CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62,679,151, filed Jun. 1, 2018, and titled “Securing Antennas to Wearable Articles,” which is incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to securing antennas to wearable articles, such as antennas configured to send electrical energy to tissue stimulators implanted within a patient's body.

BACKGROUND

Modulation of tissue within the body by electrical stimulation has become an important type of therapy for treating chronic, disabling conditions, such as chronic pain, problems of movement initiation and control, involuntary movements, dystonia, urinary and fecal incontinence, sexual difficulties, vascular insufficiency, and heart arrhythmia. For example, an external antenna can be used to send electrical energy to electrodes on an implanted tissue stimulator that can pass pulsatile electrical currents of controllable frequency, pulse width, and amplitudes to a tissue. In order to achieve adequate electrical communication between the external antenna and the implanted tissue stimulator, the antenna must be optimally positioned against the patient's body in a secure manner.

SUMMARY

In general, this disclosure relates to securing antennas to wearable articles, such as articles of clothing and accessories. Such antennas may be configured to send electrical energy to tissue stimulators implanted within a patient's body for delivering electrical therapy to tissues within the body.

In one aspect, an antenna assembly includes an antenna configured to send a signal carrying electrical energy to a wireless tissue stimulator implanted within a body and a housing carrying the antenna. The housing includes a first attachment feature configured to engage a second attachment feature on a wearable article for positioning the antenna adjacent the body on which the wearable article is worn.

Embodiments may provide one or more of the following features.

In some embodiments, the antenna is configured to receive energy from a pulse generator.

In some embodiments, the signal is an RF signal, and the antenna is configured to send the RF signal at a frequency range of about 100 kHz to about 5 GHz.

In some embodiments, the antenna is configured to receive data from the wireless tissue stimulator.

In some embodiments, the antenna assembly includes a flexible circuit board to which the antenna is secured.

In some embodiments, the flexible circuit board includes multiple elongate slots.

In some embodiments, the flexible circuit board is configured to allow passage of the first attachment feature through the housing.

In some embodiments, the antenna is spaced apart from the first attachment feature.

In some embodiments, the antenna is formed as a flat, flexible layer of metal.

In some embodiments, the antenna assembly further includes multiple first attachment features that are configured to respectively engage multiple second attachment features on the wearable article.

In some embodiments, the multiple first attachment features defines a first pattern that aligns with a second pattern formed by the multiple second attachment features.

In some embodiments, the first attachment feature includes a pop rivet snap fastener.

In some embodiments, the first attachment feature includes a hook and loop fastener strip, a magnet, a friction ring, a pin, a hanging slot, or a friction clasp.

In some embodiments, the wearable article includes an upper body clothing article, a lower body clothing article, a whole body clothing article, or an accessory item.

In some embodiments, the housing includes a sleeve.

In some embodiments, the housing is made of a flexible material.

In some embodiments, the housing is made of a molded fabric.

In some embodiments, the housing includes a polymer made of one or more of silicone, polyurethane, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

In some embodiments, the housing includes a rigid container.

In another aspect, a tissue stimulation system includes a pulse generator and an antenna assembly. The antenna assembly includes an antenna configured to receive electrical energy from the pulse generator and configured to send a signal carrying the electrical energy to a wireless tissue stimulator implanted within a body. The antenna assembly further includes a housing carrying the antenna. The housing includes a first attachment feature by which the antenna assembly can be secured to a wearable article for positioning the antenna adjacent the body on which the wearable article. The tissue stimulation system further includes a second attachment feature configured to be attached to the wearable article and configured to engage the first attachment feature for securing the antenna assembly to the wearable article.

In another aspect, a method of securing an antenna assembly to a wearable article includes positioning a template carrying a first antenna at a desired position on the wearable article worn on a body of a patient. The desired position is in proximity to a wireless tissue stimulator implanted within the body. The method further includes marking a location of the desired position of the template against the wearable article, securing a first attachment feature to the wearable article at a mark located at the desired position, and attaching the antenna assembly to the wearable article at the first attachment feature. The antenna assembly includes a second antenna configured to send a signal carrying electrical energy to the wireless tissue stimulator implanted within the body and includes a housing carrying the second antenna. The housing includes a second attachment feature configured to engage the first attachment feature on the wearable article for positioning the second antenna adjacent the body on which the wearable article is worn.

Embodiments may provide one or more of the following features.

In some embodiments, the method further includes operating the first antenna to send an initial signal carrying initial electrical energy to the wireless tissue stimulator implanted within the body.

In some embodiments, the method further includes moving the template to the desired position against the wearable article based on detection of a suitable stimulation profile at the wireless tissue stimulator by the patient.

In some embodiments, the method further includes removing the template from the wearable article.

