Drug delivery device for preventing contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining

Claim 2

A drug delivery device for use in body cavities containing fluid, said device comprising: means for containing a drug; a drug located within said containing means; means in operative relationship with said drug containing means for enabling entry of said fluid into said containing means and into dissolving contact with said drug and for enabling exit of said fluid and said dissolved drug from said containing means; said enabling means being located in the device to substantially prevent physical contact of said drug in undissolved form with the body cavity walls.

Claim 3

A drug delivery device as in claim 1 further including flotation means in operative relationship with said drug containing means for enabling said device to float in said fluid.

Claim 4

A drug delivery device as in claim 2 wherein said flotation means comprises a hollow, enclosed member and a substance located within said member having a specific gravity of a predetermined value to enable said device to float in the fluids located within a body cavity, such as the stomach.

Claim 5

A drug delivery device as in claim 3 wherein said drug containing means comprises a shell defining said enabling means, said enabling means including a first plurality of apertures providing communication between the interior and the exterior of the shell.

Claim 6

A drug delivery device as in claim 4 wherein an aperture-free portion of said shell extends along a peripheral wall of said containing means whereby any contact by said device with the stomach or other body cavity lining is made by said aperture-free wall.

Claim 7

A drug delivery device as in claim 5 wherein said shell defines a top wall and a bottom wall, said peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls, and wherein said apertures are positioned along the lower wall of said shell.

Claim 8

A drug delivery device as in claim 6 wherein said hollow, enclosed member is affixed above said shell.

Claim 9

A drug delivery device as in claim 6 wherein said apertures are also positioned along the top wall of said shell.

Claim 10

A drug delivery device as in claim 6 wherein said top wall of said shell is concave in exterior appearance and wherein said bottom wall is convex in exterior appearance.

Claim 11

A drug delivery device as in claim 6 wherein said top wall is convex in exterior appearance and wherein said bottom wall is concave in exterior appearance.

Claim 12

A drug delivery device as in claim 6 wherein said shell is substantially cylindrical in shape.

Claim 13

A drug delivery device as in claim 6 further including a second plurality of apertures located at the uppermost portion of said peripheral wall.

Claim 14

A drug delivery device as in claim 12 wherein each of said second plurality of apertures is larger than each of said first plurality of apertures.

Claim 15

A drug delivery device as in claim 13 wherein said top wall is completely covered by said flotation means.

Claim 16

A drug delivery device as in claim 14 wherein said bottom wall is thinner than said side wall.

Claim 17

A drug delivery device as in claim 15 further including a spacer wall extending inwardly from said peripheral wall and positioned below said second plurality of apertures, said spacer wall defining at least one aperture therein, and said drug located between said spacer wall, said lower wall and said peripheral wall.

Claim 18

A drug delivery device as in claim 12 wherein said peripheral wall is substantially s-shaped.

Claim 19

A drug delivery device as in claim 17 wherein each of said second plurality of apertures is larger than each of said first plurality of apertures.

Claim 20

A drug delivery device as in claim 18 wherein said top wall is completely covered by said floatation means.

Claim 21

A drug delivery device as in claim 19 wherein said bottom wall is thinner than said side wall.

Claim 22

A drug delivery device as in claim 5 wherein the drug located within the shell includes a substance which effervesces in the presence of fluids located within the stomach.

Claim 23

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach including means for preventing contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device further including: said drug forming an article of predetermined shape, and defining an interior cavity; a substance located within said cavity having a specific gravity of a predetermined value to enable said device to float in the fluid located within the stomach; and wherein said contact preventing means includes a shielding material covering a predetermined portion of said drug for preventing contact of said undissolved drug with the stomach lining.

Claim 24

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach including means for preventing contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device further including: said drug forming an article of predetermined shape, and defining an interior cavity; a substance located within said cavity having a specific gravity of a predetermined value to enable said device to float in the fluid located within the stomach; and wherein said contact preventing means includes a shielding material covering a predetermined portion of said drug for preventing contact of said undissolved drug with the stomach lining.

Claim 25

A drug delivery device as in claim 22 wherein said composition is held together by a binder substance.

Claim 26

A drug delivery device as in claim 22 wherein said composition is in the shape of a cylinder having a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface extending between said top and bottom surfaces; said shielding material affixed to and covering said side surface.

Claim 27

A drug delivery device as in claim 24 wherein said shielding material further is affixed to and covers a predetermined portion of each of said top and bottom surfaces.

Claim 28

A drug delivery device as in claim 25 wherein said shielding material comprises beeswax.

Claim 29

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach without permitting contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device comprising: flotation means for enabling said device to float in fluids located within the stomach, said flotation means including a hollow, enclosed, walled member comprised of a material that will dissolve in gastric fluid within a first predetermined time period; drug delivering means affixed to said flotation means, said delivering means including a hollow, enclosed, walled member comprised of a material that will dissolve in gastric fluid within a second predetermined time period; that is shorter than first time period and a drug located within said delivering means to be released into the the stomach when said delivering means dissolves in the gastric fluid.

Claim 30

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach without permitting contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device comprising: flotation means for enabling said device to float in fluids located within the stomach, said flotation means including a hollow, enclosed, walled member comprised of a material that will dissolve in gastric fluid within a first predetermined time period; drug delivering means affixed to said flotation means, said delivering means including a hollow, enclosed, walled member comprised of a material that will dissolve in gastric fluid within a second predetermined time period; that is shorter than first time period and a drug located within said delivering means to be released into the the stomach when said delivering means dissolves in the gastric fluid.

Claim 31

A device as in claim 27 wherein said drug is a liquid suspension of medication.

Claim 32

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach without permitting contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device comprising: flotation means for floating in the fluids located within the stomach; drug delivering means affixed to said flotation means for delivering a drug into the fluids of the stomach; and weighted means affixed to said drug delivering means for enabling said device to sink in the fluids of the stomach and for acting in concert with said flotation means to enable said device to ultimately come to rest on the floor of the stomach in a predetermined orientation after having been ingested.

Claim 33

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach without permitting contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device comprising: flotation means for floating in the fluids located within the stomach; drug delivering means affixed to said flotation means for delivering a drug into the fluids of the stomach; and weighted means affixed to said drug delivering means for enabling said device to sink in the fluids of the stomach and for acting in concert with said flotation means to enable said device to ultimately come to rest on the floor of the stomach in a predetermined orientation after having been ingested.

Claim 34

A drug delivery device as in claim 29 wherein said flotation means comprises a hollow, enclosed member and a substance located within said member having a specific gravity of a predetermined value to enable said device to float in gastric fluids.

Claim 35

A drug delivery device as in claim 30 wherein said drug delivering means comprises a substantially cylindrical shell defining a plurality of apertures providing communication between the interior and the exterior of the shell, and a drug located within the shell.

Claim 36

A drug delivery device as in claim 31 wherein said shell defines a top wall, a bottom wall, and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls and wherein said aperatures are positioned along said peripheral wall.

Claim 37

A drug delivery device as in claim 32 wherein said top wall is affixed to said flotation means and wherein said bottom wall is affixed to said weighted means.

Claim 38

A drug delivery device as in claim 33 wherein said peripheral wall is concave in exterior appearance.

Claim 39

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach without permitting contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device comprising: a shell substantially in the shape of a toroid and defining a central, bridge portion; said bridge portion further defining a plurality of apertures providing communication between the interior and the exterior of said shell, and a drug located within the bridge portion of said shell.

Claim 40

An ingestible drug delivery device for enabling the administration of a drug within the stomach without permitting contact of undissolved drug with the stomach lining, said device comprising: a shell substantially in the shape of a toroid and defining a central, bridge portion; said bridge portion further defining a plurality of apertures providing communication between the interior and the exterior of said shell, and a drug located within the bridge portion of said shell.

Claim 41

A drug delivery device as in claim 35 wherein said bridge portion defines a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls and wherein said apertures are positioned along said top and bottom walls.