Acoustically controlled substance delivery device

• US 8,529,551 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hood, Leroy E., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jung, Edward K. Y., Langer, Robert, Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, EMILY LOUISE
• Application Number:
  US11/450,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20070104023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,650 Days
• Field of Search: 604131-133, 604/151, 604/153, 6048901-8921
• US Class Current: 604/890.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0288 Electro-rheological or magneto-rheological materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled substance delivery device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, a delivery device or related device may be placed in an environment in order to pump a material into the environment or into an additional fluid handling structure within the device. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. The concentration of a substance in the fluid to be delivered may be modified by a remote control signal. In selected embodiments, an acoustic control signal may be used.

Claims

1. A delivery device comprising:

a. a delivery reservoir configured to contain a delivery fluid, the delivery reservoir having at least one outlet through which the delivery fluid may exit the delivery reservoir;

b. a delivery fluid contained within the delivery reservoir;

c. a primary material contained within the delivery reservoir and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and

d. at least one acoustically responsive shape-changing structure capable of changing in at least one dimension in response to an acoustic control signal, the change in at least one dimension of the shape-changing structure modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form, and the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid, wherein the shape-changing structure is an expanding or contracting structure, wherein the change in at least one dimension includes an expansion or contraction in at least one dimension, wherein expansion or contraction of the expanding or contracting structure exposes molecular structures to the delivery fluid that modify the solubility of the primary material in the delivery fluid, wherein the molecular structures are interaction sites for the primary material, whereby primary material bound by the interaction sites is removed from the delivery fluid.

2. A delivery device comprising:

a. a delivery reservoir configured to contain a delivery fluid, the delivery reservoir having at least one outlet through which the delivery fluid may exit the delivery reservoir;

b. a delivery fluid contained within the delivery reservoir;

c. a primary material contained within the delivery reservoir and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid; and

d. at least one acoustically responsive shape-changing structure capable of changing in at least one dimension in response to an acoustic control signal, the change in at least one dimension of the shape-changing structure modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form, and the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid, wherein the shape-changing structure is an expanding or contracting structure, wherein the change in at least one dimension includes an expansion or contraction in at least one dimension, wherein expansion or contraction of the expanding or contracting structure exposes molecular structures to the delivery fluid that modify the solubility of the primary material in the delivery fluid, wherein the molecular structures modify the polarity of at least a portion of the delivery fluid.

3. A delivery device comprising:

a. a delivery reservoir configured to contain a delivery fluid, the delivery reservoir having at least one outlet through which the delivery fluid may exit the delivery reservoir;

b. a delivery fluid contained within the delivery reservoir;

c. a primary material contained within the delivery reservoir and having a controllable effective concentration in the delivery fluid;

d. a pump configured for pumping delivery fluid from the delivery reservoir to a downstream location via the outlet, wherein the downstream location includes a downstream fluid handling structure; and

e. at least one acoustically responsive control element adapted for modifying the distribution of the primary material between a first active form carried in the delivery fluid and a second form in response to an acoustic control signal, the effective concentration being the concentration of the first active form in the delivery fluid.

4. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the pump includes an osmotic pump.

5. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the pump includes a mechanical pump.

6. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the pump includes a displacement pump.

7. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the pump includes a centrifugal pump.

8. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the pump includes a peristaltic pump.

9. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the downstream fluid handling structure includes at least one channel.

10. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the downstream fluid handling structure includes at least one chamber.

11. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the downstream fluid handling structure includes at least one mixer.

12. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the downstream fluid handling structure includes at least one splitter.

13. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the downstream fluid handling structure includes at least one filter.