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Publication Number
US-12115345-B2
Publication Date
2024-10-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
A drug delivery device (1) includes a delivery unit, an electronic control system and a plunger sensing system (70). The delivery unit (3) includes a drug container (6) comprising a barrel portion (6a) and a plunger (12) slidably mounted within the barrel portion and sealing against an inner surface of the barrel portion (6a) for containing a liquid drug (78) within the drug container. The plunger sensing system (70) includes an optical sensor (71) with a transmitter (71a) and a receiver (71b), the transmitter configured for transmitting an optical signal to a back end (73) of the plunger (12) and the receiver configured to receive the optical signal reflected off the plunger back end (73). The plunger sensing system is connected to the electronic control system (47) configured to measure a time of flight of the optical signal from the transmitter to the receiver and to determine therefrom a position of the plunger within the cylinder portion of the drug container.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a drug delivery device having a delivery unit with a drug container and a plunger slidably mounted within a barrel portion, sealing against an inner surface of the barrel portion to contain a liquid drug. An electronic control system is connected to a plunger sensing system, and the plunger sensing system includes an optical sensor comprising a transmitter and a receiver.
The plunger sensing system and the electronic control system measure a time of flight of an optical signal from the transmitter to the receiver and determine therefrom a position of the plunger within the barrel portion of the drug container. The delivery unit comprises a casing with a container casing portion that includes a plunger end portion covering an end of the drug container facing the plunger.
The plunger end portion comprises a transparent sensor window, or in a second independent version a transparent sensor prism, and the optical sensor is positioned on or proximate the sensor window or a face of the sensor prism. The transmitter transmits an optical signal through the transparent sensor feature to a back end of the plunger, and the receiver receives the optical signal reflected off the back end of the plunger and returning through the transparent sensor feature.
The plunger end portion further comprises a raised portion positioning the sensor window at a certain distance away from the back end of the plunger to allow an optical time of flight measurement of the plunger in an initial position of the plunger.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive features center on an optical time-of-flight plunger position sensing system integrated into a casing, with either a transparent sensor window or a transparent sensor prism, and a raised portion for spacing in the window-based version.
Optical time-of-flight plunger position sensing using transmitter and receiver
A plunger sensing system including an optical sensor comprising a transmitter and a receiver, connected to an electronic control system, configured to measure a time of flight of an optical signal from the transmitter to the receiver and to determine therefrom a position of the plunger within the barrel portion of the drug container.
Transparent sensor window in plunger-end portion for TOF measurement
A plunger end portion covering an end of the drug container facing the plunger, wherein the plunger end portion comprises a transparent sensor window allowing an optical signal to pass through the plunger end portion of the container casing; the optical sensor positioned on or proximate the sensor window; the transmitter configured for transmitting an optical signal through the sensor window to a back end of the plunger; and the receiver configured to receive the optical signal reflected off the back end of the plunger and returning through the sensor window.
Raised portion spacing the transparent sensor window from the back end of the plunger
The plunger end portion of the container casing portion comprises a raised portion positioning the sensor window at a certain distance away from the back end of the plunger allowing an optical time of flight measurement of the plunger in an initial position of the plunger.
Transparent sensor prism for TOF measurement in plunger-end portion
The plunger end portion comprising a transparent sensor prism allowing an optical signal to pass through the plunger end portion of the container casing, the optical sensor being positioned on or proximate a face of the sensor prism, the transmitter configured for transmitting an optical signal through the sensor prism to a back end of the plunger, and the receiver configured to receive the optical signal reflected off the back end of the plunger and returning through the sensor prism.
Overall coverage is provided for determining plunger position using optical time-of-flight measurements through a transparent sensor feature formed in the plunger-end portion of the container casing, with reflected optical signals from the back end of the plunger measured and converted into a plunger position.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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