Wearable systems for an electrotherapy device
In some embodiments, a wearable garment includes a flexible material configured to wrap around a portion of a user's body. The flexible material may include an interior surface configured to contact the user's body. The flexible material may also include an opposite exterior surface. The wearable garment may also include at least two electrodes positioned at the interior surface and may be configured to contact a targeted part of the user's body. The wearable garment may also include an electrode connector for each of the at least two electrodes positioned at the exterior surface. The electrode connectors may be operably connected to a respective electrode of the at least two electrodes. The at least two electrodes may be configured to deliver a therapeutic signal from an electrotherapeutic device via the electrode connectors for each of the at least two electrodes. Other wearable garments and methods are also provided.
1 . A wearable garment, comprising:
a flexible material configured to wrap around a portion of a user's body, the flexible material comprising:
an interior surface configured to contact the user's body, and
an opposite exterior surface;
at least two electrodes integrally formed with the flexible material and positioned at the interior surface and configured to contact a targeted part of the user's body, wherein the at least two electrodes each comprise a conductive fabric;
an electrode connector for each of the at least two electrodes positioned at the exterior surface and operably connected to a respective electrode of the at least two electrodes, wherein the electrode connector for each of the at least two electrodes comprises a stud on the exterior surface and a rivet on the interior surface, and wherein the rivet includes a coating of non-conductive material;
wherein the at least two electrodes are configured to deliver a therapeutic signal from an electrotherapeutic device via the electrode connectors for each of the at least two electrodes.
2 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , wherein the at least two electrodes include a smooth raised portion to contact the user's body and a lower portion that does not contact the user's body.
3 . The wearable garment of claim 2 , wherein the electrode connectors of the at least two electrodes are coupled to the conductive fabric at the lower portion.
4 . The wearable garment of claim 3 , wherein the conductive fabric is positioned over a compression material, wherein the compression material includes a thickness that forms the raised portion of the at least two electrodes.
5 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fabric is flexible to wrap around the targeted part of the user's body.
6 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises an application area and an attachment mechanism for securing the application area to the user's body.
7 . The wearable garment of claim 6 , wherein the flexible material is configured to be separately worn on both right and left limbs.
8 . The wearable garment of claim 6 , wherein the attachment mechanism is an elastic strap, and wherein the elastic strap provides compression directly over the application area to maintain electrical contact with the targeted part of the user's body.
9 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , further comprising a wire management feature configured to route a wire connected to the electrode connectors of the at least two electrodes.
10 . The wearable garment of claim 9 , wherein the wire management feature comprises a channel configured to receive a portion of a wire.
11 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment mechanism configured to hold the flexible material in place on the user's body.
12 . The wearable garment of claim 11 , wherein the flexible material is configured as a sleeve and wherein the attachment mechanism is an elastic property of the flexible material.
13 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is shaped and configured to be applied to a user's shoulder.
14 . The wearable garment of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is shaped and configured to wrap around a user's remaining section of an amputated limb and further comprising a separate electrode configured to be applied to a distal end of the user's remaining section of the amputated limb.
15 . A wearable system, comprising:
a garment, comprising:
a flexible material configured to wrap around a portion of a user's body, the flexible material comprising:
an interior surface configured to contact the user's body, and
an opposite exterior surface;
at least two electrodes integrally formed with the garment and positioned at the interior surface and configured to contact a targeted part of the user's body, wherein the at least two electrodes each comprise a conductive fabric;
an electrode connector for each of the at least two electrodes positioned at the exterior surface and operably connected to a respective electrode of the at least two electrodes, wherein the electrode connector for each of the at least two electrodes comprises a stud on the exterior surface and a rivet on the interior surface, and wherein the rivet includes a coating of non-conductive material; and
an electrotherapeutic device configured to deliver a therapeutic signal to the at least two electrodes via the electrode connectors.
16 . The wearable system of claim 15 , wherein the at least two electrodes include a smooth raised portion to contact the user's body and a lower portion that does not contact the user's body.
17 . The wearable system of claim 16 , wherein the electrode connectors of the at least two electrodes are coupled to the conductive fabric at the lower portion.
18 . The wearable system of claim 17 , wherein the conductive fabric is positioned over a compression material, wherein the compression material includes a thickness that forms the raised portion of the at least two electrodes.
19 . The wearable system of claim 15 , further comprising an elastic strap, and wherein the elastic strap provides compression directly over the at least two electrodes to maintain electrical contact with the targeted part of the user's body.
20 . The wearable system of claim 19 , wherein the garment further comprises a wire management feature configured to route the intermediate wire between the electrotherapeutic device and at least one of the electrode connectors.
21 . A method for providing therapeutic electric current to a treatment site of a patient comprising the steps of:
providing a flexible garment comprising at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes are integrally formed with the flexible garment, wherein the at least two electrodes each comprise a conductive fabric, and wherein each of the at least two electrodes comprises an electrode connector comprising a stud on an exterior surface of the flexible garment and a rivet on an interior surface of the flexible garment, and wherein the rivet includes a coating of non-conductive material;
providing an electrotherapeutic device operably connected to the at least two electrodes;
positioning the flexible garment with respect to a user's body such that the at least two electrodes are each in contact with a targeted part of the user's body; and
forming a therapeutic signal configured to reduce pain at a treatment site.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein positioning the flexible garment with respect to the user's body comprises pulling a sleeve over a part of the body and sliding the sleeve to a desired position.