Osmotic pump with remotely controlled osmotic pressure generation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An osmotic pump system comprising:
- a body structure configured for placement in an environment;
a delivery reservoir capable of containing a delivery fluid to be delivered into the environment;
an osmotic chamber;
an osmotic pressure-generating material contained within the osmotic chamber;
an electromagnetic field activated heating element capable of producing an increase in temperature in osmotic fluid within the osmotic chamber, the osmotic pressure-generating material having a solubility in the osmotic fluid that changes in response to an increase in temperature of the osmotic fluid, and the generation of osmotic pressure by the osmotic pressure-generating material controllable by an electromagnetic field control signal;
a pressure-responsive movable barrier separating the osmotic chamber from the delivery reservoir, the pressure-responsive barrier being substantially impermeable to the osmotic pressure-generating material and configured to move in response to a change in pressure in the osmotic chamber to produce a change in at least one of pressure or volume in the delivery reservoir;
anda semi-permeable membrane separating the osmotic chamber from the environment, the semi-permeable membrane being substantially permeable by fluid from the environment but substantially impermeable to the osmotic pressure-generating material.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled osmotic pump device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, an osmotic pump device is placed in an environment in order to pump a material into the environment or into an additional fluid handling structure within the osmotic pump device. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. In selected embodiments, a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An osmotic pump system comprising:
-
a body structure configured for placement in an environment; a delivery reservoir capable of containing a delivery fluid to be delivered into the environment; an osmotic chamber; an osmotic pressure-generating material contained within the osmotic chamber; an electromagnetic field activated heating element capable of producing an increase in temperature in osmotic fluid within the osmotic chamber, the osmotic pressure-generating material having a solubility in the osmotic fluid that changes in response to an increase in temperature of the osmotic fluid, and the generation of osmotic pressure by the osmotic pressure-generating material controllable by an electromagnetic field control signal; a pressure-responsive movable barrier separating the osmotic chamber from the delivery reservoir, the pressure-responsive barrier being substantially impermeable to the osmotic pressure-generating material and configured to move in response to a change in pressure in the osmotic chamber to produce a change in at least one of pressure or volume in the delivery reservoir; and a semi-permeable membrane separating the osmotic chamber from the environment, the semi-permeable membrane being substantially permeable by fluid from the environment but substantially impermeable to the osmotic pressure-generating material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
6. An osmotic pump system comprising:
-
a body structure configured for placement in an environment; a delivery reservoir capable of containing a delivery fluid to be delivered into the environment; an osmotic chamber; an osmotic pressure-generating material contained within the osmotic chamber; an electromagnetic field activated cooling element capable of producing a decrease in temperature in osmotic fluid within the osmotic chamber, the osmotic pressure-generating material having a solubility in the osmotic fluid that changes in response to a decrease in temperature of the osmotic fluid, and the generation of osmotic pressure by the osmotic pressure-generating material controllable by an electromagnetic field control signal; a pressure-responsive movable barrier separating the osmotic chamber from the delivery reservoir, the pressure-responsive barrier being substantially impermeable to the osmotic pressure-generating material and configured to move in response to a change in pressure in the osmotic chamber to produce a change in at least one of pressure or volume in the delivery reservoir; and a semi-permeable membrane separating the osmotic chamber from the environment, the semi-permeable membrane being substantially permeable by fluid from the environment but substantially impermeable to the osmotic pressure-generating material. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
-
Specification