System for transmitting electrical current to a bodily tissue

• US 8,738,137 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• 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, Feldman, Shai, Glukhovsky, Arkady, Springer, Shmuel, Regev, Einan
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US12/628,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 607 36- 38, 607/46, 607 48- 59, 607/77, 607 98- 99, 607108-115, 607139-155
• US Class Current: 607/45
• 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 and defining a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings configured to receive therethrough a portion of the flexible substrate, 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, at least a third portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a first opening of the plurality of openings, at least a fourth portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a second opening of the plurality of openings, the first opening different than the second opening, the 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, 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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening is defined by a first end of the base, the base including a second protrusion extended from a second end of the base different than the first end.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the base is extended from a portion of the base disposed between the first opening of the plurality of openings and the second opening of the plurality of openings.

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 disposed within the conductive region and configured to facilitate retention of the hydrogel electrode with respect to the second surface of the substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible housing configured to be disposed about at least a portion of at least one of the base and the flexible substrate, the housing including a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the electronic device, the receiving portion defining an opening configured to receive a protrusion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received in the receiving portion such that the electronic device 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 electronic device is received in the receiving portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing is configured to substantially maintain the electronic device in electrical communication with the electrical circuit of the substrate when the electronic device is received in the receiving portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

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

10. The apparatus of claim 1, 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.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the battery; and

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 battery being received in the cavity of the casing.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the base is a first protrusion, the base having a second protrusion different than the first protrusion, 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 second protrusion of the base,

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

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the flexible substrate is in its second configuration, a tab portion of the flexible substrate is folded 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 the 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.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the tab portion is a first tab portion, further comprising:

a second tab portion of the flexible substrate folded 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, when the flexible substrate is in its second configuration.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially rigid base having a protrusion and defining a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings configured to receive therethrough a portion of the flexible substrate, 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, at least a third portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a first opening of the plurality of openings, at least a fourth portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a second opening of the plurality of openings, the first opening different than the second opening, the flexible substrate including a tab portion folded 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 the 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.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tab portion is a first tab portion, further comprising:

a second tab portion of the flexible substrate folded 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.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a substantially rigid base having a protrusion and defining a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings configured to receive therethrough a portion of the flexible substrate, the base configured to be coupled to an electronic device;

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, at least a third portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a first opening of the plurality of openings, at least a fourth portion of the flexible substrate is disposed within a second opening of the plurality of openings, the first opening different than the second opening; and

a flexible housing configured to be disposed about at least a portion of at least one of the base and the flexible substrate, the housing including a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of the electronic device, the receiving portion defining an opening configured to receive a protrusion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received in the receiving portion such that the electronic device is electrically coupled to the battery.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, 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 electronic device is received in the receiving portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the housing is configured to substantially maintain the electronic device in electrical communication with the electrical circuit of the substrate when the electronic device is received in the receiving portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the protrusion of the base is a first protrusion, the base having a second protrusion different than the first protrusion,

the flexible housing defines an opening configured to receive the second protrusion of the base, and

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