Medtronic Minimed, Inc.

Benjamin X Shen

Sheldon B Moberg

Ian B Hanson

Julian D Kavazov

Arsen Ibranyan

Christopher G Griffin

Thomas P Miller

Mike Teang Lee

David Hezzell

Scott Robert Gibson

Rafael Bikovsky

Truong Gia Luan

William Andrew Brandt

Systems and methods allow for limiting a presence of air bubbles in a fluidic medium filled into a reservoir. A fluidic medium may be forced from a vial into a reservoir. A vial may be degassed prior to being used to fill a reservoir. A filling process may be automated and a membrane may be located in a fluid flow path to trap air bubbles in a fluidic medium being filled into a reservoir.

Systems and methods for reservoir filling

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to limiting a presence of air bubbles in fluidic media in a reservoir. Air passages may allow air to escape from fluidic media in a reservoir. Membranes may allow for trapping air bubbles in fluidic media before fluidic media enters a reservoir. A membrane may allow air to flow from a first reservoir containing fluidic media to a second reservoir while plunger heads within each of the reservoirs are moved within the reservoirs. An inner reservoir with a membrane may be moveable within an outer reservoir to allow air to move from the outer reservoir to the inner reservoir. An inner reservoir containing pressurized gas may allow fluidic media to be transferred to an outer reservoir.

Systems and methods allowing for reservoir air bubble management

An infusion device includes a disc-shaped housing that is made from a biocompatible material. The housing contains a reservoir for holding a volume of infusion medium, such as a medication to be administered to the patient. The inlet structure is coupled in flow communication with the reservoir, to allow the reservoir to be filled or refilled. The housing has an outlet through which the infusion medium may be expelled. Any one or combination of aspects may be employed to minimize or reduce the required thickness T of the inlet structure and of the infusion device, including: the selection of a convergence angle of the cone-shaped depression to be within the range of about 60&#xb0; and 180&#xb0; and, preferably about 150&#xb0;; a septum having one or more sealing ribs or a recess for receiving a support ring, to allow the septum to be made relatively thin without compromising sealing or support functions; a cup member having grooves and indentations formed in its inner surfaces, to improve flow of infusion medium without added structural thickness; a valve member having a relatively shallow needle-receiving depression or having a recess for receiving and sharing thickness with a the spring; and an inlet configuration which accommodates a needle having an opening located near its tip and, thus, employs a relatively short stroke of the valve member between closed and open states of the valve member.

Infusion device and inlet structure for same

An infusion device includes a disc-shaped housing that is made from a biocompatible material. The housing contains a reservoir for holding a volume of infusion medium, such as a medication to be administered to the patient. The inlet structure is coupled in flow communication with the reservoir, to allow the reservoir to be filled or re-filled. The housing has an outlet through which the infusion medium may be expelled. Any one or combination of aspects may be employed to minimize or reduce the required thickness T of the inlet structure and of the infusion device, including: the selection of a convergence angle of the cone-shaped depression to be within the range of about 60&#xb0; and 180&#xb0; and, preferably about 150&#xb0;; a septum having one or more sealing ribs or a recess for receiving a support ring, to allow the septum to be made relatively thin without compromising sealing or support functions; a cup member having grooves and indentations formed in its inner surfaces, to improve flow of infusion medium without added structural thickness; a valve member having a relatively shallow needle-receiving depression or having a recess for receiving and sharing thickness with a the spring; and an inlet configuration which accommodates a needle having an opening located near its tip and, thus, employs a relatively short stroke of the valve member between closed and open states of the valve member.

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Davis, CA, United States of America

Benjamin X Shen