Drug delivery device

Abstract

Provided is a drug delivery device, which comprises a first bag body (20), a second bag body (30), and a housing (40). The first bag body (20) is provided with a first opening (20a) and a first surface (22). The first opening (20a) is used for receiving gas. The second bag body (30) is provided with a second opening (30a) and a second surface (32). The second surface (32) is attached to the first surface (22) of the first bag body, and the second opening (30a) is used for delivering a drug contained in the second bag body. The housing (40) is provided with an accommodating space (40b), and the first bag body (20) and the second bag body (30) are arranged in the accommodating space (40b).

Description

Drug delivery devices Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug delivery device, in particular to a drug delivery device that can be used in conjunction with an infusion unit and has an easy-to-control delivery scheme. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, when using a container such as an IV bag for infusion or medication, if one wants to adjust the infusion or medication rate or change the medication regimen, the only way is to do it manually, which is inconvenient and has concerns about accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, the present invention provides a drug delivery device, which includes: a first bag body having a first opening and a first surface, the first opening being used to receive a gas; a second bag body having a second opening and a second surface, the second surface being in contact with the first surface of the first bag body, and the second opening being used to deliver a drug contained in the second bag body; and a shell body having a containing space, the first bag body and the second bag body being disposed in the containing space.

[0004] In some specific embodiments, the first surface has a first concave-convex structure, and the second surface has a corresponding second concave-convex structure.

[0005] In some specific embodiments, the first concave-convex structure is a stepped concave-convex structure or a wavy concave-convex structure.

[0006] In some specific embodiments, the second concave-convex structure is a stepped concave-convex structure or a wavy concave-convex structure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the gas comes from a gas generating unit.

[0008] In some embodiments, the drug delivery device further comprises the gas generating unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the gas generating unit is an electrochemical gas generating unit.

[0010] In some embodiments, the gas generating unit includes a gas cylinder.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gas generating unit includes a gas valve for controlling the supply of the gas.

[0012] In some specific embodiments, the gas is used to expand the first bag and squeeze the second bag, thereby causing the medicine contained in the second bag to be delivered from the second opening.

[0013] It is to be understood that the foregoing summary and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings presently preferred embodiments.

[0015] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a drug delivery device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a drug delivery device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] 3A to 3D illustrate drug loading and drug delivery of a drug delivery device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The details of one or more embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the following description. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of several specific embodiments and the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one skilled in the art to which this invention belongs.

[0020] The present invention is further described by the following examples, which are provided for illustration and not for limitation.

[0021] As used herein, the article "a" or "an" refers to one or to more than one (ie, to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. For example, "an element" refers to one element or more than one element.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , a drug delivery device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a gas generating unit 10 , a first bag 20 , a second bag 30 , and a shell 40 .

[0023] The gas generating unit 10 has a gas outlet 10a. The first bag 20 has a first opening 20a and a first surface 22. The first opening 20a is in gaseous communication with the gas outlet 10a and is used to receive a gas provided through the gas outlet 10a of the gas generating unit 10. The second bag 30 has a second opening 30a and a second surface 32. The second surface 32 is in contact with the first surface 22 of the first bag 20, and the second opening 30a is used to deliver a drug contained in the second bag 30. The above-mentioned contact preferably does not mean bonding or fixing to each other, but rather closely adjacent arrangement. The second opening 30a can also be used to load the drug into the second bag 30.

[0024] The first bag used in the present invention preferably has elasticity to withstand volume expansion when inflated. For example, the first bag can be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), non-PVC materials (e.g., polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)), or thin film polymer materials such as parylene. In some embodiments, a conventional IV bag is used as the first bag.

[0025] The second bag body is used to accommodate medicine or other liquids to be delivered, and can be in the form of a conventional drip bag, but is not limited thereto.

[0026] In addition, the first surface 22 may have a first concavo-convex structure 20b, and the second surface 32 may have a corresponding second concavo-convex structure 30b. The concavo-convex structure includes but is not limited to a stepped concavo-convex structure and a wavy concavo-convex structure.

[0027] The housing 40 has a drug outlet 40a and a storage space 40b. The drug outlet 40a is in fluid communication with the second opening 30a of the second bag 30. The storage space 40b is configured to accommodate the first bag 20 and the second bag 30. The gas generating unit 10 can be disposed in the storage space 40b of the housing 40 or independently disposed outside the housing 40.

[0028] The gas generating unit used in the present invention can be an electrochemical gas generating unit, which utilizes an electrochemical reaction to controllably generate the required gas. In addition, the gas generating unit used can also be a gas generating unit including a gas cylinder.

[0029] 2 , which illustrates a drug delivery device according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the drug delivery device comprises a first bag 20 , a second bag 30 , and a shell 40 .

[0030] The first bag 20 is in controllable gas communication with the gas generating unit 10 via the gas connector 12. The second bag 30 includes a drug connector 32 and is controllable liquid communication with the infusion unit 50 via the drug connector 32.

[0031] When the gas generating unit 10 is configured to generate and deliver a gas to the first bag 20 through the gas connector 12, the first bag 20 will expand at a controllable rate and squeeze the second bag 30, thereby causing the drug contained in the second bag 30 to be delivered to the catheter 50a of the infusion unit 50 through the drug connector 32 and delivered to a patient in need through the needle 50b of the infusion unit 50.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 3A to 3D, which illustrate drug loading and drug delivery of a drug delivery device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] As shown in FIG3A , the drug delivery device comprises a first bag 20 and a second bag 30. The first bag 20 is controllably gas-connected to the gas generating unit 10 via the gas valve 15 of the gas generating unit 10. In FIG3A , the gas valve 15 is closed and the first bag 20 has not yet been inflated, and the second bag 30 has not yet been loaded with drug.

[0034] When the medicine is to be loaded, as shown in FIG. 3B , the medicine can be loaded into the second bag 30 using a syringe 60 .

[0035] Referring now to Figure 3C , the drug delivery device is connected to an infusion unit 50, ready for drug delivery. At this point, the gas valve 15 of the gas generating unit 10 is opened, allowing gas to enter the first bag 20, causing it to expand and compress the second bag 30. The drug in the second bag 30 is then delivered to the patient in need through the infusion unit 50.

[0036] As shown in FIG3D , as the first bag 20 continues to inflate, the drug in the second bag 30 continues to be delivered through the infusion unit 50 in a controlled manner until the second bag 30 is flattened and the drug is almost completely delivered. At this point, the valve 15 of the gas generating unit 10 can be (automatically) closed. The gas in the first bag 20 is then released, returning to the state shown in FIG3A and ready for the next drug delivery.

[0037] While the present invention provides the preferred embodiments described above, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drug delivery device comprising: a first bag having a first opening and a first surface, wherein the first opening is used to receive a gas; a second bag having a second opening and a second surface, wherein the second surface is in contact with the first surface of the first bag, and the second opening is used to deliver a drug contained in the second bag; and A shell body has a containing space, and the first bag body and the second bag body are arranged in the containing space. 2 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface has a first concave-convex structure, and the second surface has a corresponding second concave-convex structure. 3 . The drug delivery device according to claim 2 , wherein the first concave-convex structure is a stepped concave-convex structure or a wavy concave-convex structure. The drug delivery device according to claim 2 , wherein the second concave-convex structure is a stepped concave-convex structure or a wavy concave-convex structure. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the gas comes from a gas generating unit. The drug delivery device of claim 5 , further comprising the gas generating unit.

7. The drug delivery device of claim 5 or 6, wherein the gas generating unit is an electrochemical gas generating unit.

8. The drug delivery device of claim 5, wherein the gas generating unit comprises a gas cylinder. 9 . The drug delivery device of claim 5 , wherein the gas generating unit comprises a gas valve for controlling the supply of the gas. 10 . The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the gas is used to expand the first bag and squeeze the second bag, thereby causing the drug contained in the second bag to be delivered from the second opening.

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