Electromagnetic transdermal injection device and methods related thereto

• US 6,074,360 A
• Filed: 07/21/1997
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G. B. Kirby Meacham
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Meacham, George B. Kirby, Beuttenmueller, Manfred, Haar, Hans-Peter, Winter, Gerhard, Mattern, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): KENNEDY, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US08/897,433
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 604/68, 604/57-59, 604/890.1, 604/19, 604/20, 604/69, 604/131, 128/200.14-200.19, 124/3, 124/54, 89/8
• US Class Current: 604/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 6/003 using at least one driving coil for accelerating the projectile, e.g. an annular coil

Abstract

Featured is a method for injection of a payload into the tissues of an organism or a body, including the steps of generating forces by electromagnetic repulsion and accelerating the payload to be injected, using the generated electromagnetic forces. The payload is thereby accelerated to a velocity sufficient for the payload to pass through the skin of the organism and be disposed in the subcutaneous tissues. The method further includes providing an electromagnetic force generating device that generates forces electromagnetically in a predetermined direction responsive to an electric current flowing through the device, wherein the step of generating includes passing an electric current through the electromagnetic force generating device to generate the electromagnetic repulsive forces used for accelerating the payload. Also featured is a electromagnetic force generating mechanism that includes a conductive member, which is configured so as to generate electromagnetic repulsive forces in a given direction to accelerate the payload responsive to a pulsed current passing through the conductive member. Additionally featured is an electromagnetic transdermal injection device including such an electromagnetic force generating mechanism, an electrical power supply and a switch that selectively interconnects the power supply and force generating mechanism to accelerate a payload such as a medicine.

Claims

1. A method for accelerating an object, comprising the steps of:

providing a force generating device that generates an external force by means of electromagnetic repulsion, where the force generating device generates the external force by means of electromagnetic repulsion of at least one conductive member;

generating the external force using the force generating device; and

accelerating the object by means of the generated external force.

2. A method for injection of a payload into tissues of an organism, comprising the steps of:

generating a force by means of electromagnetic repulsion of at least one conductive member;

wherein said step of generating includes passing anti-parallel currents through the at least one conductive member; and

accelerating the payload to be injected, by means of the generated force to a velocity sufficient for the payload to pass through the skin of the organism.

3. A method for injection of a payload into tissues of an organism, comprising the steps of:

generating a force by means of electromagnetic repulsion of at least one conductive member;

wherein said step of generating includes passing anti-parallel currents through the at least one conductive member;

accelerating the payload to be injected, by means of the generated force, to a velocity sufficient for the payload to pass through the skin of the organism; and

wherein the payload to be injected is external to the electromagnetic repulsion that generates the force.

4. A method for accelerating an object, comprising the steps of:

providing a force generating device that generates an external force by means of electromagnetic repulsion;

generating the external force using the force generating device;

accelerating the object by means of the generated external force; and

wherein the force generating device generates the external force in a predetermined direction electromagnetically and repulsively responsive to anti-parallel electric currents flowing through the device and said step of generating includes passing the anti-parallel electric currents through the electromagnetic force-generating device thereby generating the external force used for accelerating the object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the force generating device being provided includes a conductive member that is configured to have at least one pair of adjacent arms interconnected to each other, wherein the passing of the anti-parallel electric currents includes passing an electric current through the at least one pair of adjacent arms so the current in one adjacent arm is anti-parallel to the current flowing through the other adjacent arm, whereby the at least one pair of adjacent arms are electromagnetically, repulsively moved apart from each other.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising releasably attaching the object to a portion of the force generating device so the object is accelerated by the external force being generated to a desired velocity and then released therefrom.

7. A method for injection of a payload into tissues of an organism, comprising the steps of:

generating a force by means of electromagnetic repulsion of at least one conductive member;

wherein said step of generating including passing an electric current through the at least one conductive member so as to cause the electromagnetic repulsion thereof that generates the force;

wherein said conductive member being configured so as to have at least one pair of adjacent arms interconnected to each other;

wherein said step of passing includes passing the electric current through the at least one pair of adjacent arms so the current in one adjacent arm is anti-parallel to the current flowing through the other adjacent arm, whereby the at least one pair of adjacent arms are electromagnetically, repulsively moved apart from each other so as to generate the force; and

accelerating the payload to be injected, by means of the generated force to a velocity sufficient for the payload to pass through the skin of the organism.

8. The injection method of claim 7, wherein the at least one conductive member is configured so as to have two pairs of adjacent arms each pair being interconnected by a curved portion so as to form a M shape, and wherein said method further includes the steps of:

disposing the payload in the curved portion; and

electromagnetically repulsively moving each pair of adjacent arms apart from each other so as to cause the curved portion therebetween to accelerate in a given direction and thereby accelerate the payload.

9. The injection method of claim 7, wherein the at least one conductive member is configured so as to have a pair of adjacent arms, first and second arms, and wherein said method further includes the steps of:

disposing the payload at about the midpoint of a long side of the first arm,

restraining the second arm from moving in a direction away from the first arm, and

electromagnetically repulsively moving the first arm away from the second arm to accelerate the payload in a given direction.

10. The injection method of claim 7, wherein the at least one conductive member is configured so as to have first, second and third arms, each having two ends, wherein the first end of the first arm is interconnected to the first end of the second arm so the first and second arms are in opposed relationship, wherein the second end of the first arm is interconnected to the first end of the third arm so the first and third arms also are in opposed relationship, and wherein said step of passing includes passing the electric current through the first, second and third arms so the current flowing in the first arm is anti-parallel to the current flowing through both the second and third arms, whereby the first arm is electromagnetically, repulsively moved with respect to the second and third arms.

11. The injection method of claim 10, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

disposing the payload at about the midpoint of a side of the first arm, restraining the second and third arms from moving in a direction away from the first arm, and

electromagnetically repulsively moving the first arm away from the second arm and third arms to accelerate the payload in a given direction.

12. An electromagnetic transdermal injection device that injects a payload into tissues of an organism, comprising:

a force generating mechanism that generates at least a predetermined force in a predetermined direction by means of electromagnetic repulsion responsive to anti-parallel electric currents flowing in the force generating mechanism; and

wherein the payload is releasably attached to a portion of the force generating mechanism so the payload is accelerated to a velocity, the velocity required for injection of the payload into the tissues, by the predetermined force and then released therefrom.

13. The electromagnetic transdermal injection device of claim 12, wherein the force generating mechanism includes a conductive member that is configured geometrically so the conductive member generates a force in a predetermined direction electromagnetically and repulsively responsive to a short duration high voltage high current pulse and wherein the payload is releasably attached to a portion of the conductive member so the payload is accelerated to the velocity required for injection.

14. The electromagnetic transdermal injection device of claim 12, further comprising an electrical power supply configured to provide one or more short duration high voltage and high current pulses;

and

a switch that selectively, electrically interconnects the power supply and the force generating mechanism.

15. The electromagnetic transdermal injection device of claim 14, wherein the electrical power supply includes a high voltage, low inductance capacitor.

16. The electromagnetic transdermal injection device of claim 14, wherein the switch is a SPST type of mechanical switch with metal contacts.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the force generating mechanism comprises a conductive member with a first and a second portion which are geometrically arranged to each other such that a current through the conductive member runs essentially anti-parallel in said first and said second portions thereby generating an electromagnetic, repulsive force between said portions.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the force generating mechanism comprises at least two opposing conductive members and means for applying current to each of said at least two opposing conductive members so as to generate the predetermined force.

19. The electromagnetic transdermal injection device of claim 12, wherein the payload to be injected is at least one of solids, gels, liquids absorbed into porous solids, encapsulated liquids, dry powder or particles.

20. The electromagnetic transdermal injection device of claim 19, wherein the payload to be injected includes at least one of an active material selected from the group consisting of therapeutic agents, including antibiotics, insulin, proteins an analgesics, and DNA.