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US5939485A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Responsive polymer networks and methods of their use

Assignee: Medlogic Global Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-01-03
•
Granted: 1999-08-17
•
Expires: 2016-01-03
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Abstract

Abstract A responsive polymer network exhibiting the property of reversible gelation in response to a change in an environmental stimulus is provided. The aqueous solution of the network polymer, comprises about 0.01 to 20 wt % by weight of a responsive component and about 0.01 to 20 wt % by weight of a structural component capable of supporting and interacting with the responsive component. The aqueous composition exhibits at least a five-fold increase in viscosity upon gelation. The gelation may be triggered by a change in an environmental stimulus, such as temperature, pH and ionic strength.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lev Bromberg
  • 👤 Elmer Cornelius (E.C.) Lupton
  • 👤 Matthew E. Schiller
  • 👤 Mary Jo (M.J.) Timm
  • 👤 George McKinney

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 14:20
CPC Classifications
A; A43; A43B; A43B7/00; A43B7/14; A43B7/1405; A43B7/1415; A43B7/142; A41; A41C; A41C3/00; A41C3/10; A42; A42B; A42B3/00; A42B3/04; A42B3/10; A42B3/12; A42B3/121; A43B1/00; A43B1/0027; A43B1/0036; A43B1/0054; A43B13/00; A43B13/14; A43B13/18; A43B13/189; A43B7/144; A43B7/18; A43B7/28; A61; A61K; A61K47/00; A61K47/30; A61K47/34; A61K8/00; A61K8/02; A61K8/04; A61K8/042; A61K8/18; A61K8/72; A61K8/91; A61Q; A61Q19/00; A63; A63B; A63B71/00; A63B71/08; A63B71/14; A63B71/141; A63B71/143; B; B29; B29D; B29D35/00; B29D35/12; B29D35/126; A61K2800/00; A61K2800/40; A61K2800/54; A61Q7/00; A63B71/081

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim 89 words
An responsive polymer network, comprising: a responsive component capable of aggregation in response to a change in an environmental stimulus; a structural component which supports and interacts with the responsive component; and an aqueous-based solvent wherein said responsive polymer network comprises less than about 4 weight percent of total polymer solids and further wherein the viscosity of the responsive polymer network increases by at least about 30 times or more upon exposure to the environmental stimulus and still further wherein the responsive and structural components interact with one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 89 words
An responsive polymer network, comprising: a responsive component capable of aggregation in response to a change in an environmental stimulus; a structural component which supports and interacts with the responsive component; and an aqueous-based solvent wherein said responsive polymer network comprises less than about 4 weight percent of total polymer solids and further wherein the viscosity of the responsive polymer network increases by at least about 30 times or more upon exposure to the environmental stimulus and still further wherein the responsive and structural components interact with one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein said responsive component is an oligomer or polymer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein said structural component is an oligomer or polymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the aqueous-based solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, salt solutions and water with water-miscible organic compound(s).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component comprises at least a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component comprises at least a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 1 to 10 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 99 to 90 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 11 to 20 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 89 to 80 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 21 to 30 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 79 to 70 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 31 to 40 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 69 to 60 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 41 to 50 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 59 to 50 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 51 to 60 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 49 to 40 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 61 to 70 wt % based on the weight of the total polvmer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 39 to 30 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 71 to 80 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 29 to 20 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 81 to 90 wt % based on the weight of the total polvmer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 19 to 10 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is present in a range of about 91 to 99 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids and the structural component is present in a range of 9 to 1 wt % based on the weight of the total polymer solids.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 13 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the structural component is branched.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 74 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the structural component is prepared from a monomer selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, acrylic acid, substituted acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, substituted methacrylic acids, vinylcarboxylic acids, vinylsulfonic acids, substituted vinylsulfonic acids, vinylpyrolidone, vinylacetic acid, substituted vinylacetic acid, amines, acrylamides, substituted acrylamides, acrylate esters, substituted acrylate esters, methacrylate esters, substituted methacrylate esters, AMPS, MAPTEC, vinyl pyridine, urethanes, amino acids, thiopenes, nucleotides and ionized forms thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 18 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the structural component comprises polyacrylic acid or neutralized polyacrylic acid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 14 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the structural component comprises a copolymer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 20 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the structure component comprises a copolymer of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 26 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the branching structural component has a degree of branching greater than a=1.0, as determined by a Mark-Houwink plot.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 15 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component comprises a polyoxyalkylene polymer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 37 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 23, wherein the polyoxyalkylene polymer comprises a block copolymer of different oxyalkylene groups, such that at least one polymer block possesses hydrophilic characteristics and at least one block possesses hydrophobic characteristics.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 17 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 23, wherein the block copolymer comprise polyoxyethylene (POE) and polyoxypropylene (POP).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 47 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 23, wherein the polyoxyalkylene polymer comprises a triblock polymer of polyoxyethylene (POE) and polyoxypropylene (POP) having the formula (POP) a (POE) b (POP) c , where a is in the range of 10-50 and b is in the range of 50-70.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 16 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component comprises a nonionic surfactant polymer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 28 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component comprises a poly(alkyl-co-oxyalkylene) having the formula R--(OCH 2 CH) n --OH, where R is an alkyl group.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 24 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the responsive component is selected from the group consisting of cellulosic, cellulose ethers and guar gums.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 29 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the composition exhibits at least about a 10-fold increase in viscosity upon gelation over a temperature of less than 10° C.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 29 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the composition exhibits at least about a 30-fold increase in viscosity upon gelation over a temperature of less than 10° C..
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 33 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, wherein the environmental stimulus for reversible gelation is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, ionic strength, light irradiation, electric field strength and solvent composition.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 24 words
The responsive polymer network of claim 1, characterized in that the gel remains translucent to light before and after response to the environmental stimulus.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-08-16 2003-02-15 2003-08-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-08-16 2007-02-15 2007-08-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-08-16 2011-02-15 2011-08-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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