Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical therapeutic systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-13
2001-10-09
Layno, Carl (Department: 3762)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Electrical therapeutic systems
C607S148000, C607S152000, C600S393000, C600S547000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301500
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an electro-stimulation apparatus, comprising
an electrode system for measuring local electrical impedance including
a multitude of electrode pads and
a counter electrode held at a reference voltage.
Such an electro-stimulation apparatus is for instance used in the fields of electro-acupuncture and transcutale electronic nerve stimulation (TENS). In both electro-acupuncture and TENS electrical signals are locally applied to the body of a human so as to excite particular parts of the nervous system. In particular a small electrical current is locally applied to the skin of the person undergoing electro-stimulation. It has been found that such electro-stimulation has various beneficial effects, notably pain is substantially relieved. It has also been found that local electro-stimulation activates growth of muscular tissue and activates the healing of wounds. Furthermore, electro-stimulation is employed as an alternative to traditional acupuncture. In order to achieve optimum beneficial effects, the electrical signals are to be applied to particular, optimum positions on the person's skin. It is known that these optimum positions locally have a minimum electrical impedance.
Such an electro-stimulation apparatus is known from the abstract of the Soviet patent SU 1 219 086.
The cited abstract mentions that the person clasps the counter electrode in the palm of one hand and the electrode system is placed so that a number of electrode pads are in electrical contact with the person's skin. The cited abstract mentions that the resistance of the acupuncture point is comparatively low and that a current regulator sets the current for the acupuncture point search.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an electro-stimulation apparatus which is easier to use and can operate more accurately than the conventional electro-stimulation apparatus. A particular object of the invention is to provide an electro-stimulation apparatus with which the optimum position for electro-stimulation is more comfortably and more accurately found.
This object is achieved according to the invention by an electro-stimulation apparatus which is characterized in that the electrode pads and the counter electrode are assembled in an electrode unit.
Because the counter electrode and the electrode pads are assembled in a preferably compact electrode unit, the counter electrode is not situated far from the electrode pads. Hence, the electrical impedances between individual electrode pads and the counter electrode accurately represent the skin's local electrical impedance at the positions on the person's skin where the electrode pads are positioned. Preferably, the counter electrode and the multitude of electrode pads are integrated in the electrode unit. Notably, the counter electrode and the electrode pads cannot be readily detached from the electrode unit. Furthermore, the electro-stimulation apparatus according to the invention does not require a separate counter electrode. The electro-stimulation apparatus according to the invention is easier to use since the person using the electro-stimulation apparatus does not need to clasp the counter electrode in the palm of the hand. Moreover, the counter electrode is not a separate component of the electro-stimulation apparatus. Hence, the electro-stimulation apparatus according to the invention requires the manufacture and assembly of fewer separate components. In addition, there is no risk of loss of the counter electrode.
In order to determine the optimum position for electro-stimulation, the electrode system is placed on the person's skin. It has been found that there are various rather large regions on the person's skin which contain respective optimum electro-stimulation positions relating to particular ailments or disorders of the person. It appears that these regions have a diameter of from a few centimeters to some ten centimeters and that it is quite simple to indicate these regions for various ailments. In particular, among a huge number of examples, a region between the shoulder blades appears to be related to general fatigue, a region on the lower portion of the sternum appears to be related to asthmatic cough, and a region on the upper portion of the sternum appears to be related to bronchitis. When the electrode system is placed in the desired region on the person's skin, some of the electrode pads are activated so as to apply an electrical quantity, such as a voltage or an electrical current. Subsequently, the impedances at individual electrode pads are determined by measuring the difference between the electrical quantity applied at separate electrode pads and the counter electrode. In particular, the electrical potential difference between individual electrode pads and the counter electrode is measured or the electrical current passing between individual electrode pads and the counter electrode is measured. The electrode pad at which the impedance constitutes a local minimum is situated at or very close to the optimum position for electro-stimulation. The electro-stimulation can be applied through the same electrode pad as used to measure the impedance, but it is also possible to employ a separate stimulation electrode which is very close to or occupies substantially the same position as the electrode pad at which the impedance is locally minimum.
These and other aspects of the invention will be further elaborated with respect to the embodiments of an electro-stimulation apparatus according to the invention as defined in the dependent claims.
Various geometries of the arrangement of the electrode pads and the counter electrode are useful for integration in the electrode unit. In a particularly simple arrangement the counter electrode surrounds a part of or all of the electrode pads. The counter electrode is formed as a conducting loop; for example, the loop has a circular, oval or rectangular shape. A part of or all electrode pads are located within the loop. Because the arrangement is simple, it is easy and hence inexpensive to manufacture the integrated electrode unit. The counter electrode can also be positioned between individual electrode pads. For example, the counter electrode is formed as one or more conducting strips which are positioned between individual electrode pads, or the conducting strip(s) meander(s) between the individual electrode pads.
The counter electrode in another embodiment is formed as a plurality of counter electrode elements; in particular, a sink group of the electrode pads is employed as the counter electrode elements and a source group of the electrode pads is employed to apply the electrical quantity, such as the voltage or the electrical current, to the person's skin. The counter electrode elements, notably the electrode pads of the sink group, are maintained at the substantially constant reference voltage, for example, at ground potential. The distances between neighbouring counter electrode elements and electrode pads of the source group are substantially equally small throughout the electrode system. Hence, the electrical impedances between electrode pads of the source and the sink group accurately represent the local electrical skin impedance of the person. Usually, the size of the electrode system is about 2×2 cm, or 5×5 cm. As more electrode pads having smaller sizes are provided, the spatial resolution for measuring the local electrical impedance is increased and, consequently, the optimum position for electro-stimulation can be found more accurately. The more accurately electro-stimulation is performed at the optimum stimulation position, the more effective beneficiary effects are achieved.
The electrode pads and the counter electrode are part of the electrode system which is incorporated in an electronic circuit. Preferably, the electrode pads of the electrode system are incorporated in a matrix structured electronic circuit. For example, the electrode pads are arranged in a two-dimens
Van Herk Johannes J.
Young Nigel D.
Bartlett Ernestine C.
Franzblau Bernard
Layno Carl
U.S. Philips Corporation
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