DEVICE FOR PRODUCING 3D-PRINTED ACTIVE SUBSTANCE-RELEASING SYSTEMS WITH ACTIVE SUBSTANCE DEPOTS, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING 3D-PRINTED ACTIVE SUBSTANCE-RELEASING SYSTEMS

Abstract

A device for producing a 3D-printed active substance-releasing system with active substance depots, such that a radiation source in operation causes a polymerisation of a layer of the base material on the construction platform and that an inkjet printhead incorporates an active substance mixture, which has at least one active substance, into the base material in a locationally selective manner. A trough is provided, in which a base material and a construction platform are arranged, and polymerising selected regions of a layer of the base material on the construction platform and introducing, by means of an inkjet printing method, an active substance mixture, which has at least one active substance, into the base material and/or polymerised base material in a locationally selective manner in order to thereby create active ingredient depots in the active ingredient-releasing system.

Claims

1. A device for producing a 3D-printed active substance-releasing system with active substance depots, the device comprising: at least one inkjet printhead; a first radiation source; a trough adapted to receive base material to be processed; and a construction platform, the construction platform being movably mounted within the trough, wherein the first radiation source in operation causes a polymerization of selected regions of the base material on the construction platform, wherein the at least one inkjet printhead in operation incorporates an active substance mixture in the base material on the construction platform in a locationally selective manner, and wherein the active substance mixture contains at least one active substance.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the active substance mixture comprises at least one monomer and/or at least one polymer and/or at least one photo initiator and/or at least one crosslinking agent.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base material comprises at least one photo initiator and/or at least one crosslinking agent.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture is a photo monomer and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active compound mixture is a photo polymer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture is/are a crosslinking agent/crosslinking agents.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture comprise a defined number of photo initiators.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first radiation source causes a polymerization of the active substance mixture and/or a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a further radiation source, wherein the further radiation source in operation causes a polymerization of the active substance mixture and/or a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first inkjet printhead has a heating device.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inkjet printhead has a reservoir for receiving the active substance mixture.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the reservoir has a heating device.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the reservoir is attached to the at least one inkjet printhead to ensure an afterflow of the active substance mixture.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first radiation source and/or the further radiation source comprises an optoelectrical component and/or an optical resonator.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first radiation source and/or the further radiation source have different radiation characteristics.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source and the second radiation source is/are designed such that they generate mutually different wavelengths.

16. A method for producing a 3D-printed active substance-releasing system, the method comprising: providing a trough in which a base material and a construction platform are arranged, the base material being a monomer and/or polymer; polymerizing selected regions of a layer of the base material on the construction platform; and incorporating at least one active substance mixture, which has at least one active substance, into the base material and/or the polymerized base material in a locationally selective manner via an inkjet printing process.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the active substance mixture has at least one monomer and/or at least one polymer and/or at least one photo initiator and/or at least one crosslinking agent.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the base material has at least one photo initiator and/or at least one crosslinking agent.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture is a photo monomer and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active compound mixture is a photo polymer.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture is/are a crosslinking agent/crosslinking agents.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture has/have a defined number of photo initiators.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein after incorporating the active substance mixture, a polymerization of the active substance mixture and/or a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material is caused.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the active substance mixture is heated.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein a reservoir is mounted on an inkjet printhead such that an afterflow of the active substance mixture is achieved.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein a radiation intensity of the first radiation source and/or of the further radiation source is set.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first radiation source and the further radiation source generate mutually different wavelengths.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a device according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0065] FIG. 2 shows an active substance-releasing system; and

[0066] FIG. 3 shows an active substance-releasing system with crosslinking agent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] FIG. 1 shows a device for producing a 3D-printed active substance-releasing system 1 with active substance depots 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the device has at least one inkjet printhead 6 and at least one radiation source 5. Furthermore, the device has a trough 2 for receiving the base material 3 to be processed, wherein the base material 3 is a monomer and/or a polymer. A construction platform 4 is arranged inside the trough in such a way that the construction platform 4 is mounted so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The at least one radiation source 5 is designed in such a way that it emits a beam onto the base material which, in a locationally selective manner, causes a polymerization of selected regions of a layer of the base material 3 on the construction platform 4. According to the invention, the at least one inkjet printhead 6 is designed in such a way that it incorporates/introduces an active substance mixture into the base material 3 in a locationally selective manner by means of a dosed jet 12. The active substance mixture has at least one active substance.

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a device with which the inventive method for producing a 3D printed active substance-releasing system with active substance depots 10 can be performed. The method has the following method steps:

[0069] Filling a trough 2 with a base material 3, wherein the base material 3 is a monomer and/or polymer,

[0070] Polymerizing selected regions of a layer of the base material 3 by means of a radiation source 5 on a construction platform 4, wherein the construction platform 4 is arranged within the trough 2 in such a way that the construction platform 4 is supported within the trough 2 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (direction of the arrow shown),

[0071] Introduction of an active substance mixture by means of a dosed jet, which has at least one active substance, by means of an inkjet printing process. To this end, an inkjet printhead 6 is used which incorporates the active substance mixture in a locationally selective manner in the base material 3 and/or in the polymerized layer of the base material.

[0072] Lowering the construction platform 4, wherein base material 3 surrounding the construction platform, which is not polymerized, flows in,

[0073] By lowering the construction platform, further selected regions of a further layer can be polymerized. As a result, a layered structure of a three-dimensional body forming the basic structure of the active substance-releasing system is possible. By introducing the active substance mixture into selected regions of the three-dimensional body, active substance depots 10 are provided.

[0074] After lowering the construction platform, the base material 3 surrounding the construction platform flows in. Said base material can be smoothed in one method step.

[0075] In an embodiment of the method, after applying the active substance mixture, the radiation source 5 and/or a second and/or other sources of radiation sources causes/cause the polymerization of the active substance mixture and/or a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material.

[0076] In addition to the method steps described, in a further embodiment, the inkjet printhead heats the active substance mixture.

[0077] FIG. 1 additionally displays a doctor blade 7. This embodiment of the device allows for the base material 3 to be smoothed.

[0078] FIG. 2 displays an active substance-releasing system 1, produced according to the method according to the invention and/or with a device according to the invention. FIG. 2 shows a non-cross-linked active substance-releasing system 1. An active substance 8 is incorporated into a base material 3.

[0079] FIG. 3 shows an active substance-releasing system 1, produced according to the method according to the invention and/or with a device according to the invention. FIG. 3 shows a cross-linked active substance-releasing system 1. An active substance 8 is incorporated in a base material 3. The active substance 8 is cross-linked with base material 3. This is achieved by crosslinking agents which are present in the active substance mixture and/or the base material 3. By means of a radiation source 5 and a radiation intensity, the crosslinking agents are activated. By varying the radiation intensity and the choice of the crosslinking agent and its concentration, different degrees of crosslinking can be achieved. These cause a targeted release of the active substance in the active substance-releasing system.

[0080] In all embodiments, the active substance mixture and/or the base material may be configured as follows:

[0081] The active substance mixture can comprise a monomer and/or a polymer. In addition, the active substance mixture can have a photo initiator and/or a crosslinking agent. This allows for the active substance mixture to polymerize, which in turn leads to an increased stability of the active substance mixture, a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material and a varying diffusion of the active substance.

[0082] Also the base material 3 or only the base material 3 can have at least one photo initiator and/or at least one crosslinking agent.

[0083] The monomer of the base material and/or the active substance mixture can be configured as a photo monomer and/or the polymer of the base material and/or the active substance mixture can be configured as a photo polymer.

[0084] The monomer of the base material and/or the active substance mixture and/or the polymer of the base material and/or the active substance mixture can be configured as a crosslinking agent.

[0085] The monomer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture and/or the polymer of the base material and/or of the active substance mixture can also have a defined number of photo initiators.

[0086] In all embodiments, the radiation source 5 and/or a further radiation source may be configured as follows:

[0087] The first radiation source 5 is designed in FIG. 1 in such a way that it causes a polymerization of the active substance mixture in operation. Alternatively or additionally, the radiation source 5 brings about a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material 3.

[0088] In a further embodiment, a second radiation source is arranged (not shown here). When in use, this brings about a polymerization of the active substance mixture and/or a crosslinking of the active substance mixture with the base material 3.

[0089] The radiation source 5 is designed as a laser, a laser diode, a light diode or a lithography. The second radiation source can also be designed as a laser, a laser diode, a light diode or a lithography. In order to achieve different radiation intensities and wavelengths between different radiation sources, the second radiation source can be designed differently from the first radiation source. For example, the radiation source 5 can be a laser diode and the second radiation source a lithography. Other combinations are possible.

[0090] In an embodiment, the radiation source 5 and/or the second radiation source is/are designed in such a way that its/their radiation intensity is adjustable.

[0091] In an embodiment, the radiation source 5 and the second radiation source are configured to generate mutually different wavelengths.

[0092] In all embodiments, the inkjet printhead 6 can be designed as follows:

[0093] In an embodiment, the inkjet printhead 6 can be heated. To this end, it includes a heating device.

[0094] In an embodiment, the inkjet printhead 6 comprises a reservoir (not shown here) for receiving the active substance mixture. The reservoir can be designed to be heatable. For this purpose, the reservoir has a heating device.

[0095] To ensure that the active substance mixture continues to flow in, the reservoir can be attached to the inkjet printhead 6 in such a way that only natural forces, i.e. no additional forces, for example forces generated by a pump, are required to achieve an afterflow of the active substance mixture. Natural forces can be, for example, gravitational forces or capillary forces.

[0096] Since the device described in detail above and the method are exemplary embodiments, these can be modified in the customary manner by the person skilled in the art to a large extent without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the specific embodiments of the device can also be presented in some other form than the one described herein. Likewise, the device can be designed in some other form if this is necessary due to lack of space. Further, the use of the undefined article a does not exclude that the features in question can be present in multiple instances.

[0097] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.