Login| Sign Up| Help| Contact|

Patent Searching and Data


Title:
ELECTRICAL MUSCLE STIMULATORS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/092453
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Electrical muscle stimulator fitness machine integrated into an electrode-clothing (1) that is physically separated from the table (G) which oversees the entire operation of the device through it's Wi-Fi module (W1) in connection with the other Wi-Fi module (W2) of the electrode clothing (1) that is worn by the user. The electrode clothing (1) consists of a controller (V), a cable (2) and electrodes (E1,E2,E3,..E10). The a controller (V) has a processor (P), a battery (A), a power supply (T) a Wi-Fi module (W2) and impulse generators (F1,F2,F3). The impulse generators (F1,F2,F3) are connected to the electrodes (E1,E2,E3,..E10) one by one with the help of the cable (2). The charging of the battery (A) can be done through an electric coupler of the controller.

Inventors:
SÁNDOR PÉTER (HU)
Application Number:
PCT/HU2014/000116
Publication Date:
June 25, 2015
Filing Date:
November 27, 2014
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
SÁNDOR PÉTER (HU)
International Classes:
A61N1/36; A61N1/362
Foreign References:
US20070049814A12007-03-01
US20110071595A12011-03-24
US20110276108A12011-11-10
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
BERÉNYI, Krisztina (Budapest, HU)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. Electrical muscle stimulator fitness machine integrated into an electrode-clothing (1), whose electrodes (E1,E2,E3,..E10), are conrrone(j ¾y a processor, characterised by the following; the interface of the machine is a tablet (G) programmed with a control software; in the table (G) there is a Wi-Fi module (Wl); a controller (V) is placed on the electrode-clothing (1), which contains the processor (P), the controller (V) has a battery (A), a power supply (T) a Wi-Fi module (W2) and impulse generators (F1,F2,F3); the impulse generators (F1,F2,F3), the power supply (T) and the Wi-Fi module are connected to the processor (P); the impulse generators (F1,F2,F3) are connected to the electrodes (E1,E2,E3,..E10) one by one with the help of a cable (2), the Wi-Fi module (Wl) of the tablet (G) is in a wireless connection with the Wi-Fi module (W2) of the controller (W2).

2. The 1st claim characterised by the following; the controller (V) has a charger input, which is connected to the power supply (T) and the battery (A).

3. Machines according to the 1st or 2nd claim characterised by the following; there is at least one heart-electrode (PE) integrated into the electrode-clothing (1) and the processor (P) is connected to the heart-electrodes (PE).

List of the reference

1- electrode-clothing

2- cable

3- adjustable straps

4- arm belt

5- leg belt

6- trousers

7- waistcoat

E 1 ,E2,E3 , ... E 10 - electrodes

V- controller

G - tablet

W1,W2- Wi-Fi modules

A - battery

T- power supply

P - processor

F1,F2,F3 - impulse generators

PE - heart-electrode

Description:
Electrical muscle stimulators

The subject of the utility model is an improved electrical muscle stimulator, which is appropriate for therapeutic, cosmetic and muscle-building purposes through the electrical impulses transmitted by the electrode-clothing worn on the whole body of the patient.

The famous discovery of Luigi Galvani about the relationship between the contraction of frogs' legs and the electric current established the discipline of electrophysiology.

In the second half of the 20 th century Soviet scientists started to apply this principal for the first time among astronauts and athletes to improve muscles artificially or to supplement trainings. During the last decades this treatment has become accessible for demanding health conscious customers and also for the masses in simplified form. Our description deals with the more exacting electrical stimulation that trains all the main muscle groups.

The related technique's stand is represented by the American patent description, US2007049814 (Al) - SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR NEUROMUSCULAR STIMULATION or German patent descriptions;„Device for complex electrical myostimulation, particularly for life style and sports medicine applications, has contact electrode at selected local situation" from 2010 and the DEI 02007057808 (Al) -„Clothing piece e.g. waistcoat, for performing electrical stimulation on e.g. neck muscle of body in gym, has straps exerting pressure on electrodes to connect rear and front parts with each other and to run over body curvatures of wearer".

The general characteristic of the devices mentioned here is, that the touched muscle areas are stimulated by electrodes integrated into a clothing. The electrodes are set together with a personal unit worn on the body through external cabling, which is joint by a thicker cable with a control console trained typically as a stand, where the program can be chosen and the energy-supply is maintained. The cable that connects the control console to the training person's body can be uncomfortable many times and can also hinder the free movement of the training person. It is also known (http://muscle.ucsd.edu/musintro/es.shtmn, that the skeletal muscles consist of fast and slow twitches in different combinations.While fast twitches need high- frequency impulses, slow twitches can be stimulated by low-frequency impulses during the irnatural functioning.

The frequency can be changed in the known electrical muscle stimulators, and also the length of the impulses and other important characteristics, but these can only be changed for the whole body. Our goal is to eliminate these disadvantages. Our invention is based on the idea, that the energy-supply of the electrode- clothing and the control can be separated, which can result in the elimination of a certain bound feeling. Our further advice according to our observations is to replace the programming of the different stimulations of the muscle groups and the control console with a tablet that has Wi-Fi connection. The description of the correlation's system of the intensity of current stimulus and its interval is referred to the name of Lapicque. The adequate stimulation of the nerve tissues has two conditions. Firstly the targeted tissue has to be stimulated by the proper intensity, the second one is an adequate stimulation period.

The minimal current amplitude, which is needed to stimulate a certain muscle, called rheobase. It has been observed, that if the current intensity is increased, then shorter and shorter impulses are needed for the same contraction. The relationship between the period and the intensity can be described as a hyperbolic formula that has its threshold limits (one of them is the rheobase). The other recognized characteristic of the stimulation is chronaxie, which is the length (measured in time) of the doubled value of the intensity of the rheobase. The higher the intensity of the stimulation is, the sooner the action potential can be developed. The thicker the fiber is, the more easily it is to develop the action potential by the same stimulation. Adaptation is the other characteristic of the body tissues, which means, in case a certain tissue gets adapted to a certain stimulation, then later it will need a more intense stimulation to have the same reaction. According to the observations chronaxie is the optimal stimulation period, because an adequate contraction can be reached, but the adaptation of the muscles and the side effects can be avoided. According to our measurements chronaxie of different muscle groups can be described as the following:

* Lower leg 400 μ

* Upper leg 350 μΞ

* Lower part of the torso 300 μΞ

* Upper part of the torso 250

* Arms 200 με

* Upper arm 200 μΞ

Our solution according to the principals mentioned above is an electrical muscle stimulator fitness machine, which is integrated into an electrode-clothing, whose electrodes are controlled by a processor.

The interface of the equipment is a tablet, which runs the control software and has Wi-Fi connection. A controller is placed on the electrode-clothing, which contains the processor. The controller has a battery, a power supply, a Wi-Fi module and impulse generators. The impulse generators, the power supply and the Wi-Fi module are connected to the processor. The impulse generators are connected to the electrodes one by one with the help of a cable. The Wi-Fi module of the tablet is in a wireless connection with the Wi-Fi module of the controller. The controller has a charger input according to the equipment's advantageous design, which is connected to the power supply and the battery. According to the further advantages of the design of the electrical muscle stimulator there is at least one heart-electrode integrated into the electrode-clothing; and the processor is connected to the heart- electrode.

We use the following illustrations to present the equipment: 1 st illustration: the layout of the electrode-clothing in front- view 2 nd illustration: the electrode-clothing in back-view

3rd illustration: the block diagram of the electrical elements of the equipment

In the 1 st illustration we can see parts of the equipment worn on the body in front- view. For a person, who is familiar with this profession, these parts of the invention are not unknown, which is attributable to the fact, that this type of design is the most common and widespread way of designing an electrode-clothing (a similar one can be recognized in the American patent description: US2007049814 (Al) - SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR NEUROMUSCULAR STIMULATION) The training person wears an electrode- clothing (1) made of textile, in which the electrodes (E1,E2,E3) are integrated. These touch the skin above the appropriate muscle fibers to transmit the voltage impulses coming from the controller (V) through the cables (2).

There are adjustable straps (3) placed on the clothing to keep the electrodes (E1,E2,E3) in their positions and foster the contact with the skin in each position. The controller (V) is tied to the abdominals or to the back the same way as the straps are. The adjustable straps (3) can be designed with velcros or with a buckle. With its help customers in plus size range can also wear the electrode-clothing (1) with elements from a certain size conveniently. The cables (2) are illustrated in the picture as if they were running freely, but it is also practical to hide them in the electrode-clothing (1) to avoid injuries and to preserve a nicer look. In one of the advantageous designs of the electrode-clothing (1) heart-electrodes (PE) are also integrated into the front side of the waistcoat (7). The heart-electrodes (PE) are connected to the processor also by cables (2), but these electrodes are not stimulated, they only transmit voltage signals from around the heart, by which the pulse of the heart can be calculated.

In the 2 nd illustration the back side of the electrode-clothing (1) can be seen. The electrode-clothing includes trousers or a so-called sit-in part, which is also fastened by the adjustable straps (3) practically on the outer half of the limb. The back side of the waistcoat (7) can also be configured with the trousers (6). It can be opened in the middle of the front side, e.g. it can be unzipped and according to the 2 nd illustration it is connected to the trousers (7) by adjustable straps (3). The upper arm belt (4) and the leg belt (5) are separate and really flexible textile belts equipped with electrodes (E1,E2,E3), that can also be put on. The equipment can be configured with more or less electrodes than used in the illustration. Unlike in the illustration the upper arm belts (4) and the leg belts (5) can be connected to the waistcoat (7) or to the trousers (6) with their flexible textile material and such a clothing can be shaped, which covers all the main muscle groups according to the idea of the invention.Of course, the electrode-clothing (1) can also be configured without the adjustable straps (3) and the ability to change the size only by having the flexibility of the textile. The 3 rd illustration gives information about the connection of the electrical components. Unusually the control of the electrical muscle stimulator fitness machine is not maintained by a central unit on a stand connected by cables, it is maintained by a simple tablet (G), the communication of which is wireless and which runs a control software that can be set on the screen of the tablet (G).

The tablet can be any portable device that runs Android, IOS, Windows, Linux or other operation system and has at least one platform, which is able to communicate wirelessly. The tablet (G) communicates with the controller's (V) Wi-Fi module (W2) by the Wi-Fi module (Wl) built in the tablet (G) through a classified wireless network. The battery (A) is connected to the processor (P) through the power supply (T), which can define the performance of the impulse generators (F1,F2,F3) that support the electrodes (E1,E2, E3, E10) through the information transmitted by the Wi-Fi module (W2). The impulse generators (F1,F2,F3) are equipped one by one with a transient-voltage-suppression diode, which can withhold voltage, more than 42V from the electrodes. The processor can also measure our pulse through the heart-electrodes (PE), with the help of which the tablet's (G) software can calculate the exact amount of calories burned and it also monitors, whether the electrodes (E1,E2, E3, E10) are in connection with the skin, and if one of them is not, it inactivates that. After that it controls the connection with the skin frequently, and if the connection can be set up, it activates the stimulation. The tablet (G) can connect to the internet through the Wi-Fi module (Wl), where it can also exchange customer specified data with the central server in order to help the customers have customized trainings by saving all the previous personal settings.

The equipment in standard position can handle 10 channels. The period (1-10 s) of the impulse series, the frequency of the impulses (1-100 Hz), the depth of the impulse (50-400 μΞ, increasing by 50 μΞ), the amplitude of the impulse (0-1,1 s; increasing by 0,1 s), the magnitude of the impulse (0-40 Volt) of each muscle group can be set separately, and also the training period (0-60 minutes).

The advised electrical muscle stimulator fitness machine is characterised by the biphasic rectangular current that gives extra comfort and the symmetrical waveform. Because of the alternating current the ions start to flow in the same direction and then in the opposite one. The reverse flow irritates the tissues, which first passes in one direction, which can minimize the movement of ions within the network and this way chemical burn and other irritations can be avoided. A tablet (G) can control more than one controller (V) simultaneously, which means, that more than one person can be trained at the same time. The battery (A) built in the controller (V) provides the electrode-clothing (1) with energy. The full battery (A) in this form has energy for 5 trainings. After it (A) gets discharged it has to be changed or charged with a mains charger. A mains charger can also be built in a stand, which can also be the holding console of the tablet (6), but due to the mobility of the tablet (G) and its small size it is not necessarily important. It is practical to form the charger input on the controller (V), through which - also during the training - the battery (A) can be charged. The equipment can also be worked out with other wireless communication connections, e.g. Bluetooth, GSM or with the help of other electromagnetic waves. In such cases the Wi-Fi modules (W1,W2) are replaced by Bluetooth or other separate communication modules. The advised equipment increases our comfort, because the lack of free movement and the controlling console of previous equipments could be eliminated. In addition, the various stimulus settings enable a more efficient training of different muscle groups according to their different needs described here, and all of that during training, which is a lot shorter than a traditional one.