Controlled release nanoparticulate matter delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569067-B2
Application number	US-201615348358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2016
Priority date	Mar 22, 2012
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A controlled release nanoparticulate matter delivery system includes a plurality of thermoresponsive modules containing a respective nanoparticulate matter. Each thermoresponsive module is selectively operable in at least one of a heating mode that releases the nanoparticulate matter and a cooling mode that inhibits release of the nanoparticulate matter. A control module is in electrical communication with the plurality of thermoresponsive modules. The control module is configured to determine a temperature of each thermoresponsive module and to select the at least one heating mode and cooling mode based on the temperature. The heating and cooling mode may be selected in response to a desired dosing profile and/or a biometric condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of releasing nanoparticulate matter contained in a thermoresponsive polymer, the method comprising:
determining a desired release rate at which to release the nanoparticulate matter;
determining a desired temperature at which the nanoparticulate matter is released at the desired release rate;
determining an actual temperature of the thermoresponsive polymer;
comparing the actual temperature to the desired temperature; and
adjusting the actual temperature of the thermoresponsive polymer to release of the nanoparticulate matter at the desired release rate selectively applying a plurality of heating cycles and cooling cycles to a hydrocomposite carrier so to deliver the nanoparticulate, matter from the hydrocomposite carrier at the desired release rate,
wherein adjusting the actual temperature comprises supplying electrical current to a thermoelectric device having a variable temperature surface that controls the actual temperature of the thermoresponsive polymer, and controlling the current to flow the current in a first direction during the heating cycles and a second direction having an opposite direction than the first direction during the cooling cycles to adjust the actual temperature and maintain the desired release rate;
controlling the current supplied to the thermoelectric device based on al least on of the comparison and at least on biometric condition to control the release of the nanoparticulate matter.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling release of a first nanoparticulate matter contained in a first thermoresponsive polymer independently from release of a second nanoparticulate matter contained in a second thermoresponsive polymer different from the first thermoresponsive polymer.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the actual temperature of at least one thermoresponsive polymer based on the at least one biometric condition.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the biometric condition includes at least one of body temperature, body perspiration, body vibration, breathing, heart rate and sound.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein supplying the electrical current comprises:
generating a first voltage having a first polarity that induces the current to flow in the first direction through the thermoelectric device to heat the thermoresponsive polymer; and
generating a second voltage having a second polarity that induces the current to flow in the second direction opposite the first direction through the thermoelectric device to cool the thermoresponsive polymer.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
operating the thermoelectric device in a heating mode to actively heat the variable temperature surface when the current flows in the first direction; and
operating the thermoelectric device in a cooling mode to cool the variable temperature surface when the current flows in the second direction.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Blanco Letia M
• Godfrey Kyle C
• Grace Christopher A
• Alberts Christopher B
• Patin Andrew E
• Shiakolas Panayiotis S
• Aswath Pranesh B

Classifications

• A61M2205/36

  related to heating or cooling · CPC title

• A61M2230/50

  Temperature · CPC title

• A61M2205/52

  with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient · CPC title

• A61M2205/3368

  Temperature · CPC title

• A61M2205/502

  User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards · CPC title