Systems and Methods for Delivering a Dosage of a Drug to a Target

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivering a dosage of a drug to a target use an electrode that may deliver the drug and/or a current through the target to impede locomotion of the target. Delivery of a dosage may be accomplished by selecting one or more electrodes from a plurality of electrodes to deliver the drug or by metering deliver of the drug from one or more electrodes. Delivery of the current may be accomplished by one or more, preferably two electrodes. The electrodes that deliver the current through the target may also cooperate to deliver the dosage of the drug to the target.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cartridge for launching two or more electrodes toward a human or animal target, the electrodes for providing a dosage of a drug and a current to the target, the cartridge for cooperating with a provided launch device, the cartridge comprising:
 at least two electrodes, each electrode comprises a respective amount of the drug;   a respective wire for each one electrode that electrically couples the electrode to the launch device; wherein:
 responsive to an instruction from the launch device, the cartridge deploys two or more electrodes toward the target to establish a circuit through the target; 
 via the wires of the launched electrodes the launch device provides a current through the target to impede locomotion of the target; 
 the launched electrodes provide the dosage of the drug to the target to impede locomotion of the target. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a respective propellant for each one of the at least two electrodes whereby each electrode may be launched individually. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the respective amount of the drug of each one electrode is different than the amount of the drug of the other electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the respective amount of the drug of each one electrode is substantially the same as the amount of the drug of the other electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein:
 a user provides indicia regarding a characteristic of the target to the launch device via a user interface; and 
 the instruction from the launch device to launch one or more electrodes is formed in accordance with the indicia. 
 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising an indicator, wherein the indicator provides information about the cartridge to the launch device for forming the instruction to launch. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising an indicator, wherein:
 a user provides indicia regarding a characteristic of the target to the launch device via the user interface; 
 the indicator provides indicia regarding the cartridge to the launch device; and 
 the instruction from the launch device to launch two or more electrodes is formed in accordance with the indicia of the characteristic and the indicia of the cartridge. 
 
     
     
         8 . An electrode for providing an amount of a drug to a human or animal target and a current through the target to impede locomotion of the target, the electrode launched toward the target by a provided launch device, the electrode comprising:
 a spear for entering target tissue;   a reservoir coupled to the spear, the reservoir for holding the amount of the drug;   a plunger for pushing the drug from the reservoir through the spear into target tissue;   a charge; and   a conductive wire that extends between the launch device and the electrode after the electrode is launched toward the target, the wire electrically coupled to the spear and the charge; wherein:
 the current provided by the launch device via the wire ignites the charge to move the plunger to push the amount of the drug in the reservoir into target tissue. 
   
     
     
         9 . The electrode of  claim 8  wherein the current ionizes air in a gap to ignite the charge. 
     
     
         10 . An electrode for providing an amount of a drug and a current to a human or animal target to impede locomotion of the target, the electrode launched toward the target by a provided launch device, the electrode comprising:
 a spear for entering target tissue;   a reservoir coupled to the spear, the reservoir for holding the amount of the drug;   a plunger for pushing the drug from the reservoir through the spear into target tissue; and   a conductive wire that extends between the launch device and the electrode after the electrode is launched toward the target, the wire for providing a current from the launch device through the target to impede locomotion of the target; wherein   responsive to the current, the plunger pushes the drug from the reservoir to the target to impede locomotion of the target.   
     
     
         11 . The electrode of  claim 10  wherein the current ignites a pyrotechnic to move the plunger to push the drug. 
     
     
         12 . The electrode of  claim 10  further comprising a fuse, wherein the current activates the fuse to ignite a pyrotechnic to move the plunger to push the drug from the reservoir to the target. 
     
     
         13 . The electrode of  claim 10  further comprising a timer, wherein the timer delays ignition of a pyrotechnic to move the plunger to push the drug from the reservoir to the target. 
     
     
         14 . The electrode of  claim 10  further comprising a coil, wherein the current creates a magnetic field in the coil that moves the plunger to push the drug from the reservoir to the target.