Patent Description:
There has been proposed a needle roller apparatus in which a head of a roller is coupled to the upper end of a drug container filled with a drug, and a hole is formed between the drug container and the head to allow the drug to come out. In this needle roller apparatus, an opening formed at the upper end of the drug container is formed as an elastically deformable incision portion, and has a valve structure in which the incision portion is pushed by the weight of a ball located in the inside thereof when the drug container is inverted. However, due to the delivery method in which the drug falls on a remote needle disc, this apparatus is difficult to reliably deliver a drug to each of the needles, and it is difficult to control the deformation of the incision portion due to the ball weight. Moreover, since the incision portion is permanently deformed as the period of use increases, the apparatus may become unusable. Furthermore, the related art has inconvenience in coupling the needle disc roller to the drug container. In addition, the related-art apparatus is not good in assembling property in that assembling of the assembly including the needle disc roller requires bolt fastening, adhesion, and the like.

Particularly, in the related art, when the needle disc roller is pressed and rotatably operated on the skin in such a manner that the entire needle disc roller is rotated with respect to one shaft, the smoothness of rotation is reduced. In addition, when rotation fails, it is apprehended that the needle disc will damage the skin due to an external force that pushes the needle disc roller against the skin.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a needle disc roller apparatus with the features of the preamble of claim <NUM>.

It has been conventionally considered that a plurality of needle discs are simply rotatably mounted on one shaft such that the needle discs are individually rotated. However, in this case, during the procedure using the needle disc roller, there is a high possibility that some needle discs rotate more and cause an undesired deviation among the needle discs, which causes reliable operation to be difficult. Although it has been considered to use one integral needle roller including several needle disc shapes instead of using a plurality of needle discs, this makes it difficult to precisely form a needle, and thus makes it difficult to put to practical use.

Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a coaxial double rotation type needle disc roller apparatus which enables more efficient needling procedure by rotating a needle disc roller while contacting needle discs provided in a needle disc roller with the skin and by doubly rotating by a core rotation shaft and a hollow rotation shaft that are coaxial to each other while restraining the needle discs spaced by a plurality of spacers in the needle disc roller with respect to each other.

The present disclosure also provides a needle disc roller apparatus in which a valve hole formed in a valve membrane is elastically expanded by retraction of a needle disc roller when the needle disc roller is pressed against the skin, allowing a drug of a drug container to be reliably delivered to the needle disc of the needle disc roller. Also, since there is no incision around the valve hole, there is almost no permanent deformation, and the amount of drug delivery can be appropriately controlled.

The present disclosure also provides a needle disc roller apparatus which includes a bidirectional connection structure is capable of reliable one-touch sealing connection to a connection portion of a drug container, and capable of reliable sealing connection with a roller guiding holder of the needle disc roller apparatus.

The invention is defined by the features of claim <NUM>. According to the invention, a needle disc roller apparatus includes: a connection cap (<NUM>); a roller guiding holder (<NUM>) coupled to a front end of the connection cap (<NUM>); and a needle disc roller (<NUM>) maintained so as to be movable forward and backward in the roller guiding holder (<NUM>), wherein the needle disc roller (<NUM>) includes: a roller bracket (<NUM>) installed to be rectilinearly movable forward and backward along the guide groove (<NUM>); a core rotation shaft (<NUM>) rotatably installed for the roller bracket (<NUM>), a roller bobbin (<NUM>) rotatably installed for the core rotation shaft (<NUM>); and a plurality of ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) and a plurality of ring-shaped spacers (<NUM>) that are all restrained by the roller bobbin (<NUM>) and rotate about the core rotation shaft (<NUM>) together with the roller bobbin (<NUM>), the roller bracket (<NUM>) includes: a base portion (<NUM>); and a pair of shaft mounting walls (<NUM> and <NUM>) vertically formed on both sides of the front surface of the base portion (<NUM>), and the pair of shaft mounting walls (<NUM> has shaft holes (<NUM> and <NUM>) in which the core rotation shaft (<NUM>) is rotatably fitted, and each of the pair of shaft mounting walls (<NUM>) is slidably fitted in the guide groove (<NUM>). The needle disc roller further includes a drug delivery mechanism for delivering a drug in a drug container to ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) of the needle disc roller (<NUM>) in response to the movement of the needle disc roller (<NUM>) back and forth as the needle disc roller (<NUM>) is pressed against the skin.

Here, the roller bobbin (<NUM>) may include: a hollow rotation shaft (<NUM>) rotatably installed on the outer circumferential surface of the core rotation shaft (<NUM>) so as to be rotatable about the core rotation shaft (<NUM>), and; a pair of bobbin covers (242a and 242b) provided at both ends of the hollow rotation shaft (<NUM>) to prevent separation of the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) and the plurality of ring-shaped spacers (<NUM>). At least one bobbin cover (242b) of the pair of bobbin covers (242a and 242b) may be detachably assembled with respect to the hollow rotation shaft (<NUM>). At least one key groove (<NUM>) may be formed on the outer circumference of the hollow rotation shaft (<NUM>) in the longitudinal direction, each of the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) may include a first key (<NUM>) on an inner surface thereof to be fitted in the key groove (<NUM>), each of the plurality of ring-shaped spacers may include a second key on an inner circumferential surface thereof to be fitted in the key groove (<NUM>), and the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) and the plurality of ring-shaped spacers (<NUM>) may be restrained by the hollow rotation shaft (<NUM>) by fitting the first key (<NUM>) and the second key (<NUM>) of the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) and the plurality of ring-shaped spacers (<NUM>) into the key groove (<NUM>) in a row. The drug delivery mechanism may include: a valve membrane (<NUM>) of a viscoelastic material having a valve hole (<NUM>) which is formed in the connection cap (<NUM>) and communicates with a front end opening of the drug container; and a valve operating part (<NUM>) selectively opening and closing the valve hole (<NUM>) by moving forward and backward together with the needle disc roller (<NUM>), and the valve operating part (<NUM>) includes: a rod portion (<NUM>) moving forward and backward integrally with the needle disc roller (<NUM>) while being inserted into the valve hole (<NUM>) without a gap; a tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) formed in the middle of the rod portion (<NUM>) and elastically expanding the valve hole (<NUM>) by being fitted into the valve hole (<NUM>) when moving backward together with the rod portion (<NUM>); and at least one drug passage incision groove (<NUM>) formed on the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) and connecting to the valve hole (<NUM>) to open the valve hole (<NUM>) when the valve hole (<NUM>) is expanded by the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>).

In another general aspect, a needle disc roller apparatus includes: a viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>) coupled to cover a front end opening of a drug container (<NUM>); a roller guiding holder (<NUM>) coupled to a front end of the viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>); a needle disc roller (<NUM>) maintained so as to be movable forward and backward in the roller guiding holder (<NUM>); and a drug delivery mechanism delivering a drug in a drug container (<NUM>) to a needle disc (<NUM>) of the needle disc roller (<NUM>) when pressing the needle disc roller (<NUM>) on the skin, wherein the drug delivery mechanism includes: a valve membrane (<NUM>) of a viscoelastic material having a valve hole (<NUM>) which is formed in the viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>) and communicates with a front end opening of the drug container; and a valve operating part (<NUM>) selectively opening and closing the valve hole (<NUM>) by moving forward and backward together with the needle disc roller (<NUM>), and the valve operating part (<NUM>) includes: a rod portion (<NUM>) moving forward and backward integrally with the needle disc roller (<NUM>) while being inserted into the valve hole (<NUM>) without a gap; a tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) formed in the middle of the rod portion (<NUM>) and elastically expanding the valve hole (<NUM>) by being fitted into the valve hole (<NUM>) when moving backward together with the rod portion (<NUM>); and at least one drug passage incision groove (<NUM>) formed on the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) and connecting to the valve hole (<NUM>) to open the valve hole (<NUM>) when the valve hole (<NUM>) is expanded by the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>).

Here, the viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>) may include: a rear outer tube (120a) closely adhered to the outer circumferential surface of the front end opening of the drug container (<NUM>) when being coupled to the front end of the drug container (<NUM>); a rear outer tube (120b) inserted into an opening and closely adhered to the inner circumferential surface of the opening thereof; a plate-shaped ring (120c) connecting the inner circumference of the front end of the rear outer tube (120a) and the outer circumference of the front end of the rear inner tube (120b); a front outer tube (<NUM>) closely adhered to the outer surface of a portion of a rear end of the roller guiding holder (<NUM>) when being coupled to the rear end of the roller guiding holder (<NUM>); and a front inner tube (<NUM>) having a concentric axis and formed inside the front outer tube (<NUM>). The valve membrane (<NUM>) may be integrally formed inside the hollow of the front inner tube (<NUM>), and the valve hole (<NUM>) may be formed at the center of the valve membrane (<NUM>). The tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) may have a shape gradually increasing in diameter from the rear end having the same diameter as the rod portion (<NUM>) toward the front end having a diameter larger than the diameter of the rod portion (<NUM>). The drug passage incision groove (<NUM>) may form a pair with the drug passage incision groove (<NUM>) formed at one side of the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) while being formed at the other side of the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>), and the pair of drug passage incision grooves (<NUM> and <NUM>) may be formed adjacent to the outer circumference of the needle disc (<NUM>) and opposite to each other.

In another general aspect, a needle disc roller apparatus may include: a viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>) coupled to cover a front end opening of a drug container (<NUM>); a roller guiding holder (<NUM>) coupled to a front end of the viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>); a needle disc roller (<NUM>) maintained so as to be movable forward and backward in the roller guiding holder (<NUM>); and a drug delivery mechanism delivering a drug in a drug container (<NUM>) to a needle disc (<NUM>) of the needle disc roller (<NUM>) when pressing the needle disc roller (<NUM>) on the skin, wherein the viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>) includes: a rear outer tube (120a) having a circular inner circumference that is closely adhered to the outer circumferential surface of the front end opening of the drug container (<NUM>) when being coupled to the front end of the drug container (<NUM>); a rear outer tube (120b) having a circular outer circumference that is inserted into the opening of the drug container (<NUM>) and is closely adhered to the inner circumferential surface of the opening thereof; a plate-shaped ring (120c) connecting the inner circumference of the front end of the rear outer tube (120a) and the outer circumference of the front end of the rear inner tube (120b); a front outer tube (<NUM>) closely adhered to the outer surface of a rear end step (<NUM>) of the roller guiding holder (<NUM>) when being coupled to the rear end of the roller guiding holder (<NUM>); a front inner tube (<NUM>) having a concentric axis and formed inside the front outer tube (<NUM>); a hook (<NUM>) formed so as to direct to the inside from the rear end of the rear outer tube (120a) and thus hooked at the stopping protrusion (2a) of the drug container (<NUM>) in a one-touch manner when being assembled with the viscoelastic connection cap (<NUM>) and the drug container (<NUM>); and a ring-shaped retaining cover (121a) extending inward from the front end of the front outer casing (<NUM>) and elastically deformed such that the rear end step (<NUM>) of the roller guiding holder (<NUM>) is inserted into the inside thereof.

Here, a valve membrane (<NUM>) may be integrally formed inside the hollow of the front inner tube part (<NUM>), the valve membrane (<NUM>) may be a valve hole (<NUM>) at the center thereof, and the valve hole (<NUM>) may be elastically expanded or contracted by an external force. The drug delivery mechanism may include a valve operating part (<NUM>) provided on the needle disc roller (<NUM>) together with the valve membrane (<NUM>), and the valve operating part (<NUM>) may interact with the valve membrane (<NUM>) in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the valve disc (<NUM>) to open or close the valve hole (<NUM>). The valve operating part may include: a rod portion moving forward and backward integrally with the needle disc roller (<NUM>) while being fitted in the valve hole without a gap; a tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) formed at the center of the rod portion (<NUM>) and having a shape gradually increasing in diameter from the rear end having the same diameter as the rod portion (<NUM>) toward the front end having a diameter larger than the diameter of the rod portion (<NUM>); and a drug passage incision groove (<NUM>) formed in the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>), wherein when the rod portion (<NUM>) moves backward and the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) presses the valve membrane (<NUM>), the valve membrane (<NUM>) is pushed by the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>) to expand the valve hole (<NUM>), and the valve hole (<NUM>) is connected to the drug passage incision groove (<NUM>) and is opened while being expanded by the tapered pressing portion (<NUM>).

A coaxial double rotation type needle disc roller apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention enables more efficient needling procedure, when rotatably operating a needle disc roller while contacting needle discs provided in a needle disc roller with the skin, by doubly rotating the needle discs by a core rotation shaft and a hollow rotation shaft that are coaxial to each other while restraining the needle discs spaced by a plurality of spacers in the needle disc roller with respect to each other.

A needle disc roller apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can reliably deliver a drug of a drug container through a flow path by securing the flow path connected to a valve hole while the valve hole formed in a valve membrane is being elastically expanded by retraction of a needle disc roller when the needle disc roller is pressed against the skin. In this case, since there is no incision around the valve hole, there is almost no permanent deformation, and the amount of drug delivery can be appropriately controlled.

The accompanying drawings and the description thereof are intended to help understanding of the present invention for those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the drawings and description are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a needle disc roller apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> and <FIG> are exploded perspective views illustrating a needle disc roller apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating the needle disc roller apparatus shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a needle disc roller. <FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a needle disc roller. <FIG> is a view illustrating an action of a drug delivery mechanism of a needle disc roller apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, a needle disc roller apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in combination with the front end of a drug container <NUM> having an opening. Also, the needle disc roller apparatus <NUM> includes a viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> coupled to cover the front end opening of the drug container <NUM>, a roller guiding holder <NUM> coupled to the front end of the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM>, a needle disc roller <NUM> maintained so as to be movable forward and backward in the roller guiding holder <NUM>, and a drug delivery mechanism for delivering a drug in the drug container <NUM> to the needle disc <NUM> of the needle disc roller <NUM> when pressurizing the needle disc roller <NUM> against the skin.

The needle disc roller apparatus <NUM> may further include a connection ring <NUM> for a more reliable assembly between the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> and the roller guiding holder <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the drug container <NUM> stores a drug in a general form of medicine bottle. This drug may be various kinds of drugs that may help the needling procedure of punching a plurality of fine holes in the skin. In addition, the drug container <NUM> includes a ring-shaped stopping protrusion 2a protruding in a radial direction on the outer circumferential surface of the front end opening. The stopping protrusion 2a is used for one-touch coupling with the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM>, which will be described in detail below.

The viscoelastic connection cap <NUM>, as a part of the needle disc roller apparatus <NUM>, allows the needle disc roller apparatus <NUM> to be reliably assembled to the drug container <NUM> in a sealed state. Also, the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> is configured to be detachably coupled to the drug container <NUM> in a one-touch manner, and to be detachably coupled to the roller guiding holder <NUM>.

The viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> is formed of a silicone material that is a viscoelastic material capable of enhancing the assembling property with the drug container <NUM> and the assembling property with the roller guiding holder <NUM>, and capable of improving the elastic expandability and contractibility of the valve hole which will be described in detail below.

The viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> includes a rear outer tube 120a having a circular inner circumference that is closely adhered to the outer circumferential surface of the front end opening of the drug container <NUM> when being coupled to the front end of the drug container <NUM>, a rear outer tube 120b having a circular outer circumference that is inserted into the opening of the drug container <NUM> and is closely adhered to the inner circumferential surface of the opening thereof, a plate-shaped ring 120c connecting the inner circumference of the front end of the rear outer tube 120a and the outer circumference of the front end of the rear inner tube 120b, a front outer tube <NUM> closely adhered to the outer surface of a rear end step <NUM> of the roller guiding holder <NUM> when being coupled to the rear end of the roller guiding holder <NUM>, and a front inner tube <NUM> having a concentric axis and formed inside the front outer tube <NUM>.

The viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> integrally includes a hook <NUM> that is formed so as to direct to the inside from the rear end of the rear outer tube 120a and thus hooked at the stopping protrusion 2a of the drug container <NUM> in a one-touch manner when being assembled with the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> and the drug container <NUM>. In the process of coupling the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> coupled to the roller guiding holder <NUM> maintaining the needle disc roller <NUM> to be movable forward and backward to the front end of the drug container <NUM>, the outer tube 120a of the drug container <NUM> is expanded and elastically deformed in a radial direction. When the coupling is completed, the outer tube 120a is restored to its original state, and the hook <NUM> is hooked at the stopping protrusion 2a of the drug container <NUM>. Thus, one-touch fixing of the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> is completed.

The viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> includes a ring-shaped retaining cover 121a extending inward from the front end of the front outer casing <NUM>. The ring-shaped retaining cover 121a, as a part of the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM>, has viscoelasticity, and thus is elastically deformed such that the rear end step <NUM> of the roller guiding holder <NUM> is inserted into the inside thereof. On the other hand, when the rear end step <NUM> is inserted, the ring-shaped retaining cover 121a is closely adhered to the front surface of the rear end step <NUM> and tightly fixes the roller guiding holder <NUM> to the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> in a sealed state.

In addition, the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> integrally includes a valve membrane <NUM> integrally formed in the inside of the hollow of the front inner tube <NUM>. The valve membrane <NUM> has a valve hole <NUM> at the center thereof, and allows the valve hole <NUM> to be elastically expanded or contracted by an external force due to the characteristics of a viscoelastic material, especially, silicone material. The valve membrane <NUM> with the valve hole <NUM> constitutes one drug delivery mechanism together with a valve operating part <NUM> provided on the needle disc roller <NUM>. The valve operating part <NUM> opens and closes the valve hole <NUM> by interacting with the valve membrane <NUM> as the needle disc roller <NUM> moves forward or backward.

The rear inner tube 120b of the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> is formed to have a diameter such that the entire outer circumference thereof can be closely inserted into the opening of the drug container <NUM> without any gap. Accordingly, when the viscoelastic connection cap <NUM> is coupled to the drug container <NUM>, the rear inner tube <NUM> makes complete contact with the inner circumferential surface of the opening of the drug container <NUM> to prevent a drug from leaking.

The roller guiding holder <NUM> is a hollow cylindrical structure having front and rear sides opened. The roller guiding holder <NUM> allows the needle disc roller <NUM> to be movable forward and backward when the needle disc roller <NUM> is fitted in the hollow of the roller guiding holder <NUM>. The roller guiding holder <NUM> is provided with a pair of guide grooves <NUM> guiding the forward and backward linear motion of the needle disc roller <NUM>. The pair of guide grooves <NUM> is provided so as to face each other on the inner circumferential surface of the roller guiding holder <NUM>. The needle guiding holder <NUM> includes a front end stopper <NUM> to prevent the needle guide roller <NUM> from separating from the front end of the guide groove <NUM>.

The needle disc roller <NUM> is held by the roller guiding holder <NUM> so as to be linearly movable backward and forward. The needle disc roller <NUM> includes a roller bracket <NUM> installed to be rectilinearly movable forward and backward along the guide groove <NUM>, a core rotation shaft <NUM> rotatably installed for the roller bracket <NUM>, a roller bobbin <NUM> rotatably installed for the core rotation shaft <NUM>, and a plurality of ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and a plurality of ring-shaped spacers <NUM> that are all restrained by the roller bobbin <NUM> and rotate about the core rotation shaft <NUM> together with the roller bobbin <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the roller bobbin <NUM> includes a hollow rotation shaft <NUM> rotatably installed on the outer circumferential surface of the core rotation shaft <NUM> so as to be rotatable about the core rotation shaft <NUM>, and a pair of bobbin covers 242a and 242b provided at both ends of the hollow rotation shaft <NUM> to prevent separation of a disc-spacer set including the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the plurality of ring-shaped spacers <NUM>. In this case, at least one bobbin cover 242b of the pair of bobbin covers 242a and 242b may be detachably assembled to the hollow rotation shaft <NUM> so as to facilitate assembly and separation of the ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and ring-shaped spacers <NUM>.

Thus, the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the plurality of ring-shaped spacers <NUM> may be restrained by the hollow rotation shaft <NUM> and may be integrally rotated although the plurality of ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the plurality of ring-shaped spacers <NUM> are assembled in a separated state. As a unit for restraining the ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the ring-shaped spacers <NUM>, a key groove <NUM> formed on the outer circumferential surface of the hollow rotation shaft <NUM> in a longitudinal direction, and first keys <NUM> formed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the respective needle discs <NUM> and the second keys <NUM> formed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the respective spacers <NUM> are provided.

Each of the plurality of needle discs <NUM> includes a plurality of sawtooth-shaped needles <NUM> at a certain interval along the outer circumference thereof. Also, a drug delivery groove <NUM> is formed between neighboring needles <NUM>.

The pair of bobbin covers 242a and 242b includes a first bobbin cover 242a integrated with the hollow shaft <NUM> and a second bobbin cover 242b assembled with the first bobbin cover 242a. When the bobbin cover 242b and the hollow shaft <NUM> are disassembled, the ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the ring-shaped spacers <NUM> may be mounted onto or separated from the outer circumferential surface of the hollow rotation shaft <NUM>. The ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the ring-shaped spacers <NUM> are alternately arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the hollow rotation shaft <NUM>. In this case, the rectangular first keys <NUM> formed on the ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the rectangular second keys <NUM> formed on the ring-shaped spacers <NUM> may be fitted in the key groove <NUM> formed on the outer circumferential surface of the hollow rotation shaft <NUM> in a row. Thus, the ring-shaped needle discs <NUM> and the ring-shaped spacers <NUM> may be restrained by the hollow rotation shaft <NUM> and may be integrally rotated. Although a failure occurs in some of the plurality of needle discs during the assembly process of the needle disc roller <NUM>, the needle disc roller <NUM> may be manufactured by replacing only the corresponding needle discs.

On the other hand, the roller bracket <NUM> includes a base portion <NUM> and a pair of shaft mounting walls <NUM> and <NUM> vertically formed on both sides of the front surface of the base portion <NUM>. Also, shaft holes <NUM> and <NUM> in which the core rotation shaft <NUM> is rotatably fitted are formed in the pair of shaft mounting walls <NUM>. Each of the pair of shaft mounting walls <NUM> is slidably fitted in the guide groove <NUM> (see <FIG>) of the roller guiding holder <NUM> described above.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the valve operating part <NUM> constituting a part of the drug delivery mechanism is formed on the rear surface of the base portion <NUM>. The valve operating part <NUM> includes a rod portion <NUM> perpendicular to the base portion <NUM> and longitudinally extended from the center of the rear surface of the base portion <NUM>, and a tapered pressing portion <NUM> formed on the outer circumferential surface of the rod portion <NUM>. The rod portion <NUM> is fitted into the circular valve hole <NUM> formed in the valve membrane <NUM> in a sealed state without forming a fine gap, and moves forward and backward together with the forward and backward movement of the needle disc roller <NUM>. The tapered pressing portion <NUM> is formed in the middle of the rod portion <NUM>, and has a shape gradually increasing in diameter from the rear end having the same diameter as the rod portion <NUM> toward the front end having a diameter larger than the diameter of the rod portion <NUM>. When the rod portion <NUM> moves backward and thus the tapered pressing portion <NUM> presses the valve membrane <NUM>, the size of the valve hole <NUM> formed in the valve membrane <NUM> is expanded in accordance with the increase of the diameter of the tapered pressing portion <NUM>. On the other hand, a drug passage incision groove <NUM> is formed from the outer side of the tapered pressing portion <NUM> having a largest diameter to the inner side of the tapered pressing portion <NUM> having a smallest diameter. The drug passage incision groove <NUM> allows a drug to pass therethrough while the tapered pressing portion <NUM> is pressing the valve hole <NUM>. When the drug passage incision groove <NUM> is not formed in the tapered pressing portion <NUM>, even if the tapered pressing portion <NUM> presses the valve membrane <NUM> to expand the valve hole <NUM>, the valve hole <NUM> is blocked by the tapered pressing portion <NUM>, resulting in failure of passage of the drug. In this embodiment, a part of the valve hole <NUM> expanded is connected to the drug passage incision groove <NUM> to allow the drug to pass therethrough. The tapered pressing portion <NUM> has a pair of drug passage incision grooves <NUM> most adjacently to the outer circumference of the needle disc-spacer set, and the pair of drug passage incision grooves <NUM> are formed at positions opposed to each other so as to smoothly supply the drug regardless of the clockwise or counterclockwise direction of the needle disc <NUM>. More specifically, the pair of drug passage incision grooves <NUM> is formed in a form of bisecting the tapered pressing portion <NUM> in parallel with the needle disc <NUM>.

<FIG> is a view illustrating an action of a drug delivery mechanism of a needle disc roller apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to 6A, when the needle disc roller is not pressed against the skin, the rod portion <NUM> is inserted into the valve hole <NUM> formed in the valve membrane <NUM> in a sealed state to prevent from leaking from the drug container. In this case, since the rod portion <NUM> and the tapered pressing portion <NUM> formed on the rod portion <NUM> do not move backward, the valve membrane <NUM> is not pressurized. Accordingly, the valve hole <NUM> formed in the valve membrane <NUM> is not elastically expanded.

When the needle disc roller is pressed against the skin, the rod portion <NUM> and the tapered pressing portion <NUM> moves backward as shown in <FIG> to push back and deform the valve membrane <NUM> and simultaneously expand the valve hole <NUM>. Since the tapered pressing portion <NUM> is fitted into the valve hole <NUM> while expanding the valve hole <NUM>, the valve hole <NUM> is opened through the drug passage incision groove <NUM> formed on the tapered pressing portion <NUM>. Accordingly, a drug stored in the drug container is supplied from the drug container to the needle disc of the disc roller through the valve hole <NUM> and the drug passage incision groove <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A needle disc roller apparatus comprising:
a connection cap (<NUM>);
a roller guiding holder (<NUM>) coupled to a front end of the connection cap (<NUM>); and
a needle disc roller (<NUM>),
wherein the needle disc roller (<NUM>) comprises:
a roller bracket (<NUM>);
a core rotation shaft (<NUM>) rotatably installed for the roller bracket (<NUM>), a roller bobbin (<NUM>) rotatably installed for the core rotation shaft (<NUM>); and
a plurality of ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) and a plurality of ring-shaped spacers (<NUM>) that are all restrained by the roller bobbin (<NUM>) and rotate about the core rotation shaft (<NUM>) together with the roller bobbin (<NUM>),
the roller bracket (<NUM>) comprises:
a base portion (<NUM>); and
a pair of shaft mounting walls (<NUM> and <NUM>) vertically formed on both sides of the front surface of the base portion (<NUM>), and
the pair of shaft mounting walls (<NUM>) has shaft holes (<NUM> and <NUM>) in which the core rotation shaft (<NUM>) is rotatably fitted,
characterized in that
the needle disc roller being maintained so as to be movable forward and backward in the roller guiding holder (<NUM>);
the roller bracket (<NUM>) being installed to be rectilinearly movable forward and backward along a guide groove (<NUM>), wherein each of the pair of shaft mounting walls (<NUM>) is slidably fitted in the guide groove (<NUM>);
the needle disc roller further comprising a drug delivery mechanism for delivering a drug in a drug container to ring-shaped needle discs (<NUM>) of the needle disc roller (<NUM>) in response to the movement of the needle disc roller (<NUM>) back and forth as the needle disc roller (<NUM>) is pressed against the skin.