Coating method
Inventors
Kendall, Mark Anthony Fernance • Fernando, Germain • Chen, Xianfeng • Prow, Tarl
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10022322-B2
Publication Date
2018-07-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of coating a material onto projections provided on a patch. The method includes applying a coating solution containing the material to at least the projections and drying the coating solution to at least the projections using a gas flow.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a microprojection array comprising microprojections coated with a material by using a gas flow to distribute a coating solution containing the material over the microprojections, and using a gas flow to dry the coating solution. The coating solution has at least one of a viscosity of between 10-23 Pa·S and 1 Pa·S and a surface tension of between 0.023 N/m and 0.073 N/m, enabling gas-flow-based coating and drying of the microprojections on a patch.
The coating solution includes die material and at least one of a viscosity enhancer, a surfactant or an adjuvant. The composition can include a viscosity enhancer in an amount of 0% to 90% and/or a surfactant in an amount of 0% to 90%, and the viscosity enhancer is selected from methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), gelatin, agar, agarose, or any combination thereof.
In additional embodiments, the coated microprojections are provided on a patch having a surface area of approximately 0.16 cm2, and the microprojections can have a radius of curvature of greater than 1 μm. The microprojections can include a support section and a targeting section, with the material being coated onto the microprojections by using a gas flow to distribute the coating solution over the microprojections and using a gas flow to dry the coating solution.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides six independent claims. Across these independent claims, the shared coverage centers on gas-flow distribution of a coating solution onto microprojections followed by gas-flow drying, with additional constraints concerning coating-solution physical properties, optional additives, patch/projection geometry, and microprojection section structure.
Gas-flow distribution and gas-flow drying coating microprojections
A microprojection array in which the material is coated onto the microprojections by using a gas flow to distribute a coating solution containing the material over the microprojections and using a gas flow to dry the coating solution.
Coating solution viscosity and surface tension ranges
The coating solution has at least one of a viscosity of between 10-23 Pa·S and 1 Pa·S and a surface tension of between 0.023 N/m and 0.073 N/m.
Coating solution including die material with viscosity enhancer/surfactant/adjuvant
The coating solution includes die material and at least one of a viscosity enhancer, a surfactant or an adjuvant.
Viscosity enhancer and surfactant composition limits for die material
At least one of the viscosity enhancer is 0% to 90% of the coating solution and the surfactant is 0% to 90% of the coating solution.
Specified viscosity enhancer set for coating solution
The coating solution includes the material and at least one of a viscosity enhancer, a surfactant or an adjuvant, and the viscosity enhancer is methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), gelatin, agar, agarose or any combination thereof.
Microprojections provided on a patch of approximately 0.16 cm2
The microprojections are provided on a patch having a surface area of approximately 0.16 cm2.
Microprojection radius of curvature greater than 1 μm
The microprojections have a radius of curvature of greater than 1 μm.
Microprojections including support section and targeting section
The microprojections include a support section and a targeting section.
The independent claims collectively define a gas-flow coating and drying approach for coating microprojections with a material, with further inventive coverage determined by coating-solution properties (viscosity/surface tension), optional additive classes (viscosity enhancer/surfactant/adjuvant with quantitative limits or specified viscosity enhancer species), and microprojection/patch structural features (patch surface area, radius of curvature, and support/targeting sections).
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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