Voltage modulation of advanced electrochemical delivery system

Abstract

An electro-osmotic cell capable of substantially reducing zero-current transport is disclosed, wherein the cell includes a cell housing having a first half cell and a second half cell, with an ion selective membrane therebetween, a first electrode positioned within the first half cell, a second electrode positioned within the second half cell, an electrolyte in electrical communication with the first electrode and the second electrode, and a wiring apparatus electrically connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the wiring apparatus has one or more structures used for counteracting salt concentration increases within the electro-osmotic cell. Such a cell may be used within an electro-osmotic fluid delivery device, along with a fluid inlet, a piston member adjacent the electro osmotic cell, and a drug reservoir adjacent the piston member, wherein the drug reservoir includes a sealed compartment having an exit port. A method for using such a device is similarly disclosed.

1 . An electro-osmotic cell, comprising: 
 a cell housing having a first half cell and a second half cell, with an ion selective membrane therebetween;    a first electrode positioned within the first half cell;    a second electrode positioned within the second half cell;    an electrolyte in electrical communication with the first electrode and the second electrode; and    a wiring apparatus electrically connecting the first electrode and the second electrode;    wherein the wiring apparatus comprises means for preventing zero-current transport within the electro-osmotic cell.    
     
     
         2 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the wiring apparatus comprises a forward wiring loop and a reverse wiring loop, wherein both of the forward wiring loop and the reverse wiring loop comprise a switch associated therewith, such that, upon closing the switch associated with the forward loop, current will flow from the at least one first electrode to the at least one second electrode.  
     
     
         3 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 2 , wherein the preventing means comprises a power source associated with the reverse wiring loop such that, upon closing the switch associated with the reverse wiring loop, current will flow from the at least one second electrode to the at least one first electrode.  
     
     
         4 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 3 , wherein the reverse wiring loop additionally comprises a controlling element for controlling at least one of the magnitude and time course of the current flow across the reverse wiring loop.  
     
     
         5 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode comprises a forward and a reverse electrode.  
     
     
         6 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 5 , wherein both of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode include a forward and a reverse electrode, and the forward first electrode and the forward second electrode are electrically connected through the forward wiring loop, and wherein the reverse first electrode the reverse second electrode are electrically connected through the reverse wiring loop.  
     
     
         7 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 6 , wherein the sensing means comprises a sensing circuit between two or more of the first forward electrode, first reverse electrode, second forward electrode, and second reverse electrode.  
     
     
         8 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 7 , wherein the sensing means comprises a sensing circuit between the forward second electrode and the reverse second electrode.  
     
     
         9 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 7 , wherein the sensing means comprises a sensing circuit between the forward first electrode and the reverse first electrode.  
     
     
         10 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 7 , wherein the sensing means comprises a sensing circuit between the forward first electrode and the forward second electrode.  
     
     
         11 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 7 , wherein the sensing means comprises a sensing circuit between the reverse first electrode and the reverse second electrode.  
     
     
         12 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the electro-osmotic cell additionally comprises means for sensing the concentration of at least one ionic species within at least one of the first half cell and the second half cell.  
     
     
         13 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 12 , wherein the sensing means is capable of detecting the electrical conductivity within at least one of the first half cell and the second half cell, to, in turn, determine the concentration of at least one ionic species.  
     
     
         14 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first electrode comprises an anode, and the at least one second electrode comprises a cathode.  
     
     
         15 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 14 , wherein the anode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, platinum, zinc, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, silver, and silver/silver chloride.  
     
     
         16 . The electro-osmotic cell according  14 , wherein the cathode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, platinum, zinc, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, silver, and silver/silver chloride.  
     
     
         17 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first electrode comprises cathode, and the at least one second electrode comprises an anode.  
     
     
         18 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the electro-osmotic cell additionally comprises means for sensing the concentration of at least one ionic species within at least one of the first half cell and the second half cell.  
     
     
         19 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 18 , wherein the sensing means is capable of detecting the electrical conductivity within at least one of the first half cell and the second half cell, to, in turn, determine the concentration of at least one ionic species.  
     
     
         20 . The electro-osmotic cell according to  claim 18 , wherein the sensing means comprises a sensing circuit between the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode.