U.S. patent application number 12/994234 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-14 for reservoir filling device.
Invention is credited to Elo Hordum, Claus Jakobsen, Bo Justesen.
Application Number | 20110168294 12/994234 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40194608 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110168294 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jakobsen; Claus ; et
al. |
July 14, 2011 |
RESERVOIR FILLING DEVICE
Abstract
The invention relates to a filling device for a reservoir which
reservoir is to be filled from a cartridge such as cartridges
having rigid walls e.g. made of glass and provided with a membrane
which can be penetrated by a needle for protection of the entrance.
According to the present invention the filling device comprises--a
housing (1) which housing (1) comprises--a first position means
adapted to receive a reservoir (2) for a delivering device,--a
second position means adapted to receive a cartridge (3) containing
a liquid,--a unit (4) providing a flow path when both the reservoir
(2) and the cartridge are received respectively by the first and
second positions means,--a venting unit (5, 5a, 5b) providing
access of gas to the cartridge (3) during emptying of the cartridge
(3). The filling device is characterized in that at least a part of
the venting unit (5) is placed off the rotational centre (rc) of
the housing and is attached to a part (7) which part (7) can rotate
relative to the housing (1).
Inventors: |
Jakobsen; Claus; (Hvalso,
DK) ; Justesen; Bo; (Ringsted, DK) ; Hordum;
Elo; (Horsholm, DK) |
Family ID: |
40194608 |
Appl. No.: |
12/994234 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
May 28, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2009/056533 |
371 Date: |
February 3, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61057580 |
May 30, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J 1/2072 20150501;
A61J 1/2082 20150501; A61J 1/2017 20150501; A61J 1/2013 20150501;
A61J 1/2089 20130101; A61J 1/201 20150501; A61J 1/2096 20130101;
A61J 1/2075 20150501 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/65 |
International
Class: |
B65B 31/04 20060101
B65B031/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 30, 2008 |
DK |
PA 2008 00737 |
Claims
1. Filling device comprising: a housing (1) comprising first
position means portion adapted to receive a reservoir for receiving
liquid, second portion adapted to receive a cartridge containing a
liquid, a unit unreleasably attached to the housing and providing a
flow path between the reservoir and the cartridge when both the
reservoir and the cartridge are received respectively by the first
and second portions, a venting unit comprising a penetrating member
penetrating a membrane covering an entrance of the cartridge and
providing access of gas to the cartridge during emptying of the
cartridge, the penetrating member positioned off the rotational
centre of the housing; and a rotary part the penetrating member
attached to the rotary part, the rotary part rotatable around the
unit rotatable relative to the housing.
2. Filling device according to claim 1, wherein the unit providing
the flow path between the reservoir and the cartridge, when the
cartridge is placed according to the second position means,
comprises a needle having two pointed ends.
3. Filling device according to claim 1, wherein the unit providing
the flow path is placed along the rotational centre of the
housing.
4. Filling device according to claim 3, wherein the unit is
fastened unreleasably to or is a part of a wall in the housing, the
wall separating the first portion from the second portion.
5. Filling device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary part
comprises a circular plate periphery in proximity of or in slidable
contact with a wall of the housing.
6. Filling device according to claim 5, wherein the circular plate
moves in a track formed in the wall of the housing.
7. Filling device according to claim 5, wherein the periphery of
the circular plate is provided with a track formed along the
periphery, the track corresponds to one or more protruding part(s)
of the housing.
8. Filling device according to claim 5, wherein the circular plate
comprises a friction layer wherein the friction layer prevents the
cartridge from moving relative to the circular plate.
9. Filling device according claim 1, wherein the venting unit
comprises a venting needle providing access from outside the
cartridge to an interior portion of the cartridge during use.
10. Filling device according claim 9, wherein the venting unit
comprises a venting valve providing a one-way passage of clean gas
into a room wherefrom the venting needle is provided with clean
gas.
11. Filling device according to claim 10, wherein the venting
needle is attached to the rotary part providing a flow path for
clean gas from one side of the rotary part to the other and the
venting valve is attached to an open end of the venting needle
pointing away from the cartridge.
12. Filling device according to claim 10, wherein the venting
needle is attached to the rotary part providing a flow path for
clean gas from one side of the rotary part to the other and the
venting valve is attached to a wall of the housing proving access
of clean gas from outside wall of the housing to the inside of the
wall of the housing.
13. A kit combining a filling device according to claim 1 and a
cartridge containing liquid, the filling device non removably
joined to the cartridge or removably connected to the cartridge.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a filling device for a reservoir
which reservoir is to be filled from a cartridge such as cartridges
having rigid walls e.g. made of glass and provided with a membrane
which can be penetrated by a needle for protection of the
entrance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Filling devices for reservoirs are known and it is
recognized that it can be necessary to vent the container which is
to be emptied for filling liquid in order to reduce the costs for
filling or refilling of reservoirs.
[0003] A problem which arises when manufacturing such filling
devices is how to place the venting channel in order not to hamper
the filling process or to contaminate the filling liquid which will
normally be some kind of medication.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,786 discloses a transfer device for use
in mixing substances in different containers which containers each
are closed by a stopper of resilient material having a puncturable
diaphragm. The transfer device consists of a central body portion
and a pair of aligned spikes or cannulas projecting from opposite
sides of this central body portion. This device is not provided
with a venting needle moving independently of the filling needle,
and therefore the joined spikes or cannulas according to this
document have a relatively large diameter.
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a filling device
which is easy to handle for the user, simple and non-expensive to
manufacture and where the risk of breaking the venting needle
during the filling process has been eliminated.
[0006] The invention concerns a filling device which comprising
[0007] a housing comprising [0008] a first position means adapted
to receive a reservoir for receiving liquid, [0009] a second
position means adapted to receive a cartridge containing a liquid,
[0010] a unit unreleasably attached to the housing and providing a
flow path when both the reservoir and the cartridge are received
respectively by the first and second positions means, [0011] a
venting unit providing access of gas to the cartridge during
emptying of the cartridge, and at least a part of the venting unit
is placed off the rotational centre (r.sub.c) of the housing and is
attached to a part. The invention is characterized in that this
part can rotate relative to the housing and relative to the unit
providing a flow path.
[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention the unit
providing the flow path between the reservoir and the cartridge
when they are at their positions comprises a needle having two
pointy ends. The needle can be made of any kind of material which
can penetrate the membranes protecting the access to respectively
the cartridge and the reservoir, and the needle could be blunt at
one end and pointed at the other end.
[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention the unit
providing the flow path is placed along the rotational centre of
the housing.
[0014] According to the above embodiment of the invention the unit
is fastened unreleasably to or is a part of a wall in the housing
which wall separates the first position means adapted to receive
the reservoir from the second position means adapted to receive the
cartridge.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention the part which
can rotate relative to the housing is formed as a circular plate
which periphery is in proximity of or in slidable contact with
walls of the housing. E.g. the circular plate can move in a track
formed in the walls of the housing. The formation of a "track"
prevents the circular plate from moving in a direction parallel to
the rotational axis r.sub.c of the housing. Alternatively the
periphery of the circular plate is provided with a track formed
along the periphery which track corresponds to one or more
protruding part(s) of the housing.
[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention the circular
plate can be provided with a friction layer which friction layer
prevents that the cartridge moves in relation to the cartridge i.e.
when the cartridge is pushed into the fitted second position means
of the filling device housing and the venting unit has penetrated
to the inner room of the cartridge then the friction layer will
reduce the risk of any displacement of the cartridge relative to
the rotary part.
[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention the venting
unit comprises a venting needle which venting needle provides
access from outside the cartridge to the inner room of the
cartridge. The venting unit (5) can further comprise a venting
valve (5b) which venting valve (5b) provides a one-way passage of
clean gas into a room wherefrom the venting needle (5a) is provided
with clean gas. "Clean gas" is considered to be gas of a quality as
defined as necessary by the user or by the manufacturer of the
device. It can be sterile gas but might be gas of a more inferior
quality. Normally the gas will be atmospheric air.
[0018] According to this embodiment the venting needle is attached
to the rotary part providing a flow path for clean gas from one
side of the rotary part to the other and the venting valve can be
attached to the open end of the venting needle pointing away from
the cartridge. Alternatively the venting valve can be attached to a
wall of the housing proving access of clean gas from outside wall
of the housing to the inside of the wall of the housing.
[0019] The invention also relates to a kit combining a cartridge
filling device according to any of the claims 1-11 and a cartridge
containing liquid which filling device can be either for single use
and thereby permanently joined to the cartridge or for multiple use
and thereby can be connected and disconnected to the cartridge.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The invention is explained in greater detail below with
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein two preferred
embodiments of the invention are shown.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a cut-through view of a filling device housing
where a reservoir to be filled is half-way in position and a
cartridge containing liquid is also half-way in position;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a cut-through view of a filling device housing
where the venting valve is placed away from the venting needle.
[0023] The embodiment of the reservoir filling device of FIG. 1 is
shown in a state where liquid cannot be transferred from the liquid
containing cartridge 3 to the reservoir. The embodiment of the
filling device comprises a housing 1 having cylindrical outer walls
and a separating wall 8 dividing the housing into two positions, a
first position for the reservoir 2 to be filled and a second
position for the cartridge 3 to be emptied. Each position is either
provided by the walls of the housing 1 thereby providing a close
fit for the device to be placed there or is provided with guiding
means assuring a well-defined final position of the device to be
placed. In the most simple form both or one of the positions only
comprise a central portion in form of the separating wall 8 having
no outer walls. The positions including the guiding means are
referred to as position means.
[0024] The embodiment of the filling device further comprises a
filling needle 4 which filing needle 4 provides a flow path for
liquid flowing from the cartridge 3 to the reservoir 2. Both the
cartridge 3 and the reservoir are in the embodiments of FIG. 1 each
provided with a membrane 6 and 10 which have to be penetrated by
the filling needle 4 in order to create a flow path between the two
units. The filling needle 4 is unreleasably attached to the
separating walls 8 and kept in a stationary position relative to
the housing 1 along the central axis of the housing 1.
[0025] The filling device is also provided with a rotary part 7
which according to this embodiment is formed as a turntable
provided with a folding at the periphery. The folding provides a
contact surface which can slide along the inner surface of the
housing 1 wall. The rotary part 7 can rotate around the filling
needle 4 which according to this embodiment is stationary relative
to the housing 1.
[0026] The rotary part 7 is prevented from moving in the
longitudinal direction by one or more protruding parts 12
preventing the rotary part 7 from moving towards the cartridge and
the separating wall 8 preventing the rotary part 7 from moving
towards the reservoir 2.
[0027] Gas can pass from one side of the rotary part to the other
through the venting needle 5 which according to this embodiment is
constructed of a penetrating member 5a and a valve member 5b which
two parts are joined. The penetrating member 5a is unreleasably
attached to the rotary part 7 and provides a flow path for gas
through the rotary part 7 and into the clean inner room 11 of the
cartridge 3. The penetrating member 5a will normally be provided
with a pointed end towards the cartridge in order for it to be able
to cut through the membrane layer 6 protecting the entrance of the
cartridge 3.
[0028] The venting valve 5b is attached to the open end of the
penetrating member 5a turned towards the reservoir 2 and the valve
5b allows for gas/air to pass from the room between the rotary part
7 and the separating wall 8 into the inner room 11 of the cartridge
3 when the penetrating member 5a has penetrated the membrane 6 and
been inserted into this room. The valve 5b prevents micro organisms
from accessing the clean inner room 11 of the cartridge 3.
[0029] The rotary part 7 is according to this embodiment provided
with one or more friction layers 9 on the side turned toward the
cartridge 3. The friction layers 9 correspond to contact surfaces
13 on the cartridge 3 and when the friction layers 9 and the
contact surfaces make contact the two units are "locked" relative
to each other and move together.
[0030] FIG. 1 also shows the reservoir 2 when this is pushed
half-way into the position of the housing 1, in this half-way
position the filling needle 4 does not penetrate the septum or
membrane 10 which is protecting the entrance of the reservoir 2.
The reservoir 2 according to this embodiment is also provided with
an illustrative piston with which liquid has been pushed out of the
reservoir 2 during use and emptying of the reservoir 2. When
filling the reservoir with liquid from the cartridge 3 the piston
14 is pulled back causing a reduced pressure in the reservoir 2 and
this reduced pressure will transport liquid contained in the
cartridge via the flow path provided by the filling needle 4 into
the reservoir 2. The removal of liquid from the cartridge 2, which
is a closed container with rigid walls, will reduce the pressure in
the cartridge 3 and if air or other gas is not let into the inner
room of the cartridge 3 then it will be necessary to assure that
the piston 14 seal tightly toward the inner walls of the reservoir
2 in order to be able to provide a reduced pressure which can
overcome the low pressure in the cartridge 3.
[0031] Instead of increasing the quality of the reservoir piston 2
it can be more convenient to prevent the pressure inside the
cartridge 3 to drop to low and this can be done e.g. as suggested
according to the present embodiment of the filling device by
letting air or other gas into the cartridge through the venting
needle 5.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a filling device
according to the present invention. According to this embodiment
the penetrating member 5a and the venting valve 5b are separated
from each other. The venting valve 5a transfers gas or air from the
outside of the housing 1 into the clean room 11 between the rotary
part 7 and the separating wall 8. According to this embodiment the
rotary part 7 must provide an airtight seal against the walls of
the housing 1. The penetrating member 5a has a blunt end turned
toward the reservoir 2 and a pointed end turned toward the membrane
of the cartridge 3. When the cartridge 3 is pushed into position
the penetrating member 5a will penetrate the membrane 6 and provide
a flow path for clean gas/air between the clean room 11 formed
between the rotary part 7 and the separating wall 8 and the inner
clean room 11 of the cartridge 3. Gas will flow through this flow
path when the pressure is reduced in the reservoir 2 as the piston
14 is pulled back.
[0033] As in the embodiment of FIG. 1 the filling needle 4 is
provided with two pointed ends respectively penetrating the
membrane 6 of the cartridge 3 and the membrane 10 of the reservoir
2 when these two devices are pushed into each their position.
[0034] The housing 1 of the filling device according to the present
invention need not be cylindrical or have a round profile but it
should be able to provide a close fit between the rotary part 7 and
the inner surface of the housing 1 especially according to the
embodiment of FIG. 2 where it is necessary to have clean atmosphere
in the room between the rotary part 7 and the separating walls 8.
If the inner surface of the housing at this position is not round
it could be provided with a round track e.g. formed in a protruding
part of the inner surface of the walls of the housing 1.
[0035] The liquid contained in the cartridge will often be a kind
of medication which advantageously can be continuously
administrated to a patient. This medication could e.g. be insulin
which can be continuously administered to patients with diabetes.
In this case the cartridge 3 could be a glass ampoule containing an
apportioned amount of insulin.
* * * * *