Electrode and iontophoretic device and method

• US 6,078,842 A
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elan Pharma International Limited (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Original Assignee: Elan Corporation PLC (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Inventors: Nitzan, Zvi, Tsals, Izrail, Gross, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/997,404
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 607/115, 607/139, 607/140, 607/152
• US Class Current: 607/152
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0436 Material of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

An improved electrode and iontophoretic device and method where the electrode exhibits varied resistance. The electrode is made of a conductive material and applied to a flexible substrate. The variation in resistance can be achieved by varying the thickness of the electrode across its length or by varying the conductivity of the material across the area of the electrode or a combination of both. A pair of such electrodes may be used with a power source in electrical relation thereto and applied over a layer of agent to the skin to deliver the agent into the skin iontophoretically. The pair of electrodes may be shaped so as to cover a portion of the face, hands, feet or other body parts to iontophoretically apply particular agents to those areas.

Claims

1. An improved electrode comprising:

a flexible member; and

electrically conductive material applied to at least a portion of the flexible member, the electrically conducive material having varied thickness.

2. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the flexible member is paper.

3. The improved electrode of claim 2 wherein the paper has a polymer backing in contact with the electrically conductive material.

4. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive material is a conductive ink.

5. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive material includes carbon powder.

6. The improved electrode of claim 5 wherein the carbon powder is characterized by a weight percentage of between about 6.5% and about 12%.

7. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the conductive material comprises a plurality of materials, at least one material having a different electrical conductivity from the other materials.

8. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the conductive material comprises a plurality of layers.

9. The improved electrode of claim 8 wherein the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of materials, where at least one material has a different electrical conductivity from the other materials.

10. The improved electrode of claim 8 wherein the surface area of at least one of the plurality of layers is different from the surface area of at least one other of the plurality of layers.

11. The improved electrode of claim 8 wherein the thickness of at least one of the pluratity of layers is different from the thickness of at least one other of the plurality of layers.

12. The improved electrode of claim 8 wherein the resistance to electrical current of each layer of the plurality of layers is between about 100 ohms and about 1000 ohms when measured between two probes placed about one centimeter apart.

13. The improved electrode of claim 8 wherein the topmost layer of the plurality of layers is characterized by a resistance to electric current per unit area of between about 500 ohms per square centimeter and about 5000 ohms per square centimeter.

14. The improved electrode of claim 8 wherein the plurality of layers includes at least a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer being adjacent to the flexible member and the upper layer being adjacent to the lower layer.

15. The improved electrode of claim 14 wherein the lower layer has a lower resistance than the upper layer.

16. The improved electrode of claim 14 wherein the lower layer is grid shaped.

17. The improved electrode of claim 14 wherein the upper layer is non-conductive.

18. The improved electrode of claim 1 further comprising a means to secure the electrically conductive material to the surface of the skin of a mammal.

19. The improved electrode of claim 18 wherein the means comprises electrically conductive adhesive applied to a portion of the electrically conductive material.

20. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the flexible member is a molded to conform to the surface of a particular body extremity.

21. The improved electrode of claim 20 wherein the flexible member is molded by means of an injection molding process.

22. The improved electrode of claim 20 wherein the member is an elastomer having carbon powder suspended therein.

23. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the member is shaped to conform to the surface of a human finger.

24. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the member is shaped to conform to the surface of a human hand.

25. The improved electrode of claim 1, wherein the member is shaped like a glove.

26. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the member is shaped to conform to the surface of a human toe.

27. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the member is shaped to conform to the surface of a human foot.

28. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the member is shaped like a sock.

29. The improved electrode of claim 1 wherein the member is in the shape of a face mask having a forehead area, a temple area, a nose area, two cheek areas and a chin area.

30. The improved electrode of claim 29 wherein the face mask has a pair of holes anatomically corresponding to the eye areas in a human face.