Device for mixing and delivering pharmaceutical compositions

• US 7,563,244 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kent, Blair M, Lo, Clement C
• Primary Examiner(s): Bouchelle; Laura A
• Application Number:
  US10/285,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20040084555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,455 Days
• Field of Search: 604/82, 604/85, 604/503, 604/518, 604/185, 222/214, 347/5, 128/200.14, 128/200.23, 128/200.21
• US Class Current: 604/82
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient

Abstract

A device and method for delivering a pharmaceutical composition. The device includes an electronically controllable jetting device in communication with a source of a pharmacologically active material and a solid or fluidic mixing medium for receiving the ejected pharmacologically active material and directing it toward an end use destination.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising:

a) independently ejecting at least two liquids, wherein at least one of the liquids is pharmacologically active, the at least two liquids being ejected from an electronically controlled jetting device toward and directly onto a solid mixing surface;

whereby, before being atomized, the at least two liquids become mixed while flowing on and channeling from the mixing surface out an exit orifice;

b) conveying the mixed liquid to an atomizing device;

c) atomizing the mixed liquid in the atomizing device; and

d) directing the atomized liquid to an end use destination;

wherein either;

i) the solid mixing surface comprises at least one of a solid mesh material or a solid porous material, and the mixing medium comprises a combination of the solid mixing surface and a liquid material in communication with the solid mixing surface, or p1 ii) the solid mixing surface comprises a combination of a liquid material and a solid porous material acting as the solid mixing surface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising exerting a control limitation on the jetting device wherein the pharmacologically active liquid is ejected from the jetting device at a rate defined by the control limitation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of jetting devices are fluidically coupled with a plurality of storage receptacles, each storage receptacle configured to contain a liquid, wherein at least one liquid is pharmacologically active and at least one auxiliary liquid is compatible with the pharmacologically active material.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a carrier stream proximate to the solid mixing surface, wherein the carrier stream includes a material compatible with the pharmacologically active liquid ejected from the jetting device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein ejection of pharmacologically active liquid from the electronically controlled jetting device is governed by at least one conditional input selected from user health, current external environmental conditions, general activity level, metabolic condition, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the solid mixing surface comprises a contoured surface configured to initiate mixing of pharmacologically active liquid ejected thereon.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising exerting a control limitation on the electronically controllable jetting device, wherein the pharmacologically active liquid is ejected from the electronically controllable jetting device at a rate defined by the control limitation.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein a plurality of the electronically controllable jetting devices are fluidically coupled with a plurality of storage receptacles, each storage receptacle configured to contain a liquid, wherein at least one liquid is pharmacologically active and at least one additional liquid is compatible with the pharmacologically active liquid.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one additional liquid is independently ejected from the electronically controlled jetting device and is a liquid compatible with the pharmacologically active liquid ejected from the electronically controllable jetting device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising exerting a control limitation on the electronically controllable jetting device, wherein the pharmacologically active liquid is ejected from the electronically controllable jetting device at a rate defined by the control limitation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a plurality of the electronically controllable jetting devices are fluidically coupled with a plurality of storage receptacles, each storage receptacle configured to contain a liquid, wherein at least one liquid is pharmacologically active and at least one auxiliary liquid is compatible with the pharmacologically active liquid.

48. The method of claim 6 wherein the contoured surface comprises a combination of ridges and troughs.

12. A method for delivering a pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising:

a) independently ejecting proportionate quantities of liquid materials from associated electronically controllable jetting devices toward and directly onto a solid mixing surface, at least one liquid material exhibiting pharmacological activity;

whereby, before being atomized, the ejected liquid materials become mixed while flowing on the solid mixing surface and channeling from the solid mixing surface out of an exit orifice;

b) atomizing the mixed liquid materials in an atomizing device; and

c) directing the atomized liquid materials to an end use destination;

wherein either;

i) the solid mixing surface comprises at least one of a solid mesh material or a solid porous material, and the mixing medium comprises a combination of the solid mixing surface and a liquid material in communication with the solid mixing surface, or

ii) the solid mixing surface comprises a combination of a liquid material and a solid porous material acting as the solid mixing surface.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one liquid material ejected is an auxiliary liquid material, the auxiliary liquid material compatible with the liquid material having pharmacological activity.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the proportionate quantities of liquid materials are ejected at programmably variable rates, the programmably variable rates determined by at least one conditional input electronically receivable by the electronically controllable jetting device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the conditional input is selected from user health, current external environmental conditions, general activity level, metabolic condition, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising introducing a carrier stream into a region in communication with the exit orifice associated with the mixing surface to facilitate directing the flow of liquid materials to the end-use destination, wherein the carrier stream includes material compatible with the pharmacologically active liquid material ejected from an associated electronically controllable jetting device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the carrier stream is composed of a gas.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the liquid materials are present in measured volumes, the measured volumes being ejected from associated electronically controllable jetting device in measured amounts over time.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the liquid materials are ejected from associated electronically controllable jetting devices in measured amounts.

49. The method of claim 12 wherein ejecting proportionate quantities of liquid materials comprises retaining, on the solid contoured mixing surface, the ejected fluids for a sufficient period of time to cause mixing of the ejected liquid materials.

20. A device for delivering a pharmaceutical composition, the device comprising:

an electronically controllable jetting device in communication with at least two sources of liquids, at least one of the liquids being a pharmacologically active material;

an atomizing device; and

a solid mixing surface having an exit orifice, the solid mixing surface positioned to directly receive the liquids from the at least two sources, the liquids being independently ejected from the electronically controllable jetting device, and the solid mixing surface configured such that the at least two liquids become mixed, before being atomized, while flowing on the solid mixing surface and channeling from the solid mixing surface to the exit orifice, the exit orifice configured to convey the pharmacologically active material away from the solid mixing surface and to the atomizing device;

wherein the solid mixing surface comprises a porous solid in fluid communication with a liquid material.

21. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 20, further comprising a chronometric device in electronic communication with the jetting device, the chronometric device capable of controlling ejection of pharmacologically active material based upon at least one of elapsed time and real time.

22. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 20, further comprising a data recording mechanism capable of receiving and maintaining data pertaining to at least one of dose quantity, dose frequency, administration rate, or type of material administered.

23. The pharmaceutical delivery device of claim 20, further comprising a carrier stream supply source, the carrier stream supply source configured to supply a carrier stream at a rate sufficient to disperse the pharmacologically active material introduced onto the mixing surface.

24. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 23 wherein the pharmacologically active material is conveyed into the carrier stream subsequent to exit from the solid mixing surface.

25. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 24, further comprising control electronics associated with the electronically controllable jetting device, the control electronics generating a command operable on the electronically controllable jetting device.

26. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 25 wherein the control electronics further comprise a chronometric device in electronic communication with the electronically controllable jetting device, the chronometric device capable of controlling ejection of liquid material based on at least one of elapsed time and real time.

27. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 26 wherein the control electronics are configured to act upon the electronically controllable jetting device to eject liquid on a programmed intermittent interval.

28. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 25, further comprising a user interface in electronic communication with the control electronics, the user interface capable of receiving data regarding at least one control parameter.

29. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 28 wherein the at least one control parameter includes at least one of user activation, biofeedback activation, or situational activation.

30. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 25, further comprising a conditional input interface in electronic communication with the control electronics, the conditional input interface configured to receive and process at least one input relevant in generating a command operable on the electronically controllable jetting device.

31. The pharmaceutical composition delivery device of claim 30 wherein the at least one input is selected from user health, external environmental conditions, physical activity level, metabolic condition, and combinations thereof.

47. The device of claim 28 wherein the control parameter includes at least one of user activation, biofeedback activation, or situational activation.

32. A mixing dispensing device for use with a medical delivery system, the mixing dispensing device comprising:

a housing;

at least two reservoirs located in the housing, one of the reservoirs containing a pharmacologically active material and at least one other of the reservoirs containing an other material;

an electronically controllable jetting device associated with the housing and in fluid communication with the at least two reservoirs, the electronically controllable jetting device independently ejecting the pharmacologically active material and the other material toward an end-use destination;

a solid mixing surface interposed between the jetting device and the end-use destination, the solid mixing surface including a solid contact surface having an exit orifice, the solid contact surface positioned to directly receive the ejected pharmacologically active material and the other ejected material from the electronically controllable jetting device, whereby, before being atomized, the ejected materials become mixed while flowing on the solid contact surface and channeling from the solid contact surface out the exit orifice toward an atomizing device, the exit orifice being positioned to receive a flow of the ejected liquid from the solid contact surface and to direct the flow of the ejected liquid to the atomizing device;

the atomizing device for atomizing the ejected fluid, the atomizing device positioned to direct a flow of atomized liquid to the end-use destination; and

a memory element associated with the electronically controllable jetting device, the memory element configured to interactively communicate with a source external to the mixing dispensing device;

wherein the solid mixing surface comprises a liquid in communication with the solid contact surface, and the solid contact surface comprises a porous material.

33. The mixing dispensing device of claim 32 wherein the solid contact surface of the solid mixing surface is contoured to initiate mixing of material ejected by the electronically controllable jetting device.

34. The mixing dispensing device of claim 32, further comprising control electronics associated with the jetting device, the control electronics configured to act on the jetting device to dispense the pharmacologically active material pursuant to a control limitation.

35. The mixing dispensing device of claim 32 wherein a plurality of the electronically controllable jetting devices are fluidically coupled with a plurality of storage reservoirs, each storage reservoir configured to contain a fluid, wherein at least one liquid is a pharmacologically active material and at least one additional liquid is compatible with the pharmacologically active material.

36. The mixing dispensing device of claim 32, further comprising a source of a carrier stream positioned proximate to the electronically controllable jetting device to receive pharmaceutically active material ejected therefrom.

37. The mixing dispensing device of claim 36 wherein the carrier stream includes a gaseous material compatible with the pharmaceutically active material ejected from the jetting device.

38. The mixing dispensing device of claim 32 wherein the electronically controllable jetting device is governed by at least one conditional input.

39. The mixing dispensing device of claim 38 wherein the conditional input is selected from user health, external environmental conditions, general activity level, metabolic condition, and combinations thereof.

40. The mixing dispensing device of claim 32, wherein the solid contact surface includes a contour portion, the solid contact surface configured to convey pharmacologically active liquid ejected thereon to an associated atomizing nozzle.

41. A cartridge for use with a medical dispensing system comprising;

an electronically controllable jetting device in communication with at least two liquids, one of the at least two liquids being a pharmacologically active material;

a mixing surface having an exit orifice, the mixing surface positioned to receive the at least two liquids independently ejected from the electronically controllable jetting device and wherein the mixing surface comprises at least one of a solid contact surface or a combination of a porous solid contact surface and a liquid material, whereby, before being atomized, the at least two liquids become mixed while flowing on the mixing surface and channeling from the mixing surface out an exit orifice opening toward a carrier stream source;

the carrier stream source configured to supply a carrier stream toward an atomizing device, the carrier stream being adjacent the exit orifice of the mixing surface; and

the atomizing device for atomizing the material, the atomizing device positioned to direct the flow of atomized material toward an end-use destination;

wherein the exit orifice is configured to convey the pharmacologically active material away from the mixing surface into the carrier stream; and

wherein the mixing surface comprises a detachable mixing surface module detachably mounted relative to the electronically controlled jetting device.

42. The cartridge of claim 41, further comprising a reservoir in fluid communication with the jetting device, the reservoir containing the pharmacologically active material and a material which is compatible with the pharmacologically active material, wherein each material is ejected through an associated electronically controllable jetting device.

43. The cartridge of claim 41, further comprising at least one memory device in electronic communication with the electronically controllable jetting device, the memory device containing at least one logic sequence governing the actuation of the jetting device.

44. The cartridge of claim 43 wherein the at least one memory device includes data relevant to material contained in the storage chamber.

45. The cartridge of claim 43 wherein the electronically controllable jetting device includes:

at least one electronically controlled nozzle member in fluid communication with a reservoir containing the pharmacologically active material; and

at least one control mechanism associated with the nozzle member, the control mechanism governing ejection of a measured quantity of the pharmacologically active material.

46. The cartridge of claim 45 wherein the control mechanism includes a data storage and control device, the data storage and control device containing at least one control sequence capable of generating at least one operational command actionable on the nozzle member.