VALVED DELIVERY DEVICE AND METHOD OF DELIVERING A SUBSTANCE TO A PATIENT

• US 20080195080A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bradley M. Wilkinson, Charles G. Hwang
• Original Assignee: Bradley M. Wilkinson, Charles G. Hwang
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bradley M., Hwang, Charles G.
• Application Number:
  US12/107,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195080A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/003 having a lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/148 flexible, e.g. independent bagsA61M5/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/425 Protruding skin to facilitate piercing, e.g. vacuum cylinders, vein immobilising means

Abstract

A delivery device for delivery a substance into the skin of a patient has a fluid chamber for containing the substance, at least one micro skin penetrating member, and a valve controlling the flow of the substance from the fluid chamber to the micro skin penetrating member. An adhesive releasably attaches the device to the skin of the patient, the fluid chamber can be sized to hold a unit dose of the substance, and, in some embodiments, the fluid chamber can be releasably coupled to a housing of the device.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a substance into the skin of a patient, comprising:

positioning on the skin of a patient a delivery device including a housing, a fluid chamber having an outlet, a substance in the fluid chamber, a manually operated valve for controlling movement of the substance through the outlet of said fluid chamber wherein said valve is operable by the patient, and at least one skin penetrating member in fluid communication with said channel;

applying a pressure sufficient for said skin penetrating members to penetrate said skin to a depth from about 50 microns to about 4,000 microns, sufficient to deliver said substance to the patient; and

opening said valve to enable the substance to move from said fluid chamber, through said skin penetrating members, and into the skin of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying pressure to the substance in the fluid chamber to help move the substance into the skin of the patient.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluid chamber is defined at least in part by a movable wall, and the step of applying pressure to the substance in the fluid chamber comprises applying pressure to the movable wall.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, prior to the step of positioning, coupling the fluid chamber to the housing.

5. A method for delivering a substance into the skin of a patient, comprising:

positioning on the skin of a patient a delivery device including a housing, a fluid chamber having an outlet, a substance in the fluid chamber, a manually operated valve for controlling movement of the substance through the outlet of said fluid chamber wherein said valve is operably connected to a button, wherein said valve is operable in turn by the patient manually moving the button, and at least one skin penetrating member in fluid communication with said channel;

applying a pressure sufficient for said skin penetrating members to penetrate said skin to a depth from about 50 microns to about 4,000 microns, sufficient to deliver said substance to the patient; and

opening said valve to enable the substance to move from said fluid chamber, through said skin penetrating members, and into the skin of the patient.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising applying pressure to the substance in the fluid chamber to help move the substance into the skin of the patient.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fluid chamber is defined at least in part by a movable wall, and the step of applying pressure to the substance in the fluid chamber comprises applying pressure to the movable wall.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, prior to the step of positioning, coupling the fluid chamber to the housing.