Medicine reservoir for drug delivery device
View Patent ↗A medicine reservoir ( 10 ) is provided for use with a drug delivery device ( 50 ). The medicine reservoir ( 10 ) is arranged for comprising a drug ( 13 ) and comprises a dispensing hole ( 15 ) for dispensing the drug ( 13 ) into an environment of the drug delivery device ( 50 ). The medicine reservoir ( 10 ) further comprises a deformable plug ( 14 ) which plug ( 14 ) is removable by pressure caused by a dispensing action of the drug delivery device ( 50 ).
1. A medicine reservoir for use with a drug delivery device, the medicine reservoir being arranged for comprising a drug and comprising:
a dispensing hole for dispensing the drug into an environment of the drug delivery device; and
a deformable oil plug that does not mix with the drug or with gastro-intestinal fluid disposed in and sealing the dispensing hole, wherein the plug is ejected from the dispensing hole in response to a pressure in the reservoir caused by a dispensing action of the drug delivery device.
2. A medicine reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the oil plug comprises a mineral oil.
3. A medicine reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the oil comprises castor oil.
4. A medicine reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle for partly filling the dispensing hole, the nozzle comprising the deformable plug.
5. A drug delivery device comprising a medicine reservoir as claimed in claim 1 .
6. A drug delivery device as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising electronics for controlling the dispensing action.
7. A drug delivery device comprising:
a housing with a dispensing hole formed therein;
a medicine reservoir disposed in the housing and defining a volume in fluid communication with the dispensing hole;
an actuator disposed to increase a pressure in the volume to dispense a medicine contained in the medicine reservoir through the dispensing hole; and
a deformable oil plug disposed in the dispensing hole.
8. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , further comprising a nozzle disposed in the dispensing hole and having a nozzle hole therethrough, and wherein the deformable plug is disposed in the nozzle hole.
9. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the oil plug comprises castor oil or mineral oil.
10. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the oil does not mix with the medicine or gastrointestinal fluid.
11. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein an inner wall of the housing forms a portion of the reservoir.
12. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , further comprising processing electronics disposed in the housing for controlling the actuator.
13. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator is a mechanical actuator.
14. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator utilizes a chemical reaction.
15. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the increase in the pressure in the volume acts to eject the plug from the dispensing hole.
16. A drug delivery device comprising:
a housing with a dispensing hole formed therein;
a medicine reservoir disposed in the housing and defining a volume in fluid communication with the dispensing hole;
a nozzle disposed in the dispensing hole and having a nozzle hole formed therethrough; and an oil plug disposed in the nozzle hole.
17. The drug delivery device of claim 16 , wherein the oil plug comprises castor oil or mineral oil.
18. The drug delivery device of claim 16 , wherein the nozzle hole has a diameter chosen based on a viscosity of a drug to be delivered by the drug delivery device.