ELECTROCHEMICAL DISPENSING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20130224679A1
• Filed: 04/02/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Triune Ip, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Triune Ip, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Inventors: Teggatz, Ross E., Chen, Wayne
• Application Number:
  US13/855,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20130224679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/063 Medicament applicators for teeth or gums, e.g. treatment with fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/14 Brackets A61C7/28 takes precedence; Fixing brackets to teeth

Abstract

The disclosed invention provides electrochemical dispensing apparatus and methods. According to the principles of the invention, a microelectronic electrochemical dispenser is used to cause the release of one or more selected chemical substance from a stored chemical compound. The release is controlled using a timer or sensor apparatus in a controlling device, preferably an ASIC.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A system for controlling the release of a chemical compound within a living organism, comprising:

an electrochemical dispensing unit disposed within the living organism, the electrochemical dispensing unit comprising a processing circuit and a reservoir;

the processing circuit comprises a controlling mechanism and a driver circuit;

the chemical compound disposed within the reservoir and formulated to ensure availability of a selected target chemical;

the controlling mechanism and the driver circuit of the integrated circuit electrically connected to the reservoir; and

the reservoir configured to release the target chemical in response to transmission of a signal from the controlling mechanism to the driver circuit.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the controlling mechanism further comprises an application specific integrated circuit.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the chemical compound further comprises one or more of fluorine, a silane, an ionic fluid, carbon and hydrogen.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the processing circuit further comprises a timer circuit.

32. The system of claim 28 further comprising a rechargeable battery operably coupled for promoting an electrochemical reaction.

33. The system of claim 28 further comprising an energy harvesting circuit operably coupled to the processing circuit.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor is operably coupled to a microelectromechanical energy harvesting device.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor is operably coupled to an inductive energy harvesting device.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein the processor is configured for acquiring data for use in controlling the operation of the application specific integrated circuit.

37. A system for releasing a target chemical, comprising:

a reservoir containing a chemical compound having the capacity to release the target chemical in response to electrical stimulation; and

a processor operably coupled to the reservoir and to a power source, whereby the chemical compound can be electrically stimulated by the processor to cause the release of the target chemical; and

wherein the processor is connected to an internal biological structure of a living organism.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the controlling mechanism further comprises an application specific integrated circuit.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the chemical compound further comprises one or more of fluorine, a silane, an ionic fluid, carbon and hydrogen.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the processing circuit further comprises a timer circuit.

41. The system of claim 37 further comprising a rechargeable battery operably coupled for promoting an electrochemical reaction.

42. The system of claim 37 further comprising an energy harvesting circuit operably coupled to the processing circuit.

43. A method for releasing a selected chemical substance comprising:

securing an electrochemical dispensing unit to an organic structure within a living organism, the electrochemical dispensing unit comprises a processing circuit and a reservoir, the processing circuit comprises a controlling mechanism and a driver circuit, the reservoir containing a chemical compound that is formulated to ensure availability of a selected target chemical;

transmitting a signal from the controlling mechanism to the driver circuit; and

activating the chemical compound in the reservoir using the driver circuit to cause the target chemical to be released.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein activating the chemical compound in the reservoir using the driver circuit to cause the target chemical to be released comprises causing a target chemical containing one or more of fluorine, a silane, an ionic fluid, carbon and hydrogen to be released.

45. The method claim 43 wherein transmitting the signal from the controlling mechanism to the driver circuit comprises:

activating a timer circuit; and

transmitting the signal from the controlling mechanism to the driver circuit as a function of a timing signal generated by the timing circuit.

46. The method of claim 43 further comprising:

monitoring one or more compounds generated by the living organism to generate data; and

processing the data with the processing circuit to generate the signal transmuted from the controlling mechanism to the driver circuit.

47. The method of claim 43 further comprising:

monitoring one or more environmental variables within the living organism to generate data; and

processing the data with the processing circuit to generate the signal transmitted from the controlling mechanism to the driver circuit.