IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0383531
(2003-03-10)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Carter, John
- Siff, Bradford
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Dickstein, Shapiro, Morin &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
97 인용 특허 :
39 |
초록
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An apparatus for providing therapeutic electric current to a treatment site of a patient is disclosed, which provides two oscillating or pulsing electric alternating currents, of frequencies which differ from each other by as little as 1 Hz and up to about 250 Hz, but each being of frequency at leas
An apparatus for providing therapeutic electric current to a treatment site of a patient is disclosed, which provides two oscillating or pulsing electric alternating currents, of frequencies which differ from each other by as little as 1 Hz and up to about 250 Hz, but each being of frequency at least about 1 KHz. The apparatus requires only one feed electrode adapted to feed the electric currents to selected feed sites on or beneath the epidermal or mucous surface of the patient, and only one return electrode adapted to be positioned on or beneath the epidermal or mucous surface of the patient, locally to the treatment site. The apparatus includes a feedback subsystem to detect impedance changes in the patient and accordingly adjust the output of the apparatus.
대표청구항
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1. An electro-therapy apparatus for providing therapeutic electric current comprising:electrical circuitry configured to produce first and second signals and create a therapeutic signal from said first and second signals; a single feed electrode pad connected to the electrical circuitry and adapted
1. An electro-therapy apparatus for providing therapeutic electric current comprising:electrical circuitry configured to produce first and second signals and create a therapeutic signal from said first and second signals; a single feed electrode pad connected to the electrical circuitry and adapted to output said therapeutic signal; and a single return electrode pad configured to cooperate with said single feed electrode pad, when said therapeutic signal is output. 2. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to reduce a DC component of at least one of said first signal, said second signal and said therapeutic signal.3. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a feedback system configured to monitor at least one of a voltage or a current associated with a use of the apparatus, and control the therapeutic signal in response thereto.4. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of an area of the feed electrode pad to an area of the return electrode pad is at least 8:1.5. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second signals are separately amplified and then summed at the feed electrode pad to form the therapeutic signal.6. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second signals are summed together and then amplified, before being applied to the feed electrode pad.7. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic signal is a linear combination of said first and second signals.8. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the therapeutic signal is a sum of said first and second signals.9. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical circuitry comprises:a signal generator forming said first and second signals, said first and second signals being sinusoidal alternating current signals having a frequency difference of between 1 Hz and 250 Hz, each signal having a frequency at least about 1 KHz. 10. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first and second signals have a frequency difference of between 80 and 130 Hz.11. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first and second signals have a frequency difference of about 122 Hz.12. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the frequency of the first signal is fixed.13. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the frequency of second signal is variable.14. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, configured to be carried by the patient.15. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, configured to be worn or strapped to the patient.16. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal generator comprises a microprocessor-controlled frequency control system.17. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a memory configured to store at least one amplitude setting associated with the therapeutic signal.18. An electro-therapy apparatus for providing therapeutic electric current comprising:electrical circuitry configured to produce first and second signals and create a therapeutic signal from said first and second signals; a single feed electrode pad connected to the electrical circuitry and adapted to output said therapeutic signal; and at least one return electrode pad configured to cooperate with said single feed electrode pad, when said therapeutic signal is output; wherein only one feed electrode pad outputs the therapeutic signal, at any given instant. 19. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to reduce a DC component of at least one of said first signal, said second signal and said therapeutic signal.20. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a feedback system configured to monitor at least one of a voltage or a current associated with a use of the apparatus, and control the therapeutic signal in response thereto.21. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, comprising:a plurality of feed electrode pads; and a first electronic switch configured to selectively apply the therapeutic signal to exactly one of said plurality of feed electrode pads at any given instant. 22. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first electronic switch is configured to switch between said plurality of feed electrode pads during zero crossings of the therapeutic signal.23. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first electronic switch is configured to switch between said plurality of feed electrode pads at a rate of 10-50 Hz.24. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, comprising:a plurality of return electrode pads; and a first electronic switch configured to selectively activate exactly one of said plurality of return electrode pads at any given instant. 25. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first electronic switch is configured to switch between said plurality of return electrode pads during zero crossings of the therapeutic signal.26. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first electronic switch is configured to switch between said plurality of return electrode pads at a rate of 10-50 Hz.27. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first and second signals are separately amplified and then summed at the feed electrode pad to form the therapeutic signal.28. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first and second signals are summed together and then amplified, before being applied to the feed electrode pad.29. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the therapeutic signal is a linear combination of said first and second signals.30. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the therapeutic signal is a sum of said first and second signals.31. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the electrical circuitry comprises:a signal generator forming said first and second signals, said first and second signals being sinusoidal alternating current signals having a frequency difference of between 1 Hz and 250 Hz, each signal having a frequency at least about 1 KHz. 32. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the signal generator comprises a microprocessor-controlled frequency control system.33. The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a memory configured to store at least one amplitude setting associated with the therapeutic signal.34. An electro-therapy apparatus for providing therapeutic electrical energy to a treatment site of a patient comprising:a signal generator forming first and second sinusoidal voltage signals having a frequency difference of between 1 Hz and 250 Hz, each signal having a frequency at least about 1 KHz; a single feed electrode connected to the signal generator and adapted to output said first and second signals to at least one feed site on or beneath a first epidermal or mucous membrane surface of the patient; and at least one return electrode adapted to be positioned on or beneath a second epidermal or mucous membrane surface of the patient, locally to said treatment site; wherein: a therapeutic signal is formed from said first and second signals prior to being output to said at least one feed site; and only a single feed electrode is adapted to output said therapeutic signal. 35. The electro-therapy apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:a feedback system configured to monitor at least one of a voltage or a current associated with the patient's use of the apparatus, and control an amplitude of at least one of said first, second, and therapeutic signals in response thereto. 36. The electro-therapy apparatus of claim 34, wherein the signal generator comprises a microprocessor-controlled frequency control system.37. The electro-therapy apparatus of claim 34, wherein the area of the feed electrode pad exceeds the area of the return electrode pad.38. The electro-therapy apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first and second signals are separately amplified and then summed at the feed electrode pad.39. The electro-therapy apparatus of claim 34, wherein the first and second signals are substantially free of DC components.40. The electro-therapy apparatus of claim 34, wherein said at least one feed electrode comprises a plurality of feed electrodes adapted to be positioned on the patient's body and the apparatus further comprises a first electronic switch configured to selectively apply the therapeutic signal to exactly one of said plurality of feed electrodes at any given instant.
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