Infusion pump drive with compression spring
An infusion pump drive and its methods of use are disclosed. In one embodiment, the infusion pump drive may include a transmission component and a spring in line with the transmission component. Displacing the transmission component may compress the spring to apply a force causing fluid to dispense from an associated reservoir. Depending on the particular embodiment, the transmission component may either be displaced continuously or displaced multiple times to dispense fluid from the reservoir.
1. An infusion pump drive comprising:
a transmission;
a spring in line with the transmission, wherein the spring is positioned between the transmission and a portion of a reservoir associated with the spring; and
a motor operatively coupled to the transmission;
wherein the transmission is displaceable to compress the spring causing a force to be applied by the compressed spring, the applied force sufficient to dispense a fluid from the reservoir associated with the spring.
2. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the transmission includes a piston.
3. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the transmission includes a rotating shaft.
4. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring.
5. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a compression spring.
6. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the spring is compressed prior to an initial displacement of the transmission.
7. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the infusion pump drive is incorporated into an infusion pump.
8. The infusion pump drive of claim 7 , wherein the infusion pump comprises a reusable portion and a disposable portion.
9. The infusion pump drive of claim 8 , wherein the infusion pump drive is located within the reusable portion of the infusion pump.
10. The infusion pump drive of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the spring and a stopper are located within the disposable portion.
11. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , further including a stopper associated with the reservoir, wherein the stopper is displaceable by the applied force of the spring to dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
12. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , further including the reservoir.
13. The infusion pump drive of claim 12 , wherein the reservoir is compressible and the applied force of the spring is sufficient to compress the reservoir and dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
14. The infusion pump drive of claim 12 , further comprising a valve to selectively open and close an outlet of the reservoir.
15. The infusion pump drive of claim 14 , wherein the valve does not pierce the outlet.
16. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the motor, wherein the controller is configured and arranged to operate the motor to displace the transmission a first time by a first distance to compress the spring to dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
17. The infusion pump drive of claim 16 , wherein the first distance is equal to a full stroke of the transmission.
18. The infusion pump drive of claim 16 , wherein the first distance is less than a full stroke of the transmission.
19. The infusion pump drive of claim 16 , wherein the spring expands to dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
20. The infusion pump drive of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured and arranged to operate the motor to displace the transmission a second time by a second distance to compress the spring and dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
21. The infusion pump drive of claim 20 , wherein the first distance and the second distance are equal.
22. The infusion pump drive of claim 14 , wherein the valve is actuable to control flow from the outlet of the reservoir.
23. The infusion pump drive of claim 22 , wherein the valve is actuated using pulse modulation.
24. An infusion pump drive comprising:
a transmission; and
a spring in line with the transmission, wherein the spring is positioned between the transmission and a portion of a reservoir associated with the spring;
wherein the transmission is displaceable to compress the spring causing a force to be applied by the compressed spring, the applied force sufficient to dispense a fluid from the reservoir associated with the spring, and wherein the spring has a compressed state and an uncompressed state, wherein a length difference between the compressed state and the uncompressed state is less than a full stroke length of the transmission.
25. The infusion pump drive of claim 24 , further comprising a motor operatively coupled to the transmission and a controller operatively coupled to the motor, wherein the controller is configured and arranged to operate the motor to drive the transmission to alternatingly compress and expand the spring to dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
26. The infusion pump drive of claim 25 , wherein expanding the spring from the compressed state to the uncompressed state dispenses a volume of the fluid from the reservoir that is less than a total volume of the reservoir.
27. An infusion pump drive comprising:
a transmission;
a spring in line with the transmission, wherein the spring has a compressed state and an uncompressed state, wherein a length difference between the compressed state and the uncompressed state is less than a full stroke length of the transmission;
a motor operatively coupled to the transmission;
a controller operatively coupled to the motor, wherein the controller is configured and arranged to operate the motor to drive the transmission to cyclically compress and expand the spring to dispense a fluid from a reservoir associated with the spring.
28. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , further comprising a stopper associated with the reservoir, wherein the spring is disposed between the transmission and the stopper.
29. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , wherein the transmission includes a piston.
30. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , wherein the transmission includes a rotating shaft.
31. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring.
32. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , wherein the spring is a compression spring.
33. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , wherein the spring is compressed prior to an initial displacement of the transmission.
34. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , further including the reservoir.
35. The infusion pump drive of claim 34 , wherein the reservoir is compressible and the applied force of the spring is sufficient to compress the reservoir and dispense the fluid from the reservoir.
36. The infusion pump drive of claim 27 , further comprising a valve to selectively open and close an outlet of the reservoir.
37. The infusion pump drive of claim 36 , wherein the valve does not pierce the outlet.
38. The infusion pump drive of claim 36 , wherein the valve is actuatable to control flow from the outlet of the reservoir.
39. The infusion pump drive of claim 36 , wherein the valve is actuated using pulse modulation.
40. The infusion pump drive of claim 1 , wherein the transmission is displaceable in a distal direction to compress the spring in the distal direction causing a force to be applied to the reservoir by the compressed spring.
41. An infusion pump drive comprising:
a transmission including a rotating shaft; and
a spring in line with the transmission, wherein the spring is positioned between the transmission and a portion of a reservoir associated with the spring;
wherein the transmission is displaceable to compress the spring causing a force to be applied by the compressed spring, the applied force sufficient to dispense a fluid from the reservoir associated with the spring.
42. The infusion pump drive of claim 41 , wherein the transmission includes a piston.
43. The infusion pump drive of claim 41 , wherein the spring is one selected from the group of a torsion spring and a compression spring.
44. The infusion pump drive of claim 41 , wherein the reservoir is compressible and the applied force of the spring is sufficient to compress the reservoir and dispense the fluid from the reservoir.