Microneedle unit and injection device

• US 10,744,311 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2015
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASTI Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASTI Corporation
• Inventors: Onozuka, Kenpei, Ogai, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Nathan R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snyder, Melissa A
• Application Number:
  US15/113,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20170007812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/003 having a lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/30 Vaccines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a micro-needle unit and an injection device capable of being readily connected to a liquid supply source and capable of performing an effective injection via a simple configuration. The micro-needle unit is provided with a plurality of micro-needles disposed on the puncturing side and provided with a flow channel, and drug solution supply needles disposed on the side opposite from the puncturing side in a number less than that of the micro-needles and provided with a flow channel in communication with the aforementioned flow channel, the micro-needle unit thereby being capable of being readily connected to a liquid supply source and capable of performing an effective injection via a simple configuration.

Claims

1. A microneedle unit comprising:

a first divisional element including a first divisional element main body, a plurality of microneedle part first elements protruding from one side of the first divisional element main body, at least one medicinal solution supply needle part first element protruding from another side of the first divisional element main body opposite to the one side thereof and having a number less than a number of the plurality of microneedle part first elements, microneedle side flow channels respectively formed in the plurality of microneedle part first elements, at least one medicinal solution supply needle side flow channel formed in the at least one medicinal solution supply needle part first element, and communication path elements communicating the microneedle side flow channels and the at least one medicinal solution supply needle side flow channel; and

a second divisional element attached to the first divisional element, and including a second divisional element main body, a plurality of microneedle part second elements protruding from one side of the second divisional element main body, and at least one medicinal solution supply needle part second element protruding from another side of the second divisional element main body opposite to the one side thereof and having a number less than a number of the plurality of microneedle part second elements,

wherein the second divisional element covers the microneedle side flow channels, the at least one medicinal solution supply needle side flow channel, and the communication path elements such that a part of each of the microneedle side flow channels forms a first horizontally-opening hole as a medicinal solution outlet and a part of the at least one medicinal solution supply needle side flow channel forms a second horizontally-opening hole as a medicinal solution inlet, and

the second divisional element is bonded on the first divisional element such that the plurality of microneedle part first elements, the microneedle side flow channels, and the plurality of microneedle part second elements respectively form a plurality of microneedles, and the at least one medicinal solution supply needle part first element, the at least one medicinal solution supply needle side flow channel, and the at least one medicinal solution supply needle part second element form at least one medicinal solution supply needle having a number less than a number of the plurality of microneedles.

2. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the medicinal solution outlet is formed at an end of each of the plurality of microneedles.

3. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the at least one medicinal solution supply needle includes barb parts provided at an end thereof on the first divisional element.

4. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

a lower surface of a section of the first divisional element constituting a part of one of the plurality of microneedles is flat.

5. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the second divisional element is in a form of a film, a sheet or a tape.

6. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

external dimensions of the second divisional element are smaller than external dimensions of the first divisional element.

7. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the at least one medicinal solution supply needle includes a plurality of medicinal solution supply needles with medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels, and the plurality of microneedles is sorted into groups so that the microneedles in each group and one medicinal solution supply needle of the plurality of medicinal solution supply needles constitute one set, and the microneedle side flow channels, the medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels, and the communication path elements are compartmented by each set.

8. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the at least one medicinal solution supply needle includes a plurality of medicinal solution supply needles with medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels, and the medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels of the plurality of medicinal solution supply needles are consolidated into one mixing chamber, and the mixing chamber is communicating with the microneedle side flow channels of the plurality of microneedles.

9. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface of the first divisional element is a flat surface, and the microneedle side flow channels of the plurality of microneedles and the at least one medicinal solution supply needle side flow channel of the at least one medicinal solution supply needle are grooves dented from the flat surface.

10. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second divisional element is fixed to the flat surface of the first divisional element and covers the grooves such that two ends of the grooves are not covered by the second divisional element to thereby form the medicinal solution inlet and the medicinal solution outlet.

11. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of microneedles includes an arrowhead part on an end of the first divisional element.

12. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first divisional element includes a divisional surface contacting the second divisional element, and a thickness of the second divisional element is set not to be larger than a height of the arrowhead part protruding from the divisional surface of the first divisional element.

13. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein a chamfered part is formed on an end of the second divisional element, which is located adjacent to the arrowhead part of the first divisional element.

14. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

the first divisional element main body includes arrowhead parts at a tip end on one side of the first divisional element main body, and the medicinal solution outlet is arranged adjacent to each of the arrowhead parts.

15. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein,

the second divisional element has a thickness less than a horizontal protrusion of the arrowhead portion from a boding surface of the first divisional element and the second divisional element.

16. The microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein,

each of the plurality of microneedle part first elements includes a first arrowhead part at one end thereof, and each of the plurality of microneedle part second elements includes a second arrowhead part at one end thereof opposite to the one end of each of the plurality of microneedle part first elements, and

the second divisional element is arranged to be offset on the first divisional element to form the first horizontally-opening hole opened in a direction perpendicular to a protrusion of each of the plurality of microneedle part first elements between one end of the second divisional element and the first arrowhead part, and to form the second horizontally-opening hole opened in a direction perpendicular to a protrusion of each of the plurality of microneedle part second elements between another end of the second divisional element opposite to the one end thereof and the second arrowhead part.

17. An injection device, comprising:

the microneedle unit as claimed in claim 1, which is set in a flattened shape expanding in an alignment direction of the plurality of microneedles of the microneedle unit.

18. The injection device as claimed in claim 17, wherein,

the plurality of microneedles is set so as to offset from a center of the injection device.

19. The injection device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising

a seal member;

and

a medicinal solution retaining part sealed by the seal member,

wherein with penetration of the at least one medicinal solution supply needle through the seal member, a medicinal solution in the medicinal solution retaining part is delivered to the plurality of microneedles via the at least one medicinal solution supply needle.

20. The injection device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising

a needle cap covering the plurality of microneedles,

wherein with depressing of the needle cap, the at least one medicinal solution supply needle penetrates through the seal member.

21. The injection device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising

a depressing mechanism provided so as to extract air from the medicinal solution retaining part.

22. The injection device as claimed in claim 21, further comprising

a locking mechanism provided so as to lock the depressing mechanism,

wherein with release of the locking mechanism, the depressing mechanism discharges the medicinal solution from the medicinal solution outlet.

23. The injection device as claimed in claim 19, wherein,

the medicinal solution retaining part includes a plurality of retaining parts.

24. The injection device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the at least one medicinal solution supply needle includes a plurality of medicinal solution supply needles with medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels, and the plurality of microneedles is sorted into groups so that the microneedles in each group and one medicinal solution supply needle of the plurality of medicinal solution supply needles constitute one set, and the microneedle side flow channels, the medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels, and the communication path elements are compartmented by each set;

different medicinal solutions are retained, respectively, in the plurality of retaining parts; and

the plurality of medicinal solution supply needles corresponds to the plurality of retaining parts.

25. The inoculation device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the at least medicinal solution supply needles needle includes a plurality of medicinal solution supply needles with medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels, and the medicinal solution supply needle side flow channels of the plurality of medicinal solution supply needles are consolidated into one mixing chamber, and the mixing chamber is communicating with the microneedle side flow channels of the plurality of microneedles;

different medicinal solutions are retained, respectively, in the plurality of retaining parts; and

the plurality of medicinal solution supply needles corresponds to the plurality of retaining parts.