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US 8,478,428 B2Granted
Helical electrode for nerve stimulation
AssigneeCyberonics, Inc.
InventorAnthony W. Cowley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A helical electrode for nerve stimulation includes an insulative helical substrate, having an inner surface, configured to wrap around a nerve. An electrical conductor is disposed upon the inner surface of the substrate. The conductor defines a helix of about one revolution and produces an electric field in which an injected current in similar axons varies by no more than about 25%. The conductor may include tapered end sections, which may be counter-tapered.
Claims20
A helical electrode for nerve stimulation, comprising:
- an insulative helical substrate having an inner surface, the insulative helical substrate configured to wrap around a nerve;
- and
- an electrical conductor disposed upon the inner surface, the electrical conductor having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a middle portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, the middle portion having a middle width, the electrical conductor defining a helix of about one revolution, the helix of about one revolution forming an overlap area where at least a portion of the first end portion and the second end portion longitudinally overlap, wherein the first end portion narrows from the middle width to a first width in a first direction away from the middle portion and the second end portion narrows from the middle width to a second width in a second direction away from the middle portion.
A helical electrode for nerve stimulation, comprising:
- an insulative helical substrate having an inner surface, the insulative helical substrate configured to wrap around substantially an entire circumference of a nerve,
- wherein an entire circumference of the insulative helical substrate is divided into a plurality of equal sectors;
- and
- an electrical conductor disposed upon the inner surface, the electrical conductor defining a helix of about one revolution, the electrical conductor configured to produce an electric field via an energy source in which a peak value of a second spatial derivative of the electric field applied in each of the plurality of equal sectors varies by no more than about 25%.
1 more element
A helical electrode for nerve stimulation, comprising:
- an insulative helical substrate having an inner surface, the insulative helical substrate configured to wrap around a nerve;
- and
- an electrical conductor characterized by a length and a width and disposed upon the inner surface so as to be adjacent to the nerve, the electrical conductor defining a helix of about one revolution, the electrical conductor having a middle section of uniform width and end sections that taper to a width narrower than the uniform width of the middle section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.