WO2008080591A1

WO2008080591A1 - Transmission module for a portable medical device

Info

Publication number: WO2008080591A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/011394
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Jungen; Marcel Frikart
Original assignee: Disetronic Licensing Ag
Priority date: 2006-12-28
Filing date: 2007-12-21
Publication date: 2008-07-10

Abstract

Portable medical device with a housing (1), containing at least one multipole connector (2), in the following 'housing-side connector', which is able to receive at least one module (3) for wireless transmission of data to at least one remote second medical device, wherein the at least one module (3) for wireless transmission of data can be introduced, via a cover (5) that is closable on the outside of the housing (1), into a housing cavity (6) for receiving at least one exchangeable means (4) other than said module (3) in the cavity (6) and wherein said module (3) can be received by the housing-side connector (2).

Description

Transmission module for a portable medical device

Description:

The invention relates to a portable medical device, for example an infusion pump, injection pen or blood glucose meter, which can be easily and inexpensively fitted with a data transmission module.

Portable medical devices are known for a large number of applications, for example for blood pressure measurement, pulse measurement, ECG recording, or administration of medicaments. These devices for patients are important aids in treatment and diagnosis. They allow patients to go about their usual daily routine without too much restriction, and they provide physicians with meaningful measurements of the state of health of patients. For example, a blood glucose meter is used to determine the blood glucose content of a blood sample that the diabetic patient has taken, the measurement taking place optically or electrically. The measured value is then displayed on a display and is generally entered by the patient into a diary.

It is increasingly desirable to make the measured values or operating parameters available for subsequent digital processing or to interconnect the individual medical devices to one another for data processing. However, in the routine upkeep of a patient's diary too, it is desirable to avoid incorrect entries due to inaccurate reading of the display, and to do this by direct digital recording of the measured values. Since digitally recorded blood glucose measurement values are available practically immediately, this permits better control of the blood glucose of a pa- tient using an administration device. A further aspect concerns a patient system that can communicate with one or more remote medical devices or can be operated by these. Although digital networking of medical devices has incontestable therapeutic advantages, cost pressures within the healthcare services mean that networking or remote medical integration has unfortunately not been able to proceed to the desired extent.

From EP-B-0848465 and US 2005/0003470, it is known that a blood glucose meter effects wireless transmission of measured values to a portable electrical device. A mobile phone commercially available from the company LG (type KP 8400) has an integrated blood glucose meter on its rear face. Moreover, WO 97/28736 and WO 97/28737 describe medical devices with data transmission means.

In the embodiments known in the prior art, the data transmission means are substantially integrated in the medical device and can therefore only be exchanged with specialist assistance or by the manufacturer. They represent a customer-group-specific solution for the users of digital data transmission or networking. Because of the requirement for radio licensing in the tar- get countries, the manufacturers are additionally confronted with the need to provide design variants specific to particular countries.

Since the patient devices or medical devices of all kinds are produced in large batch numbers, inexpensive production is essential. To minimize the costs of individualization, a further ob- jective is also to reduce the number of variants for specific customer groups and for specific countries.

The object is therefore for a medical device, produced in large batch numbers, to be able to be equipped, at minimal extra cost, to receive a data transmission module, and for suitable possi- bilities of simple conversion, fitting or retrofitting largely without tools to be made available, thereby avoiding or minimizing embodiment variants specific to customer groups or to particular countries.

This is achieved with a portable medical device and also with a system according to claims 1, 16, 17 and 18. Advantageous embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

The invention starts out from a medical device with a housing containing at least one multi- poie connector, which is abie to receive at least one module for wireless transmission of data to at least one remote second medical device. In one embodiment according to the invention, the medical device can be a device for administering a liquid medicament, for example an injection pen or preferably an infusion pump. It can also be a device for detecting at least one physiological state, for example a pulse meter, an ECG recorder, a temperature meter for re- cording the body temperature, or a blood glucose meter, preferably a continuously measuring blood glucose meter or in particular also a strip-type blood glucose meter. A medical device is also understood as a device for the detection, presentation or forwarding or processing and presenting of data relevant to therapy. In a further definition, a remote control or an instruction unit for a medical device is understood as a medical device.

In preferred example embodiments the medical devices adapted to communicate via the wireless transmission module are an administering device and a detecting device for detecting at least one physiological state. The at least two devices can also be an administering device and a remote control for it or an administering device and an evaluation device, e.g. a computer, for processing and displaying the transmitted data. The devices can also be a remote control for an administering device and such an evaluation device. A further example is a detecting device for detecting at least one physiological state and such an evaluation device. In each of these examples either only one of the respective devices can be equipped with the connector of the invention or, alternatively, in each of the examples each of the respective devices can be equipped with the connector of the invention. An administering device, as well as a detecting device or a remote control for an administering device or a detecting device are most preferred examples of medical devices comprising a connector according to the invention.

The solution according to the invention is characterized in that the connector or the electrical contact for receiving a data transmission module is located in an already existing housing cavity of the medical device serving to receive at least one exchangeable means. An example of a housing cavity for receiving exchangeable means can be a battery compartment or, if present, an ampoule compartment. In such an example the exchangeable means can be a battery or electrical accumulator or a battery pack or an accumulator pack if the cavity is a battery com- partment, in the other example mentioned the exchangeable means is an exchangeable container or a plurality of containers for the medicament, preferably an ampoule or a plurality of ampoules. Because the housing aperture of the cavity is already present as standard with the required sealing (battery compartment, ampoule compartment), no additional costs are in- curred in creating the necessary leaktightness for the transmission module to be inserted. Protection against mechanical effects is also afforded. A housing cavity consists of a housing interior which is accessible via a housing cover or a housing closure part. The cavity does not necessarily also have to be closed off relative to the housing interior. The cavity can be the only cavity of the housing in which all other parts of the device are disposed. Preferably, however, the cavity is a compartment within the housing, closed off against the further housing interior, and preferably also sealed watertight with respect to the rest of the housing interior.

The connector according to the invention can be arranged in different areas of the housing cavity. In one embodiment, the connector is located on the housing inside of the cover or closure part of the cavity, e.g. battery compartment lid or ampoule compartment closure, which can normally be opened and closed essentially without tools. This solution permits good accessibility of the connector. In a preferred embodiment, the connector is mounted on an inside wall of the cavity of the housing. Even more preferred, the connector is mounted such that refitting of the transmission module can take place only after removal of the exchangeable means also contained or being fittable in the cavity. By virtue of the fact that the connector is accessible e.g. only after removal of the energy accumulator, refitting of the transmission module takes place under defined operating conditions or in the absence of voltage. This suppresses transient processes on the electrical channels that can arise when module and connec- tor are plugged together.

A further aspect of the solution according to the invention is the design of the connector, in which the structural parts accounting for most of the cost are arranged on the transmission module side. The housing-side connector, which has to be able to be produced as inexpen- sively as possible because of the high production batch numbers of the medical device, is designed with minimal outlay, which means that preferably a one-piece connector is chosen, consisting for example of a mechanical support with a conductor track or connecting surface located thereon. The housing-side connector might be fastened to a housing structure or might in particular be fixed by moulding the connector or preferably only a mounting part of the connector in a housing structure, e.g. a cavity wall or the closure, when injection moulding the housing or cavity closure or only the cavity walls if the cavity itself is an insert fitted in the housing. The module-side connector, whose cost is less critical because of the smaller batch numbers and lower price sensitivity, in this case largely provides ihe means for creating a mechanical and electrical connection between transmission module and device. It is therefore preferably in several parts, which means that the means for creating an electrically conductive connection, which includes, for example, one or more contact springs, a contact spring seat or a guiding element for guiding the connectors when contacting etc., lie on the module-side area.

In one embodiment, the contact arrangement on the module-side or housing-side connector is designed in such a way that a sequential contact sequence takes place. A sequential contact sequence is understood as a structurally induced, time-staggered contact formation. For ex- ample, the voltage-carrying contacts are connected first, thereafter the data lines.

In a preferred embodiment, the module-side connector is located on an energy accumulator support, for example on a housing insert formed from several batteries, which is connected to its matching counterpart on insertion of the housing insert.

The module-side connector can advantageously be also a connector for connecting, preferably for electrically connecting the exchangeable means to the medical device, i.e. to an electrical or electronic circuit of the device. If the exchangeable means is a battery or battery pack, for example, the electrical connectors of the battery or battery pack can at the same time form the module-side connector or part of this connector via which the wireless transmission module is supplied with electrical energy. If the module-side connector is mechanically in one piece, as preferred, this connector comprises preferably separate electrical lines or tracks for connecting the battery or battery pack electrically to the medical device and the wireless transmission module to the medical device, i.e. a first line or track for the electrical connection of the bat- tery or battery pack and a further line or track for electrically connecting the wireless transmission module. So, when contacting said connector of the exchangeable means the wireless transmission module is also connected to the device.

A preferred data transfer is a radio wave transmission, preferably by means of a Bluetooth interface, preferably the Bluetooth serial profile (SPP) or FTP, OBEX, PAN, Object exchange or another profile. A bidirectional radio wave connection can comprise all forms of data exchange technologies known to persons skilled in the art. With infrared transmission and re- ception means preferably located on the cavity cover, e.g. battery lid or other type of closure, an optically based transfer arrangement can also be permitted.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with refer- ence to two figures.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of what is called a battery pack. By suitable redesign of the battery compartment lid of a medical device (1), or by means of a battery compartment cover (5) made available by the manufacturer, the transmission module (3) is received primarily by the battery pack. The transmission module (3) is integrated in or mounted on a wall member of the exchangeable means (4, 5). However, although such an arrangement is advantageous with respect to space saving, a transmission module (3) does not have to be integrated into or on the exchangeable means but might also be a separate part therefrom. The connecting of the module-side connector (7) to the medical device (1) takes place upon insertion of the battery pack (4, 5) into the battery compartment (6). By inserting the battery pack (4, 5) the module- side connector (7) is automatically connected to the housing-side connector (2) contained in the compartment (6).

Figure 2 shows a transmission module (3) for wireless information transfer designed in the form of a connectivity pack for fitting, converting or retrofitting of a medical device (1). The multi-piece contact means for establishing a pluggable connection are located on the transmission module (3) in the form of a plug strip (7), of guide means (8) arranged on both sides for receiving the corresponding plug part (2), and of contact springs (9), which create a reliable galvanic connection. The plug strip (7) can be provided with a coding piece that guaran- tees insertion the right way round. From the plug strip, conductor tracks lead to the integrated electronic chip (10), which comprises transmitting and receiving means. A receiving and transmitting antenna (11) is located on the side away from the plug strip (7).

For reasons of cost savings, the device-side connector (2) of a basic device (1) is essentially designed in a one-piece configuration, in the present form as support element with contact surfaces (12). The support element protrudes from a wall of the housing, for example as in the embodiment from a bottom wall of the cavity (6). In such an embodiment the connector (2) is protruding from this wall towards the aperture of the cavity (6), so when inserting the ex- changeable means, in the example embodiment the battery pack (4, 5), the contact between the connectors (2 and 7) is automatically made. As can be seen, in a basic device (1) without transmission module, only marginal additional costs are incurred for creating an optional connector (2). The radio transmission is based on the Bluetooth® standard and typically involves a 4-pole connector (12) for the device-side RF interface. The following typical pin configurations are found: GND, VDD, COMl and COM2 (with, for example, UART_RX, UART_TX, USB_D+, USB_D-).

Claims

Claims:

1. Portable medical device with a housing (1), containing at least one multipole connector (2), in the following "housing-side connector", which is able to receive at least one module (3) for wireless transmission of data to at least one remote second medical device, wherein the at least one module (3) for wireless transmission of data can be introduced, via a cover (5) that is closable on the outside of the housing (1), into a housing cavity (6) for receiving at least one exchangeable means (4) other than said module (3) in the cavity (6) and wherein said module (3) can be received by the housing- side connector (2).

2. Portable medical device according to Claim 1, wherein the medical device is a device for administering a liquid medicament.

3. Portable medical device according to Claim 1, wherein the medical device is a device for detecting at least one physiological state of a patient.

4. Portable medical device according to Claim 3, wherein the medical device is a blood glucose meter.

5. Portable medical device according to Claim 1, wherein the medical device is an device for the acquisition, presentation or forwarding of data relevant to therapy.

6. Portable medical device according to Claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a remote control for a medical device.

7. Portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cavity (6) for receiving said at least one exchangeable means (4) is a battery- receiving cavity (6) for receiving at least one exchangeable energy accumulator (4).

8. Portable medical device according to Claim 2, wherein the housing cavity for receiving exchangeable means is an ampoule-receiving cavity.

9. Portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (5) on the outside of the housing (1) can be opened and closed essentially without tools.

10. Portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cavity (6) is a compartment of the housing (1).

11. Portable medical appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cavity (6) is closed off watertight to the outside by the cover (5).

12. Portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing cavity (6) is a compartment within the housing (1) sealed off watertight with respect to the remainder of the housing (1) and closed off watertight to the outside by the cover (5).

13. Portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing-side connector (2) is formed by a one-piece contact element.

14. Portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing-side connector (2) protrudes from a wall structure of the housing (1).

15. Portable medical device according to the preceding claim, wherein the housing-side connector (2) is fixed to the wall structure by moulding at least part of it in the material of the wall structure, preferably by injection moulding the wall structure of a plas- tic material.

16. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the module-side connector (7) is designed in several pieces.

17. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein, on establishing the connection between the module-side connector (7) and the housing-side connector (2), a sequential contacting takes place.

18. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the module-side connector (7) is located on an energy accumulator support (5), preferably a battery compartment lid or battery compartment insert (5), and makes contact with the housing-side connector (2) during the insertion procedure.

19. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the data transmission takes place using short-range data transmission technology.

20. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the data transmission takes place via a bidirectional radio wave connection.

21. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the claims 1 to 19 and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the data transmis- sion takes place via a unidirectional radio wave connection.

22. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the claims 1 to 19 and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the data transmission takes place via an infrared connection.

23. System consisting of a portable medical device according to any one of the preceding claims and of a module (3) for wireless transmission of data, wherein the housing-side connector (2) and the module-side connector (7) are connectors (2, 7) for also connecting the exchangeable means (4) to the portable medical device.