SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO A BODILY TISSUE

• US 20100076533A1
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bioness Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Bioness Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Dar, Amit, Springer, Shmuel, Feldman, Shai, Glukhovsky, Arkady
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/04 Electrodes electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3625 External stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a substantially rigid base and a flexible substrate. The substantially rigid base has a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and is configured to be coupled to an electronic device. The flexible substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and includes an electrical circuit configured to electronically couple the electronic device to at least one of an electrode a battery, or an antenna. The flexible substrate is coupled to the base such that a first portion of the second surface is in contact with the first protrusion. A second portion of the second surface is non-parallel to the first portion.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially rigid base having a protrusion, the base configured to be coupled to an electronic device; and

a flexible substrate having a first surface and a second surface and including an electrical circuit configured to electronically couple the electronic device to at least one of an electrode, a battery, or an antenna, the flexible substrate coupled to the base such that a first portion of the second surface is in contact with the protrusion, a second portion of the second surface is non-parallel to the first portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a first portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a first slot defined by the base, at least a second portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a second slot defined by the base, the first slot different than the second slot.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base defines a plurality of slots, each slot of the plurality of slots configured to receive a portion of the flexible substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a first portion of the first surface of the flexible substrate includes at least a portion of the electrical circuit, the portion of the electrical circuit configured to be in electrical communication with an electrical contact disposed on a first portion of the electronic device; and

the base includes a second protrusion configured to engage a second portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is coupled to the base, the second portion of the electronic device different than the first portion of the electronic device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a hydrogel electrode coupled to the second surface of the substrate, the substrate further including a conductive region electrically coupled to the electrical circuit and a plurality of non-conductive regions configured to facilitate retention of the hydrogel electrode with respect to the second surface of the substrate.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a flexible housing configured to be disposed about at least a portion of a stimulator assembly, the stimulator assembly including at least a battery, an electrode, and a stimulus generator, the housing including a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the stimulus generator, the receiving portion defining an opening configured to receive a protrusion of the stimulus generator when the stimulus generator is received in the receiving portion such that the stimulus generator is electrically coupled to the battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a portion of the housing is configured to form a substantially fluid-tight seal proximate to the receiving portion when at least the portion of the stimulus generator is received in the receiving portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the opening is a first opening, the receiving portion of the housing defines a second opening different than the first opening, the second opening configured to receive a protrusion of a base of the stimulator assembly such that the protrusion can limit movement of the stimulus generator with respect to the housing when the stimulus generator is received in the receiving portion of the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing defines a recess configured to receive a fastening member of the stimulator assembly, the fastening member configured to limit movement of the housing relative to the stimulator assembly when the housing is disposed about the portion of the stimulator assembly and the fastening member is received in the recess.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing is configured to substantially maintain the stimulus generator in electrical communication with an electrical pathway coupled to a substrate of the stimulator assembly when the stimulus generator is received in the receiving portion, the electrical pathway electrically couples the stimulus generator to at least one of the electrode or the battery.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having a first configuration in which the substrate has a first area and a second configuration in which the substrate has a second area less than the first area;

a power source coupled to the substrate;

an electrode coupled to the substrate, the electrode configured to contact a bodily tissue and to convey an electrical current between an electronic device and the bodily tissue;

an electrical circuit coupled to the substrate, the electrical circuit configured to electrically couple the power source to the electronic device, the electrical circuit configured to electrically couple the electronic device to the electrode, the electrode facing a first direction when the substrate is in its first configuration, the electrical circuit facing the first direction when the substrate is in its first configuration, each of the electrode and a portion of the electrical circuit facing a second direction different than the first direction when the substrate is in its second configuration; and

a coupling member coupled to the substrate, the coupling member including a protrusion configured to releasably couple the electronic device to the substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a housing configured to be disposed over a portion of the substrate, a surface of the housing defining a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the electronic device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the electrode and the electrical circuit are disposed on a first side of the substrate when the substrate is in its first configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a casing including a rim and defining a cavity, the rim of the casing being coupled to the substrate to form a seal configured to substantially prevent the passage of moisture between the rim of the casing and the substrate, the power source being received in the cavity of the casing.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a housing disposable over at least a portion of the substrate, the housing including a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the electronic device, the housing defining an opening configured to receive the protrusion of the coupling member,

the protrusion of the coupling member configured to releasably engage a recess of the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the receiving portion of the housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the coupling member defines a first slot and a second slot different than the first slot,

at least a first portion of the substrate disposed within the first slot, at least a second portion of the substrate disposed within the second slot.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the coupling member includes a connective member; and

the substrate is flexible, the substrate coupled to the connective member such that a first portion of the first side of the substrate is non-parallel to a second portion of the first side of the substrate.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the coupling member is substantially rigid.

19. A method, comprising the steps of:

folding a tab portion of a flexible substrate such that the tab portion of the flexible substrate is in contact with a bottom side of a body portion of the flexible substrate and such that an electrical circuit formed on a top side of the flexible substrate extends about an edge of the fold, the flexible substrate configured to be coupled to a body.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

coupling at least a portion of the flexible substrate to a rigid base.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

disposing a first portion of the flexible substrate including the electrical circuit over a protrusion of a rigid base such that the first portion of the flexible substrate is non-parallel to a second portion of the flexible substrate.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

weaving at least a portion of the flexible substrate through a slot defined by a rigid base.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the tab portion is a first tab portion, further comprising:

folding a second tab portion of the flexible substrate such that the second tab portion of the flexible substrate is in contact with the bottom side of the body portion of the flexible substrate and such that the electrical circuit extends about an edge of the fold of the second tab portion.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a hydrogel electrode; and

a substrate including a lower surface, a conductive region, and a plurality of discrete non-conductive regions, the conductive region electrically coupled to an electrical circuit of the substrate and to the hydrogel electrode, the plurality of discrete non-conductive regions configured to facilitate coupling of the hydrogel electrode with the lower surface of the substrate.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one non-conductive region of the plurality of discrete non-conductive regions is a solder mask.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one non-conductive region of the plurality of discrete non-conductive regions is formed by a coating applied to the surface of the conductive region.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one non-conductive region of the plurality of discrete non-conductive regions extends beyond a surface of the conductive region.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one non-conductive region of the plurality of discrete non-conductive regions is a cavity formed in a surface of the conductive region.