Micro-droplet delivery device and methods
First Claim
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1. A system for emitting a fluid, comprising:
- (a) an actuator having a contact portion; and
(b) a drug package comprising;
(i) a fluid reservoir near or at one end of the drug package;
(ii) an elongated conduit extending from the fluid reservoir and terminating in a tip section having a single aperture, wherein the elongated conduit comprises an internal fluid channel in fluid communication with the interior of the fluid reservoir and the aperture;
(iii) an acoustic cavity comprising a cylindrical chamber having an upper circular face sealed by a thin-wall membrane, wherein the acoustic cavity is positioned along the internal fluid channel between the fluid reservoir and the tip section; and
(iv) a fluid ophthalmic drug composition present in the fluid reservoir, acoustic cavity and internal fluid channel,wherein the drug package is removably separable from the actuator and is also positionable to align thin-wall membrane of the acoustic cavity with the contact portion of the actuator such that displacement induced on the external surface of the thin-wall membrane by the contact portion of the actuator transmits one or more acoustic pulses through the fluid ophthalmic drug composition in the internal fluid channel to eject fluid through the aperture to produce a stream.
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Abstract
Micro-droplet delivery devices and methods are described where the device may comprise a piezoelectric actuator having a piezoelectric chip that is operatively coupled to a drug package under a preloading force. The actuator is configured to generate an acoustic pressure within the drug package to dispense droplets of an agent from an aperture, e.g., to the corneal surface of the eye. The piezoelectric actuator can be coupled or decoupled from the drug package.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for emitting a fluid, comprising:
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(a) an actuator having a contact portion; and (b) a drug package comprising; (i) a fluid reservoir near or at one end of the drug package; (ii) an elongated conduit extending from the fluid reservoir and terminating in a tip section having a single aperture, wherein the elongated conduit comprises an internal fluid channel in fluid communication with the interior of the fluid reservoir and the aperture; (iii) an acoustic cavity comprising a cylindrical chamber having an upper circular face sealed by a thin-wall membrane, wherein the acoustic cavity is positioned along the internal fluid channel between the fluid reservoir and the tip section; and (iv) a fluid ophthalmic drug composition present in the fluid reservoir, acoustic cavity and internal fluid channel, wherein the drug package is removably separable from the actuator and is also positionable to align thin-wall membrane of the acoustic cavity with the contact portion of the actuator such that displacement induced on the external surface of the thin-wall membrane by the contact portion of the actuator transmits one or more acoustic pulses through the fluid ophthalmic drug composition in the internal fluid channel to eject fluid through the aperture to produce a stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of emitting a fluid, comprising:
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aligning an actuator having a contact portion with a drug package comprising an aperture at a first end comprising a tip section of the drug package and a fluid reservoir near or at a second end of the drug package, wherein the fluid reservoir contains a volume of a fluid ophthalmic drug composition and the drug package is removably separable from the actuator; and displacing the contact portion of the actuator on the external surface of the drug package to cause one or more acoustic pulses to be transmitted through the fluid ophthalmic drug composition in the drug package such that fluid is ejected through the aperture as a stream; wherein the actuator is attached to an earpiece of an eyeglass frame and the drug package reaches a lens of the eyeglass frame and the tip section is bent sideways such that the aperture is oriented toward the eye. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification