Thermopile powered transdermal drug delivery device
First Claim
1. A transdermal drug delivery device comprising:
- a drug containing element selected from the group consisting of a reservoir, matrix, gel and nonwoven layer, said drug containing element comprising a drug;
first and second electrodes for conducting a current flow through the drug containing element, the current flow causing the drug to be released from the drug containing element and to permeate through the skin of a user to which the device has been fixed;
a power source connected to the first and second electrodes for providing the energy necessary to generate the current flow;
wherein the power source comprises a thermocouple or thermopile comprising two poles which are connected to the first and second electrodes, the first pole being in contact with the user'"'"'s skin and the second pole being in contact with the environment whereby a self-contained drug delivery device is formed which provides the energy necessary for generating the current flow by means of a difference in temperature of the skin of the user and the environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transdermal drug delivery device has a drug containing element containing a drug which is preferably charged and first and second electrodes for conducting a current flow through the drug containing element. The current flow causes the drug to be released from the drug containing element and to permeate through the skin of a user to which the device has been fixed. A power source is connected to the first and second electrodes for providing the energy necessary to generate the current flow. The power source comprises a thermocouple or thermopile having two different poles which are connected to the first and/or second electrodes, whereby a self-contained drug delivery device is formed which provides the energy necessary for generating the current flow by means of a difference in temperature of the skin of the user and the ambient air (environment), thus providing a device free of batteries, accumulators or other external energy sources.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A transdermal drug delivery device comprising:
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a drug containing element selected from the group consisting of a reservoir, matrix, gel and nonwoven layer, said drug containing element comprising a drug; first and second electrodes for conducting a current flow through the drug containing element, the current flow causing the drug to be released from the drug containing element and to permeate through the skin of a user to which the device has been fixed; a power source connected to the first and second electrodes for providing the energy necessary to generate the current flow; wherein the power source comprises a thermocouple or thermopile comprising two poles which are connected to the first and second electrodes, the first pole being in contact with the user'"'"'s skin and the second pole being in contact with the environment whereby a self-contained drug delivery device is formed which provides the energy necessary for generating the current flow by means of a difference in temperature of the skin of the user and the environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification