Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
An iontophoresis system having at least three iontophoretic elements, any or all of which contains a medicine, and a power supply means connected to the elements for applying pulsating voltages to the elements so as to generate a potential difference between the elements, wherein: said power supply means includes an element selecting means for cyclically selecting a pair of iontophoretic elements in a given order from among said at least three iontophoretic elements, and a potential difference generating means for generating a potential difference between said selected pairs of iontophoretic elements by applying pulsating voltages to the elements at different time instants; wherein said potential difference generating means retains any iontophoretic element other than the selected iontophoretic elements in an electrically neutral state; wherein said potential difference generating means generates a potential difference by applying a voltage to one of the iontophoretic elements of one of said selected pairs of iontophoretic elements such that said voltage pulsates in a direction opposite to a direction of a voltage previously applied to said one of the iontophoretic elements of a previously selected pair; and wherein said potential difference generating means generates potential differences so that each of any one pair of iontophoretic elements selected from among the at least three elements exhibits a voltage of the same polarity, and so that the polarity of each of the elements is periodically changed to the three states of positive polarity, negative polarity and electrically neutral.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
An iontophoresis system having at least three iontophoretic elements, any or all of which contains a medicine, and a power supply means connected to the elements for applying pulsating voltages to the elements so as to generate a potential difference between the elements, wherein: said power supply means includes an element selecting means for cyclically selecting a pair of iontophoretic elements in a given order from among said at least three iontophoretic elements, and a potential difference generating means for generating a potential difference between said selected pairs of iontophoretic elements by applying pulsating voltages to the elements at different time instants; wherein said potential difference generating means retains any iontophoretic element other than the selected iontophoretic elements in an electrically neutral state; wherein said potential difference generating means generates a potential difference by applying a voltage to one of the iontophoretic elements of one of said selected pairs of iontophoretic elements such that said voltage pulsates in a direction opposite to a direction of a voltage previously applied to said one of the iontophoretic elements of a previously selected pair; and wherein said potential difference generating means generates potential differences so that each of any one pair of iontophoretic elements selected from among the at least three elements exhibits a voltage of the same polarity, and so that the polarity of each of the elements is periodically changed to the three states of positive polarity, negative polarity and electrically neutral.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least three iontophoretic elements are stowed in one package.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The iontophoresis system of claim 1 wherein a duty ratio of voltage pulses applied to any one pair of elements selected from among the at least three electrodes corresponds to an inverse number or less of the number of elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The iontophoresis system of claim 1 wherein the potential generating means generates positive pulses having a maximum duty cycle equal to 1/n, wherein n is equal to the number of iontophoretic elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
185 words
An iontophoresis system having at least three iontophoretic elements, any or all of which contains a medicine, and a power supply means connected to the elements for applying pulsating voltages to the elements so as to generate a potential difference between the elements wherein: said power supply means includes an element selecting means for cyclically selecting pairs of iontophoretic elements in a given order from among said at least three iontophoretic elements, and a potential difference generating means for generating a potential difference between said iontophoretic elements of said selected pairs by applying a positive pulse to one iontophoretic element and a negative pulse to the other iontophoretic element of said selected pair and retaining any iontophoretic elements other than the selected pair in an electrically neutral state, wherein said potential difference generating means generates said potential difference so that each of the iontophoretic elements of a selected pair always receives the same polarity pulse when said pair is selected by the element selecting means, each of the iontophoretic elements receiving a periodic waveform comprising a positive pulse, a negative pulse and electrically neutral state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
185 words
An iontophoresis system having at least three iontophoretic elements, any or all of which contains a medicine, and a power supply means connected to the elements for applying pulsating voltages to the elements so as to generate a potential difference between the elements wherein: said power supply means includes an element selecting means for cyclically selecting pairs of iontophoretic elements in a given order from among said at least three iontophoretic elements, and a potential difference generating means for generating a potential difference between said iontophoretic elements of said selected pairs by applying a positive pulse to one iontophoretic element and a negative pulse to the other iontophoretic element of said selected pair and retaining any iontophoretic elements other than the selected pair in an electrically neutral state, wherein said potential difference generating means generates said potential difference so that each of the iontophoretic elements of a selected pair always receives the same polarity pulse when said pair is selected by the element selecting means, each of the iontophoretic elements receiving a periodic waveform comprising a positive pulse, a negative pulse and electrically neutral state.