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US 5,310,403 AGranted
Iontophoretic drug delivery device and circuit therefor
AssigneeBecton, Dickinson and Company
InventorJohn L. Haynes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An iontophoresis system includes an iontophoretic drug delivery device for placement against the skin of a patient and having at least one segmented electrode, and a circuit for controlling and equalizing current passing through each of a plurality of electrode segments. The current controlling circuit includes a plurality of constant current sources, each of which is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the electrode segments. The constant current sources are selected such that substantially the same amount of current flows through each electrode segment independent of the impedance of the skin of the of the patient.
Claims7
An iontophoresis system, which comprises:
- an iontophoretic drug delivery device for placement against the skin of a patient, the drug delivery device including:
- a first electrode;
- means for holding an electrolyte situated in relation to the first electrode such that an electrolyte held by the electrolyte holding means is in electrical communication with the first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- and
- means for holding an ionic medication situated in relation to the second electrode such that an ionic medication held by the medication holding means is in electrical communication with the second electrode;
- at least one of the first and second electrodes being formed of a plurality of electrode segments;
- and
- means for controlling current passing through each of the electrode segments, the current controlling means including a plurality of constant current sources, each of the constant current sources of the plurality of sources being electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the electrode segments, the constant current sources being selected such that predetermined amounts of current flow through the electrode segments, wherein each constant current source is formed as a current mirror circuit, each current mirror circuit including a transistor electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode segment, and at least one reference diode, the transistor of each current mirror circuit being electrically coupled to the at least one reference diode, wherein current through the reference diode effectively controls the current flowing through each transistor.
6 more elements
An iontophoresis system, which comprises:
- an iontophoretic drug delivery device for placement against the skin of a patient, the drug delivery device including:
- a first electrode;
- means for holding an electrolyte situated in relation to the first electrode such that an electrolyte held by the electrolyte holding means is in electrical communication with the first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- and
- means for holding an ionic medication situated in relation to the second electrode such that an ionic medication held by the medication holding means is in electrical communication with the second electrode;
- each of the first and second electrodes being formed of a plurality of electrode segments;
- and
- means for controlling current passing through each of the electrode segments, the current controlling means including a plurality of constant current sources, each of the constant current sources of the plurality of sources being electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode segment of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode, the constant current sources being selected such that predetermined amounts of current flow through the electrode segments, wherein each constant current source is formed as a current mirror circuit, each current mirror circuit including a transistor electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode segment, and at least one reference diode, the transistor of each current mirror circuit being electrically coupled to the at least one reference diode, wherein current through the reference diode effectively controls the current flowing through each transistor.
6 more elements
An iontophoresis system, which comprises:
- an iontophoretic drug delivery device for placement against the skin of a patient, the drug delivery device including:
- a first electrode;
- means for holding an electrolyte situated in relation to the first electrode such that an electrolyte held by the electrolyte holding means is in electrical communication with the first electrode;
- a second electrode;
- and
- means for holding an ionic medication situated in relation to the second electrode such that an ionic medication held by the medication holding means is in electrical communication with the second electrode;
- at least one of the first and second electrodes being formed of a plurality of electrode segments;
- and
- means for controlling current passing through each of the electrode segments, the current controlling means including at least one constant current source and means for time multiplexing the flow of current through each of the electrode segments so that predetermined amounts of current flow through the electrode segments, during multiplexed time periods the current multiplexing means being in electrical communication with the constant current source and the electrode segments.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.