Secure medication delivery

• US 10,376,444 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Ira L., Boss, Gregory J., Clevenger, Lawrence A., Jones, Andrew R., McConnell, Kevin C., Moore, Jr., John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Luan K
• Application Number:
  US15/076,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20170273867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 206438, 206528, 206530, 206532, 206539, 206540, 604202-205, 604212, 53467
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/00 Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/18 for making package-opening or unpacking elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/00 Closing containers or receptacles after filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/16 Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/327 and forming several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container

Abstract

A method includes micro-machining a cavity within a substrate, filling the cavity with a medication, forming a sealing layer over the cavity, micro-machining a cantilevered beam from a layer of material, the cantilevered beam comprising a tip for puncturing the sealing layer, and attaching the cantilevered beam to the substrate such that moving the cantilevered beam toward the substrate enables the tip to puncture the sealing layer. A computer program product corresponding to the method is also disclosed. An apparatus includes a substrate having a cavity micro-machined therein, a sealing layer formed over the cavity, a medication disposed within the cavity, a cantilevered beam micro-machined from a layer of material, the cantilevered beam comprising a tip for puncturing the sealing layer, and the cantilevered beam attached to the substrate and disposed to enable the tip to puncture the sealing layer when the cantilevered beam is moved towards the substrate.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

micro-machining a cavity within a substrate;

filling the cavity with a medication;

forming a sealing layer over the cavity;

micro-machining a cantilevered beam from a layer of material, the cantilevered beam comprising a sacrificial layer, wherein the sacrificial layer provides a tip for puncturing the sealing layer when removed; and

attaching the cantilevered beam to the substrate such that moving the cantilevered beam toward the substrate enables the tip to puncture the sealing layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the cavity with the medication and forming a sealing layer over the cavity are simultaneous operations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer of material corresponds to a layer of polysilicon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein micro-machining the cantilevered beam from the layer of material comprises using chemical wet etching to create the cantilevered beam.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein micro-machining the cantilevered beam comprises:

etching a sacrificial layer to create a tapered pattern in the sacrificial layer; and

depositing a polysilicon layer over the sacrificial layer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the sacrificial layer to provide a polysilicon cantilevered beam.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sacrificial layer corresponds to an oxide layer.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a cavity micro-machined therein;

a sealing layer formed over the cavity;

a medication disposed within the cavity;

a cantilevered beam comprising a sacrificial layer, wherein the sacrificial layer provides a tip for puncturing the sealing layer when removed; and

the cantilevered beam attached to the substrate and disposed to enable the tip to puncture the sealing layer when the cantilevered beam is moved towards the substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cantilevered beam corresponds to a polysilicon beam.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cantilevered beam further comprises a tapered pattern etched in the sacrificial layer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sacrificial layer corresponds to an oxide layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cantilevered beam further comprises a polysilicon layer deposited over the sacrificial layer.