Electrode assembly for nerve control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
- a tubular housing, which defines and completely surrounds a space having a longitudinal central axis, and which is configured to be placed completely surrounding a longitudinal portion of the nerve;
one or more electrodes, fixed to an inner surface of the housing facing the longitudinal central axis such that the electrodes surround greater than 180 degrees of the longitudinal central axis of the housing; and
first and second end insulating elements, fixed to the housing at respective longitudinal ends of the housing, such that the end insulating elements extend toward the longitudinal central axis, and are shaped so as to define respective openings surrounding the longitudinal central axis, wherein the electrodes are longitudinally between the end insulating elements,wherein a closest end insulating element distance between each of the end insulating elements and the longitudinal central axis is between 1 and 2 mm, such that a radius of each of the openings is between 1 and 2 mm, andwherein a closest electrode distance between the electrodes and the longitudinal central axis is at least 1.5 times the closest end insulating element distance.
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Abstract
Apparatus is provided for applying current to a nerve, including a housing, that is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of the nerve. At least one electrode is fixed to the housing such that the at least one electrode does not come in direct physical contact with the nerve, and such that the electrode surrounds greater than 180 degrees of a circumference of the nerve after the placement of the housing. Two end insulating elements are fixed to the housing. The at least one electrode is between the end insulating elements. A characteristic closest end insulating element distance to a surface of the nerve is less than 0.5 mm.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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a tubular housing, which defines and completely surrounds a space having a longitudinal central axis, and which is configured to be placed completely surrounding a longitudinal portion of the nerve; one or more electrodes, fixed to an inner surface of the housing facing the longitudinal central axis such that the electrodes surround greater than 180 degrees of the longitudinal central axis of the housing; and first and second end insulating elements, fixed to the housing at respective longitudinal ends of the housing, such that the end insulating elements extend toward the longitudinal central axis, and are shaped so as to define respective openings surrounding the longitudinal central axis, wherein the electrodes are longitudinally between the end insulating elements, wherein a closest end insulating element distance between each of the end insulating elements and the longitudinal central axis is between 1 and 2 mm, such that a radius of each of the openings is between 1 and 2 mm, and wherein a closest electrode distance between the electrodes and the longitudinal central axis is at least 1.5 times the closest end insulating element distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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a tubular housing, which defines and completely surrounds a space having a longitudinal central axis, and which is configured to be placed completely surrounding a longitudinal portion of the nerve; first and second end insulating elements, fixed to the housing at respective first and second longitudinal ends of the housing, such that the end insulating elements extend toward the longitudinal central axis, and are shaped so as to define respective openings surrounding the longitudinal central axis, wherein respective first and second closest end insulating element distances between the end insulating elements and the longitudinal central axis are between 1 and 2 mm, such that respective radii of the openings are between 1 and 2 mm; first and second electrodes, longitudinally closest to the first and second end insulating elements, respectively, and fixed to an inner surface of the housing facing the longitudinal central axis at respective first and second longitudinal sites of the housing longitudinally between the end insulating elements, so as to define respective first and second closest electrode distances between the electrodes and the longitudinal central axis, which first and second closest electrode distances are greater than the first and second closest end insulating element distance, respectively; and
;an internal insulating element, fixed to the housing longitudinally between the first and second longitudinal sites, such that the internal insulating element extends toward the longitudinal central axis such that a closest internal insulating element distance between the internal insulating element and the longitudinal central axis is less than the closest electrode. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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a tubular housing, which defines and completely surrounds a space having a longitudinal central axis, and which is configured to be placed completely surrounding a longitudinal portion of the nerve; exactly one set of one or more electrodes fixed to an inner surface of the housing facing the longitudinal central axis, the electrodes having respective electrode surfaces that are in electrical contact with the nerve when the housing is placed in the vicinity of the nerve, and are in electrical contact with each other via a path outside of the nerve; and first and second end insulating elements, fixed to the housing at respective longitudinal ends of the housing, such that the end insulating elements extend toward the longitudinal central axis, and are shaped so as to define respective openings surrounding the longitudinal central axis, wherein the set of electrodes are longitudinally between the end insulating elements, wherein a closest end insulating element distance between each of the end insulating elements and the longitudinal central axis is between 1 and 2 mm, such that a radius of each of the openings is between 1 and 2 mm, and wherein a closest electrode distance between the electrodes and the longitudinal central axis is at least 1.5 times the closest end insulating element distance. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification