Automated delivery device and method for its operation

US6171276A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Pharmacia & UpJohn AB · SE

Inventors

• Barbara Lippe · Los Angeles, US
• Anders Holte · Täby, SE
• Hans Himbert · Bromma, SE
• Birger Hjertman · Sundbyberg, SE
• Bohdan Pavlu · Nacka, SE
• Magnus Westermark · Ekerö, SE
• Rainer Bosse · Kirchberg, CH
• Markus Adam · Olpe, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 5, 1998
• Grant date: Jan 9, 2001
• Expiry date: Aug 5, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S128/01
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A delivery device including a) a housing, b) a container for a fluid arranged in the housing, the container having an opening, c) a delivery conduit connected in fluid communication with the opening, the conduit having a front end in flow respect distal from the container and a rear end in flow respect proximal to the container, the front end and the rear end defining an axis therebetween and a forward direction and a rearward direction, and d) a pump arranged to deliver fluid at least in a direction from the container through the conduit, the device comprising, a sensor able to change state in at least one respect in response to a predetermined proximity of an object to the sensor in a sensing direction, a converter, separate from or integral with the sensor, converting at least one of the sensor states into an electromagnetic signal, and a processor, receiving the electromagnetic signal and delivering a control signal to an operational component of the device.