The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 04, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 08, 2008
Srinivas Chiravuri, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Allan Evans, Brighton, MI (US);
Yogesh B. Gianchandani, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jong M. Park, Plymouth, MN (US);
Srinivas Chiravuri, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Allan Evans, Brighton, MI (US);
Yogesh B. Gianchandani, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Jong M. Park, Plymouth, MN (US);
The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A liquid delivery apparatus for the intrathecal delivery of one or more medications to a patient is disclosed. The liquid delivery apparatus generally includes a liquid reservoir, a liquid metering unit fluidly connected to the liquid reservoir, and a catheter delivery tube fluidly connected to the liquid metering unit. Preferably, the liquid delivery apparatus includes two or more liquid reservoirs. In various embodiments, the liquid reservoir includes a deformable balloon and a compressive sleeve spring as a pressure source, the liquid metering unit is a piezoelectrically actuated microvalve, and/or diagnostic sensors are included in the apparatus. The disclosed apparatus are compact, volume-efficient, energy-efficient, capable of delivering accurate fluid volumes, and address problems associated with multi-medication therapies. Methods of operating the liquid delivery apparatus are also disclosed.