Iontophoretic electrode with improved current distribution

• US 20020099320A1
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Encore Medical Asset Corporation (Enovis Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Iomed, Inc. (Enovis Corp.)
• Inventors: Beck, Jon E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,731,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0436 Material of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/303 Constructional details electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

An electrode for use in an iontophoretic drug delivery having a substantially uniform distribution of current about the electrode. One such electrode includes a substrate, at least one first conductive layer of material disposed upon the substrate and at least one dielectric layer of material disposed upon at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer of material. The dielectric layer cooperates with the conductive layer of material to promote the substantially uniform distribution of current. Another such electrode includes a substrate, a conductive layer of material and a sacrificial layer of material.

Claims

1. An electrode, for use in an iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus, comprising:

at least one first conductive layer of material; and

at least one dielectric layer of material disposed upon at least a portion of, but less than the entirety of, the at least one conductive layer of material.

3. The electrode of claim 1 further comprising a lead attachment region.

4. The electrode of claim 3 wherein the at least one dielectric layer of material extends from the lead attachment region.

5. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the at least one conductive layer includes a proximal end, a distal end, a first side and a second side, the at least one dielectric layer extending substantially from the proximal end to the distal end of the at least one conductive layer.

6. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the at least one dielectric layer of material is formed into a substantially contiguous herringbone pattern.

7. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the at least one dielectric layer of material comprises at least one strip.

8. The electrode of claim 7 wherein the at least one strip includes a distal end, the distal end configured to include a taper, to, in turn, preclude concentrations of current therearound.

10. The electrode of claim 1 further including a substrate associated with the first layer of material.

13. The electrode of claim 11 wherein the first conductive layer of material comprises a pattern.

2. The electrode of claim I further comprising at least one second conductive layer of material disposed upon the at least one of the at least one conductive layer of material which remains exposed and the at least one dielectric layer of material.

9. The electrode of claim I wherein the conductive layer of material further includes a proximal end and a distal end, the pattern comprises a pattern that is substantially symmetrical from the proximal to the distal end of the conductive layer of material about an axis bisecting the conductive layer of material.

11. An electrode, for use in an iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus, comprising:

a first conductive layer of material; and

at least one sacrificial layer of material disposed upon at least a portion of the at least one conductive layer of material.

12. The electrode of claim 11 wherein the first conductive layer is configured so as to substantially correspond to the dimensions of the at least one sacrificial layer of material.

14. The electrode of claim 13 wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of intersecting strips of material.

15. The electrode of claim 13 wherein the pattern comprises a herringbone pattern.

16. The electrode of claim 11 further comprising a transitional conductive material positioned between the conductive layer of material and the sacrificial layer of material.

17. The electrode of claim 11 further comprising a substrate associated with the conductive layer of material.

19. The electrode of claim 18 wherein the electrode comprises a positive electrode, the current distribution means comprises:

a dielectric layer of material disposed about at least a portion of, but less than the entirety, of the conductive layer of material.

20. The electrode of claim 18 wherein the electrode comprises a negative electrode, the current distribution means comprises:

a sacrificial layer of material disposed over at least a portion of the conductive layer of material.

18. An electrode, for use in association with an iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus, comprising:

a conductive layer of material; and

means for substantially distributing current substantially uniformly about the conductive layer of material, upon supplying electrical current to the conductive layer of material.

21. A method of manufacturing an electrode for use in association with an iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate;

applying a conductive layer of material upon at least a portion of the substrate; and

applying a dielectric layer of material upon a portion of, but less than the entirety of the conductive layer of material.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of:

associating a lead to the conductive layer of material.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of applying the dielectric layer comprises the step of:

extending the dielectric layer of material away from the lead.

24. The method of claim 21 further'"'"'comprising the step of:

applying at least one conductive layer upon at least one of the exposed conductive layer of material and the dielectric layer of material.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of applying a conductive layer of material comprises the step of:

printing the conductive layer of material upon the substrate.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of applying a dielectric layer of material comprises the step of:

printing the dielectric layer of material upon the substrate.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

associating a lead to the conductive layer of material.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of applying a conductive layer comprises the step of:

printing the conductive layer of material upon the substrate.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of applying a sacrificial layer of material comprises the step of:

printing the conductive layer of material upon the substrate.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

applying a transition conductive layer after the step of applying a conductive layer of material.

27. A method of manufacturing an electrode for use in association with an iontophoretic drug, delivery apparatus comprising the step of:

providing a substrate;

applying a conductive layer of material upon a portion of the substrate; and

applying a sacrificial layer of material upon the conductive layer of material.

32. A method of uniformly distributing current along an electrode comprising the steps of.

providing a conductive layer of material;

associating a lead to the conductive layer of material;

applying a dielectric layer of material to a portion of the conductive layer of material, extending away from the lead toward the extremities of the conductive layer of material;

applying an electric current to the lead; and

distributing the electric current along the conductive layer of material below the dielectric layer of material.