Wearable Transdermal Drug Applicator With Multi-Modal Permeation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable transdermal drug applicators face challenges in efficiently delivering drugs through the skin, particularly in self-administered therapy, due to limitations in permeation enhancement methods and the use of permeable skin contacting membranes.
Innovation Solution
A wearable transdermal drug applicator is designed with a dock for a liquid drug capsule, a controller, and a permeation enhancing subsystem that includes a sonicator, electrodes, a heater, and red light LEDs to enhance drug delivery through the skin without obstructive membranes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permeable skin contacting membranes are used to deliver liquid drug, then drug delivery is enabled, but light propagation and heat/sound transmission are obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the permeable membrane component from the system. Instead of using a membrane to deliver liquid drug, the invention employs a liquid reservoir with a liquid-permeable bottom that allows liquid to pass through without requiring a separate permeable membrane, thereby eliminating the obstruction to light and heat/sound transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom of the liquid reservoir serves multiple functions: it contains the liquid drug, allows liquid permeation through its porous structure, and simultaneously permits unobstructed light propagation and heat/sound transmission for the opto-acoustic vaporization process
2Reliability
If permeable skin contacting membranes are used to deliver liquid drug, then drug delivery is enabled, but heat conductivity and sound transmission are attenuated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the permeable membrane component that was causing heat conductivity attenuation. The liquid reservoir's porous bottom allows liquid permeation while maintaining unobstructed heat and sound transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical membrane-based drug delivery system with an opto-acoustic vaporization system that uses light and sound waves to vaporize and deliver liquid drug through the porous bottom of the reservoir without mechanical barriers
3Reliability
If multiple permeation enhancing elements are added to enhance transdermal delivery, then drug delivery effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple permeation enhancement functions (optical, acoustic, thermal, electrical) into a single integrated wearable device. The opto-acoustic vaporization system merges light propagation, sound transmission, heat generation, and electrical stimulation into one unified mechanism for enhancing transdermal drug delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device performs multiple functions simultaneously: it stores liquid drug in a reservoir, allows light propagation for opto-acoustic vaporization, transmits sound waves for cavitation effects, generates heat for thermal enhancement, and provides electrical stimulation for iontophoresis, all through a single integrated system
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 described configuration allows for unobstructed operation of permeation enhancing elements, enabling controlled and enhanced transdermal drug delivery, avoiding the limitations of previous technologies and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of self-administered drug therapy.
Implementation Method 1
The elements comprising a sonicator configured to apply ultrasound to skin contacting the dermal contact face for sonophoretic effect to enhance transdermal delivery of the liquid
Implementation Method 2
The elements further comprise electrodes configured to apply mild electric current to the skin contacting the dermal contact face for iontophoretic effect to enhance transdermal delivery of the liquid
Implementation Method 3
The elements further comprise a heater configured to heat the skin contacting the dermal contact face for vasodilatory and micro-circulation enhancing effect to enhance transdermal drug delivery at the dermal contact face
Implementation Method 4
The elements further comprise red light LEDs configured to apply red light to the skin contacting the dermal contact face for vasodilatory and micro-circulation enhancing effect to further enhance transdermal drug delivery at the dermal contact face
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable transdermal drug applicator has a dock for a liquid drug capsule, a dermal contact face, a delivery channel configured for delivering liquid from the drug capsule through a delivery port of the dermal contact face, a controller and a permeation enhancing subsystem interfacing the dermal contact face. The permeation enhancing subsystem has permeation enhancing elements operatively surrounding the delivery port and which are operative to enhance transdermal drug delivery at the dermal contact face. The elements have a sonicator configured to apply ultrasound to skin contacting the dermal contact face, electrodes configured to configured to apply electric current to the skin contacting the dermal contact face, a heater configured to heat the skin contacting the dermal contact face and red light LEDs configured to apply red light to the skin contacting the dermal contact face.