Infusion apparatus and method

Claim 2

Nonelectrical implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means inside the housing and having a selected volume; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected betweem said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between the said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another in the mixing means to produce an integrated dosage, and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 3

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means, said second flow path restriction characteristic being less restrictive than said first flow path restriction characteristic; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 4

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means, said second flow path restriction characteristic being less restrictive than said first flow path restriction characteristic; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said first reservoir contains: A. a low concentration infusate, and B. the second reservoir contains a higher concentration infusate.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said second reservoir contains a different fluid than said first reservoir.

Claim 7

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site; K. a fluid accumulator positioned in the housing and connected in said second fluid flow path upstream from said valve; L. flow restricting means connected in the second flow, path between the second reservoir and said accumulator, said restricting means having a restriction characteristic which is considerably more restrictive than said first and second flow path restriction characteristics, and M. said accumulator expelling its contents to said mixing means when said valve is opened so that the integrated dosage is dependent upon the various concentrations and volumetric flow rates.

Claim 8

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site; K. a fluid accumulator positioned in the housing and connected in said second fluid flow path upstream from said valve; L. flow restricting means connected in the second flow, path between the second reservoir and said accumulator, said restricting means having a restriction characteristic which is considerably more restrictive than said first and second flow path restriction characteristics, and M. said accumulator expelling its contents to said mixing means when said valve is opened so that the integrated dosage is dependent upon the various concentrations and volumetric flow rates.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein: A. the volume of said accumulator is a small percentage of the volume of said second reservoir, and B. said restricting means permits only a very small flow rate between the second reservoir and the accumulator so that it takes a relatively long time to refill the accumulator from the second reservoir between said valve openings.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said collapsing means comprises a two phase fluid power cell associated with each said reservoir, the fluid in said power cells vaporizing at physiological temperatures.

Claim 11

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing: B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, said valve being mounted in said housing and being accessible from without said housing so that it can be operated manually transcutaneously when the apparatus is implanted subcutaneously and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 12

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing: B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, said valve being mounted in said housing and being accessible from without said housing so that it can be operated manually transcutaneously when the apparatus is implanted subcutaneously and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 13

The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said valve comprises: A. a length of flexible resilient tubing through which fluid flows between said second reservoir and the mixing means when the valve is opened; B. means normally clamping said tubing preventing fluid flow therethrough, and C. means for selectively unclamping said clamping means.

Claim 14

The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the clamping means comprises: A. a stop member; B. a first clamp section engaging one side of the tubing; C. a button; D. first spring means reacting between the button and the stop member for biasing the first section against the stop member; E. a second clamp section engaging the opposite side of the tubing, and F. second spring means biasing the second clamp section toward the first clamp section.

Claim 15

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; said mixing means comprising a mixing chamber having a selected volume so that an integrated dosage containing a progressively lower percentage of bolus infusate continues to flow to the infusion site for an appreciable time after said valve is closed; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 16

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; said mixing means comprising a mixing chamber having a selected volume so that an integrated dosage containing a progressively lower percentage of bolus infusate continues to flow to the infusion site for an appreciable time after said valve is closed; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, and J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site.

Claim 17

The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the volume of the mixing chamber and the flow rate through said outlet are related so that when said valve is opened and then closed, said integrated dosage of dispensed infusate has a dose rate which falls off more or less expotentially with a selected time constant.

Claim 18

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site, and K. first and second valved passages leading from the outside of said housing leading respectively to said first and second reservoirs by which said reservoirs may be refilled with infusate.

Claim 19

Implantable infusion apparatus comprising: A. a housing; B. a first collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned inside the housing; C. means for collapsing said first reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; D. a second collapsible infusate reservoir having an outlet and positioned in the housing; E. means for collapsing said second reservoir to expel infusate from its said outlet; F. mixing means; G. a first flow path having a first flow restriction characteristic connected between said first reservoir and said mixing means; H. a second flow path having a second flow restriction characteristic connected between said second reservoir and the mixing means; I. a normally closed valve connected in said second flow path so that infusate flows from said second reservoir to the mixing means only when said valve is opened, the infusates from said first and second reservoirs, when said valve is opened, supplementing one another to produce an integrated dosage, J. a fluid outlet from said mixing means for conducting said integrated dosage to an infusion site, and K. first and second valved passages leading from the outside of said housing leading respectively to said first and second reservoirs by which said reservoirs may be refilled with infusate.

Claim 22

The method defined in claim 14 and including the additional step of providing a small volume infusate accumulator having a highly restricted inlet in the second path so that each time the flow from the second path to the chamber is unblocked, essentially the infusate contents of the accumulator flows to said chamber.