Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
A medical device for delivering a therapeutic agent through an area of skin at a predetermined rate for an extended period of time comprising in combination: (a) a fluid impermeable, skin contacting member configured to enclose a predetermined area of skin within its periphery and to form a fluid receiving volume between said member and said area of skin, said predetermined area of skin being selected to be capable of absorbing said agent at a rate greater than said predetermined rate, (b) fluid imbibing pump means for delivering therapeutic agent onto said predetermined area of skin upon exposure to an actuating fluid external to said pump means, said pump means establishing said predetermined rate and comprising a housing: (i) formed at least in part from actuating fluid permeable material, (ii) containing said therapeutic agent, and (iii) provided with outlet means for discharging said therapeutic agent and; (c) means for maintaining said device on the skin for said extended period of time with said predetermined area of skin confined within said member; whereby the rate at which said therapeutic agent is delivered to the predetermined area of skin will be lower than the rate at which said predetermined area of skin is capable of absorbing said agent throughout said extended period of time and the rate of delivery of said agent through the skin is maintained at said predetermined rate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
A medical device for delivering a therapeutic agent through an area of skin at a predetermined rate for an extended period of time comprising in combination: (a) a fluid impermeable, skin contacting member configured to enclose a predetermined area of skin within its periphery and to form a fluid receiving volume between said member and said area of skin, said predetermined area of skin being selected to be capable of absorbing said agent at a rate greater than said predetermined rate, (b) fluid imbibing pump means for delivering therapeutic agent onto said predetermined area of skin upon exposure to an actuating fluid external to said pump means, said pump means establishing said predetermined rate and comprising a housing: (i) formed at least in part from actuating fluid permeable material, (ii) containing said therapeutic agent, and (iii) provided with outlet means for discharging said therapeutic agent and; (c) means for maintaining said device on the skin for said extended period of time with said predetermined area of skin confined within said member; whereby the rate at which said therapeutic agent is delivered to the predetermined area of skin will be lower than the rate at which said predetermined area of skin is capable of absorbing said agent throughout said extended period of time and the rate of delivery of said agent through the skin is maintained at said predetermined rate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said fluid permeable portion of said fluid imbibing pump consists of a semipermeable membrane separating said actuating fluid from an osmotic solute therefor, said osmotic solute being present in amounts sufficient to maintain a substantially constant osmotic pressure gradient across said semipermeable membrane throughout a substantial portion of said extended period of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the source of actuating fluid is the skin upon which said device is applied.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said source of actuating fluid is a chamber within said device adapted to receive a predetermined volume of actuating fluid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 3 further comprising an open pore foam disposed within said fluid receiving volume in the path of fluid flow from said outlet means to said predetermined area of skin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 4 further comprising an open pore foam disposed within said fluid receiving volume in the path of fluid flow from said outlet means to said predetermined area of skin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said open pore foam is impregnated with a material selected from the group consisting of said therapeutic agent, skin permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said open pore foam is impregnated with a material selected from the group consisting of said therapeutic agent, skin permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface fo the periphery of said member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said means for maintaining said device on said skin is a biocompatible adhesive disposed on the skin proximal surface of the periphery of said member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said means for maintaining said device on the skin is an adhesive overlay.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 15 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 16 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 23 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 24 wherein said outlet means comprises a plurality of fluid passageways.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said fluid imbibing pump means delivers said therapeutic agent onto said predetermined area of skin at a rate which is substantially constant throughout said extended period of time.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said therapeutic agent is contained within said fluid imbibing pump means in admixture with a material selected from the group consisting of permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents, stabilizing agents and mixtures thereof.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said therapeutic agent is contained within said fluid imbibing pump means in admixture with a material selected from the group consisting of permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents, stabilizing agents and mixtures thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said therapeutic agent is contained within said fluid imbibing pump means in admixture with a material selected from the group consisting of permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents, stabilizing agents and mixtures thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said therapeutic agent is contained within said fluid imbibing pump means in admixture with a material selected from the group consisting of permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents, stabilizing agents and mixtures thereof.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
38 words
The skin patch of claim 7 wherein said therapeutic agent is contained within said fluid imbibing pump means in admixture with a material selected from the group consisting of permeation enhancers, cytoprotective agents, stabilizing agents and mixtures thereof.