Multi-Layer Heat Assembly For A Drug Delivery Device

• US 20100286632A1
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Dos Santos, Cesario Pereira
• Granted Patent: US 8,372,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/294
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0095 with a temperature indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media

Abstract

In various embodiments, an ophthalmic injection device may include a dispensing chamber to hold a substance (e.g., a drug) to be injected into an eye, a thermal feedback layer with at least one thermal sensor, and a temperature control layer to apply or remove heat from the dispensing chamber. In some embodiments, the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer may be coupled to each other and/or coupled to the dispensing chamber. In some embodiments, at least one of the thermal sensors may be secured between the temperature control layer and the dispensing chamber using a thermal adhesive.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic injection device, comprising:

a dispensing chamber configured to hold a substance to be injected into an eye;

a thermal feedback layer comprising at least one thermal sensor;

a temperature control layer configured to apply or remove heat from the dispensing chamber;

wherein the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer are coupled to the dispensing chamber, wherein each of the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer are flexible and configured to at least partially wrap around the dispensing chamber.

2. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 1, wherein the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer have an identical form factor.

3. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 1, wherein the thermal feedback layer has a form factor that includes a thermal sensor on a first tab and a microprocessor on a second tab connected to the first tab.

4. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 3, wherein the temperature control layer comprises resistive traces on a third tab oriented to overlap the first tab of the thermal feedback layer when the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer are coupled to the dispensing chamber.

5. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 4, wherein the temperature control layer does not have a tab corresponding to the second tab of the thermal feedback layer.

6. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 1, wherein the thermal feedback layer comprises traces made of copper, silver, or gold and the thermal feedback layer comprises traces made of inconel.

7. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 1, wherein the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer are configured to be bonded together to form one assembly that is configured to be wrapped at least partially around the dispensing chamber.

8. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing chamber comprises a first end face, a second end face, and a side face coupling the first end face and the second end face, and wherein at least one of the thermal feedback layer and the temperature control layer are configured to cover more than 50 percent of the side face.

9. An ophthalmic injection device, comprising:

a dispensing chamber configured to hold a substance to be injected into an eye;

a temperature control layer configured to couple to a thermal sensor, wherein the thermal sensor is coupled between the dispensing chamber and the temperature control layer; and

wherein the temperature control layer is coupled to the dispensing chamber and configured to apply or remove heat from the dispensing chamber.

10. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 9 wherein the temperature control layer comprises a flap and wherein the thermal sensor is coupled between the flap and the dispensing chamber through a thermal adhesive.

11. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 9, wherein the thermal sensor is coupled between a recess in the dispensing chamber and the temperature control layer, and wherein the thermal sensor is at least partially inside the recess.

12. The ophthalmic injection device of claim 9, wherein the temperature control layer is wrapped over the thermal sensor creating a bump in the temperature control layer where the thermal sensor is coupled between the dispensing chamber and the temperature control layer.