Delivery system for the sustained release of a substance in the reticulorumen

Claim 1

A device for the prolonged administration of a substance into a fluid environment, such as for the administration of a biologically active substance into the body of a live animal, characterized by a hollow body member (10) having an interior chamber (12), and provided with an opening (14) in fluid communication with the exterior of said body, said body made from a material which maintains its integrity during the administering period; and a plurality of serially arranged partitions (18) positioned within said interior chamber, said partitions made from a material which is degraded during the administering period upon exposure to the fluid environment exterior to said body, said partitions each releasing a dosage of the substance to be administered upon degredation of the partition and arranged in an order to be contacted and degraded sequentially by fluid entering said opening thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the first environment.

Claim 2

A device for the prolonged administration of a substance into a fluid environment, such as for the administration of a biologically active substance into the body of a live animal, characterized by a hollow body member (10) having an interior chamber (12), and provided with an opening (14) in fluid communication with the exterior of said body, said body made from a material which maintains its integrity during the administering period; and a plurality of serially arranged partitions (18) positioned within said interior chamber, said partitions made from a material which is degraded during the administering period upon exposure to the fluid environment exterior to said body, said partitions each releasing a dosage of the substance to be administered upon degredation of the partition and arranged in an order to be contacted and degraded sequentially by fluid entering said opening thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the first environment.

Claim 6

The device according to any of the preceeding Claims characterized in that the partitions are made from a cellulosic material.

Claim 7

The device according to any of the preceeding Claims, characterized in that spacers (20) are connected to or fit closely against the interior walls of said body to keep the partitions apart.

Claim 8

The device according to Claim .16 wherein said spacers are made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment of a ruminant.

Claim 9

The device according to any preceeding Claim, characterized by retaining means comprising weight means to impart to said device a specific gravity of at least about 1.5.

Claim 10

The device according to any preceeding Claim, characterized in that said body is made from epoxy, polyethylene, or polypropylene.

Claim 11

The device according to any preceeding Claim, characterized in that said partitions (18) are disposed transversely of said interior chamber and parallel to each other.

Claim 12

The device according to any preceeding Claim, characterized in that said compartments contain a substance selected from the group consisting of feed additives, rumen fermentation manipulators, ionophores, minerals, drugs, and fecal markers.

Claim 13

The device according to any preceeding Claim, characterized in that said device is weighted by means of a steel ball (24).

Claim 14

The device according to any preceeding Claim, characterized in that said device is weighted by means of a metal shell (30).

Claim 15

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant, characterized by a body (10) having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant, said body comprising a hollow interior (12) and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and an opening (14) to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen, the interior of said body comprising a serial array or stack of partitions (18), said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen into which said body is introduced and said opening (14) of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates.

Claim 16

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant, characterized by a body (10) having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant, said body comprising a hollow interior (12) and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and an opening (14) to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen, the interior of said body comprising a serial array or stack of partitions (18), said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen into which said body is introduced and said opening (14) of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates.

Claim 18

The method of treating a ruminant, characterized in that it comprises administering orally to a ruminant a device as defined in any of Claims 1-15.

Claim 20

The method of treating a ruminant which is characterized by introducing into the reticulorumen of the ruminant a device which sequentially dispenses a biologically active substance into the digestive tract of the ruminant over an extended period of time, said device having s sufficiently high specific gravity within the range of 1.5 to 7 to remain in the reticulorumen and comprising a plurality of doses of said substance separated from the fluid environment of the reticulorumen and from one another by a plurality of biodegradable barriers which are sequentially biodegraded in the reticulorumen environment thereby releasing the biologically active material into the digestive tract of the animal in successive dosages over an extended period of time as said barriers are successively degraded by exposure to the reticulorumen environment.

Claim 21

The method of treating a ruminant which is characterized by introducing into the reticulorumen of the ruminant a device which sequentially dispenses a biologically active substance into the digestive tract of the ruminant over an extended period of time, said device having s sufficiently high specific gravity within the range of 1.5 to 7 to remain in the reticulorumen and comprising a plurality of doses of said substance separated from the fluid environment of the reticulorumen and from one another by a plurality of biodegradable barriers which are sequentially biodegraded in the reticulorumen environment thereby releasing the biologically active material into the digestive tract of the animal in successive dosages over an extended period of time as said barriers are successively degraded by exposure to the reticulorumen environment.

Claim 22

The method of dispensing a substance into the fluid environment in sequential dosages over an extended period of time which comprises introducing into said fluid environment a physically and chemically stable hollow tubular member open at one end and substantially closed at the other and comprising a plurality of doses of said substances separated by a stacked array of partitions within the interior of said tubular member, said partitions comprising a material which is degraded upon exposure to the fluid environment arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the fluid environment thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the said environment.

Claim 23

The method of dispensing a substance into the fluid environment in sequential dosages over an extended period of time which comprises introducing into said fluid environment a physically and chemically stable hollow tubular member open at one end and substantially closed at the other and comprising a plurality of doses of said substances separated by a stacked array of partitions within the interior of said tubular member, said partitions comprising a material which is degraded upon exposure to the fluid environment arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the fluid environment thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the said environment.