Iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus
First Claim
1. An electrically-powered iontophoretic agent delivery apparatus having an electronic circuit means, the apparatus comprising:
- a substantially non-conductive, flexible substrate having opposing first and second surfaces, and;
a substantially planar, electrically conductive pathway disposed on one of the opposing surfaces, the pathway including a source of electrical power and an output means which are electrically connected, the output means being coupled to an electrode, and;
means for connecting said output means to said electrode without penetrating said substrate whereby electrical and physical connection is achieved between the conductive pathway and the electrode in the absence of conductive pathway stress due to folding of the pathway and conductive conduit extending through said substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An iontophoretic agent delivery device having a simplified structure and ease of manufacture. The device utilizes an electrical pathway comprising a source of electrical energy and an output means. The electrical pathway is disposed upon one of the two sides of a flexible, non-conductive substrate (e.g., a film). The output means of the pathway are connected directly or indirectly, e.g., by means of an electrically conductive adhesive tape, to the remaining components of the device such as current distribution members, lead wires, or electrodes. In this arrangement, the circuit is inverted from that of conventional devices. Economical, reel-to-reel methods of manufacturing a one-sided iontophoretic circuit apparatus of the invention are disclosed.
193 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electrically-powered iontophoretic agent delivery apparatus having an electronic circuit means, the apparatus comprising:
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a substantially non-conductive, flexible substrate having opposing first and second surfaces, and; a substantially planar, electrically conductive pathway disposed on one of the opposing surfaces, the pathway including a source of electrical power and an output means which are electrically connected, the output means being coupled to an electrode, and; means for connecting said output means to said electrode without penetrating said substrate whereby electrical and physical connection is achieved between the conductive pathway and the electrode in the absence of conductive pathway stress due to folding of the pathway and conductive conduit extending through said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A flexible, electrically-powered iontophoresis apparatus for delivery of an agent through a body surface comprising:
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a protective film having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the film having disposed on its interior surface; a flexible, non-conductive substrate having opposing major surfaces, one of the major surfaces being oriented to face the body surface, the other surface being oriented to face away from the body surface; a substantially planar, conductive, electronic pathway disposed on the major surface of the substrate facing the body surface, the electronic pathway including an input means and an output means which are electronically connected, the output means being electronically connected to an electrode means and the input means being electronically connected to a source of electrical energy and; means for connecting said output means to said electrode without penetrating said substrate, whereby electrical and physical connection is achieved between the conductive pathway and the electrode in the absence of conductive pathway stress due to folding of the pathway an conductive conduit extending through said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of manufacturing an iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus comprising a flexible electronic circuit and other components, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flexible, substantially planar, substantially completed, electronically conductive pathway; providing a flexible, substantially non-conductive, polymeric film substrate of a suitable size to support and contain the pathway; mating the pathway to the substrate to produce a flexible electronic circuit, coupling the circuit to the other components of the apparatus without penetrating the substrate so that the conductive pathway is located between the substrate and said other components, whereby electrical and physical connection is achieved between the conductive pathway and the electrode in the absence of conductive pathway stress due to folding of the pathway and conductive conduit extending through said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification