Active Transdermal Patch Integrating Flexible Circuit Board
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transdermal medicament delivery systems using active iontophoresis are limited by the need for cumbersome and immobile power sources, which restrict patient mobility during treatment and increase the complexity and cost of the systems.
Innovation Solution
A fully-integrated, active transdermal medicament patch with a self-contained power source and flexible circuit board design, allowing for a compact and portable iontophoretic delivery system that can be worn by patients without the need for external power sources, featuring a medicament matrix and electrodes integrated on a single adhesive patch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external power sources are used for active iontophoresis, then the system can deliver medicament through the skin, but patient mobility is restricted and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the power source, circuit board, medicament matrix, and electrodes into a single integrated transdermal patch unit. This merging eliminates the need for external power sources and separate equipment, thereby improving patient mobility while maintaining reliable medicament delivery through the integrated iontophoresis system.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated patch serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides power through its built-in power source, delivers medicament through iontophoresis, monitors treatment parameters via the circuit board, and adheres to the skin. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external devices, enhancing mobility without compromising treatment reliability.
2Reliability
If external power sources and separate equipment are used, then medicament delivery is possible, but manufacturing cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the power source, circuit board, medicament matrix, and electrodes into a single unified patch structure. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and interconnections required, thereby simplifying the overall system while maintaining the capability for reliable medicament delivery through active iontophoresis.
3Reliability
If traditional iontophoresis equipment is used, then medicament can be delivered, but patient convenience and portability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all necessary iontophoresis components into a single lightweight patch that can be worn on the patient's body. This integration eliminates the need for bulky external equipment, significantly improving portability and patient convenience while preserving the therapeutic iontophoresis function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch is designed as a self-contained unit with its own power source that operates independently without requiring external equipment or frequent recharging. This self-service capability enhances portability and patient convenience, allowing the patient to move freely while receiving treatment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances patient mobility and convenience while reducing the technical complexity and manufacturing costs of the delivery system, providing a reliable and user-friendly method for transdermal medicament administration with improved safety and precision.
Implementation Method 1
The direct current employed in active iontophoresis systems may be obtained from a variety of electrical power sources. These include consumable and rechargeable batteries
Implementation Method 2
A flow of electrical current requires an uninterrupted, electrically-conductive pathway from the positive pole of a power source to the other, negative pole thereof
Implementation Method 3
In an iontophoretic circuit, the opposite poles of a power source are electrically coupled to respective, separated contact locations on the skin of the subject
Implementation Method 4
During active iontophoresis, direct electrical current is used to cause ions of a soluble medicament to move across the surface of the skin and to diffuse into underlying tissue
Data Source
AI summary
An active transdermal medicament patch includes a planar substrate with a therapeutic face releasably retainable against the skin of a patient. A return electrode and a medicament matrix susceptible to permeation by medicament are secured at separated locations on the therapeutic face and electrically conductively engage the skin. A detector monitors iontophoretic medicament migration into the skin. An integrator operating on the output of the detector produces a running cumulative total of the amount of medicament delivered during a plurality of temporally non-contiguous therapy subsessions. A circuit breaker terminates medicament migration, when the output of the integrator equals a predetermined medicament quantity. A timer active during medicament migration stimulates a driver to operate a light-emitting diode in a distinct delivery confirmation mode during each a sequence of non-overlapping predetermined therapy subsessions, respectively. A circuit board on the substrate in a compact, folded state bears interconnected electrical circuit components.