Flexible control housing for disposable patch

• US 9,643,022 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nyxoah SA
• Original Assignee: Nyxoah SA
• Inventors: Mashiach, Adi, Mashiach, Itzik, Siman, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Heller, Tammie K
• Application Number:
  US14/306,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 607 2, 607142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/16 Details of sensor housings or probes; Details of structural supports for sensors A61B2560/0462 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0404 for external use A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 : Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0514 : Electrodes for the urinary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 : Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 : Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 : of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 : of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 : External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 : Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36057 : adapted for stimulating afferent nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36075 : Headache or migraine
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 : Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 : for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 : using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 : with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 : specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 : Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 : Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• 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: A61N 1/3787 : from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 : for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 : using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/37294 : Means for testing medical devices within the package prior to implantation

Abstract

A medical device control unit may include at least one processing device, a circuit electrically coupled to the at least one processing device, and a flexible housing configured to contain the at least one processing device and the circuit. The flexible housing may include at least one connection portion configured to engage a connector protruding from a flexible carrier, and at least one electrical contact electrically coupled to the circuit and configured to establish an electrical connection with an exposed electrical contact on the flexible carrier when the connection portion is engaged with the at least one connection portion.

Claims

1. A control unit for attachment to a subject, the control unit comprising:

at least one processing device;

a circuit electrically coupled to the at least one processing device;

a flexible housing configured to contain the at least one processing device and the circuit, the flexible housing including;

a connection portion configured to releasably engage a connector protruding from a flexible carrier; and

at least two electrical contacts exposed on a planar surface of the flexible housing distinct from the connection portion, the at least two electrical contacts being electrically coupled to the circuit and configured so that at least one of the two electrical contacts establishes an electrical connection with an exposed electrical contact on a planar surface of the flexible carrier distinct from the connector, when the connector is engaged with the connection portion, wherein the flexible housing is configured to maintain the electrical connection during rotation of the flexible housing with respect to the flexible carrier when the connector is engaged with the connection portion.

2. The control unit of claim 1, further comprising a primary antenna contained within the flexible housing and configured to communicate with a secondary antenna associated with an implant unit configured for placement in the subject.

3. The control unit of claim 1, further comprising a battery contained within the flexible housing.

4. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the processing device and circuit are provided on a flexible circuit board.

5. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the flexible housing includes silicone.

6. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the flexible housing includes a rigid portion located in a central portion of the flexible housing distinct from each end portion of the flexible housing, wherein the end portions of the flexible housing are configured to bend approximately 15-60 degrees.

7. The control unit of claim 6, wherein the connection portion is located at the rigid portion of the flexible housing.

8. The control unit of claim 7, wherein the at least two electrical contacts exposed on the planar surface of the flexible housing includes a pair of electrical contacts arranged substantially equidistant from the connection portion on opposing sides of the connection portion.

9. The control unit of claim 8, wherein the pair of electrical contracts is configured such that the electrical connection is established irrespective of a relative axial position of the flexible carrier and the flexible housing when the connector is engaged with the connection portion.

10. The control unit of claim 9, wherein the pair of electrical contacts is configured to establish the electrical connection with the exposed electrical contact on a planar surface of the flexible carrier that includes circularly continuous or discontinuous exposed electrical contact portions disposed with a radius approximately equal to a distance of the pair of electrical contacts from the connection portion.

11. The control unit of claim 9, wherein the flexible carrier is enabled to rotate with respect to the flexible housing when the connector is engaged with the one connection portion and maintain the electrical connection.

12. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the flexible housing includes at least one of a particulate substance and a ferrite substance.

13. The control unit of claim 12, wherein the flexible housing includes a ferrite substance, the ferrite substance reflecting a radiofrequency signal transmitted by an antenna contained within the housing.

14. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the flexible housing includes a ferrite substance, the ferrite substance absorbing a radiofrequency signal transmitted by an antenna contained within the housing.

15. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is overmolded around the circuit and the processing device.

16. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the flexible housing includes two connection portions.

17. The control unit of claim 1, wherein the flexible housing is at least three times as large in a lateral direction as in a height direction.

18. A control unit, comprising:

at least one processing device;

a circuit electrically coupled to the at least one processing device;

a flexible housing configured to contain the at least one processing device and the circuit, the flexible housing including;

a connection portion located in a center portion of the flexible housing and configured to engage a connector protruding from a flexible carrier configured to have a perimeter larger than a perimeter of the flexible housing; and

at least one electrical contact on a planar surface of the flexible housing distinct from the connection portion, the at least one electrical contact being electrically coupled to the circuit and configured to establish an electrical connection with an exposed circular electrical contact on a planar surface of the flexible carrier distinct from and surrounding the connector, when the connector is engaged with the connection portion,

wherein the at least one processing device and the circuit are contained in a flexible portion of the flexible housing.

19. The control unit of claim 18, further comprising an antenna and battery contained within the flexible housing.

20. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the processing device and circuit are provided on a flexible circuit board.

21. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the flexible housing contains at least one substantially inflexible component.

22. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the flexible housing includes at least one of a particulate substance and a ferrite substance.

23. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the flexible housing includes two connection portions.

24. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the flexible housing is at least three times as large in a lateral direction as in a height direction.

25. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the at least one electrical contact on a planar surface of the flexible housing includes a pair of electrical contacts arranged substantially equidistant from the connection portion on opposing sides of the connection portion.

26. The control unit of claim 25, wherein the pair of electrical contracts is configured such that the electrical connection is established irrespective of a relative axial position of the flexible carrier and the flexible housing when the connector is engaged with the connection portion.

27. The control unit of claim 26, wherein the pair of electrical contracts is configured to establish the electrical connection with the exposed electrical contact on a planar surface of the flexible carrier that includes circularly continuous or discontinuous exposed electrical contact portions disposed with a radius approximately equal to a distance of the pair of electrical contacts from the connection portion.

28. The control unit of claim 26, wherein the flexible carrier is enabled to rotate with respect to the flexible housing when the connector is engaged with the connection portion and maintain the electrical connection.