Electric field therapy system and electrode patch thereof

Abstract

The invention provides an electric field treatment system and an electrode patch thereof. The electrode patch comprises a backing, a transducer array pasted on the backing and a pasting piece pasted on the transducer array. The transducer array comprises a plurality of electrode units and a plurality of connecting parts for connecting two adjacent electrode units, and the transducer array comprises a left side part and a right side part which are symmetrically arranged left and right. The overall outer contours of the left side part and the right side part are in a half-water-drop shape, and each of the left side part and the right side part comprises a plurality of electrode units which are arranged at intervals from top to bottom. Each electrode unit comprises a main body part, a conducting strip located on the main body part and a dielectric layer covering the conducting strip. According to the electric field treatment system, the electrode patch and the transducer array thereof, the water-drop-shaped outer contour is adopted, the electrode units arranged at intervals are included, the relative position of each electrode unit can be properly adjusted, the pasting performance is better, in addition, a dielectric layer is adopted to replace a ceramic chip, the dead weight of the electrode patch is reduced, and pasting comfort is provided.

Description

(19) State Intellectual Property Office (12) Invention Patent Application (10) Application Publication Number (43) Application Publication Date (21) Application Number 202410620011.3 (22) Application Date 2024.05.17 (71) Applicant Jiangsu Hailai Xinchuang Medical Technology Co., Ltd. Address 214174, 7th Floor, Building 7, No. 1699, Huishan Avenue, Huishan Economic Development Zone, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province (72) Inventors Chen Sheng, Yu Jing (74) Patent Agency Beijing Bosijia Intellectual Property Agency Co., Ltd. 11415 Patent Attorney Wang Jian (51) Int.Cl. A61N 1 / 40 (2006.01) A61N 1 / 36 (2006.01) A61N 1 / 04 (2006.01) (54) Invention Title: Electric Field Therapy System and Electrode Patch Thereof (57) Abstract: This application provides an electric field therapy system and its electrode patch. The electrode patch includes a backing, a transducer array attached to the backing, and an adhesive attached to the transducer array. The transducer array includes several electrode units and several connecting portions connecting adjacent electrode units. The transducer array includes a left side portion and a right side portion symmetrically arranged. The overall outer contour of each of the left side portion and the right side portion is arranged in a semi-teardrop shape and each includes several electrode units spaced apart from top to bottom. Each electrode unit includes a main body portion, a conductive sheet located on the main body portion, and a dielectric layer covering the conductive sheet. In this application's electric field therapy system and its electrode patch, the transducer array adopts a teardrop-shaped outer contour and includes multiple spaced electrode units. The relative positions of each electrode unit can be appropriately adjusted, resulting in better adhesion. In addition, the use of a dielectric layer instead of a ceramic sheet reduces the weight of the electrode patch and provides better application comfort. Claims 1 page, Description 7 pages, Drawings 6 pages, CN 120960641 A 2025.11.18 CN 1 20 96 06 41 A 1. An electrode patch, comprising a backing, a transducer array attached to the backing, and an adhesive attached to the transducer array, characterized in that: the transducer array comprises a plurality of electrode units and a plurality of connecting portions connecting adjacent electrode units, the transducer array comprising a left portion and a right portion arranged symmetrically from left to right and spaced apart, the overall outer contour of each of the left portion and the right portion is arranged in a semi-teardrop shape and each includes a plurality of electrode units arranged from top to bottom, each electrode unit comprising a main body, a conductive sheet located on the main body, and a dielectric layer covering the conductive sheet. 2. The electrode patch according to claim 1, characterized in that: the plurality of connecting portions comprises a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, the first connecting portion being located within the interval formed by the left portion and the right portion and connecting the left portion and the right portion, the second connecting portion being located within the left portion and the right portion respectively.3. The electrode patch according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of electrode units located on the left side portion include a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit, and a third electrode unit arranged from top to bottom, and the plurality of electrode units located on the right side portion include a fourth electrode unit, a fifth electrode unit, and a sixth electrode unit arranged from top to bottom; the first electrode unit and the fourth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-triangular shape, the second electrode unit and the fifth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-trapezoidal shape, and the third electrode unit and the sixth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-fan shape. 4. The electrode patch according to claim 3, wherein the first connecting portion is located within the gap formed by the left side portion and the right side portion and connects the second electrode unit and the fourth electrode unit. 5. The electrode patch according to claim 3, wherein the area of ​​the second electrode unit is larger than the area of ​​the first electrode unit but smaller than the area of ​​the third electrode unit, and the area of ​​the fifth electrode unit is larger than the area of ​​the fourth electrode unit but smaller than the area of ​​the sixth electrode unit. 6. The electrode patch according to claim 3, characterized in that: the adjacent two sides of two adjacent electrode units are arranged in parallel. 7. The electrode patch according to claim 1, characterized in that: the electrode unit further includes an insulating layer disposed on the conductive sheet and having a hollow area, the dielectric layer covering the insulating layer and the conductive sheet exposed through the hollow area. 8. The electrode patch according to claim 7, characterized in that: the dielectric layer is located in the area enclosed by the outer contour of the corresponding main body. 9. The electrode patch according to claim 8, characterized in that: the electrode unit further includes an alloy layer laid on the dielectric layer. 10. An electric field therapy system, characterized in that: it includes an electric field generator and an electrode patch according to any one of claims 1 to 9. Claims 1 / 1 page 2 CN 120960641 A Electric field therapy system and electrode patch technical field

[0001] This application relates to an electric field therapy system and electrode patch. Background Art

[0002] Intermediate-frequency alternating electric field therapy has been proven to be an effective method for tumor treatment, capable of interfering with the mitotic process of cancer cells and inducing apoptosis, and can be used to treat tumors. An electric field therapy system typically includes an electric field generator, an adapter, and multiple pairs of electrode patches. The electric field generator generates an alternating electrical signal, which is transmitted to the electrode patches via the adapter. The electrode patches are applied in pairs to the surfaces of opposite sides of the patient's skin, and an alternating current signal is applied between each pair of electrode patches to non-invasively apply a tumor treatment electric field to the target area.

[0003] Existing electrode patches, such as those disclosed in Chinese Invention Patent No. 112717272, include several electrode units arranged in an array, connecting portions connecting adjacent electrode units, and wiring portions extending outward from one of the connecting portions. Each electrode unit includes a ceramic dielectric sheet that serves as a dielectric element and has a certain thickness and rigidity. When the electrode patch is applied to the patient's body surface, on the one hand, the ceramic dielectric sheet lacks sufficient flexibility to adhere well to the uneven surface of the patient, affecting the stability of the electrode patch application; on the other hand, the ceramic dielectric sheet has a certain weight, which puts pressure on the patient's body surface, affecting the patient's application experience. Furthermore, for certain target areas, the limited space on the body surface makes it difficult to deploy more electrode patches, resulting in insufficient electric field strength generated by the alternating current signal applied through the electrode units, affecting the treatment effect in the target area.

[0004] Therefore, improvements to existing electric field therapy systems and their electrode patches are needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an electric field therapy system and its electrode patch with better adhesion.

[0006] Specifically, this application is achieved through the following technical solution: an electrode patch, comprising a backing, a transducer array attached to the backing, and an adhesive attached to the transducer array. The transducer array comprises a plurality of electrode units and a plurality of connecting portions connecting adjacent electrode units. The transducer array comprises a left portion and a right portion arranged symmetrically on both sides at intervals. The overall outer contour of each of the left portion and the right portion is arranged in a semi-teardrop shape and each includes a plurality of electrode units arranged at intervals from top to bottom. Each electrode unit includes a main body, a conductive sheet on the main body, and a dielectric layer covering the conductive sheet.

[0007] Further, the plurality of connecting portions include a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The first connecting portion is located within the interval formed by the left portion and the right portion and connects the left portion and the right portion. The second connecting portion is located between adjacent electrode units in the left portion and the right portion respectively and electrically connects the adjacent electrode units.

[0008] Further, the plurality of electrode units located on the left side include a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit, and a third electrode unit arranged from top to bottom, and the plurality of electrode units located on the right side include a fourth electrode unit, a fifth electrode unit, and a sixth electrode unit arranged from top to bottom; the first electrode unit and the fourth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-triangular shape, the second electrode unit and the fifth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-trapezoidal shape, and the third electrode unit and the sixth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-fan shape. Specification 1 / 7 pages 3 CN 120960641 A

[0009] Further, the first connecting portion is located within the gap formed by the left side portion and the right side portion and connects the second electrode unit and the fourth electrode unit.

[0010] Further, the area of ​​the second electrode unit is larger than the area of ​​the first electrode unit but smaller than the area of ​​the third electrode unit, and the area of ​​the fifth electrode unit is larger than the area of ​​the fourth electrode unit but smaller than the area of ​​the sixth electrode unit.

[0011] Further, the adjacent side edges of two adjacent electrode units are arranged parallel to each other.

[0012] Further, the electrode unit further includes an insulating layer disposed on the conductive sheet and having a hollow area, and the dielectric layer covers the insulating layer and the conductive sheet exposed through the hollow area.

[0013] Further, the dielectric layer is located in the area enclosed by the outer contour of the corresponding main body portion.

[0014] Further, the electrode unit further includes an alloy layer laid on the dielectric layer.

[0015] This application also provides another technical solution: an electric field therapy system, which includes an electric field generator and the aforementioned electrode patch.

[0016] The electric field therapy system and its electrode patch of this application adopt a teardrop shape and include multiple separately arranged electrode units. The relative positions of each electrode unit can be appropriately adjusted, resulting in better adhesion. In addition, a dielectric layer is used instead of a ceramic sheet, reducing the weight of the electrode patch and providing better application comfort.

[0017] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application.

[0018] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the framework of a tumor treatment electric field according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG2 is a three-dimensional exploded schematic diagram of an electrode patch according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the transducer array of the electrode patch in FIG2;

[0021] FIG4a is a cross-sectional view along the A-A direction in FIG3;

[0022] FIG4b is a cross-sectional view along the B-B direction in FIG3;

[0023] FIG4c is a cross-sectional view along the C-C direction in FIG3;

[0024] FIG5 is a plan view of the transducer array in FIG2 after removing the insulating layer, dielectric layer and alloy layer;

[0025] FIG6 is a plan view of the transducer array after removing the dielectric layer and alloy layer (similar to FIG5);

[0026] FIG7 is a plan view of the transducer array after removing the dielectric layer, alloy layer and temperature sensor (similar to FIG6).

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0028] Electric field generator 10, adapter 20, electrode patch 30, backing 31, transducer array 32, connecting part 322, first connecting part 3221, second connecting part 3222, wiring part 323, gold finger 3231, main body 341, heat dissipation hole 3411, adhesive 33, electricElectrode unit 34, first electrode unit 34A, second electrode unit 34B, third electrode unit 34C, fourth electrode unit 34D, fifth electrode unit 34E, sixth electrode unit 34F, spacing 340, conductive sheet 342, opening 3421, insulating layer 343, outer ring insulating layer 3431, inner insulating layer 3432, insulating strip 3433, through hole 3434, hollow area 3435, transverse insulating strip 34331, longitudinal insulating strip 34332, dielectric layer 344, alloy layer 345, solder pad 346, temperature sensor 347. Detailed Description

[0029] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When referring to the specification, page 2 / 7, CN 120960641 A, and the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Instead, they are merely examples of apparatuses, systems, devices, and methods consistent with some aspects of this application.

[0030] Referring to FIG1, the electric field therapy system 100 includes an electric field generator 10, an adapter 20, and a plurality of paired electrode patches 30. The adapter 20 electrically connects the electric field generator 10 to each electrode patch 30. The electric field generator 10 generates an alternating current signal that meets the treatment requirements. The adapter 20 receives the alternating current signal output from the electric field generator 10 and transmits the alternating current signal to the electrode patches 30. The paired electrode patches 30 are attached to the body surface of the patient corresponding to the tumor area, and the alternating current signal is applied to the patient's tumor area to perform tumor electric field therapy.

[0031] Referring to Figure 2, the electrode patch 30 includes a backing 31, a transducer array 32 attached to the front of the backing 31, and an adhesive 33 attached to the front of the transducer array 32. The front of the backing 31, the transducer array 32, and the adhesive 33 faces the patient's skin, and the electrode patch 30 is applied with its front facing the patient. The backing 31 is sheet-like, and its side facing the patient's body surface is coated with a biocompatible adhesive (not shown) to tightly adhere the backing 31 to the body surface corresponding to the tumor site. The backing 31 is typically made of breathable materials such as textiles, non-woven fabrics, and microporous membranes that are soft, thin, moisture-proof, and breathable, allowing the patient's skin surface to remain dry even when applied to the patient's body surface for a long time. The transducer array 32 includes a plurality of electrode units 34 spaced apart, a plurality of connecting portions 322 connecting adjacent electrode units 34, and a wiring portion 323 extending outward from one of the connecting portions 322. The wiring portion 323 has a plurality of gold fingers 3231 on its front and back surfaces at its free end for electrical connection with an external wire (not shown). The wire (not shown) is used to attach the electrode to the external wire.The sheet 30 is electrically connected to the adapter 20, and the adapter 20 is electrically connected to the electric field generator 10 to realize signal transmission between the transducer array 32 and the electric field generator 10.

[0032] Some electrode units 34 are also provided with a temperature sensor 347 located at their center. During tumor electric field therapy, the temperature sensor 347 can monitor and feedback the temperature of the body surface at the application site of the corresponding electrode unit 34 to prevent the heat generated on the electrode unit 34 from being too high and causing burns to the patient's skin. The adhesive 33 is a sheet with double-sided adhesiveness. One side of the adhesive 33 is attached to the electrode unit 34, and the other side of the adhesive 33 serves as an application layer, which is applied to the skin surface to keep the skin surface moist and relieve local pressure. The adhesive 33 is preferably a conductive adhesive to act as a conductive medium. Specifically, the adhesive 33 can be a conductive hydrogel.

[0033] Referring to Figure 3, the transducer array 32 is generally arranged in a teardrop shape, smaller at the top and larger at the bottom. Its area is smaller than that of conventional transducer arrays (e.g., 3*3 rectangles) disclosed in Chinese Invention Patent No. 112717272, and it is more suitable for attaching to uneven parts of the body surface, such as the head, limbs, or sides of the torso. When attaching to the head, the transducer array 32 is attached with its smaller upper part closer to the top of the head and its larger lower part further away from the top of the head. Correspondingly, the overall outline of the backing 31 is basically the same as the outer outline of the transducer array 32, but its size is larger than the outline size of the transducer array 32; the adhesive 33 also has a shape that is basically the same as the outer outline of the transducer array 32, and its size is slightly larger than the outline size of the transducer array 32 but smaller than the outline size of the backing 31.

[0034] The transducer array 32 includes six electrode units 34, which are divided into a left-side portion and a right-side portion that are spaced apart and symmetrically arranged. Both the left-side portion and the right-side portion are approximately arranged in a half-teardrop shape. The left-side portion includes a first electrode unit 34A, a second electrode unit 34B, and a third electrode unit 34C arranged from top to bottom at intervals. The right-side portion includes a fourth electrode unit 34D, a fifth electrode unit 34E, and a sixth electrode unit 34F arranged from top to bottom at intervals. The first electrode unit 34A and the fourth electrode unit 34D are arranged symmetrically from left to right, the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E are arranged symmetrically from left to right, and the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F are also arranged symmetrically from left to right.

[0035] A plurality of connecting portions 322 include a first connecting portion 3221 and a plurality of second connecting portions 3222. First connecting part 3221 (Page 3 / 7, CN 120960641 A) connects the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E to achieve electrical connection between the left and right portions of the transducer array 32. The first connecting part 3221 is located at the interval 340 formed between the left and right portions of the transducer array 32.Inside, the wiring portion 323 extends downward from the first connecting portion 3221 along the interval 340 between the left and right portions. A plurality of second connecting portions 3222 respectively connect two adjacent electrode units 34 located in the left portion and two adjacent electrode units 34 located in the right portion. That is, the first electrode unit 34A and the second electrode unit 34B, the second electrode unit 34B and the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D and the fifth electrode unit 34E, and the fifth electrode unit 34E and the sixth electrode unit 34F are all connected to each other via corresponding second connecting portions 3222. The second connecting portions 3222 are retractable, allowing the positions of the first electrode unit 34A and the third electrode unit 34C relative to the second electrode unit 34B to be adjusted appropriately, and the positions of the fourth electrode unit 34D and the sixth electrode unit 34F relative to the fifth electrode unit 34E to be adjusted appropriately, facilitating application.

[0036] Each electrode unit 34 is arranged in a sheet shape, wherein the first electrode unit 34A and the fourth electrode unit 34D, which are symmetrical from left to right, are roughly triangular in shape; the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E, which are symmetrical from left to right, are roughly trapezoidal in shape; and the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F, which are symmetrical from left to right, are roughly fan-shaped in shape. The inner sides of the first electrode unit 34A, the second electrode unit 34B, and the third electrode unit 34C, which are close to the central axis of the transducer array 32, are located on the same vertical line. The outer sides of the first electrode unit 34A, the second electrode unit 34B, and the third electrode unit 34C, which are away from the central axis of the transducer array 32, are all located on the teardrop-shaped outer contour of the left side of the transducer array 32. The inner sides of the fourth electrode unit 34D, the fifth electrode unit 34E, and the sixth electrode unit 34F, which are close to the central axis of the transducer array 32, are located on the same vertical line. The outer sides of the fourth electrode unit 34D, the fifth electrode unit 34E, and the sixth electrode unit 34F, which are away from the central axis of the transducer array 32, are all located on the teardrop-shaped outer contour of the right side of the transducer array 32. The adjacent sides of the first electrode unit 34A and the fourth electrode unit 34D are arranged in parallel, the adjacent sides of the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E are arranged in parallel, and the adjacent sides of the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F are arranged in parallel. Each of the four electrode units 34, namely the first electrode unit 34A and the third electrode unit 34C on the left side and the fourth electrode unit 34D and the sixth electrode unit 34F on the right side, is equipped with a temperature sensor 347 to detect the temperature of the corresponding body surface area of ​​each electrode unit 34.

[0037] The bottom contour line of the first electrode unit 34A and the upper contour line of the second electrode unit 34B are both curves with small curvature, and they are arranged opposite each other and are basically parallel; the bottom contour line of the second electrode unit 34B and the upper contour line of the third electrode unit 34CThe upper contour lines are all curves with small curvature, and they are arranged opposite each other and are basically parallel. Similarly, the bottom contour line of the fourth electrode unit 34D and the upper contour line of the fifth electrode unit 34E are both curves with small curvature, and they are arranged opposite each other and are basically parallel. The bottom contour line of the fifth electrode unit 34E and the upper contour line of the sixth electrode unit 34F are both curves with small curvature, and they are arranged opposite each other and are basically parallel. Each electrode unit 34 of the transducer array 32 has a curved contour line, which makes the transducer array 32 easy to adhere to the human body surface and allows the gap 340 between two adjacent electrode units 34 to form a sufficiently large heat dissipation space, so that moisture on the patient's body surface can escape during long-term treatment with the electrode patch 30, avoiding skin inflammation. The connection of each contour line of each electrode unit 34 adopts an arc transition connection to reduce the stress concentration at the sharp points of each electrode unit 34 when bending and attaching, thus reducing the damage of each electrode unit 34.

[0038] The first electrode unit 34A, the second electrode unit 34B, and the third electrode unit 34C are arranged in three different shapes. The area of ​​the second electrode unit 34B, which is arranged in a near-trapezoidal shape, is larger than the area of ​​the first electrode unit 34A, which is arranged in a near-triangular shape, but smaller than the area of ​​the third electrode unit 34C, which is arranged in a near-fan shape. Similarly, the area of ​​the fifth electrode unit 34E, which is arranged in a near-trapezoidal shape, is larger than the area of ​​the fourth electrode unit 34D, which is arranged in a near-triangular shape, but smaller than the area of ​​the sixth electrode unit 34F, which is arranged in a near-fan shape. The electrode units 34 of the transducer array 32 are arranged in different areas so that the transducer array 32 can better adapt to the attachment requirements of different positions on the patient's body surface, especially suitable for tumor electric field therapy in areas such as the head where the attachment area is small and the flat area is small.

[0039] Referring to Figures 4a to 7, the electrode unit 34 includes a main body 341 made of a flexible circuit board, a conductive sheet 342 disposed on the main body 341, an insulating layer 343 disposed on the conductive sheet 342, and a dielectric layer 344 disposed on the insulating layer 343 and the conductive sheet 342 exposing the insulating layer 343. An adhesive 33 is disposed on the dielectric layer 344. Preferably, the electrode unit 34 further includes an alloy layer 345 disposed on the dielectric layer 344, and the adhesive 33 is disposed on the alloy layer 345.

[0040] The main body 341 is sheet-shaped with a thickness of 10μm-50μm. The main body 341 has characteristics such as light weight, thin thickness, flexibility, and high flexibility. In this embodiment, the main body 341 is made of high-temperature resistant, high-strength, and high-insulation materials such as polyimide or polyester film. As mentioned earlier, the first electrode unit 34A, the second electrode unit 34B, and the third electrode unit 34C have different shapes. Similarly, the fourth electrode unit 34D, the fifth electrode unit 34E, and the sixth electrode unit 34F have different shapes.Similarly, the main body portions 341 of the first electrode unit 34A and the fourth electrode unit 34D are generally triangular, the main body portions 341 of the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E are generally trapezoidal, and the main body portions 341 of the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F are generally fan-shaped.

[0041] The main body portion 341 also has a plurality of through-holes 3411 disposed along its periphery and avoiding the connection with the connecting portion 322. The heat dissipation holes 3411 can improve the heat dissipation performance of each electrode unit 34. The electrode unit 34 also includes the aforementioned conductive sheet 342 disposed on the front side of the main body portion 341 and disposed in a sheet shape. As mentioned above, the shape of the main body portion 341 of each electrode unit 34 is different, and the shape of the conductive sheet 342 is adapted to the shape of its corresponding main body portion 341. Specifically, the conductive sheet 342 has a shape that is basically the same as its corresponding main body 341 and their mass points overlap, but the conductive sheet 342 is smaller in size. It is located in the area enclosed by the outer contour of the corresponding main body 341. The distance between the outer contour of the conductive sheet 342 and the outer contour of the corresponding main body 341 is 1.2mm-2.5mm, so that the conductive sheet 342 can be fully supported by the corresponding main body 341, while avoiding the conductive sheet 342 being exposed and in contact with the human body, thus avoiding safety hazards to the patient. The conductive sheet 342 is made of rolled copper foil or electrolytic copper foil with a thickness of 10μm-75μm, and it can be fixed to the surface of the corresponding main body 341 by electroplating or adhesive film. The conductive sheets 342 of the first electrode unit 34A and the fourth electrode unit 34D are generally arranged in a triangular shape, with an area of ​​100 mm2-110 mm2; the conductive sheets 342 of the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E are generally arranged in a trapezoidal shape, with an area of ​​290 mm2-310 mm2; and the conductive sheets 342 of the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F are generally arranged in a fan shape, with an area of ​​360 mm2-370 mm2.

[0042] Each of the first electrode unit 34A, the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the sixth electrode unit 34F is provided with a temperature sensor 347. Therefore, each of the conductive sheets 342 of the first electrode unit 34A, the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the sixth electrode unit 34F is provided with an opening 3421. Each of the main body portions 341 of the first electrode unit 34A, the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the sixth electrode unit 34F is also provided with a pair of pads 346 located in the opening 3421 for electrical connection with the temperature sensor 347. The second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E are not provided with temperature sensors 347. Therefore, the conductive sheets 342 of the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E are both complete trapezoidal sheets.

[0043] An insulating layer 343 is laid on the corresponding parts of the conductive sheet 342 and the main body 341. An adhesive (not shown) is provided on the side of the insulating layer 343 facing the conductive sheet 342 so as to set the insulating layer 343 on the corresponding parts of the corresponding conductive sheet 342 and the corresponding parts of the main body 341 by a hot-press bonding process. The thickness of the insulating layer 343 is 10μm to 50μm. The material of the insulating layer 343 can be the same as that of the main body 341, both of which are made of polyimide (PI), polyester (PET) resin or polyurethane, etc., which have better bonding. The aforementioned heat dissipation holes 3411 are stamped after the insulating layer 343 is laid, that is, the heat dissipation holes 3411 are set through the corresponding parts of the insulating layer 343.

[0044] The insulating layer 343 includes an outer ring insulating layer 3431, which covers the outer peripheral edge of the main body 341. The outer contour of the outer ring insulating layer 3431 is the same as the outer contour shape of the corresponding main body 341. The inner contour of the outer ring insulating layer 3431 is approximately equal to, but slightly smaller than, the outer contour of the corresponding conductive sheet 342, so as to cover the outer edge of the corresponding conductive sheet 342. The outer contour of the outer ring insulating layer 3431 substantially overlaps with the outer contour of the corresponding main body 341. In this embodiment, the insulating layer 343 of the second electrode unit 34B and the fifth electrode unit 34E includes only the outer ring insulating layer 3431 and the hollow area 3435 formed by the inner contour of the outer ring insulating layer 3431. Since the first electrode unit 34A, the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the sixth electrode unit 34F are equipped with temperature sensors 347, the insulating layer 343 of the first electrode unit 34A, the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the sixth electrode unit 34F further includes an inner insulating layer 3432 covering the opening 3421 of its conductive sheet 342 and a plurality of insulating strips 3433 connecting the inner insulating layer 3432 and the outer ring insulating layer 3431. The insulating strips 3433 cover the conductive sheet 342 and separate a plurality of hollow areas 3435 between the inner insulating layer 3432 and the outer ring insulating layer 3431 to expose the corresponding conductive sheet 342, so that the dielectric layer 344 further disposed on the insulating layer 343 can directly contact and conduct with the conductive sheet 342 exposed by the insulating layer 343.

[0045] The inner insulating layer 3432 is circularly shaped with a through hole 3434, which avoids the pad 346 located within the opening 3421 of the conductive sheet 342, thus avoiding interference with the subsequent installation of the temperature sensor 347. Preferably, the inner edge of the inner insulating layer 3432 at the through hole 3434 is pressed against a portion of the edge of the pad 346, and the shape of the outer edge of the inner insulating layer 3432 is substantially the same as the shape of the inner edge of the conductive sheet 342 at the opening 3421 and is pressed against the inner edge of the conductive sheet 342 at the opening 3421.This allows the insulating layer 343 to assist in pressing the corresponding conductive sheet 342 onto the corresponding main body 341, preventing the inner and outer edges of the conductive sheet 342 from lifting. The inner insulating layer 3432 can further restrict the space within the opening 3421, which can be used to position the temperature sensor 347 and quickly install the temperature sensor 347. The thickness of the insulating tape 3433 is also 10μm-50μm. In this embodiment, the insulating layers 343 of the first electrode unit 34A, the third electrode unit 34C, the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the sixth electrode unit 34F are each provided with three insulating tapes 3433, and the three insulating tapes 3433 are respectively connected to different sides of the corresponding outer ring insulating layer 3431. Specifically, the three insulating strips 3433 include two transverse insulating strips 34331 extending roughly horizontally and one longitudinal insulating strip 34332 extending roughly vertically. The two transverse insulating strips 34331 are arranged basically collinearly and are parallel to the outer contour line of two adjacent electrode units 34 located on the same side of the axis of symmetry. That is, the two transverse insulating strips 34331 of the first electrode unit 34A and the fourth electrode unit 34D are parallel to the bottom contour line of the first electrode unit 34A or the fourth electrode unit 34D, and the two transverse insulating strips 34331 of the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F are parallel to the upper contour line of the third electrode unit 34C and the sixth electrode unit 34F. The longitudinal insulating strip 34332 is roughly parallel to the outer contour line of the corresponding electrode unit 34 away from the central axis of the transducer array 32. The insulating strips 3433 help to fix the inner insulating layer 3432 and also play a role in heat insulation, which can effectively reduce the heat accumulation of the corresponding electrode unit 34.

[0046] Returning to Figures 3 and 4a to 4c, Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the state of each electrode unit 34 of the transducer array 32 after the dielectric layer 344 and alloy layer 345 are laid. The dielectric layer 344 covers the insulating layer 343 and the conductive sheet 342 exposed through the cutout area 3435 of the insulating layer 343. Note that the dielectric layer 344 and alloy layer 345 are not laid on each connection part 322. The dielectric layer 344 completely covers the corresponding conductive sheet 342, which can prevent the conductive sheet 342 from directly contacting the human body and causing non-capacitive coupling with the human body, thereby affecting human safety. Preferably, the area of ​​the dielectric layer 344 is 1.1 to 1.3 times the area of ​​the conductive sheet 342. The dielectric layer 344 can completely cover the outer edge of the conductive sheet 342, avoiding the edge of the conductive sheet 342 from coinciding with the edge of the dielectric layer 344, which would cause excessive heat concentration at the edge. The size of the dielectric layer 344 is slightly smaller than the size of the corresponding main body 341, that is, the dielectric layer 344 is located in the area enclosed by the outer contour of the corresponding main body 341, so that the dielectric layer 344 can obtain complete support from the main body 341.

[0047] The dielectric material of the dielectric layer 344 can be inorganic (such as piezoelectric ceramics, etc.) or polymer (such as relaxor ferroelectric copolymer).The dielectric layer 344 is a polymer composite material (such as a polymer with inorganic materials) or doped with inorganic materials. In this embodiment, the dielectric layer 344 is made of a polymer material with non-fixed crystal orientation, high flexibility, and high toughness, with a dielectric constant of not less than 20 and a dielectric strength of not less than 40V / μm, to avoid breakdown under normal applied voltage. The dielectric layer 344 can be a ternary copolymer based on relaxor ferroelectrics, such as vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-trifluorochloroethylene copolymer or vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene copolymer, or it can be a piperazine biuret Biuret copolyamide film. The dielectric layer 344 is formed on the surface of the conductive sheet 342 by vacuum sputtering. The dielectric layer 344 can also be formed on the surface of the conductive sheet 342 by vapor deposition such as evaporation, sputtering, or ion plating, or by printing, spraying, or casting. The thickness of the dielectric layer 344 does not exceed 300 μm, preferably 3 μm-10 μm. Replacing the traditional ceramic sheet with the dielectric layer 344 can reduce the weight of the electrode patch 30 and improve the comfort of applying the electrode patch 30.

[0048] The alloy layer 345 is used as an auxiliary layer to increase the conductivity between the dielectric layer 344 and the adhesive 33. The size of the alloy layer 345 is slightly smaller than the size of the dielectric layer 344, that is, the alloy layer 345 is located in the area enclosed by the outer edge of the dielectric layer 344. The material of the alloy layer 345 can be one or more of zinc-aluminum alloy, zinc-copper alloy, silver-titanium, or graphite. The alloy layer 345 can be deposited on the surface of the dielectric layer 344 using a vapor deposition method to form a tight bond with the dielectric layer 344; the alloy layer 345 can also be formed using a vacuum sputtering process similar to that used to form the dielectric layer 344, or other deposition processes can also be used. The thickness of the alloy layer 345 is inversely proportional to its loss, meaning the thicker the alloy layer 345, the lower the loss. The thickness of the alloy layer 345 is also inversely proportional to the bonding tightness with the dielectric layer 344, meaning the thicker the alloy layer 345, the weaker its bonding tightness with the dielectric layer 344. To obtain electrode units 34 with lower loss and stronger bonding tightness, the thickness of the dielectric layer 344 is preferably 50 to 500 times the thickness of the alloy layer 345, and the thickness of the alloy layer 345 is preferably 3 nm to 100 nm.

[0049] The shape of the alloy layer 345 is basically the same as that of the corresponding conductive sheet 342, but its area is larger than that of the corresponding conductive sheet 342 and smaller than that of the corresponding dielectric layer 344. This allows the heat generated by the corresponding conductive sheet 342 when an AC signal is applied to be quickly transferred to the edge of the alloy layer 345 along a direction parallel to the alloy layer 345 and dissipated to the external medium (such as air). This avoids the temperature rise at the skin contact point, which could lead to low-temperature burns. It can also prolong the time for the electrode patch 30 to treat tumors and prevent the edge of the conductive sheet 342 from overlapping with the edge of the alloy layer 345, which could result in excessive heat concentration at the edge.

[0050] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Instruction Manual 7 / 7 Page 9 CN 120960641 A Figure 1 Figure 2 Instruction Manual Drawings 1 / 6 Page 10 CN 120960641 A Figure 3 Figure 4a Instruction Manual Drawings 2 / 6 Page 11 CN 120960641 A Figure 4b Figure 4c Instruction Manual Drawings 3 / 6 Page 12 CN 120960641 A Figure 5 Instruction Manual Drawings 4 / 6 Page 13 CN 120960641 A Figure 6 Instruction Manual Drawings 5 / 6 Page 14 CN 120960641 A Figure 7 Instruction Manual Drawings 6 / 6 Page 15 CN 120960641 A {JSHL-26026-HKSPT / 02487855v1} Abstract The invention provides an electric field therapy system and an electrode patch thereof. The electrode patch comprises a backing, a transducer array adhered to the backing, and a pasting piece adhered to the transducer array. The transducer array comprises a plurality of electrode units and a plurality of connecting parts each connecting with two adjacent electrode units. The transducer array has a left part and a right part symmetrically arranged on both sides thereof.arranged at intervals from top to bottom. Each electrode unit comprises a main body portion, a conductive sheet located on the main body portion and a dielectric layer covering the conducting sheet. The transducer array of the electric field therapy system and the electrode patch in the present invention is adopted a water-drop-shaped outer contour and includes a plurality of electrode units arranged at intervals, so as to appropriately adjust the relative positions of each electrode unit and improve the adhesion performance of the electrode patch. In addition, a dielectric layer is adopted to replace a ceramic sheet, which reduces the self-weight of the electrode patch and improves wearing comfort.

Claims

1. An electrode patch, comprising a backing, a transducer array attached to the backing, and an adhesive attached to the transducer array, characterized in that: The transducer array includes several electrode units and several connecting portions connecting adjacent electrode units. The transducer array includes a left portion and a right portion that are spaced apart and symmetrically arranged. The overall outer contour of each of the left portion and the right portion is arranged in a semi-teardrop shape and each includes several electrode units arranged at intervals from top to bottom. Each electrode unit includes a main body, a conductive sheet located on the main body, and a dielectric layer covering the conductive sheet.

2. The electrode patch according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of connecting portions include a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The first connecting portion is located within the interval formed by the left portion and the right portion and connects the left portion and the right portion. The second connecting portion is located between two adjacent electrode units in the left portion and the right portion respectively, and electrically connects the two adjacent electrode units.

3. The electrode patch according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electrode units located on the left side include a first electrode unit, a second electrode unit, and a third electrode unit arranged from top to bottom, and the electrode units located on the right side include a fourth electrode unit, a fifth electrode unit, and a sixth electrode unit arranged from top to bottom; the first electrode unit and the fourth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-triangular shape, the second electrode unit and the fifth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-trapezoidal shape, and the third electrode unit and the sixth electrode unit are symmetrical from left to right and are both arranged in a near-fan shape.

4. The electrode patch according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first connecting portion is located within the gap formed by the left side portion and the right side portion and connects the second electrode unit and the fourth electrode unit.

5. The electrode patch according to claim 3, characterized in that: The area of ​​the second electrode unit is larger than the area of ​​the first electrode unit but smaller than the area of ​​the third electrode unit, and the area of ​​the fifth electrode unit is larger than the area of ​​the fourth electrode unit but smaller than the area of ​​the sixth electrode unit.

6. The electrode patch according to claim 3, characterized in that: The adjacent two sides of two adjacent electrode units are arranged in parallel.

7. The electrode patch according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrode unit further includes an insulating layer disposed on the conductive sheet and having a hollowed-out area, and the dielectric layer covers the insulating layer and the conductive sheet exposed through the hollowed-out area.

8. The electrode patch according to claim 7, characterized in that: The dielectric layer is located within the area enclosed by the outer contour of the corresponding main body portion.

9. The electrode patch according to claim 8, characterized in that: The electrode unit also includes an alloy layer laid on the dielectric layer.

10. An electric field therapy system, characterized in that: It includes an electric field generator and an electrode patch as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images