Geometrically fitted transducers for tumor treating fields
A transducer apparatus for delivering tumor treating fields to a subject's body, the transducer apparatus including: an array of electrode elements, the array configured to be positioned over the subject's body with a face of the array facing the subject's body; wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the face of the array, an outer perimeter of the array substantially tracing the electrode elements has a shape including: at least one convex edge portion protruding away from a centroid of the array; and at least one concave edge portion recessed toward the centroid of the array.
1 . A transducer apparatus for delivering tumor treating fields to a subject's body, the transducer apparatus comprising:
an array of electrode elements, the array configured to be positioned over the subject's body with a face of the array facing the subject's body and to deliver tumor treating fields to the subject's body;
wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the face of the array, an outer perimeter of the array traces the electrode elements and has a shape comprising:
a centroid located within the outer perimeter of the shape;
at least one convex edge portion protruding away from the centroid of the array; and
at least one concave edge portion recessed toward the centroid of the array,
wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the at least one convex edge portion and the at least one concave edge portion are complimentary shapes capable of fitting together adjacent to each other on a surface of the subject's body without overlapping each other,
wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the outer perimeter of the array has a bow-tie shape, infinity symbol shape, peanut shell shape, or butterfly shape.
2 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one concave edge portion is capable of tracing, abutting, or enclosing at least a portion of the convex edge portion.
3 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one concave edge portion is partially defined by a straight line.
4 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one convex edge portion is partially defined by a straight line.
5 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the array of electrode elements is disposed on the substrate, and the outer perimeter of the array corresponds to an outer perimeter of the substrate.
6 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the outer perimeter of the array has a shape comprising:
at least m concave edge portions; and
at least n convex edge portions;
wherein m=2 or m=4, and wherein n=2 or n=4.
7 . The transducer apparatus of claim 6 , wherein m=4 and the at least four concave edge portions comprise:
a first pair of concave edge portions on opposite sides of the array from each other; and
a second pair of concave edge portions on opposite sides of the array from each other;
wherein the first pair of concave edge portions have different shape line segments than the second pair of concave edge portions.
8 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one convex edge portion and the at least one concave edge portion have line segments of the same or similar shape.
9 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer perimeter of the array has a shape comprising at least two concave edge portions and at least two convex edge portions.
10 . The transducer apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the shape of the outer perimeter of the array further comprises at most two convex edge portions.
11 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer perimeter of the array has a shape comprising m concave edge portions and n convex edge portions, where m=n.
12 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one convex edge portion and the at least one concave edge portion are each at least partially defined by a straight line.
13 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one convex edge portion and the at least one concave edge portion are each at least partially defined by a curve.
14 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transducer apparatus is a first transducer apparatus, and, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the outer perimeter of the array of the first transducer apparatus is capable of fitting together in a complementary and non-overlapping manner with an outer perimeter of an array of a second transducer apparatus having the same shape as the outer perimeter of the first transducer apparatus.
15 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the outer perimeter of the array excludes any slits.
16 . The transducer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one convex edge portion and the at least one concave edge portion provide for adjacent transducer apparatuses to be arranged in an interlocking pattern.
17 . A transducer apparatus for delivering tumor treating fields to a subject's body, the transducer apparatus comprising:
an array of electrode elements, the array configured to be positioned over the subject's body with a face of the array facing a subject's body and to deliver tumor treating fields to the subject's body;
wherein, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the face of the array, an outer perimeter of the array traces the electrode elements and has a shape comprising:
a centroid located within the outer perimeter of the shape;
at least one convex edge portion protruding away from the centroid of the array; and
at least one concave edge portion recessed toward the centroid of the array,
wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the outer perimeter of the array has a shape comprising at least two concave edge portions and at least two convex edge portions,
wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the outer perimeter of the array has a bow-tie shape, infinity symbol shape, peanut shell shape, or butterfly shape.
18 . The transducer apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the shape of the outer perimeter of the array further comprises at most two convex edge portions.
19 . The transducer apparatus of claim 17 ,
wherein, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the face of the array, the at least one convex edge portion and the at least one concave edge portion have line segments of the same or similar shape.