IMPLANTABLE ELECTRONIC STIMULATOR ELECTRODE AND METHOD

• US 3,646,940 A
• Filed: 07/15/1969
• Issued: 03/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald W. Timm, William Eugene Bradley
• Original Assignee: Gerald W. Timm, William Eugene Bradley
• Inventors: Timm, Gerald W., Bradley, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US04/841,756
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 128/404,410,411,416,418P,419R,421,422
• US Class Current: 607/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

An apparatus for implantation in the body to locally stimulate a mass of electrically excitable tissue without stimulating nearby tissue structures, and the method of so stimulating the tissue is described. The apparatus includes a plurality of electrodes, each of the electrodes including a pair of conductors for carrying signals of positive and negative polarity, each of said conductors having a plurality of electrically conductive coupling points for coupling to the mass of tissue. Apparatus is also described for providing timed sequenced electrical impulses to the plurality of electrodes so that only one of the electrodes has a voltage applied between its input terminals at any given time. An insulating backing placed between the electrodes and tissue structures surrounding the implanted stimulator for eliminating undesirable secondary tissue stimulation is also described. The method of applying controlled time-spaced electrical impulses to a mass of electrically excitable tissue structure for causing stimulation of that tissue structure is also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for stimulating a mass of electrically excitable tissue comprising:

a. a plurality of electrically conductive electrode means for electrically coupling to a mass of electrically excitable tissue, said electrode means including a pair of electrically conductive wires, a first plurality of electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to one of said pair of conductive wires, and a second plurality of electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to the other of said pair of conductive wires, electrically conductive connection means for electrically interconnecting each of said interconnection elements with predetermined portions of the tissue to be stimulated, insulation means for insulating said pair of electrically conductive wires while leaving said first and second pluralities of interconnection elements exposed, and isolation means coupled to said plurality of conductors for electrically isolating each of said electrode means from the others of said electrode means;

b. pulse-generating means for providing predetermined timed sequences of electrical pulses, said pulse-generating means including tuned circuit means for responding to radiofrequency signals for providing power signals;

rectifier and filter means coupled to said tuned circuit means for providing direct current signals in response to said power signals; and

c. control means coupled intermediate said plurality of electrodes and said pulse-generating means for controlling the time and sequence of application of said electrical pulsEs to individual ones of said electrode means, said control means including clocking means for controlling said time and sequence of application of said electrical pulses to only one of said electrode means at any given time, and including pulse circuit means coupled to said rectifier and filter means for generating pulses in response to said direct current signals, a plurality of insulated electrical conductors electrically coupled intermediate said pulse circuit means and said plurality of electrically conductive electrode means for transmitting said pulses to said electrode means;

said clocking means coupled to said pulse circuit means for controlling the sequence of said transmitting of said pulses to individual ones of said plurality of electrically conductive electrode means in a predetermined order.

2. selecting predetermined points of contact;

and

3. Apparatus for stimulating a mass of electrically excitable tissue comprising:

a. a plurality of electrically conductive electrode means for electrically coupling to a mass of electrically excitable tissue;

b. pulse-generating means for providing predetermined timed sequences of electrical pulses, said pulse generating means including a like plurality of power source means for generating sequences of signals, and a like plurality of pulse-generating means, each of said pulse-generating means electrically coupled to a respectively associated one of said plurality of power source means for providing said pulses to an associated one of said plurality of electrodes; and

c. control means coupled intermediate said plurality of electrodes and said pulse-generating means for controlling the time and sequence of application of said electrical pulses to individual ones of said electrode means, said control means including clock circuit means coupled to said plurality of pulse-generating means for controlling said time and sequence of application of said pulses to only one of said electrode means at any given time, said clock circuit means including means for isolating each of said electrode means from the others of said electrode means.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein each of said electrode means includes a pair of electrically conductive wires, a first plurality of electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to one of said pair of conductive wires, and a second plurality of electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to the other of said pair of conductive wires, and insulation means for insulating said pair of electrically conductive wires while leaving said first and second pluralities of interconnection elements exposed.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 and further including electrically conductive connection means for electrically interconnecting each of said interconnection elements with predetermined portions of the tissue to be stimulated.

6. Apparatus for stimulating a mass of electrically excitable tissue comprising:

a. a plurality of electrically conductive electrode means for electrically coupling to a mass of electrically excitable tissue, said electrode means including a pair of electrically conductive wires, a first plurality of electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to one of said pair of conductive wires, and a second plurality of electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to the other of said pair of conductive wires, electrically conductive connection means for electrically interconnecting each of said interconnection elements with predetermined portions of the tissue to be stimulated, insulation means for insulating said pair of electrically conductive wires while leaving said first and second pluralities of interconnection elements exposed, and isolation means coupled to said plurality of conductors for electrically isoLating each of said electrode means from the others of said electrode means;

b. pulse-generating means for providing predetermined timed sequences of electrical pulses, said pulse-generating means including tuned circuit means for responding to high-frequency signals for providing power signals;

rectifier and filter means coupled to said tuned circuit means for providing direct current signals in response to said power signals; and

c. control means coupled intermediate said plurality of electrodes and said pulse-generating means for controlling the time and sequence of application of said electrical pulses to individual ones of said electrode means, said control means including clocking means for controlling said time and sequence of application of said electrical pulses to only one of said electrode means at any given time, and including pulse circuit means coupled to said rectifier and filter means for generating pulses in response to said direct current signals, a plurality of insulated electrical conductors electrically coupled intermediate said pulse circuit means and said plurality of electrically conductive electrode means for transmitting said pulses to said electrode means;

said clocking means coupled to said pulse circuit means for controlling the sequence of said transmitting of said pulses to individual ones of said plurality of electrically conductive electrode means.

7. The method of stimulating a mass of electrically excitable tissue while preventing undesired stimulation of contiguous tissue structures comprising the steps of:

a. electrically affixing a set of spaced-apart electrodes to the mass of tissue to be stimulated, said step of affixing including the steps of;

8. The method of claim 7 and further including the steps of:

a. implanting a controlled pulse source in the body; and

b. placing an insulating cover over the implanted pulse source and those portions of the electrodes other than said predetermined points of contact for further minimizing undesired stimulation of contiguous tissue structures.

9. A bipolar electrode for use with an implantable stimulator for stimulating electrically excitable tissue comprising:

a. a pair of electrically conductive wires for receiving bipolar pulses, one of said pair of electrically conductive wires being arranged in a predetermined serpentine pattern, and the other of said pair of electrically conductive wires being arranged in substantially a mirror image of said predetermined serpentine pattern and overlaps said one wire at a plurality of points;

b. a first plurality of spaced-apart electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to one of said pair of conductive wires;

a second plurality of spaced-apart electrical interconnection elements electrically coupled to the other of said pair of conductive wires;

with individual ones of said first and second pluralities of interconnection elements paired and positioned at approximately the midpoints between associated ones of said plurality of overlap points; and

c. insulation means for insulating said pair of electrically conductive wires while leaving said first and second pluralities of interconnection elements exposed.