Unified drug mixer and dispenser
Inventors
McNall, III, Ralph I. • Donze, Thomas T. • MacDonell, Andrew M. • Joshi, Serena
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9775946-B2
Publication Date
2017-10-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
A unified dispenser for holding, mixing, and dispensing a drug includes a housing holding a diluent reservoir, a drug reservoir, and a tubing set connecting and defining a fluid communication path therebetween. A first occlusion is at the diluent reservoir, and a second occlusion is at the drug reservoir. In a storage state of the dispenser, the first and second occlusions are entirely encased within the housing and occlude the fluid communication path. First and second pull assemblies extend outside the housing. The first and second pull assemblies are coupled to the first and second occlusions, respectively, so that removal of the first and second pull assemblies removes the first and second occlusions and joins the diluent reservoir to the drug reservoir in fluid communication through the tubing set, thereby arranging the dispenser from the storage state to a use state.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a unified dispenser for holding, mixing, and dispensing a drug. The dispenser includes a housing holding a diluent reservoir and a drug reservoir, with a tubing set connecting and defining a fluid communication path therebetween. First and second aseptic connectors encase first and second occlusions, respectively, with the first aseptic connector located at the diluent reservoir and the second aseptic connector located at the drug reservoir.
In a storage state, the first and second occlusions are entirely encased within the housing and occlude the fluid communication path. First and second pull assemblies extend to outside the housing and extend into the first and second aseptic connectors to include the first and second occlusions, respectively. Removal of the first and second pull assemblies removes the occlusions from the aseptic connectors and joins the diluent reservoir to the tubing set, joins the drug reservoir to the tubing set, and joins the diluent reservoir to the drug reservoir in fluid communication through the tubing set, thereby arranging the dispenser from the storage state to a use state.
The dispenser further includes energy storage means and a pump assembly, and removal of the occlusions electrically couples the pump assembly to the energy storage means. A mix state and a dispense state are provided, in which the pump assembly communicates the diluent from the diluent reservoir to the drug reservoir to mix the diluent with the drug and then dispenses the mixture out of an administration line. Directional pump operation is used so that mixing and dispensing are performed in different pump directions.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims (clm-00001, clm-00010, clm-00017). Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage focuses on a unified dispenser architecture with reservoirs, tubing, and administration line, aseptic connectors with occlusions kept inside the housing in a storage state, and transitioning from storage to use states by removing occlusions via pull assemblies, including electrical coupling to energize the pump and distinct mix/dispense states.
Unified housing with reservoirs and tubing fluid communication path controlled by occluded aseptic connectors
A unified dispenser comprising a housing holding a diluent reservoir, a drug reservoir, and a tubing set connecting and defining a fluid communication path therebetween; first and second aseptic connectors encasing a first occlusion and a second occlusion, located at the diluent reservoir and the drug reservoir, respectively; wherein in a storage state the first and second occlusions are entirely encased within the housing and occlude the fluid communication path.
Pull assemblies that remove occlusions to place diluent and drug into fluid communication in a use state
First and second pull assemblies, each extending to outside the housing, extending into the first and second aseptic connectors and include the first and second occlusions, respectively, so that removal of the first and second pull assemblies removes the first and second occlusions from the first and second aseptic connectors, respectively, joins the diluent reservoir to the tubing set in fluid communication, joins the drug reservoir to the tubing set in fluid communication, and joins the diluent reservoir to the drug reservoir in fluid communication through the tubing set, thereby arranging the dispenser from the storage state to a use state.
Electrical coupling of the pump to energy storage upon occlusion removal
A unified dispenser including energy storage means and a pump assembly, wherein removal of the first and second pull assemblies removes the first and second occlusions and electrically couples the pump assembly to the energy storage means, thereby arranging the dispenser from the storage state to a use state.
Mix state and dispense state using different pump directions
A dispenser configured with a mix state and a dispense state, wherein the pump assembly communicates the diluent from the diluent reservoir to the drug reservoir to mix the diluent with the drug, and in the dispense state the pump assembly dispenses a mixture of the diluent and the drug out of an administration line; and wherein the pump assembly operates in a first direction in the mix state and operates in a second direction different from the first direction in the dispense state.
The independent claims collectively require a unified housing-based dispenser that keeps aseptic connectors occluded in a storage state, uses first and second pull assemblies to remove occlusions and establish sterile fluid communication via a tubing set, and (in the broader claims) electrically couples a pump to energy storage and operates in distinct storage-to-use states including mix and dispense, with mixing and dispensing performed using pump operation in different directions.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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