing chamber housing and the substance.
18 . A dispensing assembly comprising:
a dispensing chamber housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface partially defining a dispensing chamber for receiving a quantity of a substance, the dispensing chamber housing made of a sintered ceramic;
a needle fluidly coupled to the dispensing chamber;
a needle hub connected to the needle;
a temperature control device encapsulated in the dispensing chamber housing during a sintering process, the temperature control device for altering a temperature of a substance in the dispensing chamber; and
a liner located between the inner surface of the dispensing chamber housing and the substance, the liner having a wall portion and a top portion, the wall portion in contact with the inner surface of the dispensing chamber housing, the top portion holding the needle hub.