Micro needle roller assembly

• US 9,987,475 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lotte Chemical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Lotte Chemical Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Chang-hyun, Hyun, Dong-hun, Lee, Seung-sup, Han, Man-hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bosworth, Kami A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHEFALI DILIP
• Application Number:
  US12/307,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,996 Days
• Field of Search: 604 22, 604 20, 604272
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 15/0092 hand-held A61H15/0085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0014 cylinder-like, i.e. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0173 Means for preventing injuries
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0176 By stopping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1685 interchangeable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1695 Enhanced pressure effect, e.g. substantially sharp projections, needles or pyramids
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0046 Solid microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0061 Methods for using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/066 far infrared

Abstract

The present invention provides a micro needle roller assembly comprising a roller head including an external cylindrical member having a plurality of micro needles mounted on a surface thereof and an internal member placed in the external member and supported to the external member by supporting pieces; and a handling member coupled to the internal member for rotating the internal member of the roller head; the plurality of micro needles, the external cylindrical member and the internal member being made of a polymer resin.

Claims

1. A micro needle roller assembly, comprising:

a roller head including;

an external cylindrical member comprising a plurality of grooves formed in a longitudinal direction on a surface of the external cylindrical member and a plurality of micro needle blocks mounted in the plurality of grooves, each micro needle block of the plurality of micro needle blocks being configured to be mounted in one of the plurality of grooves, each micro needle block comprising a plurality of micro needles, and the plurality of micro needles being made of a polymer resin;

an internal member positioned inside the external cylindrical member, the internal member comprising two end portions and a receiving space formed at each of the end portions; and

a plurality of supporting pieces securing the internal member to the external member; and

a handling member coupled to the internal member and configured to rotate the internal member of the roller head, the handling member comprising;

a gripper with a slit formed at a portion thereof;

a first connecting arm having an inner surface and a protrusion formed on the inner surface;

a second connecting arm having an inner surface and a protrusion formed on the inner surface of the second connecting arm, the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm both extending from the gripper, each protrusion of the first and second connecting arms being received in a corresponding receiving space of the internal member of the roller head;

a power electric source received in a space formed in the gripper of the handling member;

a vibration generator received in the space formed in the gripper of the handling member;

first and second infrared ray-generating devices connected to the power electric source via a switch, the first and second infrared ray-generating devices positioned on the inner surfaces of the first and second connecting arms respectively; and

a cover detachably fixed to the gripper and placed on the roller head, and the cover comprises;

a hollow semi-cylindrical sheet,

an extension piece extended from the sheet, and

a bending piece formed at one end portion of the extension piece and inserted in the slit of the gripper,

wherein the plurality of supporting pieces extend in a radial direction of the internal member, a total number of supporting pieces of the plurality of supporting pieces is the same as a total number of grooves of the plurality of grooves of the external cylindrical member,

wherein first, second, third, and fourth supporting pieces of the plurality of supporting pieces are positioned to align behind in the radial direction, respectively, first, second, third, and fourth grooves of the plurality of grooves of the external cylindrical member, such that each groove of the plurality of grooves is aligned in front, in the radial direction, of each respective supporting piece of the plurality of supporting pieces.

2. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one supporting bar fixed to at least one side of the sheet and contacted with upper sides of the first and second connecting arms.

3. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 2, wherein the vibration generator comprises a driving motor connected electrically to the power electric source and comprises an eccentric weight coupled to a driving shaft of the driving motor.

4. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 2, further comprising the switch for controlling an electrical connection between the vibration generator and the power electric source.

5. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 2, wherein the gripper has a recess formed on a surface thereof adjacent to the first and second connecting arms.

6. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first infrared ray-generating device applies infrared rays with a wavelength of at least 250 μ

m.

7. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves has an upper portion and a lower portion having a width larger than that of the upper portion, and each micro needle block of the plurality of micro needle blocks has a sectional shape that is the same as that of each groove of the plurality of grooves.

8. The micro needle, roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the external cylindrical member is made of a polymer resin.

9. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the internal member is a hollow cylindrical member.

10. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receiving spaces are cylindrically shaped.

11. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein each supporting piece of the plurality of supporting pieces has a length that is the same as that of the external member to prevent the external member from being transformed.

12. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the external cylindrical member is made from a same material from which the plurality of micro needle blocks are made.

13. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the grooves of the plurality of grooves are formed parallel to an axis of the external cylindrical member.

14. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the grooves of the plurality of grooves are inclined at an angle with respect to an axis of the external cylindrical member.

15. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of the cover has a width that is the same as that of the roller head.

16. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, further comprising side covers fixed to both side ends of the roller head, the side covers positioned and configured to prevent the plurality of micro needle blocks from sliding out through an opened end of the plurality of grooves.

17. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 1, wherein each micro needle block of the plurality of micro needle blocks comprises the plurality of micro needles integrally formed therewith.

18. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of micro needles is made of a same material as each micro needle block of the plurality of micro needle blocks, the material being the polymer resin.

19. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 18, wherein the polymer resin is one of a thermosetting resin and a thermoplastic resin.

20. The micro needle roller assembly according to claim 18, wherein the polymer resin is a biodegradable polymer.