Optical sensing technology for dose delivery

Abstract

A drug delivery device is provided, comprising a device body and a dose setting member attached to the device body and rotatable relative to the device body about a rotation axis during dose setting or dose delivery. The drug delivery device further includes a sensor comprising a light source directed in a first direction for emitting sensing light during dose setting or dose delivery and a photosensor directed in a second direction for receiving sensing light during dose setting or dose delivery, wherein the light source is positioned relative to the photosensor such that the first direction is at an angle to the second direction. The drug delivery device further includes an electronic assembly that communicates with the photosensor to determine data indicating drug delivery information for the drug delivery device based on the reception of light sensed by the photosensor.

Claims

1. A drug delivery device, The device itself, A dose setting member is attached to the device body and is rotatable relative to the device body around a rotation axis during dose setting or dose delivery. It is a sensor, A light source directed in a first direction for emitting sensing light during dose setting or dose delivery, A sensor comprising: a photosensor positioned to receive the sensing light during dose setting or dose delivery, wherein the photosensor is directed in a second direction, and the light source is disposed relative to the photosensor such that the first direction is not parallel to the second direction, and the first direction is at an angle to the second direction; A drug delivery device comprising: an electronic device assembly that communicates with the optical sensor and determines data indicating drug delivery information for the drug delivery device based on the reception of the sensing light by the optical sensor.

2. Further comprising an angled bracket, which includes a first part that forms an angle with respect to the second part, The light source is arranged along the first portion, The drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is arranged along the second portion such that the first direction forms an angle with respect to the second direction.

3. The light source and the light sensor are arranged on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB). The aforementioned flexible PCB is bent, The drug delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the flexible PCB is arranged on the angled bracket.

4. The light source is arranged toward the first end of the flexible PCB, The optical sensor is positioned toward the second end of the flexible PCB. The drug delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the flexible PCB is bent such that the first end of the flexible PCB is positioned on the first portion of the angled bracket and the second end of the flexible PCB is positioned on the second portion of the angled bracket.

5. The drug delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the first portion and the second portion are linear.

6. The drug delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the first part and the second part form an L-shape.

7. The drug delivery device according to claim 6, wherein the L-shape includes an angle of approximately 90 degrees between the first portion and the second portion.

8. The drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is configured to collect data indicating the rotational movement of the dose setting member.

9. The drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic equipment assembly comprises at least one processor.

10. A drug delivery device, The device itself, A dose setting member is attached to the device body and is rotatable relative to the device body around a rotation axis during dose setting or dose delivery. It is a sensor, A light source for emitting sensing light during dose setting or dose delivery, A sensor comprising: an optical sensor positioned to receive the sensing light during dose setting or dose delivery; A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) in the configuration after being installed in the drug delivery device, The light source and the light sensor are arranged on the flexible PCB in its initial configuration before installation, and as a result, the configuration after installation has a different shape from the initial configuration of the flexible PCB. A drug delivery device comprising: an electronic device assembly that communicates with the optical sensor and determines data indicating drug delivery information for the drug delivery device based on the reception of the sensing light by the optical sensor.

11. The initial configuration includes the light sensor, which is positioned in a first orientation relative to the light source. The drug delivery device according to claim 10, wherein the configuration after installation includes the light sensor arranged in a second orientation different from the first orientation with respect to the light source.

12. The drug delivery device according to claim 10, wherein the flexible PCB in the configuration after installation is arranged on a shaped bracket.

13. The drug delivery device according to claim 12, wherein the shaped bracket includes a bent shape.

14. The drug delivery device according to claim 13, wherein the bent shape includes a C-shape or a U-shape.

15. The drug delivery device according to claim 13, wherein the bent shape causes the light sensor to be positioned so as to face the light source directly.

16. The drug delivery device according to claim 13, wherein the bent shape results in the optical sensor and the light source being arranged axially relative to each other.

17. The light source is arranged toward the first end of the flexible PCB, The optical sensor is positioned toward the second end of the flexible PCB. The drug delivery device according to claim 10, wherein the flexible PCB is bent such that the first end of the flexible PCB is bent toward the second end of the flexible PCB.

18. The drug delivery device according to claim 17, wherein the first end is bent toward the second end, causing the flexible PCB to form an L-shape.

19. The drug delivery device according to claim 17, wherein a portion of the first end and a portion of the second end are linear.

20. A drug delivery device, The device itself, A dose setting member is attached to the device body and is rotatable relative to the device body around a rotation axis during dose delivery. A sensing element that is fixed to the aforementioned dose setting member by rotation, The sensing element and the dose setting member rotate relative to the device body during dose delivery in relation to the amount of dose to be delivered. The sensing element includes a flexible sheet and It is a sensor, A light source for emitting sensing light during dose delivery, The system comprises a light sensor positioned to receive the sensing light during dose delivery, The light source and the light sensor are arranged axially relative to each other. The sensing element protrudes between the light source and the light sensor during dose delivery, and is a sensor, A drug delivery device comprising: an electronic device assembly that communicates with the optical sensor and determines data indicating drug delivery information for the drug delivery device based on the reception of the sensing light by the optical sensor.

21. The drug delivery device according to claim 20, wherein the sensing element includes alternating first and second features radially separated around the rotation axis of the dose setting member during dose delivery.

22. The drug delivery device according to claim 21, wherein, during dose delivery, the alternating first and second features are located in the path of the sensing light such that they change the light intensity detected by the light sensor.

23. The drug delivery device according to claim 20, wherein the flexible sheet does not protrude between the light source and the photosensor before dose delivery.

24. The drug delivery device according to claim 20, wherein the flexible sheet is pressed onto a curved surface on the undermount during dose delivery, thereby deforming during dose delivery and protruding between the light source and the light sensor.

25. The drug delivery device according to claim 24, wherein the flexible sheet is configured to protrude radially during dose delivery.

26. A drug delivery device according to any one of claims 1 to 24, further comprising a drug stored in the device body.

27. A method for manufacturing a drug delivery device, wherein the method is To obtain a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a light source for emitting sensing light and a light sensor for receiving the sensing light, which are disposed on the flexible PCB in its initial configuration. A method comprising installing the flexible PCB in a configuration after installation within a drug delivery device, which comprises a device body and a dose setting member rotatable relative to the device body around a rotation axis during dose setting or dose delivery, such that the rotation of the dose setting member changes the intensity of the sensing light received by the photosensor, wherein the configuration after installation has a different shape from the initial configuration.

28. The initial configuration includes the light sensor, which is positioned in a first orientation relative to the light source. The method according to claim 27, wherein the configuration after installation includes the light sensor arranged in a second orientation different from the first orientation with respect to the light source.

29. The light source is arranged toward the first end of the flexible PCB, The optical sensor is positioned toward the second end of the flexible PCB. The method according to claim 27, wherein installing the flexible PCB in the configuration after installation within the drug delivery device includes bending the first end toward the second end.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein installing the flexible PCB in the configuration after installation within the drug delivery device includes installing the flexible PCB on a bent bracket.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the bent bracket forms a C-shape or a U-shape.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the bent bracket forms an L-shape.

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