US 12,151,036 B2
Electrification system for preventing transmission of pathogens by dermal contact
Grant Kitchen, Baltimore, MD (US); Luis Francisco Garcia, San Mateo, CA (US); Bill Ling, Monrovia, CA (US); Kevin Stephen McFarland, Silver Spring, MD (US); Carlos Rene Mendez, Cedar Park, TX (US); and Marc Donohue, Baltimore, MD (US)
Filed by Grant Kitchen, Baltimore, MD (US); Luis Francisco Garcia, San Mateo, CA (US); Bill Ling, Monrovia, CA (US); Kevin Stephen McFarland, Silver Spring, MD (US); Carlos Rene Mendez, Cedar Park, TX (US); and Marc Donohue, Baltimore, MD (US)
Filed on Jan. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/146,476.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/959,547, filed on Jan. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0213146 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. A61L 2/03 (2006.01); A61L 2/26 (2006.01); A61N 1/04 (2006.01); A61N 1/32 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 2/03 (2013.01) [A61L 2/26 (2013.01); A61N 1/0484 (2013.01); A61N 1/32 (2013.01); A61L 2202/11 (2013.01); A61L 2202/26 (2013.01); A61N 1/0468 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrification system for preventing transmission of pathogens by dermal contact comprising:
a skin-bracing object;
a power supply;
at least one resistor;
a first electrical connector;
a second electrical connector;
a first electrical terminal;
a second electrical terminal;
at least one first insulative rivet;
at least one second insulative rivet;
the skin-bracing object comprising an object body and a conductive feature;
the conductive feature being integrated into at least one specific surface of the object body;
the at least one resistor being mounted onto the object body;
the conductive feature, the resistor, and the power supply being electrically connected in series to each other as a closed circuit;
the power supply being configured to electrify pathogens in physical contact with the at least one specific surface by applying a specified current through the conductive feature;
the specified current being less than a current threshold of human sensitivity;
the at least one resistor and the conductive feature being electrically wired to the first electrical connector;
the power supply being electrically wired to the second electrical connector;
the first electrical connector being detachably and electrically engaged to the second electrical connector;
the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal being mounted onto the object body;
the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal being positioned opposite to each other across the at least one specific surface;
the at least one resistor being electrically connected to the conductive feature through the first electrical terminal;
the power supply being electrically connected to the conductive feature through the second electrical terminal;
the first electrical terminal being pressed against the conductive feature by the at least one first insulative rivet;
the second electrical terminal being pressed against the conductive feature by the at least one second insulative rivet;
the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal being a pair of exposed parallel wires;
the pair of exposed parallel wires being configured to prevent electrical arcing between each other by being positioned offset enough from each other;
the pair of exposed parallel wires being electrically connected to each other through the conductive feature;
the pair of exposed parallel wires being configured to apply a constant uniform electrical current across the conductive feature;
the object body being made of a textile; and
the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal being embedded into seams of the textile.