Eli Lilly and Company
Sensing system for medication delivery device

Abstract:

A fluid sensing system (30) including a fluid channel (32) with an inlet (34) and an outlet (36). A thermal device (38) is operably coupled thereto at a first position whereby thermal energy is transferable with fluid in the channel. A section of the fluid channel downstream of the first position has a predefined cross section and flow path. A thermal imaging device (46) is positioned to capture a thermal image of at least a portion of the downstream section. A processor (48) coupled with the thermal imaging device is configured to determine at least one output value representative of a property of the fluid medication or fluid flow using the thermal image. The output value may be the flow volume. In some embodiments, the fluid channel also defines a section upstream of the first position with the thermal imaging device capturing an image that includes at least portions of both the upstream and downstream sections.