Substance delivery device

• US 6,436,069 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Animal Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Advanced Animal Technology Limited
• Inventors: Jellie, Hugh Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYNARD, JENNIFER J
• Application Number:
  US08/930,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 604/104, 604/106, 604/107, 604/177, 604/513, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/135, 604/285, 604/57, 128/832, 128/833, 128/840
• US Class Current: 604/107
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/00 Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 ; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a substance delivery device (1) capable of insertion into a body cavity of an animal, including delivery apparatus (11) capable of actively being controlled to deliver a substance to an outlet, and retention apparatus (2, 3) capable of retaining the substance delivery device within the body cavity of an animal. In one embodiment, a microprocessor (18) can be remotely programmed to enable control over the delivery device after it is placed in the animal. The microprocessor (18) can also communicate with an external device to enable the operation of the delivery device to be determined. The invention may also include sensors to monitor the environment around the delivery device, to determine when a substance should be delivered into the body.

Claims

1. A substance delivery device for delivering a substance into a body cavity of an animal into which the device is inserted, said device comprising:

an elongated body;

a retention apparatus comprising a one piece molded base plate member of a resilient material transverse to said elongated body including a plurality of flexible elongated arms molded and spaced around said base plate member and which lie outside and along the length of said body for the delivery device to be inserted into and withdrawn from the animal body cavity; and

an extending mechanism operable with said elongated body in the animal body cavity operating to extend all of said arms at the same time and hold all of said arms of said base plate member generally radially of the longitudinal axis of said body, each of said arms being generally linear in an undeformed state and also being substantially flexible along its length to be capable of being bent in any direction for contacting and conforming to changes in shape of the internal surface(s) of the animal body cavity, said extending mechanism further comprising a locking means to place and hold said plurality of arms in the position extending generally radially of said body longitudinal axis for said arms to be engaged and deformed by the surfaces forming the animal body cavity.

2. A substance delivery device as in claim 1 wherein said extending mechanism comprises a plunger to move said base plate away from said body.