Oral Delivery System and Method

Abstract

A system and method for infusion of active ingredients into a delivery device is disclosed. The active ingredients can be loaded into a variety of oral delivery devices, including but not limited to toothpicks, tongue depressors, ice cream sticks and cocktail stirrers. In an embodiment, these delivery devices might be made from various types of wood, one non-limiting example being birchwood. These oral delivery devices can be used to deliver various of the following active ingredients along with inactive ingredients such as flavor, natural, and/or artificial sweeteners, as well as other items not explicitly shown in this list: nicotine, smoking cessation products, caffeine, tetra hydro cannabinol (hereinafter referred to as THC), cannabidiol (hereinafter referred to as CBD), and dietary supplements.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of testing and affirming quality during a device-infusion process, comprising:
 determining one of a plurality of formulations of liquid ingredients to be infused into a plurality of delivery devices;   prior to performing any infusion process into any delivery devices, visually observing the containers of liquid ingredients to be infused, and if deemed necessary, centrifuging the containers of ingredients to be infused;   completing a first liquid infusion and drying process into a fractional batch of delivery devices;   selecting a plurality of random samples of delivery devices for laboratory testing;   completing a second liquid infusion and drying process into a full non-fractional batch of delivery devices;   again selecting a plurality of random samples for laboratory analysis from the full non-fractional batch of delivery devices.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the liquid ingredients are smoking-cessation components. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the liquid ingredients are drymouth components. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 verifying that the treatment solutions penetrate through the entire delivery device, and is evenly distributed throughout the entire delivery device and avoids surface-only or near-surface-only absorption.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 incorporating a testing dye into the infusion-solution;   infusing a plurality of delivery devices;   lateral-cutting a cross-section of a plurality of delivery devices; and   sight-viewing the plurality of delivery devices for levels of dye-penetration.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 photographing the plurality of delivery devices along their respective cross-sectional cuts; and   examining the cross-sectional cuts to determine level of penetration of the liquid ingredients.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 depending on the results of the examining, re-infusing the delivery device with additional liquid ingredients.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 arranging for a predetermined concentration and location of ingredients;   varying a pressure- and temperature-controlled environment to have alterations of pressure, temperature, and duration, according to predetermined criteria;   re-testing and depending on the re-testing results, re-immersing the plurality of delivery devices in order to achieve a predetermined concentration of liquid ingredients within the delivery devices.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 visually reviewing a particular wood-sample for lignin structure;   based on the reviewing, arranging for a predetermined spacing and size of infused material by preparing a baking soda solution at a variety of concentrations;   applying the baking soda solution to the lignum thereby creating a plurality of parking spaces within the delivery devices;   visually reviewing the resulting parking spaces for size and spacing; and   based on the review, either applying more baking soda to the same batch, or   reducing the amount of baking soda for a next batch.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 visually affirming that the liquid ingredients to be infused remains evenly mixed, homogenous, and does not settle or break down.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 sending a newly-received package of ingredients to be infused to a testing lab, for affirming proper concentration and dispersion.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 taste-testing a sample of completed delivery devices to affirm that when saliva is applied to the sample delivery device, a user-controllable and user-detectable release of the ingredients is facilitated.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 utilizing a customized pan such that it is possible to take a toothpick from/in rectangular boxes so that the raw wood is lined up uniformly;   visually assuring that uniform line-up occurs and visually affirming that total immersion occurs.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 after a first infusion process into the delivery device, visually affirming that the wood of the delivery device becomes more visually grainy; and   visually inspecting for splintering and fragmenting.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 employing one of plurality of testing-dyes as part of the liquid-infusion process;   arranging that the penetration of the testing-dyes corresponds with penetration of the liquid ingredients to be infused;   the dyes assisting in providing visible evidence how far and how deeply the specific ingredients penetrate to center and interior regions of the delivery device;   after the steps of infusing and drying, laterally cutting the delivery devices; and   for each individual testing dye of the variety of testing dyes, visually inspecting along the lateral cuts.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 ensuring the chosen dyes achieve the same penetration as the liquid ingredients remain in solution and achieve the same exact penetration as the active ingredients.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 ensuring that the dyes do not spread either ahead of or behind the penetration of the active ingredients, and   ensuring that some kind of visible characteristics that can show in the wood, and yet be clearly attributable only to the dye itself and not to some other factor.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 example dyes that could be used to perform this include polar and/or non-polar dyes where the type of photography used might be visible-spectrum, infra-red, or ultraviolet.