Chemical engines and methods for their use, especially in the injection of highly viscous fluids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9795740-B2
Application number	US-201314434586-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2013
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

Chemical engines and processes for their use and construction are described. The chemical engines can provide powerful and compact devices, especially autoinjectors for the rapid, powered injection of viscous medicines. Novel formulations and designs of chemical engines and delivery technologies employing the chemical engines are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chemical engine, comprising:
a closed container comprising a first compartment, a second compartment, at least two reagents, water, and a push surface, wherein the at least two reagents, the water, and the push surface are disposed within the closed container, and the at least two reagents include an acid and a bicarbonate wherein the acid is in the first compartment and the bicarbonate is in the second compartment prior to an initiation of the chemical engine;
a fluid chamber coupled to the closed container; and
a mechanism adapted to combine the acid, the water, and the bicarbonate to generate a gas via a chemical reaction in the closed container, wherein the gas is operative to move the push surface to force a fluid from the fluid chamber,
wherein the closed container further comprises a solid particulate convection agent adapted to mix with the acid, the water, and the bicarbonate to increase reagent collisions in the closed container following a combination of the acid, the water, and the bicarbonate by the mechanism to increase a rate of generation of the gas in the closed container.

2. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein a molar ratio of the bicarbonate to the acid is in the range of 2:1 to 4:1.

3. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein a power density resulting from the chemical reaction in the closed container is in the range of 100,000 W/m 3 to 1×10 6 W/m 3 .

4. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the bicarbonate to the solid particulate convection agent is in the range of 42:1 to 90:1.

5. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein at least 50 wt % of the bicarbonate is a solid.

6. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the bicarbonate comprises at least 50 wt % potassium bicarbonate.

7. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate convection agent comprises diatomaceous earth.

8. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the acid and the water have a total volume of 1.5 mL or less.

9. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the closed container has a total internal volume, prior to combining the acid and the bicarbonate, of 2 mL or less.

10. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the bicarbonate comprises a solid mixture of at least two types of particle morphologies.

11. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the acid and the water are present in the closed container as an acid solution comprising the acid dissolved in water, and wherein the acid solution is in the first compartment of the closed container and the bicarbonate is in the second compartment of the closed container to separate the acid solution from the bicarbonate prior to the mechanism combining the acid solution and the bicarbonate.

12. The chemical engine of claim 11 , wherein the acid solution and the bicarbonate in the closed container define a latent power density,
wherein a piston is positioned between the closed container and the fluid chamber, the piston including the push surface,
wherein, following the combining the acid solution and the bicarbonate within the closed container, the acid solution and the bicarbonate react to generate carbon dioxide gas to power the piston to push the fluid from the fluid chamber.

13. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the acid and bicarbonate are present as solids and the water is separated from the acid and the bicarbonate prior to the mechanism combining the acid and the bicarbonate.

14. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate convection agent is adapted to dissolve in the water at a rate that is at least 10 times slower than a rate that the bicarbonate dissolves in the water.

15. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate convection agent is insoluble in the water.

16. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate convection agent has a density, as measured by mercury porisimetry at ambient pressure, that is at least 10 percent different from the density of the water in which the solid particulate convection agent is dispersed.

17. The chemical engine of claim 1 , wherein the combination of the acid, the water, and the bicarbonate by the mechanism further generates collisions between the convection agent and the at least two reagents, wherein the reagent collisions and the collisions between the convection agent and the at least two reagents are adapted to release kinetically trapped carbon dioxide present at surfaces in the closed container.

18. The chemical engine of claim 1 , further including a balloon positioned in the closed container, the balloon comprising the push surface.

19. The chemical engine of claim 1 , further including a piston head comprising the push surface.

20. A chemical engine, comprising:
a closed container comprising an acid solution, a solid bicarbonate, and a plunger, wherein the acid solution, the solid bicarbonate, and the plunger are disposed within the closed container, the acid solution comprises an acid dissolved in water, and the acid solution is separate from the solid bicarbonate prior to an initiation of the chemical engine a fluid chamber coupled to the closed container; and
a conduit comprising an inlet and a plurality of apertures, the conduit being disposed within the closed container and adapted such that, following initiation of the chemical engine, at least a portion of the acid solution is forced into the inlet and through at least a portion of the apertures to mix with the solid bicarbonate to generate a gas via a chemical reaction in the closed container wherein the gas is operative to force a fluid from the fluid chamber.

21. The chemical engine of claim 20 , wherein the bicarbonate is in solid particulate form and wherein the conduit comprises a tube having one end that is disposed in the solid bicarbonate such that, after the acid solution is forced through the apertures the acid solution contacts the solid bicarbonate particulate.

22. The chemical engine of claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the bicarbonate is in solid form disposed inside the conduit.

23. The chemical engine of claim 20 , wherein the fluid chamber comprises, a medicament compartment coupled to the closed container, wherein the plunger is adapted to force the acid solution through the conduit and the apertures following the initiation of the chemical engine to generate the gas via the chemical reaction, wherein the gas is operative to force a medicament from the medicament compartment.

24. A chemical engine, comprising:
a closed container comprising an acid solution, potassium bicarbonate, and diatomaceous earth, wherein the acid solution, the potassium bicarbonate, and the diatomaceous earth are disposed within the closed container, the acid solution comprises an acid dissolved in water, and the acid solution is separate from the potassium bicarbonate prior to an initiation of the chemical engine a fluid chamber coupled to the closed container; and
a mechanism adapted to combine the acid solution and the potassium bicarbonate to generate a carbon dioxide gas via a chemical reaction, wherein the diatomaceous earth comprises solid particles operative to increase reagent collisions in the closed container following a combination of the acid solution and the potassium bicarbonate by the mechanism to increase a rate of generation of the carbon dioxide gas in the closed container wherein the carbon dioxide gas is operative to force a fluid from the fluid chamber

Assignees

• Lilly Co Eli

Inventors

• Heintz Amy M
• Bennison Corrie
• Muenzer Christopher H
• Blum Timothy M
• Mckenzie Christopher P
• Madland Steven M
• Ellis Jeffrey L
• Kaseman Brian

Classifications

• A61M5/19 Primary

  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 title

• F01B1/01

  with one single cylinder · CPC title

• A61M5/282

  by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall · CPC title

• A61M5/2046 Primary

  Media being expelled from injector by gas generation, e.g. explosive charge · CPC title

• A61M2005/14204

  with gas-producing electrochemical cell · CPC title