Automated sequential injection and blood draw

• US 20160256106A1
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Krasnow, Benjamin David, Peeters, Eric, Smith, Peter Howard
• Granted Patent: US 10,765,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150236 Pistons, i.e. cylindrical bodies that sit inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slide in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150854 long distance, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150969 Low-profile devices which resemble patches or plasters, e.g. also allowing collection of blood samples for testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15109 Fully automatically triggered, i.e. the triggering does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15125 comprising a vacuum or compressed fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1513 comprising linear sliding guides comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/155 Devices specially adapted for continuous or multiple sampling, e.g. at predetermined intervals devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously A61B5/15146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 : combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 : Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 : With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 : for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 : Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2033 : Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2046 : Media being expelled from injector by gas generation, e.g. explosive charge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2053 : Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3287 : Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence

Abstract

Devices are provided to automatically inject drugs or other payloads into or beneath skin. These devices include an injector configured to drive a hollow needle into the skin and subsequently to deliver the payload through the hollow needle. Applied suction acts to draw blood from the puncture formed in the skin through the hollow needle, into the device, and to a sensor, blood storage element, or other payload. In some examples, the blood is drawn through the hollow needle when the hollow needle is penetrating the skin. In some examples, these devices are additionally configured to retract the hollow needle from the skin and/or to perform some other functions. These devices can be wearable and configured to automatically access blood or deliver a payload into skin, for example, to operate at one or more points in time while a wearer of a device is sleeping.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a hollow needle, wherein the hollow needle comprises a channel, and wherein the hollow needle comprises a first end that is configured to penetrate skin;

a reservoir, wherein the reservoir contains a payload;

an injector, wherein the injector is configured to drive the hollow needle into the skin to form a puncture in the skin, wherein the injector is further configured to deliver the payload from the reservoir into the skin via the channel and to retract the hollow needle from the skin subsequent to driving the hollow needle into the skin; and

a suction source configured to provide suction, wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to draw blood from the formed puncture in the skin into the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the injector comprises:

a chamber, wherein the hollow needle is disposed at least partially within the chamber;

a piston disposed in the chamber, wherein the hollow needle is coupled to the piston, wherein the piston comprises the reservoir, and wherein the piston is configured to slidably move within the chamber; and

a propellant, wherein the propellant is configured to slidably move the piston within the chamber to drive the hollow needle into skin.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a concave depression, wherein the injector is configured to drive the hollow needle into skin proximate the concave depression, and wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to suction the skin into the concave depression.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a seal, wherein the seal is configured to receive suction provided by the suction source, wherein the injector driving the hollow needle into the skin comprises driving the hollow needle through the seal to form at least one hole in the seal, and wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to draw blood from the formed puncture in the skin through the formed at least one hole in the seal into the system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a blood storage element, wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to draw blood into the system to the blood storage element, and wherein the blood storage element is configured to store blood drawn by the suction to the blood storage element.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a property of blood to which the sensor is exposed, wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to draw blood into the system to the sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the payload contained by the reservoir comprises heparin.

8. A method comprising:

mounting a wearable device to skin, wherein the wearable device comprises;

a hollow needle, wherein the hollow needle comprises a channel, and wherein the hollow needle comprises a first end that is configured to penetrate skin,

a reservoir, wherein the reservoir contains a payload,

an injector, and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to operate the injector; and

operating the injector, using the controller, to drive the hollow needle into the skin to form a puncture in the skin and to deliver the payload from the reservoir into the skin through the channel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the injector comprises:

a chamber, wherein the hollow needle is disposed at least partially within the chamber,

a piston disposed in the chamber, wherein the hollow needle is coupled to the piston, and wherein the piston is configured to slidably move within the chamber, and

a propellant, wherein the propellant is configured to slidably move the piston within the chamber to drive the hollow needle into skin,

wherein operating the injector to drive the hollow needle into the skin comprises igniting the propellant.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wearable device further comprises a suction source configured to provide suction, and further comprising:

operating the wearable device to draw blood from the formed puncture in the skin into the system using the suction provided by the suction source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wearable device further comprises a sensor, wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to draw blood into the wearable device to the sensor, and further comprising:

operating the sensor to detect a property of blood to which the sensor is exposed.

12. A wearable device comprising:

a hollow needle, wherein the hollow needle comprises a channel, and wherein the hollow needle comprises a first end that is configured to penetrate skin;

a reservoir, wherein the reservoir contains a payload;

an injector, wherein the injector is configured to drive the hollow needle into the skin to form a puncture in the skin, wherein the injector is further configured to deliver the payload from the reservoir into the skin through the channel when the hollow needle is penetrating skin; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform controller functions including operating the injector to drive the hollow needle into the skin and to deliver the payload into the skin via the channel.

13. The wearable device of claim 12, further comprising:

a suction source configured to provide suction, wherein the suction provided by the suction source is configured to draw blood from the formed puncture in the skin into the wearable device through the channel when the hollow needle is penetrating skin.

14. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the payload comprises an electronic biosensor, wherein the electronic biosensor is configured to be injected into the skin by the injector, and wherein the electronic biosensor is configured to detect a property of the skin when the electronic biosensor is located in the skin.

15. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the payload comprises a plurality of analyte-sensitive particles, wherein the analyte-sensitive particles are configured to selectively interact with an analyte in the skin, and wherein the analyte-sensitive particles are configured to emit electromagnetic energy related to a property of the analyte in the skin in response to receiving interrogating electromagnetic energy.

16. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the payload comprises a fluid containing gelling agents.

17. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the injector comprises:

a chamber, wherein the hollow needle is disposed at least partially within the chamber;

a piston disposed in the chamber, wherein the hollow needle is coupled to the piston, and wherein the piston is configured to slidably move within the chamber; and

a propellant, wherein the propellant is configured to slidably move the piston within the chamber to drive the hollow needle into skin.

18. The wearable device of claim 17, wherein the propellant comprises nitrocellulose, and wherein the injector driving the hollow needle into skin comprises the injector igniting the nitrocellulose.

19. The wearable device of claim 12, further comprising a driving mass, wherein the injector driving the hollow needle into the skin to form a puncture in the skin comprises accelerating the hollow needle, the driving mass, and the reservoir toward the skin, wherein the system further comprises a stop configured to arrest the motion of the hollow needle and the reservoir toward the skin, and wherein the driving mass is configured to continue moving subsequent to the stop arresting motion of the reservoir such that the driving mass applies a force to reduce a volume of the reservoir.

20. The wearable device of claim 19, wherein the driving mass is coupled to an inner needle disposed at least partially within the channel of the hollow needle, wherein the reservoir comprises the channel of the hollow needle, and wherein the driving mass applying a force to reduce a volume of the reservoir comprises the driving mass applying a force to the inner needle.

21. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the injector delivering the payload from the reservoir into the skin comprises the injector applying a force to reduce a volume of the reservoir.

22. The wearable device of claim 21, wherein the reservoir comprises a mechanically resilient element, wherein the mechanically resilient element is configured to apply a force that is counter to the force applied by the injector to reduce a volume of the reservoir.

23. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the injector driving the hollow needle into the skin to form a puncture in the skin comprises accelerating the hollow needle and the reservoir toward the skin, wherein the system further comprises a stop configured to arrest the motion of the hollow needle and the reservoir toward the skin, and wherein the stop arresting the motion of the hollow needle and the reservoir comprises the stop applying a force to reduce a volume of the reservoir.

24. The wearable device of claim 12, wherein the payload comprises a fluid, wherein the injector is configured to couple the reservoir to the channel of the hollow needle, and wherein the injector delivering the payload into the skin comprises coupling the reservoir to the channel of the hollow needle such that the fluid in the reservoir can be delivered into the skin through the channel.