# US 11,896,840 B2 · Devices and methods for light delivery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,840 B2 - Document ID: US11896840B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/060,073 - Filed: 2022-11-30 - Published: 2023-03-23 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-18 - Assignees: Northwestern University - Applicants: Northwestern University - Inventors: Shuai Xu; Chenkai Xu; Hao Zhang; Hangbo Zhao; John A. Rogers - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896840B2 ## CPC - A61N 5/0601: {Apparatus for use inside the body} - A61N 5/0616: {Skin treatment other than tanning} - A61M 37/0015: {by using microneedles} - A61N 5/062: {Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent} - A61B 18/203: {applying laser energy to the outside of the body} - A61B 2018/00351: {Heart} - A61B 2018/00404: {Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart} - A61B 2018/00458: {Deeper parts of the skin, e.g. treatment of vascular disorders or port wine stains} - A61B 2018/0047: {Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles} - A61B 2018/2005: {with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle} - A61M 2025/0093: {wherein at least one needle is a microneedle} - A61M 2025/1086: {having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves} - A61M 2037/003: {having a lumen} - A61M 2037/0046: {Solid microneedles} - A61M 2037/0061: {Methods for using microneedles} - A61N 5/0619: {Acupuncture} - A61N 5/0624: {for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body} - A61N 5/0625: {Warming the body, e.g. hyperthermia treatment} - A61N 2005/0602: {for treatment of blood vessels} - A61N 2005/063: {comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres} - A61N 2005/0645: {Applicators worn by the patient} - A61N 2005/0652: {Arrays of diodes} - A61N 2005/0659: {infrared} - A61N 2005/0661: {ultraviolet} - A61N 2005/0663: {Coloured light} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - 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)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Provided are conformable light delivery devices for increasing light penetration depth and related methods. The device comprises a tissue penetrating member having a distal end and a proximal end, the tissue penetrating member configured to penetrate the tissue of the patient to be inserted into the tissue, wherein the tissue penetrating member is at least partially optically transparent along a surface of the tissue penetrating member positioned between the distal end of the tissue penetrating member and the proximal end of the tissue penetrating member to provide optical transmission of at least a portion of the light through the surface of the tissue penetrating member, thereby allowing at least the portion of the light to be delivered into the tissue of the patient when the tissue penetrating member is inserted into the tissue; and a substrate that supports the tissue penetrating member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light delivery device for delivering light to a tissue of a patient, the light delivery device comprising: a tissue penetrating member having a distal end and a proximal end, the tissue penetrating member configured to to be inserted into the tissue, wherein the tissue penetrating member is at least partially optically transparent along a surface of the tissue penetrating member positioned between the distal end of the tissue penetrating member and the proximal end of the tissue penetrating member to provide optical transmission of at least a portion of the light through the surface of the tissue penetrating member, thereby allowing at least the portion of the light to be delivered into the tissue of the patient when the tissue penetrating member is inserted into the tissue, wherein the tissue penetrating member has an effective Young's modulus selected to withstand stresses during insertion through a tissue surface without substantial deformation in a direction that decreases penetration depth in the tissue; and a substrate that supports the tissue penetrating member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, comprising: a plurality of tissue penetrating members comprising the tissue penetrating member, the plurality of tissue penetrating members being configured to penetrate the tissue of the patient and being at least partially optically transparent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The light delivery device of claim 2, comprising: an array of microneedles comprising the plurality of tissue penetrating members. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light delivery device of claim 3, further comprising: an array of optical sources optically aligned with the array of microneedles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The light delivery device of claim 3, wherein a microneedle of the array of microneedles has a geometrical shape that is tetrahedral, square, pyramidal, or conical. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The light delivery device of claim 2, wherein a tissue penetrating occupancy fraction of the plurality of tissue penetrating members is between 0.05 and 0.9. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, further comprising: an optical source in optical communication with the tissue penetrating member, the optical source configured to emit the light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The light delivery device of claim 7, wherein the optical source has an emission maximum in a visible range or an ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The light delivery device of claim 7, wherein the optical source is removably connected to the tissue penetrating member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The light delivery device of claim 9, comprising: a tissue contacting unit comprising the tissue penetrating member and the substrate, wherein the tissue contacting unit is disposable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, wherein the tissue penetrating member has a length that is no less than 100 μm and that is no more than 10 mm and/or a pitch distance that is greater than or equal to 100 μm and less than or equal to 1 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, wherein the tissue penetrating member is tapered, the tissue penetrating member having a maximum width at the proximal end of the tissue penetrating member and a minimum width at the distal end of the tissue penetrating member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The light delivery device of claim 12, wherein the maximum width of the tissue penetrating member is no less than 100 μm and is no more than 1 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, wherein the tissue penetrating member is formed of a biocompatible material, wherein the biocompatible material comprises a polymer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, wherein the tissue penetrating member is solid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, further comprising: an optical dispersion element in optical communication with at least one tissue penetrating member, the optical dispersion element comprising at least one of: (i) a roughened tissue penetrating member surface; (ii) an optical coating; (iii) a diffraction grating; (iv) a waveguide; (v) a chemically-modified tissue penetrating member surface; (vi) a patterned optically opaque layer; (vii) lenses; or (viii) upconverting or downconverting phosphors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, further comprising: a light intensity modulator for controlling an intensity of at least the portion of the light transmitted through the tissue penetrating member as a function of a depth of the distal end of the tissue penetrating member from a surface of the tissue. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The light delivery device of claim 17, wherein the light intensity modulator comprises a non-transparent coating extending from the proximal end of the tissue penetrating member to a tissue surface region of the tissue penetrating member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The light delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a bioactive agent releasably connected to the tissue penetrating member, wherein the bioactive agent is activated by light transmitted by the tissue penetrating member. ### Claim 20 A method of delivering light to a tissue of a patient, the method comprising: contacting one or more tissue penetrating members of a light delivery device with the tissue of the patient; inserting the one or more tissue penetrating members into the tissue of the patient; and delivering the light through the one or more tissue penetrating members to the tissue of the patient while the one or more tissue penetrating members are inserted into the tissue of the patient, wherein the one or more tissue penetrating members have an effective Young's modulus selected to withstand stresses during insertion through a tissue surface without substantial deformation in a direction that decreases penetration depth in the tissue. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein: the light delivery device comprises an array of tissue penetrating members and an optical source; said inserting the one or more tissue penetrating members into the tissue of the patient comprises: inserting the array of tissue penetrating members into the tissue of the patient; and said delivering the light through the one or more tissue penetrating members to the tissue of the patient comprises: operating the optical source of the light delivery device to deliver the light through the array of tissue penetrating members.