Fluid responsive devices and methods

{
  "publication_number": "US12053616B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Fluid responsive devices and methods",
  "abstract": "Aspects provide fluid responsive actuators and methods of using fluid responsive actuators capable of generating a power-to-volume ratio sufficient to inject a drug from a syringe within an injection period from about 1 to about 60 seconds after exposure of the fluid responsive elements to a fluid. The fluid responsive actuators can be used to inject viscous drugs to a patient.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A fluid responsive actuator comprising a plurality of fluid responsive elements, the plurality of fluid responsive elements having a tensile modulus larger than about 100 megapascals (MPa), wherein the plurality of fluid responsive elements are capable of generating a power-to-volume ratio sufficient to inject a drug from a syringe within an injection period from about 1 to about 60 seconds after exposure of the plurality of fluid responsive elements to a fluid, and wherein the power-to-volume ratio is at least about 10 kW m −3.",
    "2. The fluid responsive actuator of claim 1, wherein the injection period is about 10 seconds.",
    "3. The fluid responsive actuator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid responsive elements are selected from a group consisting of one or more of spores, cellophane, paper, cellulose, and regenerated cellulose.",
    "4. The fluid responsive actuator of claim 3, wherein the plurality of fluid responsive elements further comprise a confining material to reduce lateral movement of the plurality of fluid responsive elements.",
    "5. The fluid responsive actuator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid responsive elements are spores selected from the group consisting of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus.",
    "6. A fluid responsive injector comprising a fluid chamber, a fluid responsive actuator, and a release mechanism for controlling contact between a fluid in the fluid chamber and the fluid response actuator, a drug chamber having a discharge orifice, and a movable fluid-tight barrier positioned between the fluid responsive actuator and the drug chamber, wherein after the release mechanism permits contact between the fluid from the fluid chamber and the fluid responsive actuator, the fluid responsive actuator expands and exerts sufficient force on the movable fluid-tight barrier to push a drug in the drug chamber through a needle that has been affixed to the discharge orifice within an injection period from about 1 to about 60 seconds after exposure of the fluid responsive actuator to flail the fluid, wherein the fluid responsive actuator comprises a plurality of fluid responsive elements that collectively have a cross section perpendicular to a length of the fluid responsive actuator in a direction of movement of the plurality of fluid responsive elements, and wherein the cross section has an area that is either (a) between about 9 mm 2 to about 200 mm 2 for a drug with a viscosity of less than 20 cP or (b) between about 100 mm 2 to about 1000 mm 2 for a drug with a viscosity of greater than or equal to 20 cP.",
    "7. The fluid responsive injector of claim 6, wherein the cross section has an area that is between about 9 mm 2 to about 200 mm 2 and the drug has a viscosity of less than 20 cP.",
    "8. The fluid responsive injector of claim 6, wherein the cross section has an area that is between about 100 mm 2 to about 1000 mm 2 and the drug has a viscosity of greater than or equal to 20 cP.",
    "9. The fluid responsive injector of claim 6, wherein the plurality of fluid responsive elements are arranged in a plurality of layers, and the plurality of layers are stacked to form a layered architecture.",
    "10. The fluid responsive injector of claim 9, wherein the plurality of layers are attached to each other with an adhesive."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Soft actuators promise enhanced effectiveness of technologies that improve quality of human life including robotics, artificial muscles, energy harvesting, adaptive architecture, and adaptive textiles. The potency of these systems is presently limited by the performance and the practicality of their requisite actuators.\n\nFluid responsive materials are emerging as versatile alternatives to existing technologies that typically require invasive external stimuli such as high electric fields, or high temperatures and pressures. The term “fluid responsive materials” includes materials that can be activated by perturbations to the ambient humidity or with direct contact or perfusion of fluids such as water or alcohol. Such materials may be produced by natural or intentional fluctuations in environmental stimuli. In one aspect, various types of materials (e.g., graphene oxide, polymers, liquid crystals, paper and biologically-based materials) can serve as hygroscopic actuators, with curling and folding, walking, gripping, and power generation functions.\n\nFluid responsive materials can comprise “fluid responsive elements” (e.g., individual spores) that are each activated by perturbations to the ambient humidity or with natural or intentional fluctuations in environmental stimuli. The swelling, curling, folding, walking, gripping, and power generation functions of each humidity response element can be aggregated with other humidity response elements to generate a higher power density and other properties than an individual humidity response element.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61M 5/20",
    "A61K 2035/115",
    "A61K 35/742",
    "A61K 47/38",
    "B25J 9/1095",
    "F15B 15/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61K 35/00",
    "A61K 35/742",
    "A61K 47/38",
    "A61M 5/20",
    "B25J 9/10",
    "F15B 15/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Columbia University in the City of New York"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ozgur Sahin"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-10-20",
  "publication_date": "2024-08-06",
  "grant_date": "2024-08-06",
  "priority_date": "2018-04-23",
  "application_number": "US-202017075388-A",
  "family_id": "68294244",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}