Microarray applicator
Inventors
Wirtanen, David J. • Puckett, Kevin L • Schug, James L. • White, David J.
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Assignees
Member
Kindeva Drug DeliveryKindeva Drug Delivery is a contract development and manufacturing organization specializing in advanced drug delivery systems including pulmonary, nasal, injectable, transdermal, and intradermal therapies. Services range from formulation and analytical development to commercial-scale, Annex 1-compliant GMP manufacturing across global facilities. The company brings integrated expertise in regulatory strategy, device engineering, process and technology transfer, and quality assurance, with a focus on sustainable solutions such as low-GWP propellants and microneedle patch platforms. Kindeva supports complex, patient-centric, and environmentally optimized therapies from product conception through commercialization.
Kindeva Drug Delivery is a contract development and manufacturing organization specializing in advanced drug delivery systems including pulmonary, nasal, injectable, transdermal, and intradermal therapies. Services range from formulation and analytical development to commercial-scale, Annex 1-compliant GMP manufacturing across global facilities. The company brings integrated expertise in regulatory strategy, device engineering, process and technology transfer, and quality assurance, with a focus on sustainable solutions such as low-GWP propellants and microneedle patch platforms. Kindeva supports complex, patient-centric, and environmentally optimized therapies from product conception through commercialization.
Publication Number
US-12246154-B2
Publication Date
2025-03-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
Microarray applicator (10000) including a microarray carrier (8000), which is retained within a housing (2000) by virtue of microarray carrier (8100) being engaged withholder (2400). Microarray patch (8200) and flexible backing (8220) are positioned such that the central portion (8210) has microneedles (8211) protrude in the direction opposite from the bottom (7200) of plunger (7000). Plunger (7000) is in a first position, having first notch (7310) engaged with ridge (2320). After activation, wherein plunger (7000) is in a second position such that second notch (7320) is engaged with ridge (2320). Here, bottom (7200) of plunger (7000) extends below first major surface (2100) of housing (2000) and has ejected microarray patch (8200).
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a microarray applicator having a housing with a cavity extending through first and second major surfaces and an interior surface defining one or more ridges. A holder located between the first and second major surfaces holds at least part of a microarray device within the housing. A slidable plunger with a top, bottom, and one or more sides is positioned within the cavity to alternately engage the ridges at a first position and a second position.
The alternation of ridge engagement is controlled by two sets of one or more notches in the plunger: a first set of notches located proximate to the bottom of the plunger and a second set of notches located proximate to the top of the plunger. Each notch set has a notch profile that is substantially rotationally symmetric about an axis substantially normal to the one or more sides adjacent to the notch, and releasing each set requires substantially the same force in either direction.
The geometry between the first set and second set governs ejection, including that the second depth is equal to or less than the first depth, the second depth is equal to or greater than the ridge width, and the distance between the first set of notches and the second set of notches is greater than the ridge height. In the first position, the bottom of the plunger does not extend below the first major surface, while in the second position the bottom extends below the first major surface.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00019. Across these independent claims, four inventive features are identified: a housing cavity with interior ridges, a slidable plunger having first and second sets of rotationally symmetric notch profiles, constraints linking notch depths, ridge width, and notch-set spacing to ridge height, and engagement behavior producing substantially equal release forces in opposite directions; claim 19 further specifies a releasably engaged microarray device holder adapted for insertion and removal to facilitate reuse, and a transition between plunger positions without assistance from an energy storage device.
Rotationally symmetric dual-notch plunger for alternating ridge engagement
A plunger having a first set of one or more notches proximate to the bottom and a second set of one or more notches proximate to the top, wherein each notch of each set comprises a profile that is substantially rotationally symmetric about an axis substantially normal to the one or more sides adjacent to the notch, and the plunger alternately engages the ridges at a first position and a second position.
Substantially equal release forces in opposite directions
When the plunger is at the first position, releasing the first set of one or more notches from engagement with the one or more ridges requires substantially the same first force in either direction; and when the plunger is at the second position, releasing the second set of one or more notches from engagement with the one or more ridges requires substantially the same second force in either direction.
Depth and spacing relationships governing plunger engagement states
The second depth is equal to or less than the first depth, the second depth is equal to or greater than the ridge width, and a distance between the first set of one or more notches and the second set of one or more notches is greater than the ridge height.
Plunger position defines bottom extension relative to housing
In the first position the bottom of the plunger does not extend below the first major surface of the housing, and in the second position the bottom of the plunger extends below the first major surface of the housing.
Releasably engaged microarray device holder adapted for insertion and removal
A microarray device releasably engaged with a holder located between the first and second major surfaces within the housing, wherein the holder is adapted for insertion and removal of the microarray device when the plunger is in the first position, thereby facilitating reuse of the microarray applicator.
Plunger movement without stored energy device assistance
Moving the plunger from the first position to the second position occurs without assistance from an energy storage device.
The independent claims cover a microarray applicator where a slidable plunger alternates engagement with interior ridges via two notch sets having substantially rotationally symmetric profiles, with defined notch depth, ridge width, and spacing relationships and substantially equal release forces in opposite directions. The claims further define positional geometry for plunger bottom extension relative to the housing surface and add a releasably engaged microarray device holder adapted for insertion and removal to facilitate reuse, with plunger movement occurring without assistance from an energy storage device.
Stated Advantages
Facilitating reuse of the microarray applicator by enabling insertion and removal of the microarray device when the plunger is in the first position.
Substantially equal release forces in either direction when releasing a notch set from ridge engagement.
Documented Applications
Applying microneedle patch and ejecting microneedles/patch by moving the plunger from a first position to a second position.
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