CONTROLLED NEEDLE-FREE TRANSPORT

• US 20130102957A1
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Hunter, Ian W., Taberner, Andrew J., Hemond, Brian D., Wendell, Dawn M., Hogan, Nora Catherine, Ball, Nathan B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,992,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/20 for vaccinating or cleaning the skin previous to the vaccination diagnosis by vaccination other than by injuring the skin A61B10/0035 ; apparatus for injections A61M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/00 Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 ; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6009 for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/825 using mechanical generation of electricity, e.g. hand cranked generators
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2250/00 Specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/00 Motors with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating magnet, armature or coil system arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with motors H02K7/00, e.g. H02K7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/18 with coil systems moving upon intermittent or reversed energisation thereof by interaction with a fixed field system, e.g. permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/02 Linear motors; Sectional motors

Abstract

A needle-free transdermal transport device for transferring a substance across a surface of a biological body includes a reservoir for storing the substance, a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a controllable electromagnetic actuator in communication with the reservoir. The actuator, referred to as a Lorentz force actuator, includes a stationary magnet assembly and a moving coil assembly. The coil assembly moves a piston having an end portion positioned within the reservoir. The actuator receives an electrical input and generates in response a corresponding force acting on the piston and causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the reservoir and the biological body. The magnitude, direction and duration of the force are dynamically controlled (e.g., servo-controlled) by the electrical input and can be altered during the course of an actuation cycle. Beneficially, the actuator can be moved in different directions according to the electrical input.

Claims

1. A method of treating a disease comprising:

collecting with a first needle-free transdermal transport device a sample from the body;

determining dosage of an active compound responsive to the collected sample;

transferring with a second needle-free transdermal transport device the determined dosage of active compound to the body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises:

injecting with the needle-free transdermal transport device a first substance into the body; and

withdrawing with the needle-free transdermal transport device a sample comprising at least a portion of the first substance and at least a portion of the body.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first substance is a substantially biologically inert substance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the active compound is insulin.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second needle-free transdermal transport devices are the same.

6. A method of treating a disease comprising:

piercing with a needle-free transdermal transport device a surface of a body;

collecting with the needle-free transdermal transport device a sample from the body;

determining dosage of an active compound responsive to the collected sample;

transferring with the needle-free transdermal transport device the determined dosage of active compound to the body.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the collecting step comprises:

injecting with the needle-free transdermal transport device a first substance into the body; and

withdrawing with the needle-free transdermal transport device a sample comprising at least a portion of the first substance and at least a portion of the body.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

re-injecting with the needle-free transdermal transport device at least a portion of the withdrawn sample into the body; and

withdrawing with the needle-free transdermal transport device a second sample comprising at least a portion of the re-injected sample and at least a second portion of the body.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first substance is a substantially biologically inert substance.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the active compound is insulin.

11. A needle-free transdermal transport device for transferring a substance across a surface of a biological body comprising:

a reservoir for storing the substance;

a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir;

a controllable Lorentz-force electromagnetic actuator in communication with the reservoir, the actuator receiving an electrical input and generating in response a force proportional to the received input, the force causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the reservoir and the biological body and being variable responsive to variations in the received input during actuation;

a servo-controller in electrical communication with the controllable electromagnetic actuator, the servo-controller providing the electrical input; and

an analyzer adapted to analyze a sample collected from the body using the needle-free transdermal transport device, the servo-controller adapted to provide the electrical input responsive to the analyzed sample.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controllable electromagnetic actuator is bi-directional, generating a positive force responsive to a first electrical input and a negative force responsive to a second electrical input.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the positive force produces a positive pressure in the reservoir to transfer at least a portion of the substance from the reservoir to the biological body.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the negative force produces a negative pressure creating a vacuum within the reservoir, the vacuum causing a transfer of the sample from the body to the reservoir.

15. The device of claim 13, further including a sample reservoir and wherein the negative force produces a negative pressure creating a vacuum within the sample reservoir, the vacuum causing a transfer of the sample from the body to the sample reservoir.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic actuator forces the substance through the nozzle producing a jet having sufficient velocity to pierce the surface of the biological body.