666results about "Contracting/expanding measuring chambers" patented technology

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with an infusion medium, including a pump device, are supported by the disposable housing portion for disposal after the prescribed use, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir and a drive device and drive linkage.

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with an infusion medium, including a pump device, are supported by the disposable housing portion for disposal after the prescribed use, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of the infusion medium from the reservoir and a drive device and drive linkage.

A system for the metering and delivery of small discrete volumes of liquid is comprised of a small or minimal number of inexpensive components. One such component is a movable member, such as a miniature precision reciprocating displacement pump head, which is driven by an actuator that comprises a shape memory alloy material. The operating mechanism of the system is of little or minimal complexity. The system facilitates the precise metering and delivery of the small discrete volumes of liquid. Potential applications for the system include subcutaneous, long-term, automated drug delivery, for example, the delivery of insulin to a person with diabetes. In such an application, the small, simple and inexpensive nature of the invention would allow for its use as both a portable and a disposable system.

A method of dispensing soap from a fluid dispensing system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of presenting a tube having a tube end disposed at a first position within an indented portion of a spout of the fluid dispensing system, sensing an object below the tube end, in response to sensing the object, expelling said soap from the tube end by drawing the tube end further within the indented portion to a second position, and returning the tube end to the first position.

A dispenser for dispensing a substance, such as a pharmaceutical, ophthalmic, dermatological, cosmeceutical, cosmetic or other product, has a body defining a variable-volume storage chamber for storing the product. A dispensing portion of the dispenser is connected with the body and defines a bore coupled in fluid communication with the storage chamber for receiving substance therefrom, and an outlet aperture coupled in fluid communication with the bore. A one-way valve of the dispenser includes an axially-extending valve seat and an axially-extending flexible valve cover seated on the valve seat and defining a normally-closed, axially-extending seam therebetween forming a fluid-tight seal between the valve cover and valve seat. The flexible valve cover is movable relative to the valve seat and the seam is connectable in fluid communication with the outlet aperture to allow the passage of substance through the seam and out of the dispenser. The dispenser further comprises an actuator and piston assembly including a piston receivable within the bore, a manually-engageable actuator connected to the piston for moving the piston between first and second positions relative to the bore to dispense substance within the bore through the outlet aperture, and an integral, dome-shaped spring coupled to at least one of the piston and the actuator for biasing the piston in a direction from one of the first and second positions toward the other.

A fluid dispensing system provides a non-contact method of monitoring the change in the fluid volume over time. This approach avoids the use of probes or sensors that come into direct contact with the fluid to be dispensed. The system comprises an apparatus comprising three chambers. The first chamber has a fixed volume and contains a pressurized gas. A solenoid valve is used to control the flow of gas from the first chamber into the second. The second chamber is sealed so that the combined mass of air in the first and second chambers remains fixed. The third chamber is adjacent to the second and contains medication in the form of incompressible fluid that is to be administered to a human or animal subject via a suitable delivery port. A piston is disposed between the second and third chambers and is movable responsive to the flow of gas into the second chamber to dispense fluid from the third chamber as desired. By sensing the pressure in the first and second chambers at any point in time, a processor is programmed to calculate the flow rate or dispensed volume of the fluid being delivered using principles derived from the Ideal Gas Law.

A volume adjustable manual pipette having a hand-holdable housing supporting (i) an electronic digital display and associated position sensing and control circuitry, (ii) a plunger unit and (iii) a quick set volume adjustment mechanism for simultaneously controlling the volume setting of the pipette and the electronic display, the quick set volume adjustment mechanism comprising a pipette volume setting member for limiting upward movement of the plunger unit within the housing to define the volume setting for the pipette and the volume setting member being supported for axial movement on the plunger unit and releasably secured relative to the housing by a pipette user operable locking mechanism. When released from the housing, the volume setting member is axially moveable on and with the plunger unit to quickly set the volume for the pipette. When secured to the housing, the plunger unit is axially moveable relative to the volume setting unit to aspirate and dispense the selected volume of liquid into and from a pipette tip extending from a lower end of the housing. The volume setting of the pipette is monitored by the sensing and control circuitry to provide a real time display of the volume setting of the pipette.

The invention relates to a method for dosing a volume of liquid (VF) of less than 1 !l that is to be dispensed, by means of a dosing pump, in particular a pipette (2). According to said method, a tip (13) is completely filled with a liquid and contains the liquid (16) to be dispensed at least in the vicinity of its outlet (13a), a volume of gas (VL) is drawn into the tip (13) via the outlet (13a) and a volume corresponding to the sum of the volume of liquid (VF) to be dispensed and the volume of gas (VL) is then supplied to the tip (13) in such a way that the volume of liquid (VF) is dispensed via the outlet (13a) in a contactless manner. The device comprises a plurality of dosing pumps that can be simultaneously actuated, in particular pipettes (2), which can be actuated by an injection plunger (6), in addition to a motor (1), which drives the injection plungers (6) and also a valve (3), which is located between the dosing pump and its respective tip (13) in order to fill each system completely with liquid without any gas.

An ice measuring and dispensing apparatus includes a rotating drum rotatable about a horizontal axis. The rotating drum has a plurality of chambers, and an ice supply hopper has a delivery opening for delivering ice into the plurality of chambers. A discharge tube to dispense ice from the plurality of chambers is also provided. The delivery opening of the supply hopper is larger than an opening of each of the chambers.

Detachable tube assemblies, such as those useful in remote spraying devices, are disclosed. Tube segments are interconnected using radial extensions interfit with alignable radial holes on tubes to be coupled together. An actuator rod is provided with flexible barbs and a disk guide. The rod can be used to remotely actuate a spray.

A fluid dispenser 10 with a replaceable receptacle 11 containing fluid 47 positioned within a housing 12. An inlet tube 42 and an outlet tube 43 are connected to a pump assembly 15 for drawing fluid from the receptacle and moving the fluid through a nozzle 80 having fluid discharge aperture 41. The nozzle is secured to a hand actuatable cover 13 which is depressable to operate the pump. The pump is mounted upon a retainer 14 which is connectable to the housing. When the receptacle becomes empty, the retainer may be disengaged from the housing, and the retainer and pump are then lifted away as one unit from the housing. The empty receptacle may then be replaced with a full one, and in reverse order, the dispenser may be reassembled.

An air-filled pipette for accurately metering small and large volumes of fluid samples is provided. The pipette has dual resolution capability such that the pipette can accurately aspirate a wide range of sample volumes and deliver them contact-free (touchless). The pipette may include an extension mandrel that reduces air space in a disposable tip within the pipette. The dual resolution capability and / or the extension mandrel also minimize errors associated with the compressibility of air. Multiple pipettes may also be arranged to form a pipetting module for the metering of multiple sample volumes simultaneously and automatically. The pipette includes a channel block having at least one cylindrical passage, that slides up and down over a rod, and a cylinder, with an axially extending passage therethrough, that is sized, shaped and aligned to fit into the cylindrical passage in a dynamic sealing relationship. A method for mixing multiple fluid samples within a pipette tip is also provided.

A system for delivery of a volume of infusible fluid. The system includes a controller configured to calculate a trajectory for delivering infusible fluid, the trajectory comprising at least one volume of fluid, and determine a schedule for delivering the at least one volume of fluid according to the trajectory, wherein the schedule comprising an interval and a volume of infusible fluid for delivery. The system also includes a volume sensor assembly for determining the at least one volume of fluid delivered, wherein the controller recalculates the trajectory based on the volume of fluid delivered.

A manually operated liquid foaming dispenser is attached to a bottle of liquid and pumps and mixes both the liquid and air to create a foam from the liquid and to dispense the foam. The dispenser includes a pump housing containing an air pump chamber and a liquid pump chamber, and a pump plunger that is manually reciprocated in both the air pump chamber and the liquid pump chamber. An air piston and a liquid piston are mounted on the plunger and are reciprocated by the plunger in the respective air pump chamber and liquid pump chamber. The air piston is mounted on the pump plunger for relative movement of the air piston on the plunger that enables an interior volume of the air pump chamber to be vented to an exterior environment of the dispenser on manual reciprocation of the pump plunger.

A dispensing cartridge for a relatively precise dispensing of various fluids having a relatively wide range of viscosities is disclosed. The dispensing cartridge in accordance with the present invention is relatively simpler in configuration than known dispensing cartridges while minimizing leakage of the fluid and eliminating problems associated with chemical attack of the O-ring by the fluid in the dispensing cylinder. In particular, the dispensing cartridge in accordance with the present invention includes a cylinder; a piston with a central bore and a bleed plug. In order to simplify the design, the air vent is configured as a tortuous path, for example, a spiral path, defined by a spiral bleed plug, which in a pre-staged position, allows air to freely escape along the spiral path along the circumference of the plug. As the piston contacts the fluid, the forward motion of piston is resisted by the high back pressure created by the small effective diameter and relatively long length of the spiral path. Once the piston contacts the fluid, the spiral plug is pushed into the piston closing the spiral path. By controlling the fluid flow by way of a tortuous path, the amount of fluid backflow through the piston is minimized if not eliminated, thus eliminating the need for an annular overflow chamber, thereby simplifying the design of the piston. In order to minimize problems related to the sealing of the piston within the dispensing cartridge, the piston may be provided with one or more radially extending sealing lips. These sealing lips are used in lieu of or in conjunction with an O-ring. The sealing lips further simplify the design by eliminating the O-ring as well as the need for an annular chamber adjacent thereto as well as problems relating to chemical attack of the O-ring by the fluid within the dispensing cylinder. In an alternative embodiment for use that is particularly adapted with non-aggressive fluids, the piston is provided with a single sealing lip and an O-ring.

A concentrated flavour dispensing machine having displacement pumps for delivering between a few millilitres and few ounces of fluids having a viscosity value between 1 to 4000 centepoise is described. The dispensing machine includes a cabinet for containing a multitude of displacement pumps, where each displacement pump is in direct fluid communication with a respective storage tank, and a control panel having a programmable microprocessor mounted to the cabinet for receiving user selections and controlling each individual pump. Each displacement pump includes a stepper motor in engagement with a threaded drive rod for advancing a piston by any one of several predetermined distances to dispense a corresponding volume of fluid. The control panel receives a valid user selection for actuating one or more pumps to dispense the appropriate volume of a concentrated flavouring fluid. The microprocessor tracks the amount of fluid dispensed from each storage tank and alerts users and / or prevents further operation when reservoirs are close to empty to avoid null dispenses to customers. Various maintenance routines can be executed through the user interface, and dispense volumes and combination dispenses can be re-programmed manually or automatically.

A drug dispensing system is provided that may be used universally and in which medical substances can be mixed with a carrier solution (13) in a simple manner. The device and system have a dispensing module (6) for medical substances and a hydrophilic nonwoven (14) with a carrier solution (13). The emission area of substance discharge openings (21, 22, 23, 24) of the dispensing module (6) are directed toward the nonwoven (14).

A fluid dispensing apparatus includes a mounting assembly having a plurality of mounting apertures and a plurality of fluid dispensing cartridges positioned within the mounting apertures. The mounting apertures and cartridges include matching cross-sectional profiles that lack symmetry. Each fluid dispensing cartridge includes a fluid reservoir, at least one valve, a metering chamber and a piston. The apparatus also includes a magnetic switch assembly controlling the movement of the piston and a means for damping the movement of the piston.

A fluid dispensing system provides a non-contact method of monitoring the change in the fluid volume over time. This approach avoids the use of probes or sensors that come into direct contact with the fluid to be dispensed. The system comprises an apparatus comprising three chambers. The first chamber has a fixed volume and contains a pressurized gas. A solenoid valve is used to control the flow of gas from the first chamber into the second. The second chamber is sealed so that the combined mass of air in the first and second chambers remains fixed. The third chamber is adjacent to the second and contains medication in the form of incompressible fluid that is to be administered to a human or animal subject via a suitable delivery port. A piston is disposed between the second and third chambers and is movable responsive to the flow of gas into the second chamber to dispense fluid from the third chamber as desired. By sensing the pressure in the first and second chambers at any point in time, a processor is programmed to calculate the flow rate or dispensed volume of the fluid being delivered using principles derived from the Ideal Gas Law.

A system for capture of dose delivery information is provided. The system includes a medication delivery device, a dose information capture device adapted to he attached to the medication delivery device, and a target element adapted to be attached to the medication delivery device. The target element comprises a magnet or ferrous element and the target element attaches to the medication delivery device on a dose delivery mechanism of the medication delivery device. The dose information capture device includes a magnetic position sensor adapted to detect a position of the target element. As an alternative to magnetic sensing, MEMS flow sensors, and the like may also be used. Exemplary systems preferably transmit dose information in real time to remote devices for further processing,

A volume sensor-free microdosing device comprises a pressure chamber which is at least partly delimited by a displacer, an actuating device for actuating the displacer, the volume of the pressure chamber being adapted to the changed by actuating the displacer, a media reservoir which is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber, an outlet opening which is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism drives the microdosing device in such a way that a small change of volume of the pressure chamber volume is effected per unit time by a movement of the displacer from a first position to a predetermined second position, the second position of the displacer defining a larger volume of the pressure chamber than the first position, so as to suck a fluid volume into the pressure chamber, and that, in a second phase, a large volume change of the pressure chamber volume is effected per unit time by a movement of the displacer from the second position to the first position, so as to eject a defined fluid volume from the outlet opening in this way.

Containers and methods are disclosed whereby portions of an available stand-by supply of flowable material within a container may be dispensed substantially immediately on-demand. Preferably, the containers include an open-ended container shell having a resilient, shape-retaining side wall defining an interior space, a liner positioned within the interior space of the container shell, and a cap closing the open-ended container shell to seal the liner against leakage of flowable material. The liner has a flaccid liner body for containing a flowable material to be dispensed. The cap has a discharge opening to allow an amount of flowable material to be discharged therethrough from the liner body. Importantly, the container includes a valve system which includes one-way discharge and inlet valves. The one-way discharge valve allows only flowable material to be discharged from the liner via the discharge opening, but prevents ambient air from being introduced into the liner when the discharge of flowable material is finished. The one-way inlet valve serves to trap air within the interior space of the container shell in response to a collapsing force applied against the side wall of the container shell which, in turn, allows ambient air to enter the interior space when such collapsing force is removed.

A limiting mechanism which prevents the setting of a dose, which exceeds the amount of liquid left in a cartridge of an injection device, is disclosed. The injection device is the type where a dose is set by rotating a dose setting member relative to a driver and away from a fixed stop in the injection device. The dose setting member interfaces the driver such that the dose setting member can be rotated in one direction without rotating the driver. The dose is injected by rotating back the dose setting member which during the backward rotation carries the driver with it. Rotating the driver causes the piston rod to move forward inside the cartridge and expel some of the liquid contained in the cartridge. The driver is provided with a track having a length which is related to the total amount of liquid in the cartridge and which track is engaged by a track follower coupled to the dose setting member to follow rotation of this dose setting member. Each time a dose is set and injected, the track follower moves further into the track. When the track follower reaches the end of the track the dose setting member can not be rotated further, and a dose larger than the remaining liquid in the cartridge cannot be set.

A syringe is provided for the delivery of controlled, metered amounts of any of numerous different substances to humans or animals, such as medicaments, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food products, or to deliver materials which may react upon exposure to air, such as glue. The syringes include a body and a plunger. Means are provided in the syringe body and the plunger to effect controlled movement of the plunger into the syringe to permit delivery of a pre-determined amount of the substance contained in the syringe. A one-way valve is provided at the dispensing tip of the syringe to hermetically seal the portion of the syringe containing the substance to be dispensed.