KR100893250B1 - Active microneedle device - Google Patents

Abstract

An active microneedle device is disclosed. The active microneedle device includes an elastic membrane portion that is deformed in the thickness direction when a force is applied and is restored when the force is removed, a microneedle portion fixedly installed so that the tip portion is in the thickness direction in the elastic membrane portion, and the elastic membrane portion is deformed in the thickness direction. And a driving unit installed to apply a force to the elastic membrane and to remove a force applied to the elastic membrane to restore the deformed elastic membrane. The active microneedle device of the present invention can minimize damage to the skin since the operation of being inserted into the skin at the time of delivery of the medicinal fluid or the body fluid extraction operation can be performed actively and automatically when the operation is completed. In addition, it is possible to minimize the damage of the microneedle during such operation.

 Microneedle, Active, Thermally Expandable Fluid, Heater, Microfluidic Layer

Description

Active microneedle device {ACTIVE MICRONEEDLE DEVICE}

1 and 2 are cross-sectional views schematically showing an active microneedle device of Example 1 according to the present invention.

3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing a part of the microneedle device to explain the microneedle portion and its installation structure applied to the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the active microneedle device of Example 2 according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an active microneedle device of Example 3 according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

11 fine needle 112 body

113: bore hole 114: protruding jaw

12: elastic membrane portion 121: first layer

122: second layer 122-1: upper layer

122-2: lower layer 13: drive unit

130, 230: fluid receptors 131, 231, 331: substrate

132, 232: receiving layer 332: side wall

133, 233: fluid receiving space 134: heater

15: protective layer 236: pump

336: Shape Memory Alloy

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an active microneedle device, and more particularly, to an active microneedle device for a syringe used for drug delivery or body fluid collection to a human body.

US Patent Application Publication No. US2004 / 0176732 A1, an existing study on active microneedles. This technology discloses active microneedles for drug delivery and fluid collection, including in-plane microneedles, actuators to control fluids and biosensors formed in fluid channels.

In addition, US Patent Application Publication No. US2005 / 0171480 A1 proposes an embodiment for manufacturing a microneedle and an interface with a microfluidic chip.

However, the above-described conventional techniques do not relate to the active driving of the microneedle, but show an embodiment characterized in actively controlling the fluid in the channel. In addition, since the microneedle of the prior art should always be inserted into the skin, damage of the skin and the microneedle cannot be avoided, and there is a disadvantage that a person must directly insert the microneedle into the skin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide an active microneedle device capable of delivering a chemical solution and body fluid odor when desired.

Active microneedle device of the present invention for achieving the above object, the elastic membrane portion is deformed in the thickness direction when the force is applied and restored when the force is removed; A microneedle portion fixedly installed so that the tip portion thereof faces the thickness direction of the elastic membrane portion; And a driving part installed to apply a force to the elastic membrane part to deform the elastic membrane part in the thickness direction and to remove a force applied to the elastic membrane part to restore the deformed elastic membrane part.

Preferably, the method further includes a protective layer formed on the outer circumferential portion of the microneedle portion so that the microneedle portion is exposed in the deformed state of the elastic membrane portion and the microneedle portion is not exposed in the state in which the elastic membrane portion is restored.

The microneedle portion may include at least one individual needle including a body and a protruding jaw formed on an outer surface of the body.

 In addition, the microneedle portion may include a bore hole in which the chemical liquid and / or body fluid is communicated.

In addition, the microneedle portion may be made of a photosensitive polymer.

Preferably, the elastic membrane portion may wrap a portion of the body including the protruding jaw of the microneedle portion to firmly fix the microneedle portion.

In addition, the elastic membrane is formed with a chemical and / or fluid communication channel connected to the bore hole of the microneedle.

In addition, the elastic membrane portion may be at least one selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, polydimethylsyloxane (PDMS) and parylene.

In addition, the elastic membrane portion may be a laminated structure consisting of a multi-layer.

In addition, the elastic membrane portion is laminated on the surface where the groove groove for the communication channel of the chemical and / or body fluid is formed on the surface portion and the groove groove of the first layer is formed, so that the bore hole and the communication channel of the microneedle are connected. And a second layer surrounding and fixing the body of the microneedle while exposing the bore hole to the communication channel.

Preferably, the driving unit may include a fluid container having a fluid receiving space in contact with an opposite surface of the surface where the microneedle portion of the elastic membrane is formed, a thermally expandable fluid contained in the fluid receiving space, and a heater installed to apply heat to the thermally expandable fluid. Can be.

The thermally expandable fluid may be at least one selected from the group consisting of air, water, fluorinert, and paraffin.

In addition, the heater may be a heat generating resistor that generates heat when electricity is applied.

Alternatively, the drive unit may include a fluid container having a fluid receiving space in contact with an opposite surface of a surface on which the microneedle portion of the elastic membrane is formed, a fluid communication port connecting the fluid receiving space and the outside, a fluid accommodated in the fluid receiving space, and a fluid receiving It may include a pump installed to increase or decrease the amount of fluid contained in the space.

Alternatively, the driving unit may include a shape memory alloy installed to push up the elastic membrane unit when electricity is applied.

Also preferably, the microneedle portion may have a slope of 0 degrees to 45 degrees.

Also preferably, the second layer may be a microfluidic bed in which liquid can flow.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Elements performing the same or similar functions throughout the embodiments are given the same reference numerals.

Example 1

1 and 2 are cross-sectional views schematically showing an active microneedle device of Example 1 according to the present invention. For reference, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view cut in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction of FIG. 1. 5 and 6 to be described below are cross-sectional views likewise cut in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction of FIG. 1.

3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing a part of the microneedle device to explain the microneedle portion and its installation structure applied to the present invention.

In the active microneedle device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the microneedle portion 11 and the elastic membrane portion 12 fixed to the elastic membrane portion 12 and the elastic membrane portion 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. It includes a drive unit 13 for applying a force.

The elastic membrane portion 12 has an elastic force so that the shape is deformed in the thickness direction to which the force is applied, and then restored to its original state when the applied force is removed. The elastic membrane part 12 fixes the microneedle part 11, and the communication channel 123 of the chemical liquid and / or body fluid is formed. To this end, the elastic membrane portion 12 may have a multilayered structure. For example, the first channel 121 in which groove grooves are formed for the communication channel 123 and the second layer 122 are stacked on the first layer 121 to complete the communication channel 123. . The second layer 122 serves as a fixed layer for firmly fixing a portion of the body 112 of the microneedle portion 11, and for this purpose, the second layer 122 of the body 112 of the microneedle portion 11 will be described below. Protruding jaw 114 may be formed around the outer surface. Protruding jaw 114 may be formed over the entire outer circumference, or may be formed in a portion of the outer circumference. More preferably, the second layer 122 serving as the pinned layer may include an upper layer 122-1 and a lower layer 122-2. In this case, the upper jaw 122-1 may be formed so that the protruding jaw 114 of the microneedle portion 11 is completely embedded, that is, firmly caught.

The material applicable to the elastic membrane part 12 may be at least one selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, polydimethylsyloxane (PDMS), and parylene.

The microneedle portion 11 is formed in the body 112 having a predetermined length, the bore hole 113 formed in the longitudinal direction in the body 112 and the chemical liquid and / or body fluid communication, and the outer surface of the body 112 Protruding jaw 114 is included. The microneedle portion 11 is fixed to the elastic membrane portion 12 opposite the tip portion. The microneedle portion 11 may be formed of, for example, a photosensitive polymer.

Referring to the structure in which the microneedle portion 11 is fixed to the elastic membrane portion 12 in detail, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, a portion of the body 112 including the protruding jaw 114 is elastic While being wrapped in the membrane portion 12, the tip portion is fixed in a vertical direction so as to face the thickness direction of the elastic membrane portion 12. Preferably, the portion surrounding the microneedles 11 is the second layer 122 of the elastic membrane 12, and the second layer 122 thus exposes the bore hole 113 of the microneedles 11. To be connected to the communication channel 123 of the elastic membrane 12. The second layer 122, which is a pinned layer, may preferably have a two-layer structure in which the upper layer 122-1 and the lower layer 122-2 are stacked as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This two-layer structure makes it easy to form each layer by repeating lamination and patterning.

The microneedle portion 11 may be configured to include at least one individual needle as shown. In addition, as shown in Figure 4 by further sharpening the shape of the tip portion it can be made so that the fine needle portion 11 can be easily inserted into the skin. In this case, it is possible to have an inclination angle A of 0 degrees to 45 degrees.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the protrusion 124 is used to accurately transfer the displacement amount to the microneedle 11 when the elastic membrane part 12 is deformed, and between the first layer 121 and the second layer 122. It is formed so as not to block the communication channel 123 formed in the.

In the present embodiment, the driving unit 13 includes a fluid container 130 having a fluid receiving space 133, a thermally expandable fluid contained in the fluid receiving space 133, and a heater installed to apply heat to the thermally expandable fluid ( 134).

The fluid container preferably has a structure that allows the fluid receiving space to be in contact with the surface opposite to the surface on which the microneedle portion 11 is formed in the elastic membrane portion 12. The fluid container in this embodiment should preferably be a structure for sealing the contained fluid.

The thermally expandable fluid is expanded in volume when heat is applied, and may be, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of water, air, water, fluorinert, and paraffin.

The heater 134 heats the thermally expandable fluid, and for this purpose, the heater 134 is preferably installed on a wall such as the substrate 131 constituting the fluid receiving space 130. The heater 134 may be, for example, a resistor that generates heat when electricity is applied. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the heater 134 generates heat by application of electricity, the thermally expandable fluid expands, thereby pushing up the elastic membrane part 12.

For example, the driving unit 13 stacks the receiving layer 132 having a groove for the fluid receiving space on the substrate 131, and forms the elastic membrane part 12 having the fine needle part 11 thereon. By doing so, the fluid receiving space 133 can be completed. The manufacture of such structures can be done by lamination and patterning through photolithography.

Although the conductive line connected to the heater 134 is omitted in the drawing, it may be implemented through the conductive line passing through the substrate 131 or the receiving layer 132. This is the same also in other embodiments other than this embodiment.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the chemical and / or fluid communication channel 123 passes through the substrate 131 and the receiving layer 132 of the driving unit 13. However, since the communication channel 123 does not necessarily have to pass through the driving unit 132, the communication channel 123 may be implemented in various ways. For example, it may be formed only in the elastic membrane part 12 and connected to, for example, an external chemical liquid container (not shown).

In addition, the protective layer 15 may be preferably formed on the elastic membrane part 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the protective layer 15 exposes the fine needle part 11 in a state where the elastic membrane part 12 is deformed and the elastic membrane part 12 is restored. In the microneedle 11 is not exposed. In other words, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, when not in use, the shape is maintained in its original state and then exposed out of the protective layer 15 to inject the chemical liquid or to extract the body liquid. Therefore, when the heater 134 is heated in contact with the skin of the human body, the elastic membrane portion 12 is deformed upward by the expansion of the fluid and the microneedle portion 11 is exposed to the outside of the protective layer 15 and inserted into the skin. do. When the injection or body odor operation is completed, the electricity is cut off, and thus the elastic membrane portion 12 is restored to its original position (shape) while the heat cools. The fine needle portion 11 restored to the original position is not exposed by the protective layer 15. To this end, the protective layer 15 may be formed higher than the height of the fine needle portion 11 preferably.

In addition, the microneedle 11 may have a structure having no bore hole 113 in addition to the bore hole 113. In this case, the tip of the fine needle portion 11 may be coated with a chemical solution and injected into the body. In this case, at least the second layer 122 of the elastic membrane portion 12 may be formed as a microfluidic layer so that the body fluid leaked out of the skin perforated by the needle may be infiltrated and body odor.

Example 2

5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of Embodiment 2 of a microneedle device according to the present invention.

Embodiment 2 of the active microneedle device of the present invention is a method of bringing about displacement of the elastic membrane part 12 by varying the amount of fluid contained therein. In this case, the fluid container 230 has a fluid communication port 234 connecting the fluid receiving space 233 and the outside in addition to the structure of the first embodiment. Although the fluid communication port 234 is formed in the substrate 231 in FIG. 5, it may be formed in the receiving layer 232. The fluid communication port 234 is connected to the pump 236, such as a micro pump, for example, to increase or decrease the amount of fluid contained in the fluid receiving space 233.

The pump 236 that can be applied may be provided with two pumps each responsible for supplying and recovering the fluid, or alternatively, a reversible pump capable of supplying and recovering the fluid. Other configurations can be implemented in the same manner as in the description of the first embodiment.

Example 3

6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of Embodiment 2 of a microneedle device according to the present invention.

In Embodiment 3 of the active microneedle device of the present invention, the driving unit 33 includes a shape memory alloy 336. The shape memory alloy 336 is tensilely deformed to push up the elastic membrane portion 12 while heat is generated when electricity is applied, and is restored to its original position when electricity is cut off. In the case of the shape memory alloy 336, it can also be said that restoration of the shape where the tensile strain state which actually pushes up the elastic membrane part 12 is stored.

In this case, the substrate 331 and the side wall 332 may be included in order to install the shape memory alloy 336. In addition, if the shape memory alloy 336 is capable of pushing up the elastic membrane part 12, various structures may be provided. Of course, can be applied. Also in the case of the third embodiment, all other components other than the driving unit 33 may be applied to the first embodiment.

The active microneedle device of the present invention can automatically operate when desired to inject a chemical solution into the body or to take a body fluid. In particular, when the medicine is delivered to the body during the delivery or body fluid extraction operation is completed, the operation to restore to the original position can be made active and automatically can minimize damage to the skin. In addition, it is possible to minimize the damage of the microneedle during such operation.

Claims (17)

In the active microneedle device, An elastic membrane portion deformed when a force is applied and restored when the force is removed; A microneedle portion installed on the elastic membrane portion such that a tip portion faces the upper portion of the elastic membrane portion; And And a driving part provided below the elastic membrane part, wherein the driving part has a fluid receiving space in contact with a surface opposite to a surface on which the fine needle part is formed, and a thermally expandable fluid accommodated in the fluid receiving space and the thermal expansion. And a heater installed to apply heat to the sexual fluid, applying the force to the elastic membrane to deform the elastic membrane to insert the microneedle into the skin, and removing the force applied to the elastic membrane to restore the elastic membrane. Active fine needle device to remove the microneedles from the skin. The method according to claim 1, The active microstructure further comprises a protective layer formed on the outer peripheral portion of the microneedle portion so that the microneedle portion is exposed in the state in which the elastic membrane portion is deformed and the microneedle portion is not exposed in the state in which the elastic membrane portion is restored. Needle device. The method according to claim 1, The microneedle part, the active needle device having a separate needle including a body and a projection jaw formed on the outer surface of the body. The method according to claim 3, The microneedle portion of the active microneedle device that includes a bore hole in which the chemical or body fluids communicate. The method according to claim 4, The microneedle portion is an active microneedle device is made of a photosensitive polymer. The method according to claim 4, The elastic membrane unit active microneedle device that surrounds a portion of the body including the protruding jaw of the microneedle portion to firmly fix the microneedle portion. The method according to claim 6, Wherein the elastic membrane portion active microneedle device is formed with a chemical or bodily fluid communication channel connected to the bore hole of the microneedle. The method according to claim 7, The elastic membrane portion active microneedle device including one selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, polydimethylsyloxane (PDMS) and parylene (parylene). The method according to claim 6, Wherein the elastic membrane portion of the active fine needle device is a multi-layer laminated structure. The method according to claim 9, The elastic membrane portion and the first layer having a groove groove for the communication channel of the chemical or body fluids on the surface portion; A second layer laminated on a surface of the groove groove of the first layer and covering and fixing the body of the microneedle while exposing the bore hole to the communication channel such that the bore hole of the microneedle and the communication channel are connected; Active microneedle device that comprises. delete The method according to claim 1, The thermally expandable fluid is an active microneedle device comprising one selected from the group consisting of air, water, fluorinert and paraffin. The method according to claim 1, The heater is an active fine needle device that is a heat generating resistor that generates heat when electricity is applied. delete In the active microneedle device, An elastic membrane portion deformed when a force is applied and restored when the force is removed; A microneedle portion installed on the elastic membrane portion such that a tip portion faces the upper portion of the elastic membrane portion; And And a driving unit installed under the elastic membrane unit, wherein the driving unit includes a shape memory alloy which is installed to push up the elastic membrane unit when electricity is applied thereto. And a needle portion inserted into the skin, and removing the force applied to the elastic membrane portion to restore the elastic membrane portion to remove the microneedle portion from the skin. delete The method according to claim 10, The second layer is an active microneedle device that is a microfluidic bed capable of flowing liquid.

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