Microstructures for delivering a composition cutaneously to skin using rotatable structures
First Claim
1. A rotatable microstructure apparatus, comprising:
- a roller structure which includes a curved substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate;
said plurality of microelements being of predetermined sizes and shapes so as to penetrate a stratum corneum layer of skin when said microstructure apparatus is placed upon said skin and rolled over said skin in at least one predetermined direction.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus is provided as a system to deliver a composition, preferably a medical or pharmaceutical composition or active, through the stratum corneum of skin, without introducing bleeding or damage to tissue, and absent pain or other trauma. The dimensions and shapes of the microelements are controlled so as to control the penetration depth into the skin. The microelements can be “hollow” such that passageways are created therethrough to allow the composition to flow from a chamber, through the microelements, and into the skin. Alternatively, the microelements can be “solid,” and the composition is applied directly to the skin just before or just after the microelements are applied to the skin surface to create the openings in the stratum corneum. Another alternative embodiment uses cylindrical microstructures that are rotatably applied to the skin and which penetrate through the stratum corneum; and which can dispense fluid by various different structures.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A rotatable microstructure apparatus, comprising:
- a roller structure which includes a curved substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate;
said plurality of microelements being of predetermined sizes and shapes so as to penetrate a stratum corneum layer of skin when said microstructure apparatus is placed upon said skin and rolled over said skin in at least one predetermined direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- a roller structure which includes a curved substrate and a plurality of microelements affixed upon a first surface of said substrate;
-
11. A method for reducing the barrier properties of skin, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a rotatable microstructure having a curved substrate and a plurality of microelements that protrude from said curved substrate by at least one predetermined protrusion distance; and
(b) placing and rolling the rotatable microstructure on a surface of skin, wherein said at least one predetermined protrusion distance is sufficient so that many of said plurality of microelements penetrate a stratum corneum layer of said skin. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A microstructure apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of microelements affixed upon a surface of a substrate, said plurality of microelements being of sizes and shapes so as to penetrate skin when placed into contact therewith;
wherein at least one of said microelements comprises;
(a) two half-structures that are spaced-apart from one another, and (b) an opening in said substrate surface, said opening being positioned between said two half-structures. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
- a plurality of microelements affixed upon a surface of a substrate, said plurality of microelements being of sizes and shapes so as to penetrate skin when placed into contact therewith;
Specification