Substance delivery device

• US 6,500,168 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• 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): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYNARD, JENNIFER J
• Application Number:
  US09/479,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/19, 604/65, 604/66, 604/67, 604/131, 604/132, 604/134, 604/135, 604/140, 604/141, 604/151, 604/152, 604/153, 604/207, 604/212, 604/214, 604/216, 604/246, 600/347, 600/365, 600/481, 600/485
• US Class Current: 604/890.1
• 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. Substance delivery device for actively delivering at least one substance in either or both solid and fluid form into a natural body cavity of an animal into which the substance delivery device is inserted, comprising;

a body housing a substance delivery apparatus and at least one control means connected to said delivery apparatus

wherein said delivery apparatus includes at least one reservoir for holding the at least one substance and either or both of one or more valves and pressure devices to deliver the at least one substance from a reservoir, and

wherein each said at least one control means is electric and programmable and includes means to trigger operation of said substance delivery apparatus by control of one or both of said one or more valves and pressure devices to actively and independently effect release of the at least one substance from the at least one reservoir in accordance with specific predetermined and programmed timing and/or volume sequences for the at least one substance for delivering precise concentrations and volumes into the animal'"'"'s body cavity in accordance with the predetermined timing; and

retention means attachable to said body to locate said body relative to a wall of the animal body cavity to retain said body in the animal'"'"'s body cavity during movement of the animal and the active controlled delivery of the at least one substance.

2. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one control means is capable of regulating at least one of:

a) the timing of,

b) the volume of, and

c) the concentration of said at least one substance(s) released by the delivery apparatus.

3. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one control means is a microprocessor(s) and/or application specific integrated circuits (ASIC).

4. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 3 further comprising an energy source housed in said body and wherein said at least one control means is adapted to control the operation of said delivery apparatus by connecting and disconnecting the one or more pressure devices from said energy source powering the one or more pressure device.

5. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said one or more pressure devices includes at least one pumping means.

6. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one pumping means is electrically operated.

7. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said energy source is at least one of a battery, a magnetic field, a spring, and the animal'"'"'s body processes.

8. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said one or more pressure devices is powered by the same energy source as said at least one control means.

9. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said one or more pressure devices includes at least one pumping means.

10. Substance delivery deice as claimed in claim 9 wherein said at least one pumping means is electrically operated.

11. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said at least one control means controls the operation of said one or more valves of said delivery apparatus to permit or prevent the flow of the at least one substance to effect active release of either or both the precise volume and the precise concentration of the at least one substance from the delivery apparatus at a precise time.

12. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one control means is remotely programmable.

13. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said at least one control means is programmable from outside the animal either before, at, or after the time of insertion of the substance delivery device into the animal'"'"'s body cavity.

14. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one control means is also triggerable remotely.

15. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said at least one control means is triggered by an external triggering device, including any one of a radio transmitter, an ultrasonic transmitter and a magnet.

16. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one programmable control means actively controls the delivery apparatus to release said at least one substance independently of environmental changes around either or both said substance delivery device body and said delivery apparatus.

17. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one programmable control means actively controls said delivery apparatus to also release the at least one substance in response to environmental changes around either or both said substance delivery device body and said delivery apparatus.

18. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising sensors included in said substance delivery device body to provide feedback to at least one of said at least one control means of changes of the environment around the substance delivery device and said delivery apparatus.

19. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 18 wherein at least one of said at least one control means is adapted to process the feedback provided by said sensors and initiate a delivery sequence for introducing the at least one substance into the animal'"'"'s body cavity when the environment is determined to be ideal for the introduction of the at least one substance.

20. Substance delivery device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the environment is one or more parameters selected from temperature, viscosity of body fluids, hormone levels, levels of substances released from the substance delivery device, acidity and odor.