Reservoir housing having a conductive region integrally formed therein

Abstract

An electrotransport reservoir housing which contains, integrally formed therein, at least one region of conductive material which allows for a liquid and moisture tight barrier, while at the same time providing a means for conducting an electric current therethrough.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a transdermal agent delivery and sampling device having a reservoir housing which can be thermoformed in one embodiment from material having a nonconductive center strip located between two conductive strips. A reservoir housing fabricated in this manner results in a single integral piece having two gel reservoir cavities thermoformed at each end from the conductive outer strips and an insulating barrier located between the cavities which was formed from the nonconductive center strip. Utilization of such a housing allows for current to be transmitted through each electrically conductive housings without the need to drill holes through non-conductive cavities and then attempt to seal those holes during final assembly. BACKGROUND ART [0002] The term “electrotransport” refers generally to the delivery or extraction of an agent (charged, uncharged, or mixtures thereof) through a body surface (such as skin, mucous membrane, or nail...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020] Once extruded, the three part material is thermoformed into a reservoir housing which functions as an integral sheet of material which, even after having been thermoformed, provides a liquid and moisture tight housing while at the same time, providing a means to pass electric current through the housing. This results in a reservoir housing that is essentially a single integral component with no holes or other passages through the housing which would require sealing. By having each cavity at least partially molded from conductive material, problems of leakage of liquid and / or moisture from the reservoir gel which will be inserted therein are eliminated.

Problems solved by technology

The wire connections are subject to disconnection and limit the patient's movement and mobility.

Wires between electrodes and controls may also be annoying or uncomfortable to the patient.

Otherwise warpage as well as unacceptable dimensional changes will occur at temperatures as low as 40□ C. If the device housing should encounter excessive heat during storage or shipping, however, these same undesirable dimensional changes can occur.

Further, electrotransport delivery devices typically contain electronic components (e.g., integrated circuits), conductive circuit traces and electrical connections therebetween which can corrode or otherwise be degraded by water or water vapor.

Thus, humidity or moisture from the hydrated reservoirs can permeate through the device housing during manufacturing and storage, which can thus cause corrosion of the electronic components within the device, thereby reducing the shelf life of the device.

Because the reservoirs gels are largely water, liquid and / or moisture can escape from housing and corrode the electronic components if there is not proper sealing between the electrode and the housing and the housing and the gel and the housing.

Because these devices are shipped and stored in sealed pouches, any moisture leaking from the reservoir may get trapped in the interior of the device and expose the controller circuitry to the water.

Water, particularly water containing electrolyte salts such as found in a reservoir gel, can be very corrosive and quite damaging to the device.

But this approach is not without its own engineering challenges.

Such solutions are inherently expensive and add additional steps to the manufacturing process.

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