Disposable reservoir cassette

Claim 2

A disposable reservoir cassette for use in delivering liquid medication to a user comprising: an elongate flexible reservoir; an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable element at a first end of said reservoir; access means at a second end of said reservoir for removable connection and fluid communication with an injection catheter; and a rigid cassette housing containing said reservoir therein and including a substantially circular back-stop supporting said reservoir along the length of said reservoir, said housing including an opening to allow contact with said reservoir by externally applied force adapted to compress said reservoir against said back-stop and drive any fluid contained therein in the direction toward said access means, said housing including a transfer port and holding means for fixedly holding said reservoir adjacent to said back-stop so that said access means is adjacent to said port.

Claim 3

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 wherein said reservoir is a flexibe tube.

Claim 4

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 wherein said element is plug of material inserted in the first end of said reservoir.

Claim 5

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 wherein said element comprises: a plug with a passageway therethrough; and an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable membrane attached to one end of said plug over said passageway.

Claim 6

The reservoir cassette of claim 4 wherein said membrane has a maximum pore rating of about 0.5 microns and serves as a substantial barrier against the passage of particles about 0.5 micron and larger.

Claim 7

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion joined in a plane substantially parallel to the plane containing said backstop.

Claim 8

The reservoir cassette of claim 6 wherein one housing portion is made of transparent material.

Claim 9

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 wherein said access means includes a pierceable septum.

Claim 10

The reservoir cassette of claim 8 wherein said pierceable septum includes a normally closed slit therethrough to be pierced by a cannula and further adapted to close upon removal of the cannula.

Claim 11

The reservoir cassette of claim 8 further comprising purge chamber means associated with said second end of said reservoir for accepting and storing a portion of the fluid originally contained within said reservoir which remains in the cassette after the fluid is delivered to the patient.

Claim 12

The reservoir cassette reservoir of claim 10 wherein said purge chamber means comprises: a cylinder having a distal end, a proximal end and a side wall; a sealing member at the distal end of said cylinder containing a centrally located orifice, said cylinder and said sealing member interposed between said reservoir and said septum, said sealing member engaging the second end of said reservoir and said septum engaging the proximal end of said cylinder wherein said cylinder, said septum and said sealing member define a cavity for accepting and storing a portion of the fluid originally contained within said reservoir, said orifice being in the fluid path between said reservoir and said cavity; and air venting means communicating between said cavity and the exterior of said purge chamber means.

Claim 13

The reservoir cassette of claim 11 wherein said air venting means includes an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable filter positioed to allow gases passing through said air venting means to pass through said filter, said filter having a maximum pore rating of about 0.5 microns and serving as a substantial barrier against particles about 0.5 micron and larger.

Claim 14

The reservoir cassette of claim 2 wherein said tube has a circularly shaped cross section.

Claim 15

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 further including securement means for cooperating with the source of externally applied force to removably hold said housing in a fixed position relative to said externally applied force.

Claim 16

The reservoir cassette of claim 14 wherein said securement means comprises an outwardly extending rib on an exterior surface of said housing adapted to removably engage the source of externally applied force, said rib including a surface adapted to align said housing with the source of externally supplied force when said housing is engaged therewith, said rib further adapted to limit the relative motion between said housing and the source of externally applied force during engagement and disengagement to motion of said housing which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the externally applied force.

Claim 17

The reservoir cassette of claim 1 wherein said reservoir is made of material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic materials, thermoplastic elastomers and natural rubber.

Claim 18

The reservoir cassette of claim 16 wherein said thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 19

The reservoir cassette of claim 16 wherein said thermoplastic material is a composite of polyvinyl chloride and a polyolefin material, said polyolefin material being located at the inner portion of said reservoir and acting as a liner for contacting fluids which may be present in said reservoir.

Claim 20

The reservoir cassette of claim 2 wherein said tube is removable from said housing.

Claim 21

The reservoir cassette of claim 2 wherein said tube contains liquid for delivery to a user.

Claim 22

The reservoir cassette of claim 20 wherein said liquid is insulin.

Claim 23

A reservoir cassette comprising: a compressible reservoir; a gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable element at one end of said reservoir; access means at the other end of said reservoir for gaining entry thereinto; and housing means for holding said reservoir so that said access means is accessible for transferring fluid from said reservoir and for allowing contact with said reservoir by externally applied forces adapted to compress said reservoir against said housing means and drive any fluid contained therein in the direction toward said access means.

Claim 24

A reservoir cassette comprising: a compressible reservoir; a gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable element at one end of said reservoir; access means at the other end of said reservoir for gaining entry thereinto; and housing means for holding said reservoir so that said access means is accessible for transferring fluid from said reservoir and for allowing contact with said reservoir by externally applied forces adapted to compress said reservoir against said housing means and drive any fluid contained therein in the direction toward said access means.

Claim 25

A disposable reservoir cassette for use with a roller pump mechanism in delivering liquid medication to a patient comprising: a flexible reservoir tube; an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable element at a first end of said tube; access means at a second end of said tube for removable connection and fluid communication with an injection catheter; a rigid cassette housing containing said tube therein and including an opening to accept a roller of the roller pump mechanism and including a rigid substantially circular back-stop supporting said tube along the length of said tube, said housing having a transfer port therein and means to fixedly hold said tube adjacent to said back-stop so that said second end of said tube is adjacent to said port; and securement means for cooperating with the roller pump to position and removably hold said housing so that said back-stop is located substantially adjacent to the path of the roller pump roller whereby rotation of the pump roller is adapted to compress said tube sufficiently to drive any fluid contained therein in the direction toward said second end of said tube.

Claim 26

A disposable reservoir cassette for use with a roller pump mechanism in delivering liquid medication to a patient comprising: a flexible reservoir tube; an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable element at a first end of said tube; access means at a second end of said tube for removable connection and fluid communication with an injection catheter; a rigid cassette housing containing said tube therein and including an opening to accept a roller of the roller pump mechanism and including a rigid substantially circular back-stop supporting said tube along the length of said tube, said housing having a transfer port therein and means to fixedly hold said tube adjacent to said back-stop so that said second end of said tube is adjacent to said port; and securement means for cooperating with the roller pump to position and removably hold said housing so that said back-stop is located substantially adjacent to the path of the roller pump roller whereby rotation of the pump roller is adapted to compress said tube sufficiently to drive any fluid contained therein in the direction toward said second end of said tube.

Claim 27

The reservoir cassette of claim 23 wehrein said element comprises: a plug with a passageway therethrough; and an air-permeable, light-impermeable membrane attached to one end of said plug over said passageway.

Claim 28

The reservoir cassette of claim 24 wherein said membrane has a maximum pore rating of about 0.5 micron and serves as a substantial barrier against the passage of particles about 0.5 micron and larger.

Claim 29

A reservoir tube assembly for use in a reservoir cassette comprising: a flexible reservoir tube; an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable filter element at one end of said tube; and access means at the other end of said reservoir for gaining entry thereinto.

Claim 30

A reservoir tube assembly for use in a reservoir cassette comprising: a flexible reservoir tube; an air-permeable, liquid-impermeable filter element at one end of said tube; and access means at the other end of said reservoir for gaining entry thereinto.

Claim 31

The reservoir tube assembly of claim 26 wherein said tube contains liquid for delivery to a user.

Claim 32

The reservoir tube assembly of claim 27 wherein said liquid is insulin.