Chemical liquid administration device, its control method, and chemical liquid administration system

The drug solution administration device addresses incomplete priming by using a control unit to manage the engagement of a movable part with the plunger, ensuring reliable priming and preventing drug discharge, thus ensuring effective drug administration.

JP7776352B2Active Publication Date: 2025-11-26TERUMO KK
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022031324
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-03-01
Publication Date
2025-11-26
Estimated Expiration
2042-03-01

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional drug solution administration devices often fail to ensure complete priming due to the nut portion not fully engaging with the plunger, leading to unintended discharge of drug solution before the flow path is filled, which can result in inadequate drug administration.

Method used

A drug solution administration device with a control unit that manages the engagement of a movable part with the plunger, ensuring it moves a predetermined distance and stops only after confirmation of full engagement, using a series of user instructions to reliably complete the priming process.

Benefits of technology

The device ensures reliable completion of priming, preventing unintended drug discharge and ensuring adequate drug administration, thereby reducing the risk of conditions like hyperglycemia.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To complete priming more reliably.SOLUTION: A liquid medicine administration device for administering liquid medicine filled in a reservoir into a living body by the pressing action of a plunger includes: a reservoir to which the liquid medicine is filled; a flow channel connected to the reservoir for deriving the liquid medicine to the outside of the reservoir; a plunger provided in the reservoir and capable of moving in a longitudinal direction of the reservoir; a movable part capable of engaged with the plunger and pressing the plunger to a tip side of the reservoir by moving in a movable region; a drive part for moving the movable part in the movable region; and a control part. The control part controls the drive part so that the movable part starts to move to the tip side of the reservoir upon receipt of a first instruction from a user in a state that the movable part is not engaged with the plunger, and the movable part stops moving after continuing movement by a predetermined moving distance upon receipt of a second instruction from the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a drug solution administration device, a control method thereof, and a drug solution administration system. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART There is known a drug solution administration device that continuously or intermittently administers a drug solution such as insulin filled in a reservoir (syringe) into a living body by the pressing action of a plunger via a nut portion (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-287944 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When using the drug solution administration device, the user performs an operation called priming, in which the nut portion of the drug solution administration device is engaged with the plunger and the flow path of the drug solution administration device, including the outlet tube, is filled with drug solution. Priming begins when the user instructs the drug solution administration device to perform priming, and ends when the user visually confirms that drug solution has been discharged from the connecting needle tube and instructs the drug solution administration device to stop priming.

[0005] In conventional drug solution administration devices, there have been cases where the nut portion does not fully engage with the plunger, causing drug solution to be discharged from the connecting needle tube even though the flow path of the drug solution administration device is not filled with drug solution, and a user seeing this may instruct the priming to be stopped. Therefore, conventional drug solution administration devices have room for improvement in terms of ensuring that priming is completed.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a medicinal liquid administration device, a control method thereof, and a medicinal liquid administration system that can more reliably complete priming. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A drug solution administration device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a drug solution administration device that administers a drug solution filled in a reservoir into a living body by the pressing action of a plunger, and includes: a reservoir filled with the drug solution; a flow path connected to the reservoir and that discharges the drug solution out of the reservoir; a plunger that is provided in the reservoir and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir; a movable part that can engage with the plunger and press the plunger toward the tip of the reservoir by moving within a movable area; a drive part that moves the movable part within the movable area; and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit so that, when the movable part is not engaged with the plunger, in response to receiving a first instruction from a user, the movable part starts moving toward the tip of the reservoir, and, in response to receiving a second instruction from the user, the movable part continues moving a predetermined distance and then stops moving the movable part.

[0008] In one embodiment, the plunger has at least one extension portion each having a claw portion at its rear end, and the movable portion has a through hole through which the claw portion can be inserted to engage the plunger, and in response to receiving the second instruction from the user, the control unit controls the drive unit to continue moving the movable portion a distance corresponding to the size of the claw portion as the predetermined movement distance, and then stop the movement of the movable portion.

[0009] In one embodiment, the control unit controls the drive unit so that, in response to receiving the second instruction from the user, the control unit continues moving the movable unit a predetermined distance, then stops the movement of the movable unit, and then, in response to receiving a third instruction from the user, resumes the movement of the movable unit.

[0010] In one embodiment, the control unit controls the drive unit to resume movement of the movable unit in response to receiving the third instruction from the user, and then stop movement of the movable unit in response to receiving a fourth instruction from the user.

[0011] In one embodiment, a medicinal liquid administration system includes the medicinal liquid administration device and a remote control for the user to operate the medicinal liquid administration device.

[0012] A control method for a drug solution administration device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a reservoir filled with a drug solution, a flow path connected to the reservoir and for discharging the drug solution outside the reservoir, a plunger provided in the reservoir and movable in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir, a movable part that can engage with the plunger by moving within a movable area and press the plunger toward the tip of the reservoir, a drive part that moves the movable part within the movable area, and a control part, and the drug solution filled in the reservoir is administered into a living body by the pressing action of the plunger, the control part including the steps of: initiating movement of the movable part toward the tip of the reservoir in response to receiving a first instruction from a user when the movable part is not engaged with the plunger; and continuing movement of the movable part a predetermined distance and then stopping movement of the movable part in response to receiving a second instruction from the user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, priming can be completed more reliably. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a drug solution administration system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drug solution administration device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is an example of a perspective view of the drug solution administration device of FIG. 1 in a separated state. [Figure 4] 4 is an example of an exploded perspective view of the pump body of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a cartridge in a state where a nut portion is in a non-contact position. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a cartridge with a nut portion in a predetermined position. [Figure 7] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration related to control of the chemical liquid administration device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the remote control of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation procedure of the drug solution administration device of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the operation procedure of the medicinal liquid administration device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, parts having the same configuration or function are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, duplicated descriptions of the same parts may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0016] (Configuration of drug administration system) 1 is a diagram showing an example of a medicinal liquid administration system 100 according to one embodiment. The medicinal liquid administration system 100 administers a medicinal liquid such as insulin into a living body of a patient. The medicinal liquid administration system 100 includes a medicinal liquid administration device 1 and a remote control 90.

[0017] As will be described later with reference to FIG. 4 etc., the drug solution administration device 1 is a device that continuously or intermittently administers a drug solution filled in a reservoir (syringe) 18 into a living body by the pressing action of a plunger 20. The drug solution administration device 1 may be, for example, a portable device that can be attached to the abdomen or the like of a patient (patch type). However, the drug solution administration device 1 is not limited to the patch type, and may also be a tube type or the like.

[0018] The remote control 90 is a device that allows a user, such as a patient, to operate the medicinal liquid administration device 1. The remote control 90 notifies the user of information received from the medicinal liquid administration device 1 and accepts user operations on the medicinal liquid administration device 1. In this embodiment, the remote control 90 is realized by a dedicated device compatible with the medicinal liquid administration device 1, but it may also be realized by a general-purpose information processing device such as a smartphone or tablet. Also, in this embodiment, an example is described in which the remote control 90 serves as a user interface for notifying the user of information and accepting information input from the user, but instead, all or part of the functions of the user interface may be provided in the medicinal liquid administration device 1.

[0019] The medicinal liquid administration device 1 and the remote control 90 are communicably connected to each other via a wireless communication line, a wired communication line, or a combination thereof. An example in which the medicinal liquid administration device 1 and the remote control 90 are communicably connected to each other via Bluetooth (registered trademark) will be described below.

[0020] (Configuration of drug solution administration device) Fig. 2 is an example of a perspective view of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an example of a perspective view of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 of Fig. 1 when separated. The medicinal liquid administration device 1 has a pump body 10, a cradle device 11 to which the pump body 10 is detachably attached, and a connection port 106 attached to the cradle device 11. The pump body 10 and the cradle device 11 have a structure in which they engage with each other and can be repeatedly detached.

[0021] The pump body 10 includes a housing 111 that houses each component of the medicinal solution administration device 1, such as the reservoir 18 and the plunger 20. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 111 may be formed in a flat, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape with rounded corners. An upper surface 121 of the housing 111 is one surface of the pump body 10 that is located opposite the side that is attached to the cradle device 11. The upper surface 121 may be formed in a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners when viewed from above. A front surface 123 and a back surface 124 that face each other are connected substantially vertically to an end of the upper surface 121 in a first direction. A side surface 126 is connected substantially vertically to an end of the upper surface 121 in a second direction.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3 , pump body 10 may have an engagement structure at side surface portion 126 that allows pump body 10 and cradle device 11 to be repeatedly detached from each other. The engagement structure may include, for example, a hook mechanism. Specifically, side surface portion 126 may be formed with guide groove portion 137 and engagement hook portion 138. Engagement hook portion 138 may be formed on a side closer to back surface portion 124 than guide groove portion 137. Engagement hook portion 138 may be detachably engaged with an engagement receiver 162 of cradle device 11, which will be described later.

[0023] Cradle device 11 is configured to be able to support pump body 10. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, cradle device 11 has a substantially flat mounting surface 141 and side walls 143, 144. Mounting surface 141 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape with curved corners when viewed from above. When pump body 10 is attached to cradle device 11, the bottom surface of housing 111 of pump body 10 is placed on mounting surface 141.

[0024] A detection rail 152, a sliding rail 153, and a mounting portion 155 may be provided on one surface of the mounting surface portion 141. The connection port 106 may be attached to the mounting portion 155. The mounting portion 155 may be provided with an insertion hole through which the cannula of the connection port 106 passes.

[0025] The detection rail 152 is a protrusion that protrudes from one surface of the mounting surface 141. The detection rail 152 is used by the pump main body 10 to detect the attachment of the cradle device 11. The thickness of the detection rail 152 gradually increases from the mounting surface 141 toward the side wall 144. The detection rail 152 extends a predetermined length parallel to the side wall 143. When the pump main body 10 is attached to the cradle device 11, the detection rail 152 enters a detection groove provided in the pump main body 10 and presses the attachment detection unit. The pump main body 10 detects the attachment of the cradle device 11 based on the pressure on the attachment detection unit. In other words, the attachment detection unit functions as a detection unit that detects whether the pump main body 10 is attached to the cradle device 11.

[0026] The sliding rail 153 extends parallel to the side wall 143 on one surface of the mounting surface 141. When the pump body 10 is attached to the cradle device 11, a sliding groove (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the pump body 10 is slidably fitted into the sliding rail 153.

[0027] A side wall 144 extends substantially vertically from the end of the mounting surface 141 in the first direction. Opposing side walls 143 extend substantially vertically from the end of the mounting surface 141 in the second direction. When the pump body 10 is attached to the cradle device 11, the side wall 143 faces the side surface 126 of the housing 111 of the pump body 10. The side wall 144 faces the front surface 123 of the housing 111.

[0028] 3, cradle device 11 may have a fitting hole 154, which is an opening, in side wall portion 144. When pump body 10 is attached to cradle device 11, a fitting protrusion provided on front surface portion 123 of pump body 10 may fit into fitting hole 154.

[0029] Side wall portion 143 may be formed with guide rails 151, posture correction portion 156, and engagement receiving portion 162. Engagement receiving portion 162 may be an opening formed by cutting out a substantially rectangular shape from side wall portion 143. When pump body 10 is attached to cradle device 11, engagement hook portion 138 may detachably engage with engagement receiving portion 162.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 3, the guide rail 151 is a protrusion formed on the side wall portion 143. The protrusion of the guide rail 151 does not necessarily have to extend continuously. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, a notch 158 may be appropriately provided midway along the guide rail 151. When pump body 10 is mounted on cradle device 11, guide rail 151 engages with guide groove 137 provided on side surface 126 of pump body 10. This guides the mounting direction of pump body 10.

[0031] 2 and 3, posture correction portion 156 is a plate-shaped protrusion extending upward from side wall portion 143. Posture correction portion 156 may have a curved shape corresponding to the shape of the connection portion (corner) between top surface portion 121 and side surface portion 126 of housing 111 of pump body 10.

[0032] The cradle device 11 may be provided with an adhesive sheet to be attached to the patient's skin. The adhesive sheet may be attached to the other surface opposite to one surface of the mounting surface portion 141 of the cradle device 11. The adhesive sheet may have an opening (not shown) through which a cannula of the connection port 106, which will be described later, passes. The adhesive sheet may be made of a flexible material. The adhesive sheet may form an adhesive layer to be attached to the patient's skin on the surface opposite to the mounting surface portion 141. Before being attached to the patient's skin, the adhesive layer of the adhesive sheet may be covered with release paper.

[0033] The connection port 106 may have a port body 181 capable of holding a cannula therein. The port body 181 may have a cylindrical connection portion. When a cannula is connected, the interior of the connection portion (cylindrical bore), the port body 181, and the cannula communicate with each other. A cap 182 is attached to the tip of the connection portion, and the other end of the connection portion is connected to the port body 181. The cap 182 seals the tip opening of the connection portion. This isolates the interior of the connection port 106 from the external environment.

[0034] When the connection port 106 is attached to the attachment part 155 of the cradle device 11 using a puncture mechanism (not shown), the cannula penetrates the mounting surface part 141 together with the puncture needle and protrudes to the other surface of the mounting surface part 141 (the surface to be attached to the skin).The cannula is then inserted into the living body together with the puncture needle.The puncture needle is then removed, and the cannula is left in the living body.

[0035] The connection portion of the port body 181 may face upstream in the mounting direction. The connecting needle tube exposed to the outside of the pump body 10 is fluidly connected to the outlet tube 29. The connecting needle tube enters the cylindrical bore by puncturing the septum surface of the cap 182. This connects the port body 181 to the outlet tube 29 (see FIG. 5, etc.) of the pump body 10, and fluidly connects the outlet tube 29 to the cannula. When the drive unit 40 (see FIG. 5, etc.) is driven, the medicinal liquid stored in the reservoir 18 of the pump body 10 is sent to the connection port 106 via the outlet tube 29 and administered to the patient from the cannula. In other words, the outlet tube 29 connects to the reservoir 18 and functions as a flow path for delivering the medicinal liquid to the outside of the reservoir 18. When the connecting needle tube is connected to the outlet tube 29, the flow path of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 may include the outlet tube 29 and the connecting needle tube.

[0036] (Pump body configuration) Fig. 4 is an example of an exploded perspective view of the pump body 10 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the cartridge 12 in a state where the nut portion 24 is in a non-contact position. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the cartridge 12 in a state where the nut portion 24 is in a predetermined position.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the pump body 10 includes a disposable cartridge 12 and a reusable device body 14. The cartridge 12 includes a base portion 16 in the shape of a flat box with one side open. The base portion 16 has a generally rectangular shape in plan view. The base portion 16 may be detachably attached to a cradle device 11 that can be attached to the patient's skin.

[0038] 4, the base part 16 is provided with a reservoir 18 filled with a medicinal solution, a plunger 20 provided in the reservoir 18, a feed screw shaft 22 disposed coaxially with the plunger 20, and a nut part (movable part) 24 screwed onto the feed screw shaft 22. The base part 16 is configured as a disposable member.

[0039] Reservoir 18 extends cylindrically in the longitudinal direction of base portion 16. The outer and inner diameters of the distal end of reservoir 18 taper toward the distal end. The distal end of reservoir 18 is formed with an introduction port 26 for introducing the medicinal liquid into reservoir 18 and an outlet port 28 (see FIG. 5) for discharging the medicinal liquid from reservoir 18. An outlet tube 29 that guides the medicinal liquid from reservoir 18 to the cannula is connected to outlet port 28.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5 , the plunger 20 is integrally molded from a resin material or the like and is provided within the reservoir 18 so as to be liquid-tight and slidable along the axial direction of the reservoir 18. The plunger 20 has a plunger body 30 constituting the tip side and a pusher 32 provided on the plunger body 30 and constituting the rear end side. A seal member (sealing member) 34 is attached to the cylindrical rear end side of the plunger body 30. The seal member 34 is attached to the outer surface of the plunger body 30. The seal member 34 presses against the inner wall surface of the reservoir 18 to prevent leakage of the medicinal liquid filled in the reservoir 18. The seal member 34 moves back and forth along the inner wall surface of the reservoir 18 in the left-right direction in FIGS. 5 and 6 while engaging with the cylindrical inner wall surface so as to prevent leakage of the medicinal liquid from the boundary between the plunger body 30 and the inner wall surface of the reservoir 18. The size of the internal space of reservoir 18 that contains the medicinal liquid varies depending on the position of plunger body 30 in reservoir 18. In this embodiment, seal member 34 is made of an O-ring, but is not limited to this as long as it can prevent the medicinal liquid in reservoir 18 from leaking from plunger body 30. Seal member 34 may be made of an elastic material, such as silicone rubber.

[0041] The pusher 32 has a pair of extensions 36 that extend rearward from the plunger body 30 to the outside of the reservoir 18, and a pair of claws 38 provided at the rear ends of the extensions 36. One end of the feed screw shaft 22 is journaled by a bearing 39, and constitutes a drive unit 40 that moves the nut unit 24.

[0042] The drive unit 40 further includes a battery 42 as a power source, a motor 44 driven by the battery 42, a gearbox (power transmission mechanism) 46 that reduces the rotational driving force of the motor 44 and transmits it, and a transmission shaft 52 to which a spur gear 50 that meshes with an output gear 48 of the gearbox 46 is fixed and which is engaged with the feed screw shaft 22 so as to be able to rotate integrally with the feed screw shaft 22.

[0043] In this embodiment, the battery 42 and the transmission shaft 52 are provided in the cartridge 12, and the motor 44 and the gear box 46 are provided in the device main body 14. By providing the motor 44 and the gear box 46 in the device main body 14 in this way, the cost of the cartridge 12 can be reduced.

[0044] The battery 42 is provided with terminals 54 that are electrically connected to the motor 44 of the device body 14 when the device body 14 is connected to the cartridge 12. The transmission shaft 52 is supported by a pair of bearings 56 provided in the base portion 16 in a state where it is disposed coaxially with the feed screw shaft 22.

[0045] When the motor 44 rotates, its rotational force is transmitted to the feed screw shaft 22, and the rotation of the feed screw shaft 22 moves the nut portion 24 toward or away from the reservoir 18. Hereinafter, the rotation of the motor 44 that moves the nut portion 24 toward the reservoir 18 is referred to as forward rotation (forward rotation). Rotation in the direction opposite to the forward direction is referred to as reverse rotation (reverse rotation). The motor 44 is configured to be capable of rotating in both the forward and reverse directions. The motor 44 is configured so that if a force greater than a certain level is applied to the forward or reverse rotation, the rotational drive force is not transmitted to the gearbox 46 and subsequent components. For example, a stepping motor may be used as the motor 44. If a stepping motor is used, when a force greater than a certain level is applied to the forward or reverse rotation, the motor 44 loses synchronization with the input pulse and no longer transmits the rotational drive force (loses synchronism). Even if the motor 44 rotates in the reverse direction while the nut portion 24 is in contact with the bearing 56 due to step-out, it is possible to prevent damage caused by excessive force being applied to mechanisms such as the motor 44, gear box 46, and transmission shaft 52. A rotary encoder (not shown) is provided on the output shaft of the motor 44, and it is possible to determine whether the motor 44 has become out of synchronization with the input pulse (step-out) by detecting the rotation of the motor 44 with the rotary encoder. The operating state of the motor 44 is transmitted to the control unit 71 as a rotary encoder output.

[0046] The nut portion 24 is integrally molded from a resin material and has a nut portion main body 58 formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a slide portion 60 provided on the nut portion main body 58. The nut portion main body 58 is formed with a threaded hole 62 into which the feed screw shaft 22 screws, and a pair of through holes 64 formed on either side of the threaded hole 62 and through which the claw portions 38 pass. A reinforcing cover 66 made of, for example, a metal material or the like is attached to the outer surface of the nut portion main body 58.

[0047] The slide portion 60 slides relative to a guide wall 68 that is provided on the base portion 16 and extends along the axial direction of the plunger 20. That is, before use, the nut portion 24 is in a non-contact position where it does not contact the plunger 20 (see FIG. 5), and is moved from the non-contact position to a contact position where the nut portion 24 and plunger 20 are engaged by the rotation of the feed screw shaft 22. After contacting the plunger 20, further rotation of the feed screw shaft 22 causes the nut portion 24 to press the plunger 20 toward the tip end (see FIG. 6). Note that the guide wall 68 may be provided with a restricting portion that functions as a stopper to prevent the slide portion 60 from moving further backward.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the device main body 14 includes a cover that is detachably attached to the base 16 so as to close the opening of the base 16, as well as a control unit 71, a storage unit 72, and a communication unit 73. The cover may be provided on the top surface 121 of the housing 111. The control unit 71 is electrically connected to the battery 42, the motor 44, the storage unit 72, and the communication unit 73 via a bus 79 (see FIG. 7). The control unit 71 controls each unit of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 to perform processes related to the operation of the medicinal liquid administration device 1. For example, the control unit 71 controls the drive of the motor 44 based on information related to medicinal liquid administration transmitted from a remote control 90.

[0049] Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration related to control of the medicinal solution administration device 1 of Fig. 1. As described above, the battery 42, the motor 44, the storage unit 72, and the communication unit 73 are electrically connected to the control unit 71 via the bus 79.

[0050] The control unit 71 is one or more processors. The control unit 71 is communicably connected to each component of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 and controls the operation of the entire medicinal liquid administration device 1. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 71 may include one or more dedicated circuits, or the one or more processors in the control unit 71 may be replaced with one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0051] The storage unit 72 is one or more semiconductor memories, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM). The storage unit 72 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. For example, the storage unit 72 may store information from the control unit 71. Furthermore, the information stored in the storage unit 72 may be transmitted to the remote control 90 via the communication unit 73 under the control of the control unit 71.

[0052] The communication unit 73 is a communication interface for communicating with the remote control 90. In this embodiment, the communication unit 73 communicates with the remote control 90 via Bluetooth (registered trademark), but this is not limiting, and communication may be via other wireless communication paths such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or a wired cable, for example.

[0053] The control of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 may be performed by executing a program on a processor included in the control unit 71. That is, the control of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 may be realized by software. In this case, the program causes a computer to execute processing of steps included in the operation of the medicinal liquid administration device 1, thereby causing the computer to realize functions corresponding to the processing of those steps. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 71. That is, some or all of the functions of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 may be realized by hardware.

[0054] (Remote control configuration) Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the remote control 90 of Fig. 1. The remote control 90 includes a control unit 91, a storage unit 92, a communication unit 93, an input unit 94, an output unit 95, and a bus 99.

[0055] The control unit 91 is one or more processors. The control unit 91 is communicably connected to each component of the remote control 90 via a bus 99, and controls the operation of the entire remote control 90. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 91 may include one or more dedicated circuits, or the one or more processors in the control unit 91 may be replaced with one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an FPGA.

[0056] The storage unit 92 is one or more semiconductor memories, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memories are, for example, RAM or ROM. The RAM is, for example, SRAM (Static RAM) or DRAM (Dynamic RAM). The ROM is, for example, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM). The storage unit 92 functions, for example, as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory.

[0057] The communication unit 93 is a communication interface for communicating with the medicinal liquid administration device 1. The communication unit 93 communicates with the medicinal liquid administration device 1 to transmit information input by a user to the medicinal liquid administration device 1 and to receive information from the medicinal liquid administration device 1. The communication unit 93 communicates with the medicinal liquid administration device 1 by, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), but is not limited to this, and communication may also be performed by, for example, another wireless communication path such as a wireless LAN or a wired cable.

[0058] The input unit 94 includes one or more input interfaces that accept input operations by a user and acquire input information based on the user operations. The input unit 94 is, for example, a touch screen that is provided integrally with the display (display device) of the output unit 95, but is not limited thereto and may also be physical keys (for example, an external numeric keypad), capacitance keys, a pointing device, a microphone that accepts voice input, or the like.

[0059] The output unit 95 as a display unit includes one or more output interfaces that output information to the user and notify the user. For example, the output unit 95 is a display that outputs information by image display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), a speaker, a vibrator, or the like, but is not limited to these. The input unit 94 and the output unit 95 act as an input / output unit that is an interface between the user and the medicinal liquid administration device 1. In this embodiment, an example in which such an input / output unit is provided in the remote control 90 will be described, but it may also be provided in the medicinal liquid administration device 1 or another device.

[0060] The functions of the remote control 90 may be realized by executing a program according to this embodiment on a processor included in the control unit 91. That is, the functions of the remote control 90 may be realized by software. In this case, the program causes a computer to execute processing of steps included in the operation of the remote control 90, thereby causing the computer to realize functions corresponding to the processing of those steps. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the remote control 90 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 91. That is, some or all of the functions of the remote control 90 may be realized by hardware.

[0061] (Operation of the drug administration device) When operating the medicinal solution administration device 1 according to this embodiment, the user first removes the cartridge 12 from the packaging container. In this state, the reservoir 18 of the cartridge 12 is not filled with medicinal solution, and the nut portion 24 is in a non-contact position where it does not contact the plunger 20 (see FIG. 5).

[0062] Next, the user adjusts the position of plunger 20 relative to reservoir 18, and fills a desired amount of medicinal liquid into reservoir 18 through introduction port 26 from a medicinal liquid container, such as a vial in which the medicinal liquid is sealed. Thereafter, the user connects device main body 14 to cartridge 12. This supplies power from battery 42 of cartridge 12 to the components of device main body 14, and output gear 48 of gear box 46 of device main body 14 meshes with spur gear 50 of cartridge 12. Control unit 71, memory unit 72, etc., start up upon receiving power from battery 42.

[0063] Next, the user fills the cartridge 12 removed from the packaging container with the medicinal liquid, connects the cartridge 12 to the device main body 14, and then primes the medicinal liquid administration device 1. Priming refers to an operation of engaging the nut portion 24 of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 with the plunger 20 and filling the flow path of the medicinal liquid administration device 1, including the outlet tube 29, with the medicinal liquid. Specifically, the user operates the remote control 90 to rotate the motor 44 in the forward direction. As a result, the rotational driving force of the motor 44 is transmitted to the feed screw shaft 22 via the gearbox 46, the spur gear 50, and the transmission shaft 52, causing the feed screw shaft 22 to rotate and the nut portion 24 to slide along the guide wall 68 and advance toward the plunger 20.

[0064] As the nut portion 24 advances toward the distal end of the reservoir 18, the pair of claws 38 abut against the wall surfaces defining the through-hole 64 of the nut portion 24, causing the pair of extensions 36 to bend toward each other. Then, as the claws 38 pass through the through-hole 64, the extensions 36 return to their original state from their bent state, and the nut portion 24 engages with the rear end of the plunger 20. This enables the nut portion 24 to press the plunger 20 toward the distal end. Further advancing the nut portion 24 subsequently presses the medicinal liquid in the reservoir 18 against the plunger 20, filling the inner bore of the outlet tube 29 with the medicinal liquid, thereby completing priming. This priming is completed when the user visually confirms that the medicinal liquid has been discharged from the connecting needle tube, which is fluidly connected to the outlet tube 29 and exposed to the outside of the medicinal liquid administration device 1. When the user visually confirms that the medicinal liquid has been discharged from the connecting needle tube, the user instructs the medicinal liquid administration device 1 to stop priming. For example, the remote control 90 may display an image of a priming stop button on the display of the output unit 95, and notify the medicinal solution administration device 1 to stop the motor 44 in response to the user selecting the priming stop button.

[0065] Next, the user attaches the cradle device 11 to a predetermined position on the skin and uses the puncture mechanism to place the cannula of the connection port 106 inside the body, while engaging the connection port 106 with the cradle device 11. Next, the user attaches the pump body 10, to which the cartridge 12 and device body 14 are connected, to the cradle device 11, thereby connecting the outlet tube 29 to the cannula. In this state, the control unit 71 controls the rotation of the motor 44, thereby continuously or intermittently administering the medicinal liquid from the reservoir 18 into the body. The control unit 71 controls the rotation of the motor 44 according to a medicinal liquid administration schedule instructed via the remote control 90, and administers the medicinal liquid at various rates, such as a basal rate or a bolus, depending on the patient's condition. The basal rate is the amount of medicinal liquid per unit time that corresponds to the basal secretion of insulin. The bolus is the amount of medicinal liquid that corresponds to the additional secretion of insulin in response to a meal or an increase in blood glucose level.

[0066] The reservoir 18 of the cartridge 12 is filled with an amount of medicinal liquid to be administered in an administration cycle of a certain number of days. After the medicinal liquid filled in the reservoir 18 is administered into the living body over, for example, three days to one week, the cartridge 12 is replaced and discarded. The cartridge 12 is replaced with a new one after each administration cycle. Each time the cartridge 12 is replaced, the reservoir 18 of the cartridge 12 is filled with medicinal liquid, the cartridge 12 is connected to the device main body 14, and a priming operation is performed. After these operations, while the medicinal liquid is being administered, the medicinal liquid administration device 1 can estimate the amount of medicinal liquid to be administered based on, for example, the number of rotations of the motor 44 performed during priming and liquid delivery. The medicinal liquid administration device 1 according to this embodiment includes a disposable cartridge 12 and a reusable device main body 14, thereby reducing running costs.

[0067] The amount of medicinal solution filled into reservoir 18 of cartridge 12 varies depending on the patient's age, condition, etc., even if the length of the administration cycle is the same. For example, if reservoir 18 is filled with a three-day amount of medicinal solution, cartridge 12 for adults will be filled with more medicinal solution than cartridge 12 for children.

[0068] As described above, after filling the cartridge 12 with the medicinal liquid, the user connects the cartridge 12 to the device main body 14 and primes the medicinal liquid administration device 1. Here, when filling the reservoir 18 with the medicinal liquid, or when the cartridge 12 is in a shipping state, etc., one or both of the extension portions 36 of the pair of pushers 32 may bend, causing the direction of the claw portion 38 to shift. In such a case, during the priming process of connecting the plunger 20 to the nut portion 24, friction may initially push the plunger 20 until the claw portion 38 passes through the through-hole 64 of the nut portion 24, causing the medicinal liquid to leak from the tip of the connecting needle tube.

[0069] In conventional drug solution administration devices, a user may mistakenly believe that priming is complete when they see the drug solution being dispensed and immediately terminate priming. In this case, drug solution administration is performed even though the plunger and nut are not yet connected. This can result in a patient developing hyperglycemia or other conditions because a sufficient amount of drug solution is not administered before the plunger and nut are fully connected. Thus, conventional drug solution administration devices have room for improvement in ensuring that priming is completed.

[0070] In the priming operation, the medicinal solution administration device 1 according to this embodiment does not immediately stop the rotation of the motor 44 upon receiving a priming stop command from the user, but rather maintains the rotation of the motor 44 for a certain number of rotations before stopping it. Therefore, the medicinal solution administration device 1 can more reliably engage the nut portion 24 with the plunger 20 to complete priming. The medicinal solution administration device 1 can more effectively prevent hyperglycemia caused by the plunger 20 and the nut portion 24 being disconnected.

[0071] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation procedure of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 of Figure 1. The operation of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 described with reference to Figure 9 may correspond to one method of controlling the medicinal liquid administration device 1. The operation of each step in Figure 9 may be performed under control of the control unit 71 of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 or the control unit 91 of the remote control 90. Below, an example will be described in which the user starts the priming operation after filling the reservoir 18 with medicinal liquid and connecting the device main body 14 to the cartridge 12.

[0072] In step S1, the control unit 71 determines whether or not a command to start priming has been issued by the user.

[0073] Specifically, for example, the control unit 71 may display an image for instructing the start of priming on the display of the output unit 95 of the remote control 90, and receive an instruction to start priming (first instruction) when the user selects the image via the input unit 94. Alternatively, in a case where the medicinal solution administration device 1 is equipped with an output unit and an input unit, the control unit 71 may selectably display an image for instructing the start of priming on the display of the output unit of the medicinal solution administration device 1, and receive an instruction to start priming. If an instruction to start priming is received (YES in step S1), the control unit 71 proceeds to step S2; otherwise (NO in step S1), the control unit 71 continues the processing of step S1 until an instruction to start priming is received. Note that in step S2, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may determine whether or not the user has instructed the start of priming by selecting an image via the input unit 94.

[0074] In step S2, the control unit 71 rotates the motor 44 forward at a first rotation speed, and moves the nut portion 24 forward toward the tip end side of the reservoir 18.

[0075] Specifically, for example, the first rotation speed may be set to a rotation speed sufficiently faster than the rotation speed of the motor 44 during drug solution administration. As a result, the nut portion 24 moves toward the distal end of the reservoir 18 at the first speed. For example, the first rotation speed may be set to a speed that prevents a large amount of drug solution from leaking when the user visually confirms that the drug solution has been discharged from the connecting needle tube and then stops the rotation of the motor 44. This prevents a large amount of drug solution from leaking even if the user performs an operation to stop the advancement of the nut portion 24 after visually confirming that the drug solution has been discharged from the connecting needle tube. However, the first rotation speed may be set to a speed that shortens the time from when the user starts selecting a button or the like to when the drug solution is discharged from the connecting needle tube. In step S2, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may instruct the control unit 71 of the drug solution administration device 1 to rotate the motor 44 at the first rotation speed.

[0076] In step S3, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the user has instructed to stop priming.

[0077] Specifically, for example, the control unit 71 may display an image for instructing the user to stop priming on the display of the output unit 95 of the remote control 90, and may receive an instruction to stop priming (second instruction) when the user selects the image via the input unit 94. Alternatively, if the chemical solution administration device 1 is equipped with an output unit and an input unit, the control unit 71 may selectably display an image for instructing the user to stop priming on the display of the output unit of the chemical solution administration device 1, and receive the instruction to stop priming. Furthermore, the control unit 71 may rotate the motor 44 forward while the user is selecting an image for receiving an instruction to rotate the motor 44 (YES in S1, S2), and determine that an instruction to stop priming has been issued when the selection of the image has ended. If an instruction to stop priming has been issued (YES in step S3), the control unit 71 proceeds to step S4. Otherwise (NO in step S3), the control unit 71 continues the processing of step S3 until an instruction to stop priming is issued. In step S3, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may determine, based on a selection made by the user via the input unit 94, whether or not the user has instructed to stop priming.

[0078] In step S4, the control unit 71 rotates the motor 44 (forward rotation) at a first rotational speed by a constant number of rotations M in a direction in which the nut portion 24 moves toward the tip end of the reservoir 18. As a result, the nut portion 24 moves a constant distance toward the tip end of the reservoir 18 at the first speed. The constant number of rotations M may be, for example, a number of rotations for moving the nut portion 24 a distance that is approximately the same as or slightly longer than the length of the claw portion 38. Alternatively, the constant number of rotations M may be determined by experiment to determine the movement distance of the nut portion 24 necessary to securely insert the claw portion 38 into the through hole 64, and the constant number of rotations M may be set to a number of rotations for moving the nut portion 24 a constant distance toward the tip end of the reservoir 18. Also, in step S4, the control unit 71 may rotate the motor 44 forward not by the constant number of rotations M but by a number of rotations that moves the nut portion 24 a constant distance toward the tip end of the reservoir 18.

[0079] In this way, the medicinal solution administration device 1 continues to rotate the motor 44 in the forward direction by a certain number of rotations M even after the user has instructed to stop priming. As a result, the medicinal solution administration device 1 automatically moves the nut portion 24 further toward the tip side of the reservoir 18 even if at least one of the pair of claw portions 38 is not fully inserted into the through-hole 64 at the stage when the user has instructed to stop priming. Therefore, the medicinal solution administration device 1 according to this embodiment can more reliably connect the nut portion 24 and the reservoir 18 to complete priming. Note that in step S4, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may instruct the control unit 71 of the medicinal solution administration device 1 to rotate the motor 44 in the forward direction by the number of rotations M at the first rotation speed.

[0080] In step S5, the control unit 71 stops the rotation of the motor 44. Then, the control unit 71 ends the processing of the flowchart. Note that in step S5, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may instruct the control unit 71 of the medicinal solution administration device 1 to stop the motor 44. After completing the processing of step S5, the control unit 71 ends the processing of the flowchart.

[0081] As described above, the drug solution administration device 1, which administers the drug solution filled in the reservoir 18 into a living body by the pressing action of the plunger 20, includes the reservoir 18, the outlet tube 29, the plunger 20, the nut portion 24, the drive portion 40, and the control portion 71. The reservoir 18 is filled with the drug solution. The outlet tube 29 connects to the reservoir 18 and discharges the drug solution to the outside of the reservoir 18. The plunger 20 is provided within the reservoir 18 and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir 18. The nut portion 24 moves within its movable range to engage with the plunger 20 and press the plunger 20 toward the tip side of the reservoir 18. The drive portion 40 moves the nut portion 24 within its movable range. In this configuration, in response to receiving a first instruction (an instruction to start priming) from the user while the nut portion 24 is not engaged with the plunger 20, the control portion 71 controls the drive portion 40 to start moving the nut portion 24 toward the tip side of the reservoir 18. Furthermore, in response to receiving a second instruction (an instruction to stop priming) from the user, the control portion 71 controls the drive portion 40 to continue moving the nut portion 24 by a predetermined movement distance and then stop the movement of the nut portion 24.

[0082] In this way, after starting priming, in response to receiving the second instruction from the user, the medicinal solution administration device 1 does not immediately stop the movement of the nut portion 24, but continues to move the nut portion 24 a predetermined movement distance and then stops the movement of the nut portion 24. Therefore, even if the plunger 20 and the nut portion 24 are not sufficiently engaged with each other at the time the second instruction is received from the user, the medicinal solution administration device 1 automatically pushes the nut portion 24 toward the plunger 20 by the predetermined movement distance. Therefore, the medicinal solution administration device 1 can more reliably engage the nut portion 24 with the plunger 20 to complete priming.

[0083] Furthermore, the plunger 20 may include at least one (e.g., two) extension portion 36, each having a claw portion 38 provided at a rear end thereof. The nut portion 24 may include a through hole 64 through which the claw portion 38 can be inserted to lock the plunger 20. In response to receiving a second instruction from the user, the control unit 71 may control the drive unit 40 to continue moving the nut portion 24 a predetermined distance corresponding to the size of the claw portion 38 and then stop the movement of the nut portion 24. In this way, in response to receiving a second instruction from the user, the medicinal solution administration device 1 continues moving the nut portion 24 a distance corresponding to the size of the claw portion 38 and then stops the movement of the nut portion 24. Therefore, the medicinal solution administration device 1 can more reliably insert the claw portion 38 into the through hole 64 and lock the nut portion 24 to the plunger 20.

[0084] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the plunger 20 has a pair of claws 38 at its rear end and the nut portion 24 has a through hole 64, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration as long as the plunger 20 and the nut portion 24 can be locked together by pressing the nut portion 24 against the plunger 20. For example, the plunger 20 may have a through hole at its rear end, and the nut portion 24 may have a claw. The number of claws 38 and through holes 64 may be one, or three or more. Alternatively, the plunger 20 and the nut portion 24 may be locked together by, for example, a latch structure or a concave-convex structure.

[0085] The flowchart in FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which, when an instruction to stop priming is received, the motor 44 is rotated forward a certain number of revolutions M and then stopped. However, the motor 44 may then be rotated forward again in response to an instruction from the user. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the operation procedure of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 in FIG. 1. The operation of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 described with reference to FIG. 10 may correspond to one method of controlling the medicinal liquid administration device 1. The operation of each step in FIG. 10 may be executed based on control by the control unit 71 of the medicinal liquid administration device 1 or the control unit 91 of the remote control 90. An example in which the user starts the priming operation after filling the reservoir 18 with medicinal liquid and connecting the device main body 14 to the cartridge 12 will be described below.

[0086] In step S11, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the user has instructed the start of priming. If the user has instructed the start of priming (YES in step S11), the control unit 71 proceeds to step S12, and if not (NO in step S11), the control unit 71 continues the processing of step S11 until the user has instructed the start of priming. The processing of step S11 is the same as step S1 in FIG. 9, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0087] In step S12, the control unit 71 rotates the motor 44 in the forward direction at a first rotation speed to move the nut portion 24 forward toward the tip side of the reservoir 18. The process of step S12 is similar to step S2 in FIG. 9, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0088] In step S13, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the user has instructed to stop priming. If the user has instructed to stop priming (YES in step S13), the control unit 71 proceeds to step S14, and if not (NO in step S13), the control unit 71 continues the processing of step S13 until the user has instructed to stop priming. The processing of step S13 is the same as step S3 in FIG. 9, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] In step S14, the control unit 71 rotates (forwardly rotates) the motor 44 at a first rotational speed by a constant number of rotations M in a direction in which the nut portion 24 moves toward the tip end of the reservoir 18. The constant number of rotations M may be, for example, a predetermined percentage, such as one-half, one-third, or one-quarter, of the number of rotations required to move the nut portion 24 a distance that is approximately the same as or slightly longer than the length of the claw portion 38. Alternatively, the constant number of rotations M may be determined by experiment to determine the movement distance of the nut portion 24 required to securely insert the claw portion 38 into the through-hole 64, and may be set to a predetermined percentage, such as one-half, one-third, or one-quarter, of the number of rotations required to move the nut portion 24 by that movement distance. Also, in step S14, the control unit 71 may rotate the motor 44 forward not by a fixed number of rotations M, but by a predetermined percentage of the number of rotations, for example, one-half, one-third, or one-quarter, that moves the nut portion 24 a fixed distance toward the tip of the reservoir 18.

[0090] In step S15, the control unit 71 stops the rotation of the motor 44. The process of step S15 is the same as step S5 in Fig. 9, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0091] In step S16, control unit 71 determines whether the user has instructed to stop or continue priming. Here, if the user visually confirms that medicinal liquid is being continuously discharged from the connecting needle tube, the user may determine that claw portions 38 are sufficiently inserted into through-hole 64 and instruct to stop priming. On the other hand, if the user visually confirms that medicinal liquid is not being continuously discharged from the connecting needle tube, the user may determine that the pair of claw portions 38 are not sufficiently inserted into through-hole 64 and instruct to continue priming.

[0092] Specifically, for example, the control unit 71 may selectably display an image for instructing the user to stop priming (hereinafter referred to as a "stop image") and an image for instructing the user to continue priming (hereinafter referred to as a "continue image") on the display of the output unit 95 of the remote control 90. The control unit 71 may then receive an instruction to stop priming (fourth instruction) or an instruction to continue priming (third instruction) by the user selecting one of the two images via the input unit 94. Alternatively, if the medicinal solution administration device 1 is equipped with an output unit and an input unit, the control unit 71 may selectably display a stop image or a continue image on the display of the output unit of the medicinal solution administration device 1 to receive an instruction to stop or continue priming. The control unit 71 terminates the processing of the flowchart when an instruction to stop priming is received (stop in step S16), and proceeds to step S17 when an instruction to continue priming is received (continue in step S16). In step S16, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may determine whether the user has instructed to stop or continue priming, based on a selection made by the user via the input unit 94. In step S16, if an instruction to continue (third instruction) is received, the process may proceed to step S14, and the motor 44 may be rotated (forwardly rotated) at a first rotational speed by a certain number of rotations M in a direction in which the nut portion 24 moves toward the tip side of the reservoir 18.

[0093] In step S17, the control unit 71 starts the forward rotation of the motor at a first rotation speed, thereby moving the nut portion 24 at the first speed toward the tip side of the reservoir 18. Note that in step S17, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may instruct the control unit 71 of the medicinal solution administration device 1 to start the rotation of the motor 44 at the first rotation speed.

[0094] In step S18, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the user has instructed to stop priming.

[0095] Specifically, for example, the control unit 71 may display an image for instructing the user to stop priming on the display of the output unit 95 of the remote control 90, and receive the instruction to stop priming by the user selecting the image via the input unit 94. Alternatively, if the medicinal liquid administration device 1 is equipped with an output unit and an input unit, the control unit 71 may receive the instruction to stop priming by displaying selectable images for instructing the user to stop priming on the display of the output unit of the medicinal liquid administration device 1. The control unit 71 may also rotate the motor 44 forward while the user is selecting a continuation image (YES in S16, S17), and determine that the instruction to stop priming has been received when the selection of the image has been completed. If the instruction to stop priming has been received (YES in step S18), the control unit 71 proceeds to step S19. If not (NO in step S18), the control unit 71 continues the processing of step S18 until the instruction to stop priming is received. In step S18, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may determine, based on a selection made by the user via the input unit 94, whether or not the user has instructed to stop priming.

[0096] In step S19, the control unit 71 stops the rotation of the motor 44. Then, the control unit 71 ends the processing of the flowchart. Note that in step S19, the control unit 91 of the remote control 90 may instruct the control unit 71 of the medicinal solution administration device 1 to stop the motor 44. After completing the processing of step S19, the control unit 71 ends the processing of the flowchart.

[0097] In this manner, in response to receiving a second instruction (an instruction to stop priming) from the user, the control unit 71 controls the drive unit 40 to continue moving the nut portion 24 a predetermined distance and then stop the movement of the nut portion 24. Thereafter, in response to receiving a fourth instruction (an instruction to stop priming) from the user, the control unit 71 may end the processing of the flowchart. Therefore, the user can prevent unnecessary discharge of medicinal solution by visually confirming early that the claw portion 38 is sufficiently inserted into the through-hole 64. On the other hand, in response to receiving a third instruction (an instruction to continue priming) from the user, the control unit 71 may control the drive unit 40 to resume the movement of the nut portion 24. Therefore, after receiving the second instruction, the user can more reliably lock the nut portion 24 to the plunger 20 by issuing a third instruction based on the status of discharge of medicinal solution from the connecting needle tube, etc.

[0098] Furthermore, the control unit 71 may control the drive unit 40 to stop the movement of the nut portion 24 in response to receiving a fourth instruction (an instruction to stop priming) from the user after restarting the movement of the nut portion 24 in response to receiving a third instruction (an instruction to continue priming) from the user. Therefore, after restarting the movement of the nut portion 24 by issuing the third instruction, the user can stop the movement of the nut portion 24 at a desired timing and stop further discharge of the medicinal solution.

[0099] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagrams may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Multiple steps shown in the flowcharts may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capabilities of the device executing each step, or as needed, instead of being executed in chronological order as described. Other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1. Chemical solution administration device 10 Pump body 11 Cradle device 12 cartridges 14 Device body 16 Base 18 Reservoir 20 Plunger 22 Feed screw shaft 24 Nut part 26 Introduction Port 28 Derivation port 29 Outlet pipe 30 Plunger body 32 Pusher 34 Sealing material 36 Extension 38 Claw 39 Bearings 40 Drive unit 42 Batteries 44 Motor 46 Gearbox 48 Output gear 50 Spur gear 52 Transmission shaft 54 terminals 56 Bearings 58 Nut body 60 Slide section 62 screw holes 64 through holes 66 Reinforcement cover 68 Guide Wall 70 Lid 71 Control Unit 72 Memory section 73 Communications Department 79 Bus 106 connection ports 111 Cabinet 121 Top part 123 Front 124 Back part 126 Side part 137 Guide groove 138 Engagement hook part 141 Placement surface section 143 Side wall 144 Side wall 151 Guide rail 152 Detection rail 153 Sliding Rail 154 Fitting hole 155 Mounting part 156 Posture Correction Department 158 Notch 162 Engagement receiving portion 181 Port body 182 Cap 90 Remote Control 91 Control Unit 92 Memory section 93 Communications Department 94 Input section 95 Output section 99 Bus 100 Chemical liquid administration system

Claims

1. A drug solution administration device that administers a drug solution filled in a reservoir into a living body by pressing a plunger, the reservoir filled with the drug solution; a flow path connected to the reservoir and configured to lead the drug solution out of the reservoir; The plunger is provided in the reservoir and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the reservoir; a movable portion that can move within a movable region to engage with the plunger and press the plunger toward the distal end of the reservoir; a drive unit that moves the movable unit within the movable region; A control unit; Equipped with The control unit In a state where the movable portion is not engaged with the plunger, the movable portion starts to move toward the distal end side of the reservoir in response to a first instruction received from a user; in response to receiving a second instruction from the user, continuing to move the movable part by a predetermined movement distance and then stopping the movement of the movable part; The drug solution administration device controls the drive unit so that

2. The plunger includes at least one extension portion each having a pawl portion at a rear end thereof, the movable portion includes a through hole into which the claw portion is inserted to lock the plunger, the control unit, in response to receiving the second instruction from the user, controls the drive unit to continue moving the movable unit by a distance corresponding to a size of the claw portion as the predetermined movement distance, and then stop the movement of the movable unit. The drug solution administration device according to claim 1 .

3. The drug solution administration device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit so that, in response to receiving the second instruction from the user, the control unit continues moving the movable unit for a predetermined distance, then stops the movement of the movable unit, and then, in response to receiving a third instruction from the user, resumes the movement of the movable unit.

4. The drug solution administration device of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to resume movement of the movable unit in response to receiving the third instruction from the user, and then stops movement of the movable unit in response to receiving a fourth instruction from the user.

5. The drug solution administration device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a remote control for the user to operate the drug solution administration device; A drug solution administration system comprising:

6. a reservoir filled with a drug solution; a flow path connected to the reservoir and configured to lead the drug solution out of the reservoir; a plunger disposed within the reservoir and movable in a longitudinal direction of the reservoir; a movable portion that can move within a movable region to engage with the plunger and press the plunger toward the distal end of the reservoir; a drive unit that moves the movable unit within the movable region; A control unit; Equipped with A control method for a drug solution administration device that administers the drug solution filled in the reservoir into a living body by a pressing action of the plunger, comprising: The control unit a step of causing the movable portion to start moving toward the distal end side of the reservoir in response to receiving a first instruction from a user while the movable portion is not engaged with the plunger; in response to receiving a second instruction from the user, continuing to move the movable part by a predetermined movement distance and then stopping the movement of the movable part; A method for controlling a drug solution administration device, comprising:

Citation Information

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