Apparatus for transdermal medicament delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11565100-B2
Application number	US-201615770650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2016
Priority date	Nov 23, 2015
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

A container ( 200 ) for containing a coupling medium for transdermal delivery of a medicament and a transducer unit ( 100 ) for use with the container ( 200 ) are disclosed. The transducer unit ( 100 ) has a transducer ( 108 ) with an output face ( 110 ), and the container comprises a chamber ( 214 ) for receiving the coupling medium and a contact surface ( 212 ) for contacting the output face ( 110 ) of the transducer ( 108 ). The container ( 200 ) is attachable to the transducer unit ( 100 ) and is arranged such that, upon attachment of the container ( 200 ) to the transducer unit ( 100 ), an acoustic coupling for ultrasound transmission is formed between the output face ( 110 ) of the transducer ( 108 ) and the contact surface ( 212 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A container for containing a coupling medium for transdermal delivery of a medicament using a transducer unit having a transducer with an output face, the container comprising:
a chamber for receiving the coupling medium,
the chamber having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a contact surface for contacting the output face of the transducer,
the contact surface having a domed shape which covers extends across the proximal end of the chamber such that an apex of the contact surface bulges in a proximal direction when the chamber is filled with the coupling medium, and
the contact surface being flexible such that the apex of the contact surface flattens as it contacts the output face of the transducer;

wherein the container is attachable to the transducer unit and is arranged such that, upon attachment of the container to the transducer unit, an acoustic coupling for ultrasound transmission is formed between the output face of the transducer and the contact surface.

2. The container according to claim 1 , arranged such that a substantially air-free coupling is formed between the output face of the transducer and the contact surface upon attachment of the container to the transducer unit.

3. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is deformable to conform to the output face of the transducer upon attachment of the container to the transducer unit.

4. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is arranged such that a contact area between the contact surface and the output face increases to exclude air during attachment of the container to the transducer unit.

5. The container according to claim 1 , comprising a removable seal arranged to cover the contact surface before attachment of the container to the transducer unit.

6. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is disposed at a proximal end of the chamber, and wherein a distal end of the chamber is closed by a self-supporting layer of the coupling medium.

7. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container is releasably attachable to the transducer unit.

8. The container according to claim 1 for use with the transducer unit comprising a plurality of transducers, wherein the container comprises a corresponding plurality of chambers, each chamber having a respective contact surface arranged to contact a respective output face of an associated one of the plurality of transducers.

9. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber contains the coupling medium, and wherein the contact surface is in contact with a surface of the coupling medium.

10. The container according to claim 9 , comprising a self-supporting layer of coupling medium disposed at a proximal end of the chamber, and wherein the contact surface is in contact with a proximal surface of the self-supporting layer.

11. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the contact surface is disposed at a proximal end of the chamber, and wherein a distal end of the chamber is closed by a closure membrane.

12. The container according to claim 11 , wherein the closure membrane comprises a skin substitute material.

13. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber has a non-uniform diameter.

14. The container according to claim 13 , wherein the diameter of the chamber decreases with distance from the contact membrane over at least a portion of the chamber.

15. The container according to claim 1 , wherein attachment of the container to the transducer unit causes displacement of the coupling medium from a reservoir portion of the chamber to an operating portion of the chamber.

16. The container according to claim 15 , wherein the reservoir portion of the chamber and the operating portion of the chamber are separated by a separator membrane.

17. The container according to claim 15 , wherein the transducer of the transducer unit displaces the coupling medium from the reservoir portion to the operating portion.

18. The container according to claim 1 , comprising a reservoir external to the chamber for holding the coupling medium, and transfer means for transferring the coupling medium to the chamber.

19. The container according to claim 18 , wherein the transfer means comprises a piston disposed in the reservoir.

20. The container according to claim 18 , wherein the container or the transducer unit comprises skin contact detection means, and wherein the transfer means is operable upon detection of skin contact by the skin contact detection means.

21. The container according to claim 1 , further comprising engagement means for locking the container to the transducer unit.

22. The container according to claim 21 , wherein the engagement means is arranged such that, upon attachment of the container to the transducer unit, the engagement means locks the container to the transducer unit once a coupling between the output face of the transducer and the contact surface has been formed.

23. The container according to claim 21 wherein, upon engagement of the engagement means with the container, the contact surface is pressed against the output face of the transducer.

24. The container according to claim 21 , wherein the engagement means comprises an engagement formation for engagement with one or more latching members of the transducer unit.

25. The container according to claim 24 , wherein the engagement means comprises one or more latching members for engagement with an engagement formation of the transducer unit.

26. The container according to claim 1 , comprising a contact membrane, wherein the contact surface comprises a surface of the contact membrane.

27. The container according to claim 26 , wherein the chamber is defined at least in part by the contact membrane.

28. The container according to claim 26 , wherein the contact membrane is arranged to elastically deform upon attachment of the container to the transducer unit.

29. The container according to claim 26 , wherein the contact membrane impedance is matched to an impedance of the coupling medium.

30. The container according to claim 26 , wherein the contact membrane is of an elastomeric material.

31. The container according to claim 30 , wherein the contact membrane comprises a silicone material.

32. The container according to claim 26 , comprising a contact medium to couple the contact membrane to the output face of the transducer upon attachment of the container to the transducer unit.

33. The container according to claim 32 , comprising a removable seal arranged to contain the contact medium between the contact membrane and the seal.

34. The container according to claim 26 , further comprising a casing.

35. The container according to claim 34 , wherein the contact membrane is supported by the casing.

36. The container according to claim 34 , wherein the casing is of a rigid plastics material.

37. The container according to claim 34 , comprising a liner for separating the coupling medium from the casing.

38. The container according to claim 37 , wherein the contact membrane is part of the liner.

39. The container according to claim 37 , wherein at least one

Assignees

• Owen Mumford Ltd

Inventors

• Cowe Toby

Classifications

• A61M2210/04

  Skin · CPC title

• A61M37/0092 Primary

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis · CPC title

• A61M2037/0007

  having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents · CPC title