Systems, devices, and methods for powering and/or controlling devices, for instance transdermal delivery devices
Systems, devices, and methods for powering and/or controlling electrically powered devices. A power supply system is operable to provide a voltage across at the active and the counter electrode assemblies of a transdermal delivery device. The system includes a power source and a magnetic coupling element.
1. A portable power supply system to provide power to an electrically powered device having at least two electrodes configured to provide an electrical potential therebetween and a set of at least two contacts accessible from an exterior of the electrically powered device and electrically coupleable to the at least two electrodes, the portable power supply system comprising:
a power source including at least one cell selected from a group consisting of a chemical battery cell, an ultra-capacitor cell and a fuel cell; and
a first magnetic coupling element coupled to the power source and that is magnetically-releasably attachable to the electrically powered device to retain the portable power supply system directly to the electrically powered device without the use of mechanical fasteners or adhesives such that at least two electrical contacts of the power source electrically conductively couple to respective ones of the at least two contacts of the electrically powered device to provide electrical power to power the electrically powered device in response to the portable power supply system being magnetically retained to the electrically powered device by the first magnetic coupling element.
2. The portable power supply system of claim 1 wherein the first magnetic coupling element takes the form of at least one ferrous metal element.
3. The portable power supply system of claim 1 wherein the first magnetic coupling element takes the form of at least one permanent magnet selected from the group consisting of a high-energy flexible magnet, a neodymium magnet, a ceramic magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, or an alnico magnet.
4. The portable power supply system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control circuit electrically coupled to receive a current from the power source and configured to control operation of the electrically powered device.
5. The portable power supply system of claim 4 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically close in response to the portable power supply system being releasably attached to the electrically powered device.
6. The portable power supply system of claim 4 wherein the control circuit is operable to detect a power source polarity and provide a charge of a proper polarity to respective ones of a positive electrical contact and a negative electrical contact of the electrically powered device, in response to the portable power supply system being releasably attached to the electrically powered device.
7. The portable power supply system of claim 4 wherein the control circuit takes the form of a programmable control circuit operable to provide at least a first current profile to at least one of the electrodes of the electrically powered device.
8. The portable power supply system of claim 4 wherein the control circuit takes the form of a printed circuit on a substrate having at least a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the first side having at least two electrical paths to provide electrical communication between the power source adjacent to the first side and at least two conductive paths on the second side, the at least two conductive paths on the second side configured to provide electrical communication between the portable power supply system and respective ones of the contacts of the electrically powered device.
9. The portable power supply system of claim 8 , wherein the at least two conductive paths take the form of at least two conductive traces forming a generally concentric geometric pattern.
10. The portable power supply system of claim 1 further comprising:
a first one of the electrical contacts of the power source is electrically coupled to a first pole of the at least one cell; and
a second one of the electrical contacts of the power source is electrically coupled to a second pole of the at least one cell.
11. The portable power supply system of claim 10 wherein the first electrical contact is concentrically aligned with respect to the second electrical contact.
12. The portable power supply system of claim 11 wherein the first electrical contact is at least a portion of a circular conductive trace and the second electrical contact is at least a portion of a circular conductive trace.
13. The portable power supply system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second magnetic coupling element physically coupled to the power source, the second magnetic coupling element configured to releasably retain the portable power supply system in a correct electrical polarity with respect to the electrically powered device.
14. The portable power supply system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second magnetic coupling element physically coupled to the power source, the second magnetic coupling element having a magnetic polarity opposite a magnetic polarity of the first magnetic coupling element.
15. The portable power supply system of claim 1 wherein the at least one cell of the power source comprises at least one of a primary cell, a secondary cell, a button cell, a coin cell, an alkaline cell, a lithium cell, a lithium ion cell, a zinc air cell, or a nickel metal hydride cell.
16. The portable power supply system of claim 1 wherein the at least one cell of the power source comprises at least one of a printed battery, an energy cell laminate, a thin-film battery, or a power paper.
17. The portable power supply system of claim 1 wherein the portable power supply system is retained to the electrically powered device solely by magnetic attraction.