INFUSION PUMPS AND METHODS WITH SHAPE MEMORY WIRE DRIVEN SYRINGE MECHANISM
Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for a user-wearable infusion pump actuated with a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire. Embodiments enable an SMA wire driven infusion pump using a single length of SMA wire to provide multiple pulse sizes and corresponding medicament dispensing sizes. The multiple pulse sizes can include a larger pulse size for larger volumes to limit battery drain but smaller pulse sizes for precision of delivery.
1 . A user-wearable infusion pump, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir configured to contain a medicament disposed in the housing;
a delivery mechanism configured to deliver medicament from the reservoir to a user;
an actuation wire configured to be energized to actuate the delivery mechanism to deliver medicament from the reservoir to a user.
2 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 1 , wherein the actuation wire defines two electrical paths that are separately energizable.
3 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 2 , wherein the two electrical paths are configured to provide two different predetermined medicament dispense sizes with the delivery mechanism.
4 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 2 , wherein each electrical path is defined by corresponding electrical contacts that are energized to actuate the delivery mechanism.
5 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 2 , wherein the actuation wire is a single continuous wire.
6 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 1 , wherein the actuation wire comprises a shape memory material such that energization of the actuation wire causes the actuation wire to shorten to actuate the delivery mechanism.
7 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises a drive gear configured to be rotated to actuate the delivery mechanism.
8 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 7 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a frame disposed around the drive gear, the frame including a flexible member having a drive tooth configured to interface with the drive gear to rotate the drive gear.
9 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 8 , wherein the actuation wire is configured to pull the flexible member down to causes the drive tooth to rotate the drive gear a predetermined amount.
10 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 7 , wherein the delivery mechanism further includes an encoder having a plurality of teeth that is rotated when the drive gear rotates to track accuracy of medicament delivery.
11 . A user-wearable infusion pump, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir configured to contain a medicament disposed in the housing; and
a delivery mechanism configured to deliver medicament from the reservoir to a user, wherein the delivery mechanism is configured to provide two different predetermined medicament dispense sizes.
12 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 11 , further comprising an actuation wire configured to be energized to actuate the delivery mechanism to deliver medicament from the reservoir to a user.
13 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 12 , wherein the actuation wire defines two electrical paths corresponding to the two different predetermined medicament dispense sizes.
14 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 13 , wherein each electrical path is defined by corresponding electrical contacts that are energized to actuate the delivery mechanism.
15 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 12 , wherein the actuation wire is a single continuous wire.
16 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 12 , wherein the actuation wire comprises a shape memory material such that energization of the actuation wire causes the actuation wire to shorten to actuate the delivery mechanism.
17 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 11 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises a drive gear configured to be rotated to actuate the delivery mechanism.
18 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 17 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a frame disposed around the drive gear, the frame including a flexible member having a drive tooth configured to interface with the drive gear to rotate the drive gear.
19 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 18 , wherein the flexible member is configured to be pulled down to cause the drive tooth to rotate the drive gear a predetermined amount.
20 . The user-wearable infusion pump of claim 17 , wherein the delivery mechanism further includes an encoder having a plurality of teeth that is rotated when the drive gear rotates to track accuracy of medicament delivery.