Neural sleeve for neuromuscular stimulation, sensing and recording

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10765859-B2
Application number	US-201615578816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to neuromuscular stimulation and sensing cuffs. The neuromuscular stimulation cuff has at least two fingers and a plurality of electrodes disposed on each finger. More generally, the neuromuscular stimulation cuff includes an outer, reusable component and an inner, disposable component. One or more electrodes are housed within the reusable component. The neuromuscular stimulation cuff may be produced by providing an insulating substrate layer, forming a conductive circuit on the substrate layer to form a conductive circuit layer, adhering a cover layer onto the conductive circuit layer to form a flexible circuit, and cutting at least one flexible finger from the flexible circuit. The neuromuscular stimulation cuff employs a flexible multi-electrode design which allows for reanimation of complex muscle movements in a patient, including individual finger movement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for neuromuscular stimulation, comprising:
a reusable sleeve;
electrodes housed within the reusable sleeve; and
an inner disposable sleeve comprising a conductive medium in contact with the electrodes;
wherein the conductive medium comprises a hydrogel which is more conductive in a z-direction than in a x-direction or a y-direction.

2. A device for neuromuscular stimulation, comprising:
a reusable sleeve;
electrodes housed within the reusable sleeve; and
an inner disposable sleeve comprising a conductive medium in contact with the electrodes;
wherein a conductivity of the conductive medium increases upon application of external pressure in a direction of the external pressure.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the conductive medium comprises a compressible polymer and a conductive filler dispersed in the compressible polymer.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the conductive filler comprises carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, or metallic particles.

5. A device for neuromuscular stimulation, comprising:
a reusable sleeve;
electrodes housed within the reusable sleeve; and
an inner disposable sleeve comprising a conductive medium in contact with the electrodes;
wherein the conductive medium is dry in an initial state and becomes tacky upon application of an electrical current.

6. A device for neuromuscular stimulation, comprising:
a reusable sleeve;
electrodes housed within the reusable sleeve; and
an inner disposable sleeve comprising a conductive medium in contact with the electrodes;
wherein the conductive medium is dry in an initial state and becomes tacky upon a change in temperature.

7. A device for neuromuscular stimulation, comprising:
a reusable sleeve;
electrodes housed within the reusable sleeve; and
an inner disposable sleeve comprising a conductive medium in contact with the electrodes;
wherein the conductive medium is dry in an initial state and becomes tacky upon a change in pH.

8. A device for neuromuscular stimulation, comprising:
a reusable sleeve;
electrodes housed within the reusable sleeve; and
an inner disposable sleeve comprising a conductive medium in contact with the electrodes;
wherein the conductive medium is dry in an initial state and becomes tacky upon a change in moisture.

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Bouton Chad E
• Sharma Gaurav
• Sweeney Andrew
• Heintz Amy M
• Kute Stephanie
• Annetta Nicholas
• Haubert Thomas D
• Risser Steven M
• Friend Jeffrey
• Bartholomew John
• Thurston Rachel
• Morrow C Alexander
• Brand George
• Ellis Jeffrey
• Mowrer Matthew
• Zaborski Raymond

Classifications

• A61B5/1127 Primary

  using markers · CPC title

• A61B5/251

  Means for maintaining electrode contact with the body · CPC title

• A61B5/375

  using biofeedback · CPC title

• A61B5/389

  Electromyography [EMG] · CPC title

• A61B5/291

  for electroencephalography [EEG] · CPC title