Programmable constant current source transdermal drug delivery system

Claim 2

A control module for use in an iontophoresis device, comprising: a source of electrical current; connector means for coupling said control module to active and indifferent electrodes of said iontophoresis device; and generally planar insulative substrate having an outer edge and having at least two parallel circuit paths, said circuit paths each coupling said current source to said connector means, said circuit paths each extending toward said outer edge of said substrate at locations spaced from one another, whereby a portion of said substrate adjacent said outer edge of said substrate may be trimmed to remove a portion of one of said circuit paths, and thereby interrupt said circuit path without interrupting others of said circuit paths.

Claim 3

A control module according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit trimmable by use of a scissors.

Claim 4

A control module according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate is further provided with visual indicator means for indicating appropriate paths for trimming said control module to interrupt circuit paths.

Claim 5

A control module according to claim 3 wherein said visual indicators further indicate the resultant current level achieved by trimming through said substrate.

Claim 6

An iontophoresis device comprising: a generally disk shaped control module having an upper surface and a lower surface, a center and a generally circular outer edge, said control module further including an electrical current source and first and second conductor surfaces coupled to said current source and located on said lower surface of said control module; a disposable, generally disk shaped electrode module having an upper surface and a lower surface, a center and a generally circular outer edge having a diameter approximately equal to the outer edge of said control module, said electrode module further including first and second electrodes mounted to the lower surface of said module, and third and fourth connector surfaces, each coupled to one of said first and second electrodes and located on the upper surface of said electrode module; wherein one of said first and third connector surfaces takes the form of a generally circular connector area centered with respect to one of said control module or said electrode module and having a first diameter, and wherein the other of said first and third connector surfaces is located on the other of said control module or said electrode module a distance from the center of said control module or electrode module less than the diameter of said circular connector area; and wherein at least one of said second and fourth connector surfaces takes the form of a ring shaped connector area centered with respect to one of said control module or electrode module and having an inner diameter greater than said outer diameter of said circular connector area, and wherein the other of said second and fourth connector surfaces is spaced from the center of said electrode module or said control module a distance greater than said inner diameter of said ring shaped connector surface.

Claim 7

An iontophoresis device comprising: a generally disk shaped control module having an upper surface and a lower surface, a center and a generally circular outer edge, said control module further including an electrical current source and first and second conductor surfaces coupled to said current source and located on said lower surface of said control module; a disposable, generally disk shaped electrode module having an upper surface and a lower surface, a center and a generally circular outer edge having a diameter approximately equal to the outer edge of said control module, said electrode module further including first and second electrodes mounted to the lower surface of said module, and third and fourth connector surfaces, each coupled to one of said first and second electrodes and located on the upper surface of said electrode module; wherein one of said first and third connector surfaces takes the form of a generally circular connector area centered with respect to one of said control module or said electrode module and having a first diameter, and wherein the other of said first and third connector surfaces is located on the other of said control module or said electrode module a distance from the center of said control module or electrode module less than the diameter of said circular connector area; and wherein at least one of said second and fourth connector surfaces takes the form of a ring shaped connector area centered with respect to one of said control module or electrode module and having an inner diameter greater than said outer diameter of said circular connector area, and wherein the other of said second and fourth connector surfaces is spaced from the center of said electrode module or said control module a distance greater than said inner diameter of said ring shaped connector surface.

Claim 8

An iontophoresis device according to claim 7 wherein said control module and said electrode module are both sufficiently pliant to conform to the contours of a human body.

Claim 9

An iontophoresis device according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein said control module comprises a flexible circuit board having at least two parallel current conducting circuit paths extending from said current source to said first and second connectors, and wherein each of said circuit paths passes near to said outer edge of said control module, spaced from the others of said circuit paths, whereby a portion of said control module adjacent the periphery of said control module may be trimmed away, interrupting any of said circuit paths without interrupting any others of said circuit paths, allowing for regulation of current to said first and second electrodes by trimming of said control module.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 8 wherein said iontophoresis device comprises a control module including said at least two circuit paths and further comprises an electrode module, wherein said method further comprises the step of coupling said electrode module to said control module after said trimming step and prior to said applying step.