CA-3099115-C - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SYRINGE HANDLING

Abstract

A syringe pump configured to at least partially surround a syringe loaded into the pump. The syringe pump including a syringe pump housing defining a syringe receptacle shaped and sized to accept loading of the syringe, a plunger driver assembly configured to manipulate a plunger of a syringe loaded into the syringe pump, and a syringe housing including a syringe barrel shield pivotably coupled to the syringe pump housing configured to at least partially enclose a syringe loaded into the syringe pump within the syringe receptacle, and a syringe plunger tray and lid assembly operably coupled to the syringe pump housing and configured to at least partially enclose a portion of the plunger driver assembly.

Inventors

• Benjamin Peterson
• Benn Horrisberger
• Grant Adams
• Seth Schulte
• Walter Dobrovolny
• Jonathan Sanborn
• Henry Madden
• Steven Plager
• Christopher Lacy
• Kevin Krautbauer
• Dennis Babcock
• Dean Sibik

Assignees

• SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20190503

Priority Date

20180503

Claims (11)

1. 29 CLAIMS 1. A syringe pump, comprising: a housing; a powertrain having a lead screw; a clutch assembly including: 5 first and second half-nuts; a cam having first and second lobes, the first lobe operable to move the halfnuts into engagement with the lead screw and the second lobe operable to move the half-nuts into disengagement with the lead screw; and a leaf spring in communication with at least one of the half-nuts, the leaf 10 spring biased against the cam when the clutch assembly is engaged with the lead screw; and a plunger driver assembly including: a flipper configured to be movable between a capture position and an open position; a trigger connected to both the clutch assembly and the flipper; and 15 a biasing element configured to bias the flipper into the capture position.
2. 2. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein the plunger driver assembly is configured to enable one-handed operation during loading and unloading of a syringe into the syringe pump.
3. 3. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is further configured to bias the clutch assembly into engagement with the lead screw, and wherein the first lobe of the cam is arranged to cooperate with the biasing element of the plunger driver assembly to bias the clutch assembly into engagement with the lead screw.
4. 4. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein the plunger driver assembly further includes a 5 bumper operably coupled to an outer portion of the syringe plunger driver assembly, the bumper being generally rounded in shape and fabricated of a resilient material configured to absorb external forces acting upon the plunger head assembly to inhibit unintentional delivery of medicament as a result of an external force applied to the plunger driver assembly. 10
5. 5. The syringe pump of claim 4, wherein the bumper is capable of absorbing a sustained force of up to five Newtons.
6. 6. The syringe pump of claim 1, the powertrain further comprising a motor, wherein: with the clutch assembly engaged with the lead screw, the plunger driver assembly is 15 movable by the motor; and with the clutch assembly disengaged from the lead screw, the plunger driver assembly is manually movable by a user.
7. 7. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein depressing the trigger simultaneously shifts the 20 clutch assembly to the disengaged position and the flipper to the open position.
8. 8. The syringe pump of claim 1, further comprising a carriage assembly operably couplable to the lead screw and a drive train chassis, such that rotation of the lead screw 31 forces the carriage assembly to translate relative to the drive train chassis, thereby translating the plunger driver assembly.
9. 9. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein the first lobe has a greater lift than the second 5 lobe such that the clutch assembly is biased into engagement with the lead screw.
10. 10. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein the leaf spring is biased against the first lobe of the cam when the clutch assembly is engaged with the lead screw. 10
11. 11. The syringe pump of claim 1, wherein the first lobe is adjacent to the second lobe along a length of the cam.

Description

1 SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SYRINGE HANDLING RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 5 62/666,413 filed May 3, 2018. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly to systems and methods for syringe handling by infusion pumps. BACKGROUND In the medical arts, infusion pumps are useful in managing the delivery and dispensation of prescribed therapeutic agents, nutrients, drugs, medicaments such as antibiotics, blood clotting agents, analgesics, and other fluid and/or fluid-like substances 15 (collectively “medicaments” or “infusates”) to patients in volume- and time-controlled doses among other parameters. Medicaments can be accurately and continuously administered by such pumps, at infusion rates ranging from as low as 0.1ml/hr to as much as 1200ml/hr. Because of their ability to deliver medicaments in a precise, accurate, and continuous manner over an extended period of time, infusion pumps can provide some significant advantages 20 over manual infusion techniques. Infusion pumps are particularly useful for treating diseases and disorders that require regular pharmacological intervention, including cancer, diabetes, and vascular, neurological, and metabolic disorders. Infusion pumps also enhance the ability of healthcare providers to deliver anesthesia, manage pain and provide palliative care. Depending upon their specific 2 designs and intended uses, infusion pumps can be used to administer infusates through various delivery methods and routes, including intravenously, intraperitoneally, enterally, intra-arterially, subcutaneously, neuraxially, and specifically into an intraoperative site, epidural space, and subarachnoid space. Infusion pumps are used in various settings, 5 including hospitals, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, nursing homes, and other short-term and long-term medical facilities, as well as in residential care settings. Infusion pumps can include various constructions, modes of operation, and types. Generally, infusion pumps can include a variety of types of pumps. In some cases, these infusion pumps include syringe pumps, in which a pre-filled syringe is mechanically 10 driven under microprocessor control to deliver a prescribed amount or dose of medicament to a patient through an infusion line or tubing in fluid connection with the syringe. Syringe pumps typically include a motor that rotates a lead screw. The lead screw in turn activates a plunger driver which forwardly pushes a plunger within a barrel of the syringe that has been removably installed in the pump. Pushing the plunger forward thus forces the infusate 15 outwardly from the syringe, into the infusion line or tubing, and into the patient. Examples of syringe pumps are disclosed in published PCT Application WO2016/183342, titled “High Accuracy Syringe Pumps,” and U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2017/0203032, titled “Method and Apparatus for Overload Protection in Medicament Syringe Pumps”. As used throughout this disclosure, the term “syringe pump” is intended to generally pertain to any 20 device which acts on a syringe to controllably force infusates outwardly therefrom. While various syringe pumps have been used in medical environments for many years, these devices remain rather complex medical devices with some limitations to their efficient, effective and safe use. Therefore, there is a need for syringe pumps which provide greater flexibility and ease of use to operators. Moreover, due to the vital role of infusion 3 pumps in medical procedures and treatments, syringe pumps which provide enhanced safety to patients are needed as well. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 5 Embodiments described or otherwise contemplated herein substantially provide the advantages of improving flexibility, ease of use, operation, as well as patient safety, among other advantages. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a syringe pump configured to support infusion tubing attached to a syringe loaded into the pump for the purpose of 10 inhibiting unwanted separation of the infusion tubing from the syringe during use. The syringe pump can include a syringe pump housing defining a syringe receptacle shaped and sized to accept loading of a syringe. The syringe pump housing can further define an infusion tube retention passage defined by a channel shaped and sized to force an axis of infusion tubing entering the channel in proximity to the syringe to be offset from an axis of the 15 infusion tubing exiting the channel. The infusion tubing retention passage can further define a hook structure configured to serve as an aid in retaining a portion of the infusion tubing within the channel. Another embodiment of the disclosure provides a syringe pump configured to inhibit unintentional delivery of medicament as a result of an external force applied to the syringe 20 pump. The syringe pump can include a housing and a syringe