Disposable Wearable Electrotherapy Patch With Printed Battery Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical therapy devices are expensive, difficult to use, and have complex form factors, which act as barriers to their adoption and compliance in healthcare, particularly compared to pharmaceuticals.
Innovation Solution
A disposable, wearable electrotherapy device with a printable design that integrates a battery array, interface layer, and self-limiting mechanism, made from environmentally benign materials, and activated upon contact with the skin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional battery-powered electrical stimulation devices are used, then electrical therapy function is provided, but device complexity and cost increase, and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable electrotherapy device that is discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for expensive, complex reusable devices with batteries, charging circuits, and control electronics. The disposable nature simplifies the device structure while maintaining therapeutic function, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes complex components such as rechargeable batteries, charging ports, control circuits, and wireless communication modules from the device. By taking out these complex elements, the device achieves simplicity in form factor while retaining the essential electrical stimulation function through a pre-charged capacitor-based power source.
2Reliability
If conventional battery-powered electrical stimulation devices are used, then electrical therapy function is provided, but ease of operation decreases due to connection and charging requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a pre-charged capacitor that stores electrical energy before use, eliminating the need for charging the device before each application. The electrodes are pre-connected to the power source during manufacturing, removing the step of connecting electrodes to the device. This preliminary preparation dramatically improves ease of operation while maintaining therapeutic reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable single-use design eliminates complex operational procedures such as charging, battery replacement, and electrode connection/disconnection. The device is applied and discarded after one use, simplifying the user workflow to merely application and removal, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining electrical therapy function and improving ease of operation.
3Reliability
If conventional electrical therapy devices are used, then electrical stimulation is provided, but cost and encumbrance increase, reducing accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable device architecture that can be manufactured at low cost using simple processes. The device uses inexpensive materials such as a flexible substrate, conductive traces, a capacitor, and adhesive electrodes, avoiding costly components like rechargeable batteries, microcontrollers, and wireless modules. This approach reduces both manufacturing cost and device encumbrance while maintaining electrical stimulation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes a flexible thin-film substrate that allows for low-cost manufacturing and simple construction. The capacitor, conductive traces, and electrodes are integrated onto this flexible base layer, enabling production through straightforward lamination and printing techniques rather than complex electronic assembly processes, thereby reducing cost and encumbrance.
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 device provides controlled, single-use electrotherapy that is low-cost, conformable, and easy to use, similar to pharmaceuticals, enhancing accessibility and compliance in healthcare applications.
Implementation Method 1
a battery array comprising a plurality of battery cells, wherein least a first battery cell is electrically coupled to a second battery cell
Implementation Method 2
the interface layer is electrically coupled the battery array via a translayer interconnect, the interface layer configured to adhere the substrate layer to a body and to provide electrical stimulation to the body
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a wearable device. The wearable device includes a substrate layer. The substrate layer is configured to support a battery array comprising a plurality of battery cells, wherein least a first battery cell is electrically coupled to a second battery cell using a conductive interconnect. The wearable device also includes an interface layer coupled to the substrate layer. The interface layer is electrically coupled the battery array via a translayer interconnect. The interface configured to adhere the substrate to a body and to provide electrical stimulation to the body.