APPARATUS AND METHOD TO DELIVER A MICROCHIP

• US 20110077659A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P-Chip IP Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PharmaSeq, Inc.
• Inventors: Gruda, Maryann, Davidowitz, Hanan, Nolfo, Joseph, Kuspiel, Edward, Qian, Ziye "Jay", Reitnauer, Gary H., Mandecki, Wlodek
• Granted Patent: US 8,353,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 1/00 Surgical instruments for veterinary use

Abstract

Provided are methods and apparatus including an injector system adapted for injecting a microchip comprising: an inserter comprising a rod or tube having a proximal and distal end and having a point at the distal end that defines a skin-piercing side of the inserter; a means for engaging the microchip near the distal end of the inserter, but removed in the proximal direction from the distal tip of the inserter, which means prevents rotation of an engaged microchip in two or three axes of rotation; and means for releasing the microchip from the inserter once the inserter has been inserted into a perforatable substrate.

Claims

1. An injector system adapted for injecting a microchip comprising:

an inserter comprising a rod or tube having a proximal and distal end and having a point at the distal end that defines a skin-piercing side of the inserter;

a means for engaging the microchip near the distal end of the inserter, but removed in the proximal direction from the distal tip of the inserter, which means prevents rotation of an engaged microchip in two or three axes of rotation; and

means for releasing the microchip from the inserter once the inserter has been inserted into a perforatable substrate.

2. The injector system of claim 1, wherein the means for releasing comprises the microchip being adapted to engage the inserter with an edge of the microchip on both sides of the inserter situated to act as a retaining barb that mechanically resists being withdraw from the substrate.

3. The injector system of claim 2, wherein the means for releasing further comprises a pusher that pushes on the microchip to at least partially release the microchip from the inserter.

4. The injector system of claim 2, wherein the distal end of the inserter comprises an expansion adapted to provide for perforating the substrate to more than the width of the microchip.

5. The injector system of claim 1, wherein the means for releasing comprises a pusher that pushes on the microchip to at least partially release the microchip from the inserter.

6. The injector system of claim 5, wherein the means for engaging the microchip comprises a cavity in the inserter having lateral walls that limit the rotation of an engaged microchip, wherein the inserter and the engaged microchip are adapted so that the microchip is substantially within the inserter.

7. The injector system of claim 6, wherein the lateral walls of the cavity prevent the rotation of an engaged microchip in any direction.

8. The injector system of claim 6, wherein the inserter and the engaged microchip are adapted so that the microchip is fully within the inserter.

9. The injector system of claim 1, wherein the means for engaging the microchip comprises a slot in the inserter.

10. The injector system of claim 9, wherein the means for releasing comprises the microchip being adapted to engage the inserter with an edge of the microchip on both sides of the inserter situated to act as a retaining barb that mechanically resists being withdraw from the substrate.

11. The injector system of claim 10, wherein the means for engaging the microchip is adapted to engage the microchip off-axis.

12. The injector system of claim 10, wherein the means for releasing further comprises a pusher that pushes on the microchip to at least partially release the microchip from the inserter.

13. The injector system of claim 12, wherein the means for engaging the microchip is adapted to engage the microchip off-axis.

14. A method of injecting a microchip comprising:

providing the injector system of claim 1 adapted for use with the microchip;

inserting the distal end of the inserter into a perforatable substrate; and

activating the means for releasing to leave the microchip in the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the perforatable substrate is an animal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the perforatable substrate is a small laboratory animal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the perforatable substrate is tail or ear epithelial tissue of the small laboratory animal.

18. An injector kit comprising:

an injector system comprising

an inserter comprising a rod or tube having a proximal and distal end and having a point at the distal end that defines a skin-piercing side of the inserter; and

a means for engaging the microchip near the distal end of the inserter; and

a mildly adhesive film or polymer solution adapted to stabilize the engagement of the microchip with the means for engaging.