A method for controlling a magnetic valve and particularly a method for dispensing and/or aspirating a volume of liquid as well as a corresponding dispenser/pipetting apparatus is disclosed. The method for controlling a magnetic valve has measuring a capacitance at the magnetic valve and determining a position of a plunger based on the measured capacitance. The method for dispensing or aspirating a volume of liquid has controlling a flow of a system fluid by a magnetic valve located between a pressure source and a dispenser/pipetting tip, dispensing or aspirating a volume of liquid through an exterior opening of the tip dependent on the flow of the system fluid, wherein controlling the flow and determining a flow time in dependence of the volume of liquid to be dispensed or aspirated, and controlling the magnetic valve is held open for the duration of the flow time.

Improved systems and methods for medicine delivery, and in particular, improved insulin pen needles and related devices are provided. Smart injection devices record and transfer data including medicine level, delivered dose, dose confirmation, and dose time and date. Additional data captured may include glucose concentration, insulin level, carbohydrates ingested, stress level, exercise, blood pressure, and glucose high and low excursion events. Various means of data collection and analysis are provided and systems can identify and flag patients who require intervention. Smart sleeves and add sensing capability to standard insulin pens. Pen needles are provided with sensing capability to confirm and measure doses delivered by insulin pen. A two-part pen cap include a primary sleeve that connects to the insulin pen and an end cap that provides for capturing the time of dose delivery, and monitoring the hold time for a dose delivery after plunger movement.

A spreader assembly may include a hopper, a pair of augers positioned in a dual auger arrangement and a metering gate assembly including a gate and a biasing force generator. The gate may have a general M-shape with an inner extension and may be positioned generally above the augers with the inner extension extending between the augers. The biasing force generator may be operable to apply a biasing force to the gate causing the gate to operate as a metering gate.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to devices, systems and methods for measuring the dose remaining in a drug delivery device that is used for delivering a dose to a patient. In some embodiments, a dose measurement system for measuring the liquid volume in a container includes a plurality of light sources which are disposed and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the container. A plurality of sensors are located in the apparatus that are optically coupleable to the plurality of light sources and are disposed and configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least a portion of the light sources. The apparatus also includes a processing unit configured to receive data representing the portion of the detected electromagnetic radiation from each of the plurality of sensors. The processing unit is further operable to convert the received data into a signature representative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the plurality of sensors.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to devices, systems and methods for measuring the dose remaining in a drug delivery device that is used for delivering a dose to a patient. In some embodiments, a dose measurement system for measuring the liquid volume in a container includes a plurality of light sources which are disposed and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the container. A plurality of sensors are located in the apparatus that are optically coupleable to the plurality of light sources and are disposed and configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least a portion of the light sources. The apparatus also includes a processing unit configured to receive data representing the portion of the detected electromagnetic radiation from each of the plurality of sensors. The processing unit is further operable to convert the received data into a signature representative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the plurality of sensors.

Method for adjusting the volumetric flow ratio of at least two different fluids (F1, F2) with a control-device. The control-device comprises a first chamber with a chamber-volume (V.sub.C1) for the first fluid (F1) and an inlet-element and an outlet-element for the first fluid (F1) and at least one rotating or nutating element. The control-device further comprises at least one second chamber with a chamber-volume (V.sub.C2) for the second fluid (F2), wherein the second chamber has an inlet-element and an outlet-element for the second fluid (F2) and at least one rotating or nutating element. The rotating or nutating elements are coupled so as to rotate or nutate at a defined rotational or nutational frequency ratio and are driven by the fluids (F1, F2). The chamber volume ratio (V.sub.C1:V.sub.C2) and the rotational or nutational frequency ratio are selected such that the fluids (F1, F2) flowing out of the outlet-elements have a predefined volumetric flow ratio. The input resistor (R.sub.i) of the respective inlet-element and the output resistor (R.sub.o) of the respective outlet-element of the first chamber and/or the second chamber are chosen so as to satisfy the equation: (I), wherein η.sub.F is the viscosity of the respective fluid (F1, F2) and Cn designates the respective chamber.

Method for adjusting the volumetric flow ratio of at least two different fluids (F1, F2) with a control-device. The control-device comprises a first chamber with a chamber-volume (V.sub.C1) for the first fluid (F1) and an inlet-element and an outlet-element for the first fluid (F1) and at least one rotating or nutating element. The control-device further comprises at least one second chamber with a chamber-volume (V.sub.C2) for the second fluid (F2), wherein the second chamber has an inlet-element and an outlet-element for the second fluid (F2) and at least one rotating or nutating element. The rotating or nutating elements are coupled so as to rotate or nutate at a defined rotational or nutational frequency ratio and are driven by the fluids (F1, F2). The chamber volume ratio (V.sub.C1:V.sub.C2) and the rotational or nutational frequency ratio are selected such that the fluids (F1, F2) flowing out of the outlet-elements have a predefined volumetric flow ratio. The input resistor (R.sub.i) of the respective inlet-element and the output resistor (R.sub.o) of the respective outlet-element of the first chamber and/or the second chamber are chosen so as to satisfy the equation: (I), wherein η.sub.F is the viscosity of the respective fluid (F1, F2) and Cn designates the respective chamber.

A process and a device for determining the volume of liquid remaining inside a flexible pouch provided with means for dispensing the liquid to be consumed comprises placing the pouch inside a rigid envelope filled with a known volume V1 of a first measuring liquid having an electrical conductivity C1, during the dispensing of a volume VA of liquid to be consumed, admitting inside the rigid envelope the same volume of a second measuring liquid present outside the rigid envelope and having an electrical conductivity C2 different from the electrical conductivity C1, measuring the electrical conductivity CM of the mixture of the measuring liquids present inside the rigid envelope, determining the volume VA of liquid to be consumed which has been dispensed from the measurement of the electrical conductivity C3, and calculating the volume Vr of liquid to be consumed remaining inside the pouch from the volumes Vi and VA.

A process and a device for determining the volume of liquid remaining inside a flexible pouch provided with means for dispensing the liquid to be consumed comprises placing the pouch inside a rigid envelope filled with a known volume V1 of a first measuring liquid having an electrical conductivity C1, during the dispensing of a volume VA of liquid to be consumed, admitting inside the rigid envelope the same volume of a second measuring liquid present outside the rigid envelope and having an electrical conductivity C2 different from the electrical conductivity C1, measuring the electrical conductivity CM of the mixture of the measuring liquids present inside the rigid envelope, determining the volume VA of liquid to be consumed which has been dispensed from the measurement of the electrical conductivity C3, and calculating the volume Vr of liquid to be consumed remaining inside the pouch from the volumes Vi and VA.

The disclosure relates to a metering apparatus for free-flowing material and to a method for operating such a metering apparatus. The metering apparatus has a metering duct having a closed cross section and further has a rotary drive (M). The metering duct is wound in the form of a screw with a vertical longitudinal axis. The free-flowing material is fed to the metering duct. The metering duct is set via the rotary drive (M) in an oscillating rotary motion about its longitudinal axis with individual rotary strokes, wherein, with each rotary stroke, a partial quantity of the free-flowing material falls out of a lower discharge opening of the metering duct.