Granted Patent B2

US 12,728,202 · App. 17/817,613 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Hung The Vo (Fountain Valley, CA); Sai Kong Frank Lee (Irvine, CA); Richard Velasco (Irvine, CA); Tran Minh Tuan (Irvine, CA)

Assignee: Willow Laboratories, Inc.

A61M5/1723A61M5/14244A61M5/148A61M2230/201

Abstract

Claims (31)

1 . A method to pump liquid medication from a liquid medication reservoir to a patient through a cannula or needle inserted into a patient, the method comprising:

contracting one or more of a plurality of plungers from an uncontracted position to cause a negative pressure to draw medication into a flow path from the liquid medication reservoir, wherein an output of a first plunger of the plurality of plungers is in fluid communication with an input of a second plunger of the plurality of plungers; and

retracting the one or more of a plurality of plungers to the uncontracted position by applying a retraction force, wherein the retraction force causes a positive pressure to the medication in the flow path to move medication downstream within the flow path.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the retracting is performed by providing retraction pressure by a plurality of springs, each of the plurality of springs configured to cause one of the plurality of plungers to return an uncontracted position.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of springs includes silicon.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of springs is a disc spring.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sensing one or more physiological parameters of the patient with an analyte sensor.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid medication includes at least one of insulin or glucagon.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein contracting the one or more of the plurality of plungers comprises actuating one or more muscle wires to contract the one or more of the plurality of plungers, each of the one or more muscle wires corresponding to one of the one or more plungers.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more muscle wires include nitinol wire.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plungers further comprises a third plunger, wherein an output of the second plunger of the plurality of plungers is in fluid communication with an input of the third plunger of the plurality of plungers.

10 . The method of claim 7 further comprising one or more hardware processors causing one or more muscle wires to engage the first plunger, the second plunger, and the third plunger in a pattern to cause the liquid medication to flow from the liquid medication reservoir to the patient.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

applying an electrical signal to a first wire and a second wire to cause the first wire to cause the first plunger to open the flow path and create negative pressure to cause medication to flow into the flow path in a first portion and the second wire to cause the second plunger to open the flow path in a second portion;

ceasing applying the electrical signal to the first wire in order to allow a first spring to apply retraction pressure to the first plunger such that the first plunger is retracted to an uncontracted position and causes positive pressure to be applied to the medication in the first portion; and

applying a second electrical signal to a third wire to cause the third plunger to open the flow path in a third portion, and ceasing applying the electrical signal to the second wire in order to allow a second spring to apply retraction pressure to the second plunger, such that the second plunger is retracted to an uncontracted position and applies positive pressure to the medication in the flow path in the second portion.

12 . A method to engage a system of plungers configured to pump liquid medication through a flow path from a medication reservoir to a patient to a cannula or needle inserted into a patient, the method comprising:

applying a first electrical signal to a first wire and a second electrical signal to a second wire to cause the first wire to contract a first plunger, applying a negative pressure within the flow path in a first portion, and to contract a second plunger to apply a negative pressure within the flow path in a second portion substantially simultaneously to cause flow of the liquid medication, wherein an output of the first portion is in fluid communication with an input of the second portion;

ceasing applying the electrical signal to the first wire in order to allow application of retraction pressure to the first plunger such that the first plunger is retracted to an uncontracted position to apply a positive pressure in the first portion;

applying a third electrical signal to a third wire to contract a third plunger, applying a positive pressure within the flow path in a third portion, wherein an output of the second portion is in fluid communication with an input of the third portion; and

ceasing applying the electrical signal to the second wire substantially simultaneously to applying the third electrical signal, application of retraction pressure to the second plunger such that the second plunger is retracted to an uncontracted position and to apply a negative pressure within the flow path in the second portion.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the retraction pressure is applied using a plurality of springs.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of springs is a disc spring.

15 . A muscle wire pump system configured to manage a liquid medication flow path from a medication reservoir to a patient through a cannula or needle inserted into a patient, the system comprising:

a controller configured to control operation of a pump by operating a plurality of plungers within the liquid medication flow path, wherein an output of a first plunger of the plurality of plungers is in fluid communication with an input of a second plunger of the plurality of plungers;

a plurality of muscle wires each coupled to one of the plurality of plungers, each of the plurality of muscle wires configured to receive an electrical signal and cause contraction of the corresponding plunger, thereby creating a negative pressure to draw medication along the flow path; and

a plurality of means for opposing contraction of the plurality of muscle wires, each of the plurality of means for opposing contraction configured to return one of the plurality of plungers to an uncontracted position upon cessation of the electrical signal to the muscle wire coupled to the plunger.

16 . The muscle wire pump system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of means for opposing contraction are coupled to a plate forming an assembly with the plurality of plungers.

17 . The muscle wire pump system of claim 16 , wherein the plate includes one or more holes configured to allow the one or more holes to receive at least a portion of one of the plurality of plungers.

18 . The muscle wire pump system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of means for opposing contraction comprise a plurality of springs.

19 . The muscle wire pump system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of springs comprise disc springs.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)