Liquid activated devices and systems
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsNikolaos Chronis, Petros Papagerakis, Silvana Papagerakis, Amrita Ray Chaudhury
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to systems, devices, kits, and methods employing liquid activated devices and systems. In certain embodiments, the liquid activated devices comprise a base substrate and a chamber sealing system (CSS) and/or a sealed reservoir system (SRS). In some embodiments, the CSS is sealed inside the reservoir of the SRS by a liquid degradable membrane. In particular embodiments, a liquid (e.g., saliva) un-seals the reservoir exposing the CSS, which seals the micro-chamber therein upon exposure to the liquid (e.g., trapping some of the liquid in the micro-chamber for analysis).
Claims18
An oral device comprising:
- a) a base substrate comprising an intra-oral device selected from a group consisting of:
- a mouthpiece, a retainer, an oral appliance, and an oral orthotic, and
- b) a micro-reservoir unit (MRU) attached to, or integral with, said base substrate, wherein said MRU comprises a chamber sealing system that is inside a sealed reservoir system,
- i) wherein said chamber sealing system comprises:
- A) a chamber,
- B) a chamber-sealing component, and
- C) at least one support component attached to said chamber-sealing component, wherein said at least one support component:
- i) holds said chamber-sealing component at least partially away from said chamber such that said chamber is not sealed, or ii) holds said chamber-sealing component against said chamber such that said chamber is sealed,
- wherein said at least one support component comprises thermally expanding material and electrically conductive material, and
- wherein said at least one support component is configured to change shape when activated by electrical current causing:
- i) said chamber-sealing component to seal said chamber if initially not sealed, or ii) said chamber-sealing component to un-seal said chamber if initially sealed;
- and
- ii) wherein said sealed reservoir system comprises:
- A) a reservoir,
- B) at least one reservoir component inside said reservoir, wherein said reservoir component is selected from the group consisting of:
- a sample detection component, a sample collection component, and a therapeutic agent component, and
- C) a liquid degradable membrane stretching across said reservoir such that said at least one reservoir component is sealed inside said reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.