Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090264965 | OPTIMIZING SIZE OF IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES BY ISOLATING THE POWER SOURCE - A wireless cardiac stimulation device comprising an implantable transmitter module housing a transmitter and a separately implantable battery module housing a battery for powering the transmitter and other device electronics via a subcutaneously routable electrical cable connecting the module is disclosed. The transmitter module contains a transmitter enclosure which comprises one or more ultrasound transducers. Having separate transmitter and battery modules allows implantation of the transmitter module closer to the target receiver implanted in tissue. A discrete battery module also enables easy replacement of the battery without disturbing the transmitter, which is highly desirable. | 10-22-2009 |
20090319006 | IMPLANTABLE TRANSDUCER DEVICES - Receiver-stimulators comprise a nearly isotropic transducer assembly, demodulator circuitry, and at least two tissue contacting electrodes. Use of near isotropic transducers allows the devices to be implanted with less concern regarding the orientation relative to an acoustic energy source. Transducers or transducer elements having relatively small sizes, typically less than ½ the wavelength of the acoustic source, enhance isotropy. The use of single crystal piezoelectric materials enhance sensitivity. | 12-24-2009 |
20090326601 | IMPLANTABLE TRANSDUCER DEVICES - Receiver-stimulators comprise a nearly isotropic transducer assembly, demodulator circuitry, and at least two tissue contacting electrodes. Use of near isotropic transducers allows the devices to be implanted with less concern regarding the orientation relative to an acoustic energy source. Transducers or transducer elements having relatively small sizes, typically less than ½ the wavelength of the acoustic source, enhance isotropy. The use of single crystal piezoelectric materials enhance sensitivity. | 12-31-2009 |
20100063562 | LEADLESS TISSUE STIMULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems including an implantable receiver-stimulator and an implantable controller-transmitter are used for leadless electrical stimulation of body tissues. Cardiac pacing and arrhythmia control is accomplished with one or more implantable receiver-stimulators and an external or implantable controller-transmitter. Systems are implanted by testing external or implantable devices at different tissue sites, observing physiologic and device responses, and selecting sites with preferred performance for implanting the systems. In these systems, a controller-transmitter is activated at a remote tissue location to transmit/deliver acoustic energy through the body to a receiver-stimulator at a target tissue location. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy to electrical energy for electrical stimulation of the body tissue. The tissue locations(s) can be optimized by moving either or both of the controller-transmitter and the receiver-stimulator to determine the best patient and device responses. | 03-11-2010 |
20100228308 | LEADLESS TISSUE STIMULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems including an implantable receiver-stimulator and an implantable controller-transmitter are used for leadless electrical stimulation of body tissues. Cardiac pacing and arrhythmia control is accomplished with one or more implantable receiver-stimulators and an external or implantable controller-transmitter. Systems are implanted by testing external or implantable devices at different tissue sites, observing physiologic and device responses, and selecting sites with preferred performance for implanting the systems. In these systems, a controller-transmitter is activated at a remote tissue location to transmit/deliver acoustic energy through the body to a receiver-stimulator at a target tissue location. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy to electrical energy for electrical stimulation of the body tissue. The tissue locations(s) can be optimized by moving either or both of the controller-transmitter and the receiver-stimulator to determine the best patient and device responses. | 09-09-2010 |
20100286744 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HEART FAILURE TREATMENTS USING ULTRASOUND AND LEADLESS IMPLANTABLE DEVICES - The present invention relies on a controller-transmitter device to deliver ultrasound energy into cardiac tissue in order to directly improve cardiac function and/or to energize one or more implanted receiver-stimulator devices that transduce the ultrasound energy to electrical energy to perform excitatory and/or non-excitatory treatments for heart failure. The acoustic energy can be applied as a single burst or as multiple bursts. | 11-11-2010 |
20110112600 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS GASTROINTESTINAL TISSUE STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate gastrointestinal tissue to treat medical conditions such as eating disorders, gastroparesis, and gastric reflux. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the nerve, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined gastrointestinal tissue site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be implanted or located externally. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located in the various regions on or around the gastrointestinal tissue that needs to be stimulated. The implantable receiver-stimulator stimulates different gastrointestinal tissue to provide the desired therapeutic benefit. | 05-12-2011 |
20110118810 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS NERVE STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate nerves to treat medical conditions such as pain, and other conditions, such as, CHF, obesity, incontinence, etc., that could be controlled by the stimulation of the vagal nerves. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the nerve, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined nerve site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be implanted or located externally. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located in the various regions on or around the nerve that needs to be stimulated. The implantable receiver-stimulator stimulates different nerves and regions of a nerve to provide therapeutic benefit. | 05-19-2011 |
20110144720 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS COCHLEAR STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to enable hearing in the deaf by stimulating sites in the cochlea. The invention uses electrical stimulation in the cochlea, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the cochlear nerve. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be located either externally or implanted. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which contains multiple electrodes to stimulate along selected sites in the cochlea. | 06-16-2011 |
20110166620 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS BRAIN STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate brain tissue to treat medical conditions such as movement disorders, pain and epilepsy. The disclosed invention uses electrical stimulation of the brain tissue, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined brain site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be either implanted or located externally. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located under the skull, within the brain, on the dura, or in the cranial space close to the brain. As a therapeutic treatment, the implantable receiver-stimulator stimulates the brain sites that are effective in altering brain activity. | 07-07-2011 |
20110166621 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS SPINE STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate spine tissue to treat medical conditions such as pain and spinal injury. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the spine, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined brain site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be located either externally or implanted. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located in the various regions on around the spine. The implantable receiver-stimulator stimulates different locations in the spine region to provide therapeutic benefit. | 07-07-2011 |
20120059433 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS BONE STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to enhance bone growth by stimulating bone sites for bone regrowth, fusion, or grafts. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the bone site, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the bone site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be located either externally or implanted. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-transmitter, which could be incorporated into an orthopedic device, such as pin, cage, plate or prosthetic joint used for bone healing. | 03-08-2012 |
20130282070 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLANTABLE LEADLESS TISSUE STIMULATION - Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate tissue to treat medical conditions involving tissues such as the bone, spine, stomach, nerves, brain and the cochlea. The disclosed invention uses electrical stimulation of the tissue, where vibrational (or acoustic) energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined tissue sites. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be either implanted or located externally. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located at or close to the stimulation site. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282073 | LEADLESS TISSUE STIMULATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems including an implantable receiver-stimulator and an implantable controller-transmitter are used for leadless electrical stimulation of body tissues. Cardiac pacing and arrhythmia control is accomplished with one or more implantable receiver-stimulators and an external or implantable controller-transmitter. Systems are implanted by testing external or implantable devices at different tissue sites, observing physiologic and device responses, and selecting sites with preferred performance for implanting the systems. In these systems, a controller-transmitter is activated at a remote tissue location to transmit/deliver acoustic energy through the body to a receiver-stimulator at a target tissue location. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy to electrical energy for electrical stimulation of the body tissue. The tissue locations(s) can be optimized by moving either or both of the controller-transmitter and the receiver-stimulator to determine the best patient and device responses. | 10-24-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110160102 | METHOD FOR ENHANCED RECOVERY OF OIL FROM OIL RESERVOIRS - The present invention provides a method for recovering oil from a subterranean reservoir using waterflooding, wherein the flooding fluid used in the waterflooding process comprises water and one or more ionic polyvinyl alcohol copolymers. The use of one or more ionic polyvinyl alcohol copolymers is expected to increase the recovery of oil by improving both the oil/water mobility ratio and the sweep efficiency in reservoirs with a high degree of heterogeneity. | 06-30-2011 |
20130059972 | METHOD TO FORM AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION OF AN IONOMER - Disclosed is a method for forming an aqueous dispersion of an ionomer composition comprising mixing a solid ionomer composition with water heated to a temperature from about 80 to about 90° C., the solid ionomer composition comprising an ethylene acid copolymer comprising about 18 to about 30 weight % of copolymerized units of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, based on the total weight of the parent acid copolymer, the acid copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the total carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts comprising sodium cations. | 03-07-2013 |
20130149930 | METHODS TO FORM AN IONOMER COATING ON A SUBSTRATE - Disclosed are methods to form ionomer coatings on a substrate, the ionomer composition comprising an ethylene acid copolymer comprising about 18 to about 30 weight % of copolymerized units of acrylic add or methacrylic add, based on the total weight of the parent add copolymer, the add copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the total carboxylic add groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic add salts comprising sodium cations, potassium cations or mixtures thereof. | 06-13-2013 |
20130224505 | IONOMER-POLY(VINYLALCOHOL) COATINGS - Disclosed are methods to form coatings on a substrate, the coatings comprising a blend of a poly(vinyl alcohol) composition comprising a poly(vinyl alcohol) characterized by (i) a hydrolysis level of from about 85 to about 93 mol % and a 4 weight % aqueous viscosity of 15 centipoise (cp) or less; or (ii) a hydrolysis level of about 95 mol % to 100%; and an ionomer comprising a parent acid copolymer that comprises ethylene and about 18 to about 30 weight % of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, the acid copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts comprising potassium cations, sodium cations or combinations thereof. Multilayer structures comprising the blend composition on a substrate are also disclosed. | 08-29-2013 |
20130224506 | BLENDS OF IONOMERS AND SUB-PARTIALLY HYDROLYZED POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL)S - Disclosed is a blend composition comprising a combination of (a) about 99 to about 1 weight %, based on the combination of (a) and (b), of a sub-partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) characterized by a hydrolysis level of from about 72 to about 84 mole %; and (b) about 1 to about 99 weight % of an ionomer comprising a parent acid copolymer that comprises ethylene and about 18 to about 30 weight % of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, the acid copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts comprising potassium and/or sodium cations. Also disclosed are aqueous dispersions and methods to prepare the aqueous dispersions. Articles and multilayer structures comprising the blend composition on a substrate and methods for their preparation are also disclosed. | 08-29-2013 |
20130225021 | HIGHLY VISCOUS IONOMER-POLY(VINYLALCOHOL) COATINGS - Disclosed are methods to form coatings on a substrate, the coatings comprising a blend of a poly(vinyl alcohol) composition comprising a poly(vinyl alcohol) characterized by a hydrolysis level of from about 85 to about 93 mole % and a 4 weight % aqueous viscosity at 20° C. of about 16 to about 75 centipoise; and an ionomer comprising a parent acid copolymer that comprises ethylene and about 18 to about 30 weight % of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, the acid copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts comprising potassium cations, sodium cations or combinations thereof. Multilayer structures comprising the blend composition on a substrate are also disclosed. | 08-29-2013 |
20130225749 | IONOMER-POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL) BLENDS - Disclosed is a composition comprising (a) a poly(vinyl alcohol) characterized by (i) a hydrolysis level of from about 85 to about 93 mole % and a 4 weight % aqueous viscosity at 20° C. of 15 centipoise or less; or (ii) a hydrolysis level of about 95 mole % or greater; and (b) an ionomer comprising a parent acid copolymer comprising copolymerized units of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts. | 08-29-2013 |
20130225750 | HIGH VISCOSITY BLENDS OF AN IONOMER AND POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL) - Disclosed is a blend composition comprising a combination of (a) about 99 to about 1 weight %, based on the combination of (a) and (b), of a poly(vinyl alcohol) characterized by a hydrolysis level of from about 85 to about 93 mol % and a 4 weight % aqueous viscosity of 16 to about 75 centipoise; and (b) about 1 to about 99 weight % of an ionomer comprising a parent acid copolymer that comprises ethylene and about 18 to about 30 weight % of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, the acid copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts comprising potassium and/or sodium cations. Also disclosed are aqueous dispersions, methods to prepare the aqueous dispersions and articles comprising the blend composition. | 08-29-2013 |
20140069565 | METHODS FOR PREPARING HIGHLY VISCOUS IONOMER-POLY(VINYLALCOHOL) COATINGS - Disclosed are methods to form coatings on a substrate, the coatings comprising a blend of a poly(vinyl alcohol) composition comprising a poly(vinyl alcohol) characterized by a hydrolysis level of from about 85 to about 93 mole % and a 4 weight % aqueous viscosity at 20° C. of about 16 to about 75 centipoise; and an ionomer comprising a parent acid copolymer that comprises ethylene and about 18 to about 30 weight % of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, the acid copolymer having a melt flow rate from about 200 to about 1000 g/10 min., wherein about 50% to about 70% of the carboxylic acid groups of the copolymer are neutralized to carboxylic acid salts comprising potassium cations, sodium cations or combinations thereof. Multilayer structures comprising the blend composition on a substrate are also disclosed. | 03-13-2014 |