Reverse Iontophoresis Patch with Liquid Electrolyte Reservoir
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skin patch devices for reverse iontophoresis, such as the Glucowatch, face challenges with sensitivity, reliability, and accuracy due to moisture interference, skin irritation, and the need for frequent calibration, as well as issues with analyte concentration and conductivity, leading to suboptimal glucose monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A patch design featuring an electrode layer with a liquid electrolyte reservoir and an actuator mechanism that enhances conductivity and analyte transport through the skin, using shape memory alloys for actuation and incorporating skin permeation enhancers to improve analyte extraction and delivery to a separate sensor chamber, allowing for enhanced detection and transdermal drug delivery based on analyte analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reverse iontophoresis is used to withdraw analytes through the skin, then analyte sampling capability is achieved, but sensitivity and reliability are reduced due to moisture interference and skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid electrolyte is introduced as an intermediary substance between the electrode and the skin. This electrolyte layer facilitates ionic conduction for analyte withdrawal while reducing direct contact between the electrode and skin, thereby minimizing skin irritation and moisture interference issues
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and composition parameters by introducing a liquid electrolyte medium. This allows the system to operate in a wet environment that enhances ionic conductivity while reducing electrical resistance, thereby improving sensitivity and reliability of analyte detection
2Measurement precision
If reverse iontophoresis is used for analyte withdrawal, then sampling capability is achieved, but accuracy is reduced due to conductivity issues and need for frequent calibration
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid electrolyte serves as a stable intermediary medium that maintains consistent ionic conductivity between the electrode and skin. This stable medium reduces fluctuations in electrical resistance and eliminates the need for frequent calibration, thereby improving measurement precision and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the electrical conductivity parameter through the introduction of liquid electrolyte, the system achieves more stable and predictable electrical characteristics. This parameter change enables more accurate analyte detection while reducing the frequency of calibration requirements
3Quantity of substance
If analytes are withdrawn through the skin, then sampling is achieved, but analyte concentration is insufficient for effective detection
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid electrolyte acts as a concentrating medium that facilitates the accumulation of withdrawn analytes. By providing a conductive pathway and accumulation chamber, the electrolyte enables higher analyte concentrations to be achieved at the detection interface, thereby enhancing detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the concentration parameter of analytes by using the liquid electrolyte as a collection and concentration medium. This allows sufficient quantities of analytes to be accumulated for effective detection, directly addressing the insufficient concentration problem
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
The solution improves the reliability and safety of analyte sampling by reducing skin irritation, maintaining conductivity during body movements, and enabling continuous monitoring with enhanced analyte concentration and detection capabilities, while also allowing for controlled drug delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The technique of iontophoresis is known for delivery of drugs through the skin of a patient. A pair of electrodes is applied to the skin and one of them is used to repel charged molecules of a drug in order to drive them into the body of the patient through pores in the skin. It is also known to operate the process in reverse, in order to draw ions, molecules or other components of the interstitial fluid out of skin for analysis.
Implementation Method 2
a first reservoir containing an electrically conducting medium such as a liquid electrolyte; and means for controlling transport of the conducting medium from the first reservoir onto a surface of the electrode layer adjacent to the skin to increase the conductivity between the electrode layer and the skin
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 2c~2d
AI summary
A patch for sampling one or more analytes through the skin of a patient comprises an electrode layer (7) for positioning adjacent to the skin of a patient; and means (1) for actuating the electrode layer (7) to induce the withdrawal of analyte through the skin by reverse iontophoresis. A first reservoir (4) in the patch contains an electrically conducting medium such as a liquid electrolyte, which can be controllably delivered onto a surface of the electrode layer (7) adjacent to the skin to increase the conductivity between the electrode layer (7) and the skin. Means (11) are provided for transporting the analytes to a location (13) where they are to be analysed. The patch may comprise a second reservoir containing a drug for transdermal delivery to the patient. An actuator (2) may stretch and/or compress the reservoirs (4) to expel their contents. The actuator (2) may comprise a generally planar mesh formed from a shape memory alloy.