초록 ▼

A prime mover module used in a fluid delivery micropump, especially for pharmaceutical purposes, transports an electrochemically active material, such as oxygen, at a steady rate across an ion exchange cell to apply external pressure to a collapsible reservoir and expel fluid therefrom. An air-actua

A prime mover module used in a fluid delivery micropump, especially for pharmaceutical purposes, transports an electrochemically active material, such as oxygen, at a steady rate across an ion exchange cell to apply external pressure to a collapsible reservoir and expel fluid therefrom. An air-actuated battery, such as a zinc-air battery, which is located in the module in a fixed closed circuit with the cell and which shares one of its electrodes with the cell, is activated by peeling off an adhesive tape covering air inlet ports to thereby establish a voltage gradient acrosss the cell and control the rate at which fluid is expelled from the reservoir in accordance with the value of a resistor in the cell/battery circuit. The reservoir is filled or refilled by inserting a vented needle into an air bleed port while discharging a fluid-filled syringe inserted into a fluid injection port. Cylindrical and flat configurations, suitable for external use, operate on atmospheric oxygen, while an implantable configuration operates on oxygen from a self-contained reservoir.

대표청구항 ▼

A prime move module, comprising: a housing: means for introducing an electrochemically active material into said housing from a first region; an electrolytic membrane disposed in said housing and having first and second membrane surfaces; a first material-pervious electrode disposed on said first me

A prime move module, comprising: a housing: means for introducing an electrochemically active material into said housing from a first region; an electrolytic membrane disposed in said housing and having first and second membrane surfaces; a first material-pervious electrode disposed on said first membrane surface and a second material-pervious electrode disposed on said second membrane surface; and an electrical power source disposed in said housing and having a pair of electrodes, one of said power source electrodes being integral with said first material-pervious electrode and having electrical communication means disposed within said housing for providing electrical communication between the other of said power source electrodes and said second material-pervious electrode, for establishing a voltage gradient across said electrolytic membrane to ionize said electrochemically active material at said first material-pervious electrode, transport said ions through said electrolytic membrane to said second material-pervious electrode, and reconvert said ions to molecules of said electrochemically active material which are evolved at said second material-pervious electrode into a second region, said power source including power source material that undergoes a chemical reaction which converts chemical energy into electrical energy when said power source material is exposed to said electrochemically active material.