Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to an ambulatory infusion device having a housing which has a series of cavities in which there are provided expandable pressure regulator tubes which may be formed of suitable resilient materials. The regulator tubes may be of several different configurations. The cavities have a greater volume than the expandable tubes to permit expansion thereof and also to provide means for limiting the expansion thereof to ensure against bursting of the tubes should a pressure relief valve in the system fail to operate. The open ends of the regulator tubes are interconnected through a series of passageways, connectors, etc. to an inflatable, flexible, substantially non-stretchable diaphragm provided in another housing cavity. A fresh flexible bag of medicament is positioned against the diaphragm by the patient with an administration port of the bag projecting outwardly of the housing for connection to an infusion set connectable to a patient's catheter. The pressure source for this system is a container of pressurized gas, such as nitrogen, which is insertable into another cavity for interconnection with the regulator tubes through the passageways. When the gas is released from the pressurized cannister, the system becomes charged with the regulator tubes being expanded a desired amount. The infusion process is then initiated by release of a clamp on the patient's infusion set whereupon the regulator tubes gradually deflate due to the resiliency thereof with the substantially non-expandable diaphragm being inflated against the flexible medicament bag. The medicament is infused at a substantially steady rate into the patient until the medicament bag has been emptied.

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First Claim