Flexible Stimulation Circuit for Conformal Tube-Mounted Electrodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Critical care patients on invasive mechanical ventilation experience rapid respiratory muscle atrophy, making it challenging to transition them away from ventilator dependency due to limited options for strengthening respiratory muscles.

Innovation Solution

A flexible medical device with a helically wound body and electrodes configured to stimulate respiratory nerves and muscles, featuring a dielectric substrate film and conductive leads, allowing for conformal attachment to a tube with varying flexibility and stimulation at multiple locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a flexible circuit body is wound helically about a tube to conform to its profile, then the device can be securely attached to the tube exterior, but the circuit body must maintain electrical connections while flexing and conforming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconformal shape to tube profileVSAvoidelectrical connection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible circuit body comprising a flexible substrate with circuit traces that can be wound helically about a tube. The flexible substrate allows the circuit to conform to the tube's profile while maintaining electrical connections through the flexible traces, resolving the contradiction between shape conformity and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The helical winding configuration allows the circuit body to dynamically adapt to the tube's shape while maintaining functional electrical connections. The flexible circuit can flex and conform without compromising the reliability of electrical connections between components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If electrodes are positioned on the flexible body to stimulate tissue, then respiratory muscles and nerves can be stimulated, but the device must maintain stable positioning while the body flexes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestimulation capabilityVSAvoidelectrode positioning stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible circuit body with electrodes positioned on its surface can be wound about a tube to provide stable positioning. The flexible substrate maintains electrode positions relative to each other while allowing the overall structure to conform to the tube profile, enabling both adaptability and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If the flexible body includes segments with varying flexibility to conform to tube profile, then the device can adapt to different tube geometries, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegeometric adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible circuit body includes segments with different flexibility characteristics to match different portions of the tube profile. This local variation in flexibility allows the device to adapt to complex geometries while maintaining manufacturability through targeted design of specific flexible segments rather than requiring the entire circuit to be uniformly flexible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances the ability to stimulate respiratory muscles and nerves, potentially reducing ventilator-induced trauma and facilitating weaning from mechanical ventilation by strengthening respiratory function.

Implementation Method 1

An electrical lead connecting the electrode to the electrical connection, wherein the lead is on or in the flexible body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS20260034361A1Circuitry for medical stimulation systems

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 LUNGPACER MEDICAL INC

AI summary

A medical device that includes a flexible body having a proximal end and a distal end, and an electrode positioned on the body proximate the distal end. The electrode is configured to provide an electrical charge for stimulating tissue. The medical device includes an electrical connection positioned on the body proximate the proximal end. The electrical connection is configured to electrically couple the electrode to a power source. The medical device includes an electrical lead connecting the electrode to the electrical connection. The lead is on or in the flexible body. The body is configured to have a first configuration prior to being secured to an exterior of a tube and a second configuration having a shape that conforms to a profile of the tube with the electrode secured to an exterior of the tube.