Transdermal Fluid Delivery Device

• US 20120109065A1
• Filed: 10/18/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Backes, Larry P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,017,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/003 having a lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0061 Methods for using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles

Abstract

A transdermal fluid delivery device includes a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end. The housing defines a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough. A fluid reservoir is disposed at the proximal end of the housing in communication with the passageway of the housing and is adapted for retaining a fluid therein. A base member is positioned at the distal end of the housing. A microneedle assembly including a plurality of microneedles extending distally therefrom is also provided. The microneedle assembly is selectively moveable with respect to the housing between a retracted position, wherein the microneedles are disposed within the housing, and an extended position, wherein the microneedles are advanced distally to penetrate the base member and extend distally therefrom for puncturing the patient'"'"'s epidermis and delivering the fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream.

Claims

1. A transdermal fluid delivery device positionable on a patient'"'"'s epidermis for delivering fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream, comprising:

a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing defining a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough;

a fluid reservoir positionable within the passageway of the housing, the fluid reservoir adapted for retaining a fluid therein;

a base member positioned at the distal end of the housing; and

a microneedle assembly coupled to the fluid reservoir, the microneedle assembly including a plurality of microneedles extending distally therefrom, each microneedle including a lumen defined therethrough in communication with the fluid reservoir, the microneedle assembly selectively moveable with respect to the housing between a retracted position, wherein the microneedles are disposed within the base member, and an extended position, wherein the microneedles are advanced distally to penetrate the base member and extend distally therefrom for puncturing the patient'"'"'s epidermis and delivering the fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream.

2. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is rotatable with respect to the microneedle assembly about the longitudinal axis of the housing between a first position and a second position for moving the microneedle assembly between the retracted position and the extended position.

3. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 2, wherein a helical cam surface is formed on an inner surface of at least a portion of the housing and wherein the microneedle assembly includes at least one protrusion extending outwardly therefrom, the protrusion configured to engage the cam surface such that the microneedle assembly is translated longitudinally with respect to the housing upon rotation of the at least a portion of the housing with respect to the microneedle assembly.

4. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a latching mechanism for retaining the microneedle assembly in at least one of the retracted position and the extended position.

5. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the microneedle assembly is longitudinally translatable with respect to the housing between a first position and a second position for moving the microneedle assembly between the retracted position and the extended position.

6. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the microneedle assembly is biased toward the retracted position.

7. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the microneedle assembly includes a first latch member and wherein the housing includes a second, complementary latch member such that, upon movement of the microneedle assembly to the extended position, the first and second latch members engage one another to retain the microneedle assembly in the extended position.

8. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second latch members defines a pre-determined latching period, the at least one latch member configured to disengage the other latch member at the end of the pre-determined latching period to return the microneedle assembly under bias back towards the retracted position.

9. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a skin adhesive disposed on a distal surface of the base member for adhering the base member to the patient'"'"'s epidermis.

10. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 9, further comprising a peelable cover disposed about the skin adhesive to inhibit adhesion prior to removal of the peelable cover.

11. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein, in the extended position, the microneedles extend distally from the base member by about 2 mm to about 3 mm.

12. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 1, wherein each of the microneedles includes a pointed distal end to facilitate at least one of penetrating the base member and puncturing the patient'"'"'s epidermis.

13. A transdermal fluid delivery device positionable on a patient'"'"'s epidermis for delivering fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream, comprising:

a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing defining a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough and a helical cam track formed on an inner surface thereof, the housing rotatable between a first position and a second position;

a fluid reservoir positionable within the passageway of the housing, the fluid reservoir adapted for retaining a fluid therein;

a base member positioned at the distal end of the housing; and

a microneedle assembly coupled to the fluid reservoir, the microneedle assembly including a plurality of microneedles extending distally therefrom, the microneedle assembly including at least one protrusion extending therefrom that is configured to engage the cam track of the housing such that, upon rotation of the housing between the first and second positions, the microneedle assembly is translated longitudinally relative to the housing between a retracted position, wherein the microneedles are disposed within the base member, and an extended position, wherein the microneedles extend distally from the base member for puncturing the patient'"'"'s epidermis and delivering the fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream.

14. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 13, further comprising a latching mechanism for retaining the microneedle assembly in at least one of the retracted position and the extended position.

15. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 13, further comprising a skin adhesive disposed on a distal surface of the base member for adhering the base member to the patient'"'"'s epidermis.

16. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 15, further comprising a peelable cover disposed about the skin adhesive to inhibit adhesion prior to removal of the peelable cover.

17. A transdermal fluid delivery device positionable on a patient'"'"'s epidermis for delivering fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream, comprising:

a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing defining a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough;

a fluid reservoir positionable within the passageway of the housing, the fluid reservoir adapted for retaining a fluid therein;

a base member positioned at the distal end of the housing; and

a microneedle assembly coupled to the fluid reservoir, the microneedle assembly including a plurality of microneedles extending distally therefrom, the microneedle assembly longitudinally translatable with respect to the housing between a retracted position, wherein the microneedles are disposed within the base member, and an extended position, wherein the microneedles extend distally from the base member for puncturing the patient'"'"'s epidermis and delivering the fluid into the patient'"'"'s bloodstream.

18. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 17, wherein the microneedle assembly is biased toward the retracted position.

19. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 18, wherein the microneedle assembly includes a first latch member and wherein the housing includes a second, complementary latch member configured such that, upon translation of the microneedle assembly to the extended position, the first and second latch members engage one another to retain the microneedle assembly in the extended position.

20. The transdermal fluid delivery device according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second latch members defines a pre-determined latching period, the at least one latch member configured to disengage the other latch member at the end of the pre-determined latching period to return the microneedle assembly under bias back towards the retracted position.