An Apparatus Configured to Enable a Flow of Current Through a User's Skin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019321629-A1
Application number	US-201716309206-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 24, 2017
Priority date	Jun 16, 2016
Publication date	Oct 24, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus including a proton battery configured to generate protons in the presence of water to produce a potential difference; and a first pair of electrical contacts electrically connected to the proton battery to enable a flow of electrical current therebetween when the potential difference from the proton battery is applied across the first pair of electrical contacts, wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is attached to the skin of a user, the proton battery is exposed to water from the user's skin which produces the potential difference and enables a flow of electrical current through the user's skin via the first pair of electrical contacts.

First claim

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a proton battery configured to generate protons in the presence of water to produce a potential difference; and a first pair of electrical contacts electrically connected to the proton battery to enable a flow of electrical current therebetween when the potential difference from the proton battery is applied across the first pair of electrical contacts, wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is attached to the skin of a user, the proton battery is exposed to water from the user's skin which produces the potential difference and enables a flow of electrical current through the user's skin via the first pair of electrical contacts.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the proton battery is a graphene thin film battery.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the proton battery comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrolyte,
the first electrode comprising graphene oxide and configured to generate protons in the presence of water to produce the potential difference between the first and second electrodes, and the electrolyte configured to enable the generated protons to flow from the first electrode to the second electrode when the first and second electrodes are connected by an external circuit.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the electrolyte is configured to absorb water from the surrounding environment and deliver it to the first electrode to facilitate the generation of protons.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a porous substrate and wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is attached to the skin of a user, the proton battery is exposed to water from the user's skin via the porous substrate.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller element which is electrically connected between the proton battery and the first pair of electrical contacts and is configured to control the potential difference applied across the first pair of electrical contacts by the proton battery and the resulting flow of electrical current through the user's skin.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller element comprises electrical stimulation driving electronics which control the flow of electrical current through the user's skin according to a predetermined pattern.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is configured to enable a flow of electrical current through the user's skin at a level which causes one or more of:
stimulation of nerves in the user's skin; stimulation of muscles proximal to the user's skin; alteration of properties of the user's skin; and alteration of properties of blood vessels proximal to the user's skin.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the electrical stimulation driving electronics are transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation driving electronics, and wherein the apparatus is configured to enable a flow of electrical current through the user's skin at a level which is consistent with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy.

10 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller element is one of detachable from the apparatus and not detachable from the apparatus.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller element is detachable from the apparatus via respective magnetic contacts within the controller element and the apparatus.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional pairs of electrical contacts electrically connected to the proton battery to enable a flow of electrical current through the user's skin via the respective one or more pairs of electrical contacts when the potential difference from the battery is applied across the respective one or more additional pairs of electrical contacts.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a medicament configured to be absorbed into the user's skin, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the flow of electrical current through the user's skin improves the absorption of the medicament into the user's skin.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more of a patch, a plaster, a sticker, a bandage, an elastic band, clothing and socks.

15 . A method of making an apparatus, the method comprising:
electrically connecting a first pair of electrical contacts to a proton battery to enable a flow of electrical current therebetween when a potential difference from the proton battery is applied across the first pair of electrical contacts, the proton battery configured to generate protons in the presence of water to produce the potential difference; and configuring the apparatus such that when the apparatus is attached to the skin of a user, the proton battery is exposed to water from the user's skin which produces the potential difference and enables a flow of electrical current through the user's skin via the first pair of electrical contacts.

Assignees

• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Radivojevic Zoran

Classifications

• A61N1/0492

  Patch electrodes (A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M6/34

  Immersion cells, e.g. sea-water cells · CPC title

• A61N1/0452

  Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS] · CPC title

• A61N1/327 Primary

  for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation · CPC title

• A61N1/328

  for improving the appearance of the skin, e.g. facial toning or wrinkle treatment · CPC title