1. A method of applying a stimulus to a stimulation site within the neck or head of a patient, said method comprising:
implanting a distal portion of one or more leads adjacent to said stimulation site, said distal portion having a number of electrodes configured to deliver said stimulus disposed thereon;
forming a loop with a proximal portion of said one or more leads; and
securing said distal and proximal portions of said one or more leads to one or more securing sites with one or more securing devices.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said loop and said one or more securing devices are configured to minimize migration of said one or more leads.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said stimulus is configured to treat a headache.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said stimulation site comprises at least one or more of a greater occipital nerve, a lesser occipital nerve, and a greater auricular nerve.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more leads comprise a first lead configured to apply said stimulus to a stimulation site located on a right side of said patient and a second lead configured to apply said stimulus to a stimulation site located on a left side of said patient.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more securing devices comprise one or more suture sleeves configured to be sutured to said securing sites.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising filling said suture sleeves with an adhesive, said adhesive configured to secure said one or more leads to said suture sleeves.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein said one or more suture sleeves comprise:
a distal suture sleeve having a long axis substantially collinear with a long axis of said distal portion of one of said one or more leads; and
a proximal suture sleeve having a long axis that is not parallel with the midline of said patient.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising using current steering to identify one or more optimal stimulation parameters for said patient.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling said one or more leads to one or more stimulators, said one or more stimulators configured to generate said stimulus.
11. A system for applying a stimulus to a stimulation site within the neck or head of a patient, said system comprising:
one or more leads having a number of electrodes disposed on a distal portion thereof, said electrodes configured to deliver said stimulus, wherein said distal portion of said one or more leads is implanted adjacent to said stimulation site; and
one or more securing devices configured to secure said one or more leads to one or more securing sites;
wherein a proximal portion of said one or more leads is formed in a loop and wherein said loop and said one or more securing devices are configured to minimize migration of said one or more leads.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said stimulus is configured to treat a headache.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein said stimulation site comprises at least one or more of a greater occipital nerve, a lesser occipital nerve, and a greater auricular nerve.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein said one or more leads comprise a first lead configured to apply said stimulus to a stimulation site located on a right side of said patient and a second lead configured to apply said stimulus to a stimulation site located on a left side of said patient.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein said one or more securing sites comprise at least one or more of a fascia and a bone.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein said one or more securing devices comprise one or more suture sleeves configured to be sutured to said securing sites.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein said one or more suture sleeves comprise:
a lumen for passage of said one or more leads;
a slit communicating with said lumen and an outer surface of said one or more suture sleeves; and
one or more holes for suturing said one or more suture sleeves to said one or more securing sites.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein said one or more suture sleeves comprise:
a distal suture sleeve having a long axis substantially collinear with a long axis of said distal portion of one of said one or more leads; and
a proximal suture sleeve having a long axis that is not parallel with the midline of said patient.
19. The system of claim 11, further comprising a stimulator configured to generate said stimulus, wherein said stimulator is coupled to a proximal end of said one or more leads.
20. A system for applying a stimulus to a stimulation site within the neck or head of a patient, said system comprising:
means for implanting a distal portion of one or more leads adjacent to said stimulation site, said distal portion having a number of electrodes configured to deliver said stimulus disposed thereon;
means for forming a loop with a proximal portion of said one or more leads; and
means for securing said distal and proximal portions of said one or more leads to one or more securing sites with one or more securing devices.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An intermetallic compound superconductor, characterized in that it is an intermetallic compound made of magnesium (Mg) and boron (B).
2. An alloy superconductor, characterized in that it contains an intermetallic compound made of Mg and B, and one or more metallic elements.
3. An intermetallic compound superconductor as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that it is of a composition expressed by chemical composition formula: Mg1B2 and has a hexagonal AlB2 type crystallographic structure in which a Mg layer and a B layer lie alternately.
4. An alloy superconductor as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that it contains said intermetallic compound and is of a composition expressed by chemical composition formula: Mg1xB2y where 0<x<1, 2<y<0 and 0<y<2.
5. An intermetallic compound superconductor as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that it has a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of 39 K.
6. An alloy superconductor as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that it has a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of 39 K.
7. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB12, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and heating said pellet in an inert gas to form the intermetallic compound superconductor.
8. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB12, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and heating said pellet in a vacuum to form the intermetallic compound superconductor.
9. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB12, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and heating said pellet in a pressurized inert gas to form the intermetallic compound superconductor.
10. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB12, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and pressing and heating said pellet to form the intermetallic compound superconductor.
11. A method of making an alloy superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB(1x)(2y) where 0<x<1, 2<y<0 and 0<y<2, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and heating said pellet in an inert gas to form the alloy superconductor.
12. A method of making an alloy superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB(1x)(2y) where 0<x<1, 2<y<0 and 0<y<2, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and heating said pellet in a vacuum to form the alloy superconductor.
13. A method of making an alloy superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB(1x)(2y) where 0<x<1, 2<y<0 and 0<y<2, shaping said mixture powder into the form of a pellet, and heating said pellet in a pressurized inert gas to form the alloy superconductor.
14. A method of making an alloy superconductor, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: mixing a Mg containing feedstock powder and a B containing feedstock powder together to form a mixture powder thereof so that the mixture powder contains Mg and B at a compositional ratio of MgB(1x)(2y) where 0<x<1, 2<y<0 and 0<y<2, shaping said mixture powder into the form of pellet, and pressing and heating said pellet to form the alloy superconductor.
15. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that said pellet is heated in said inert gas at a temperature of 700 to 2000 C. for a period of several seconds or more.
16. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that said pellet is heated in the vacuum under a pressure of 2102 Pa or less at a temperature of 650 to 1100 C. for a period of several minutes or more.
17. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor as set forth in claim 9, characterized in that said pellet is heated in said inert gas under a pressure of 1 to 200 MPa at a temperature of 600 to 1100 C. for a period of several minutes or more.
18. A method of making an intermetallic compound superconductor as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that said pellet is pressed and heated under a pressure of 0.1 to 6 GPa at a temperature of 700 to 1400 C. for a period of several minutes or more.
19. A method of making an alloy superconductor as set forth in claim 11, characterized in that said pellet is heated in said inert gas at a temperature of 700 to 2000 C. for a period of several seconds or more.
20. A method of making an alloy superconductor as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that said pellet is heated in the vacuum under a pressure of 2102 Pa or less at a temperature of 650 to 1100 C. for a period of several minutes or more.
21. A method of making an alloy superconductor as set forth in claim 13, characterized in that said pellet is heated in said inert gas under a pressure of 1 to 200 MPa at a temperature of 600 to 1100 C. for a period of several minutes or more.
22. A method of making an alloy superconductor as set forth in claim 14, characterized in that said pellet is pressed and heated under a pressure of 0.1 to 6 GPa at a temperature of 700 to 1400 C. for a period of several minutes or more.