Systems and methods for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier and production techniques for such systems
AssigneeNanoPass Technologies Ltd.
InventorYehoshua Yeshurun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier includes a number of microneedles projecting from the front face of a substrate. A conduit is associated with each of the microneedles to provide a fluid flow path for transport of fluid through a hole in the biological barrier formed by the corresponding microneedle. Each of the microneedles is configured to provide a penetrating tip, and each conduit terminates at an opening which is proximal with respect to the microneedle tip. Also described are microneedle-based devices with integrated MEMS pumping configurations for withdrawal and/or delivery of fluids, and remote healthcare systems based on such devices.
Claims12
A method for producing a device for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a substrate having first and second parallel outward-facing surfaces;
- (b) processing said substrate so as to form a plurality of bores extending into said substrate from said first surface, each of said bores being substantially symmetrical about a central bore-axis;
- and
- (c) processing said substrate so as to remove at least part of said second surface in such a manner as to leave a plurality of conical projections projecting from a remaining thickness of said substrate, each of said conical projections being substantially symmetrical about a central cone-axis,
- wherein said bores and said conical projections are configured such that each of said bores intersects an external surface of a corresponding one of said conical projections, said bore-axis and said cone-axis being non-coincident.
A method for producing a device for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a substrate;
- (b) processing said substrate so as to form a plurality of hollow microneedles projecting from a remaining thickness of said substrate, each of said hollow microneedles being substantially symmetrical about a central needle-axis;
- and
- (c) eroding part of said hollow microneedles in a manner asymmetric with respect to said needle-axis so as to form beveled-ended hollow microneedles.
A device for the transport of fluids through a biological barrier, the device comprising:
- (a) a substrate having a front surface provided with an array of outwardly projecting microneedles for penetrating into the biological barrier, said microneedles having a maximum width dimension of no more than about 400 μm and a maximum height dimension of no more than about 2 mm, said substrate being formed with a plurality of fluid flow channels associated with said microneedles;
- (b) at least one element cooperating with said substrate to form a structure including a variable volume fluid pumping cell having a variable internal volume in fluid connection with said plurality of fluid flow channels;
- and
- (c) at least a first one-way valve mounted on a rear surface of said substrate and deployed so as to overlie an opening to at least one of said fluid flow channels for controlling fluid flow from said internal volume to said microneedles,
- such that, when the device is deployed with said microneedles penetrating into the biological barrier, a change in said internal volume of said pumping cell results in fluid transfer between said internal volume and said microneedles via said fluid flow channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.