Handpiece for electrical treatment applicator

Inventors

Hinman, Cameron D. • Moss, Kevin L. • JOE, Wesley C. • ROBINO, Peter H.

Assignees

Pulse Biosciences Inc

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices, instruments and systems, including applicator handles for use with pulse generators) for automatically and/or mechanically setting impedance matching for connecting the applicator handle with different electrode tips. These methods and apparatuses may be useful for applying therapeutic energy, including but not limited to short, high field strength electric pulses, while avoiding the risk of arcing or otherwise harming the tissue.

Core Innovation

A system is disclosed for a treatment applicator that includes a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of treatment applicator electrical connectors. A pulse generator is configured to deliver microsecond or sub-microsecond pulses having a voltage of 1 kV or greater and to engage the plurality of treatment applicator electrical connectors so that the plurality of electrodes are in electrical communication with the pulse generator. The system further includes a plurality of impedance matching circuits and an impedance matching selector for selectively coupling the treatment applicator connectors with one or more of the impedance matching circuits based on an encoding shape connection with the electrodes to connect the treatment applicator to the pulse generator.

The impedance matching selector includes a first set of internal electrical contacts comprising high-current/high power contacts. The first set of internal electrical contacts is separated from a second set of internal electrical contacts by a minimum clearance distance that avoids arcing. The first set of internal electrical contacts is configured to couple with the second set of internal contacts to engage one or more of the plurality of impedance matching circuits when the encoding shape connection connects with the treatment applicator.

The encoding shape connection enables selection among different impedance matching circuits for different removable electrode tips or different treatment applicators. The impedance matching selector places the treatment applicator electrical connectors in electrical communication with the one or more impedance matching circuits based at least in part on the encoding shape connector, and example architectures include placement and interconnection of impedance matching circuits in the handle or selector and/or the tip and/or the pulse generator.

Claims Coverage

The partial claims provided include two independent claims, a system claim and a method claim. Both claims focus on impedance matching selection based on an encoding shape connection, with an impedance matching selector that uses internal high-current/high power contacts separated by a minimum clearance distance that avoids arcing, and that selectively couples the treatment applicator electrical connectors to one or more of the impedance matching circuits for coupling to the pulse generator.

Across the independent system and method claims, the core claim coverage is directed to an impedance matching selector that uses an encoding shape connection to determine which impedance matching circuit is coupled to the electrodes via the treatment applicator electrical connectors, a contact-engagement architecture using high-current/high power internal electrical contacts separated from another internal contact set by a minimum clearance distance that avoids arcing, and impedance-matched coupling to a pulse generator delivering microsecond or sub-microsecond pulses at 1 kV or greater, with additional dependents including parallel resistor-based impedance matching arrangements.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications