Headset for treatment and assessment of medical conditions
Inventors
Dar, Amit • Bar-Or, Jonathan • Cohen, Amir • BELSON, Ron
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9433774-B2
Publication Date
2016-09-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A circumferential headset for use in delivering electrical stimulation to the skin surface of the head.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a circumferential headset for delivering electrical stimulation to a skin surface of a head of a user, using a circumferential headset body having a monolithic frame adapted to circumferentially fit around the head. The headset body houses an electric circuit adapted to be connected to a power source, and includes an elastic arrangement disposed on at least a portion of a circumference of the headset body, adapted to be tensioned along the circumference during donning.
At least one electrode base is mechanically and at least semi-rigidly connected to the headset body and electrically associated with the electric circuit, and is adapted to receive at least one electrode pad. The headset body and the electrode base are adapted to orient an electrical stimulation surface of the pad towards the skin surface during donning by the user, and the elastic arrangement radially urges the electrode base towards the skin surface so that the electrode pad makes physical and electrical contact with the skin surface.
The elastic arrangement and the electrode base further provide a fixed circumferential position of the electrode base with respect to the frame for various degrees of tensioning of the elastic arrangement. The electrode pad includes a liquid-absorbent layer with a biocompatible, conductive contact surface juxtaposed against the skin surface, and an electrically conductive layer containing at least one electrically conductive material or element electrically connected with the liquid-absorbent layer when filled with liquid.
Certain embodiments include an electrode base having a housing with a floor and a flexible circumferential member surrounding the floor, forming a cavity adapted to receive an electrically conductive electrode pad, with a rim and flexible circumferential wall adapted such that a pressure urges the rim against the skin surface to substantially fluidly seal between the cavity and an ambient or external environment. The headset also encompasses circumferential segmentation into front and rear sections or mechanically distinct elements, conductive current-transfer configurations including conductive paint in a mesh pattern or carbon foil, and sensor functionality for sensing a body parameter associated with the head of the user.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims explicitly cover a circumferential headset architecture that elastically fixes electrode circumferential position while establishing physical and electrical contact, supported by specific electrode pad layer constructions and sealing features. The core claim coverage includes the headset body with monolithic frame and elastic arrangement, the electrode base and pad arrangement that orients and urges contact during donning, conductive layer composition options, front or rear section placements, and optional sensing.
Circumferential monolithic-frame headset with elastic circumferential tensioning
A circumferential headset body having a monolithic frame adapted to circumferentially fit around the head of the user, the body housing an electric circuit adapted to be connected to a power source, the headset body including an elastic arrangement disposed on at least a portion of a circumference of said headset body, said elastic arrangement adapted to be tensioned along said circumference.
Elastic urging that provides physical and electrical contact during donning while fixing circumferential electrode position
For various degrees of tensioning of said elastic arrangement, a circumferential position of said electrode base, with respect to said frame, is fixed in a specific predetermined position, and during said donning said elastic arrangement radially urges said electrode base towards the skin surface such that said electrode pad makes physical and electrical contact with the skin surface while the headset body and said base orient an electrical stimulation surface of said pad towards the skin surface.
Electrode base cavity with rim sealing between cavity and ambient environment
An electrode base having a housing including a floor and a flexible circumferential member surrounding said floor, and having a flexible circumferential wall extending generally above a perimeter of said floor, said wall ending in a circumferential rim, said floor and said flexible circumferential member forming a cavity adapted to receive an electrically conductive electrode pad, and said rim and said flexible circumferential wall adapted such that a pressure exerted against said electrode base, generally perpendicular to said rim, and towards a skin surface of a user, urges said rim against said skin surface to substantially fluidly seal between said cavity and an ambient or external environment.
Liquid-absorbent biocompatible conductive contact surface with electrically conductive current-transfer layer
An electrode pad including a liquid-absorbent layer having a biocompatible contact surface adapted to be juxtaposed against the skin surface and an electrode backing attached to said liquid-absorbent layer containing at least one electrically conductive material or element electrically connected with said liquid-absorbent layer when said liquid-absorbent layer is filled with liquid, with the electrically conductive layer adapted to transfer an electrical current from a broad second face distal to said first face to said liquid-absorbent layer via said first face.
Electrode conductive layer containing conductive paint mesh and current-transfer through first face
A headset wherein said electrically conductive layer having on said second face a layer of electrically conductive paint, preferably disposed in a mesh pattern, and wherein said electrically conductive layer is adapted to transfer an electrical current from a broad second face distal to said first face to said liquid-absorbent layer via said first face.
Electrode conductive layer containing carbon foil
An electrode pad wherein said electrically conductive layer containing a carbon foil.
Front-section physically distinct mechanical element with front electrode base
A circumferential headset body having a front section adapted to fit around a front portion of the head, at least one of said at least one electrode base being a front electrode base disposed on said front portion, said front section being a front mechanical element that is physically distinct from the circumferential headset body.
Rear-section physically distinct mechanical element with rear electrode base
A circumferential headset body having a rear section adapted to fit around a rear portion of the head, at least one of said at least one electrode base being a rear electrode base disposed on said rear portion.
Sensor configured to sense a body parameter associated with the head
An electrical device including a sensor configured to sense a body parameter associated with the head of the user.
Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on a circumferential headset with a monolithic frame and elastic arrangement that radially urges an electrode base and pad into physical and electrical contact during donning while fixing circumferential electrode position across tensioning degrees. The independent claims further define electrode pad constructions using liquid-absorbent biocompatible conductive contact surfaces combined with conductive layers for electrical current transfer, with embodiments that also specify cavity and rim sealing, front or rear section placement, and an optional sensor for head-associated body parameter sensing.
Stated Advantages
Substantially fluidly seal between the cavity and an ambient or external environment.
For various degrees of tensioning of the elastic arrangement, fix the circumferential position of the electrode base in a specific predetermined position.
Ensure that the electrode pad makes physical and electrical contact with the skin surface during donning.
Orient an electrical stimulation surface of the pad towards the skin surface during donning.
Documented Applications
Delivering electrical stimulation to a skin surface of a head of a user.
Sensing a body parameter associated with the head of the user [where the electrical device includes a sensor].
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