# US 10,500,387 B2 · Microneedle unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,387 B2 - Document ID: US10500387B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/376,889 - Filed: 2016-12-13 - Published: 2017-03-30 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-18 - Assignees: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato; Hisami Ueno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500387B2 ## CPC - A61M 37/0015: {by using microneedles} - A61M 2037/0023: {Drug applicators using microneedles} - A61M 2037/003: {having a lumen} - A61M 2037/0046: {Solid microneedles} - A61M 2037/0053: {Methods for producing microneedles} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A microneedle unit including a microneedle having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the microneedle being flexible and having one or more projections on the first surface, and a support member connected to the second surface of the microneedle such that the support member supports the microneedle. The support member includes an adhesive portion and a rigid portion connected to the adhesive portion, the adhesive portion is adhesive to skin and extends outside of the second surface in plan view of the second surface, and the rigid portion includes a rigid plate which is more rigid than the adhesive portion and the microneedle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microneedle unit, comprising: a flexible microneedle having at least one projection on a first surface; and a support member connected to a second surface of the flexible microneedle on an opposite side with respect to the first surface of the flexible microneedle such that the support member supports the flexible microneedle, wherein the support member includes an adhesive layer, a base layer and a rigid plate formed such that the adhesive layer is positioned to adhere to skin and extends outside of the second surface of the flexible microneedle and that the base layer includes a support layer and a cover layer and has a rigidity lower than a rigidity of the rigid plate, and that the rigid plate overlaps with at least a portion of the flexible microneedle, is sandwiched between the support layer and the cover layer in the base layer, and has rigidity that is higher than a rigidity of the adhesive layer and the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microneedle unit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer extends outside of the rigid plate, and the rigid plate has a plate shape that extends in a first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The microneedle unit of claim 2, wherein the rigid plate overlaps with a portion of the flexible microneedle such that the rigid plate has a center part overlapping with a center part of the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The microneedle unit of claim 3, wherein the base layer and the rigid plate form a rigid portion such that the rigid portion has flexibility to bend along with the first surface of the flexible microneedle when an external force is applied to bend the first surface of the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The microneedle unit of claim 3, wherein the rigid plate comprises a resin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The microneedle unit of claim 3, wherein the support member has a surface on an opposite side of the second surface of the flexible microneedle such that the surface has a pale orange tone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The microneedle unit of claim 3, wherein the rigid plate overlaps with at least a portion of the at least one projection of the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The microneedle unit of claim 2, wherein the base layer and the rigid plate form a rigid portion such that the rigid portion has flexibility to bend along with the first surface of the flexible microneedle when an external force is applied to bend the first surface of the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The microneedle unit of claim 2, wherein the adhesive layer has a plate shape which extends in the first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction, and the rigid plate includes a first plate-shape portion extending in the first direction, and a second plate-shape portion extending in the second direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microneedle unit of claim 9, wherein the rigid plate has an intersection region where the first plate-shape portion intersects with the second plate-shape portion, and at least a portion of the second surface overlaps with the intersection region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The microneedle unit of claim 10, wherein the rigid plate comprises a resin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The microneedle unit of claim 9, wherein the rigid plate comprises a resin. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The microneedle unit of claim 2, wherein the rigid plate comprises a resin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The microneedle unit of claim 2, wherein the support member has a surface on an opposite side of the second surface of the flexible microneedle such that the surface has a pale orange tone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The microneedle unit of claim 2, wherein the rigid plate has a first width larger than a diameter of the flexible microneedle in the first direction, and a second width smaller than the diameter of the flexible microneedle in the second direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The microneedle unit of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate overlaps with a portion of the flexible microneedle such that the rigid plate has a center part overlapping with a center part of the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The microneedle unit of claim 1, wherein the base layer and the rigid plate form a rigid portion such that the rigid portion has flexibility to bend along with the first surface of the flexible microneedle when an external force is applied to bend the first surface of the flexible microneedle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The microneedle unit of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate comprises a resin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The microneedle unit of claim 1, wherein the support member has a surface on an opposite side of the second surface of the flexible microneedle such that the surface has a pale orange tone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The microneedle unit of claim 1 wherein the support member has a surface on an opposite side of the second surface of the flexible microneedle such that the surface has a matte finish surface.