Stretchable Cuff Device with Adjustable Buckle for Nerve Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cuff electrodes for nerve stimulation and sensing are limited by rigidity, size incompatibility, and mechanical mismatch with biological tissues, leading to potential nerve damage and inflammation.
Innovation Solution
A stretchable cuff device with a soft polymeric material substrate and adjustable buckle system that can be easily implanted and adapted to various nerve diameters, ensuring mechanical stability and biocompatibility, featuring microelectrode arrays and microfluidic channels for efficient electrical and fluidic contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid cuff of fixed diameter is used, then the cuff can be structurally stable, but it causes nerve compression injury and is incompatible with various nerve sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The cuff is designed with a wrap-around structure that transitions from a rigid pre-formed state to a flexible wrapped state around the nerve. The wrapping mechanism allows the cuff to dynamically adapt its diameter to match different nerve sizes while maintaining structural stability through the wrapping configuration and locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The cuff is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be wrapped around the nerve in a sequential manner. This segmentation allows the cuff to conform to the nerve's diameter while maintaining overall structural integrity through the interconnected wrapping sections.
2Ease of operation
If a parylene-based self-locking cuff with ratchet teeth is used, then the cuff can be adjusted and locked, but the teeth pose safety hazards and the cuff cannot be reopened for adjustment or explantation
Solution Approach 1:
The dangerous ratchet teeth are completely removed from the design. Instead, the cuff uses a buckle-based locking mechanism that achieves secure fastening without any protruding or sharp elements that could harm the nerve or surrounding tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
A buckle serves as an intermediary locking mechanism that provides secure fastening without direct tooth-to-tooth engagement. The buckle system distributes the locking force smoothly across the cuff material, eliminating the need for hazardous ratchet teeth while maintaining adjustability and security.
3Strength
If a parylene-based cuff with high Young's modulus is used, then the cuff can maintain structural integrity, but it creates mechanical mismatch with biological tissues causing inflammation and fibrotic scar development
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameters of the cuff are changed to match biological tissues more closely. The cuff uses materials with Young's modulus values similar to neural tissues, ensuring mechanical compatibility that prevents inflammation and fibrotic scar development while maintaining sufficient structural integrity for stable implantation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cuff employs composite material construction that combines the strengths of different materials to achieve both structural integrity and mechanical compliance. The composite structure allows the cuff to maintain its shape and position while flexing and moving with the nerve, preventing tissue damage and inflammatory responses.
4Ease of manufacture
If a split-cylinder cuff electrode is used, then the cuff can be wrapped around the nerve, but the rigid structure of fixed diameter limits adaptability to different nerve sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The cuff transitions from a rigid pre-formed cylinder to a flexible wrapped structure that can adapt to different nerve diameters. The wrapping mechanism allows the same cuff design to be used on nerves of varying sizes by adjusting the number of wraps and tightness, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-diameter cuffs.
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
The cuff device provides reversible, user-friendly implantation, adapts to different nerve sizes, maintains pressure below harmful thresholds, and maintains functionality and compliance, reducing the risk of nerve damage and inflammation.
Implementation Method 1
said support is stretchable
Data Source
AI summary
The invention features a cuff device comprising a support having a first end, a second end and an elongated body in between; connection means for electrical, magnetic and/or fluidic magnetic connection with external devices; at least one of i) an electrode and/or electronic component operatively connected with said connection means configured to electrically interface with a biological tissue and ii) a channel having an inlet, an outlet and an elongated body in between operatively connected with said connection means via said inlet and configured to fluidically interface with a biological tissue via said outlet; and at least one buckle configured to receive said first end and permit the sliding therein of said elongated body so to close and lock the cuff electrode device at desired positions, characterized in that said support is stretchable.