Muscle fiber excitation system for preventing blood clot and muscular-skeletal decline

• US 10,213,361 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bertram Nworah Ezenwa
• Original Assignee: Bertram Nworah Ezenwa
• Inventors: Ezenwa, Bertram Nworah
• Primary Examiner(s): Matter, Kristen
• Application Number:
  US15/251,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20160367426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/005 Moveable platform, e.g. vibrating or oscillating platform for standing, sitting, laying, leaning
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0142 Beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0157 portable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0165 Damping, vibration related features
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1418 Cam
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1664 linear
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1676 Pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/169 Physical characteristics of the surface, e.g. material, relief, texture or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/108 for the upper legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2209/00 Devices for avoiding blood stagnation, e.g. Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/60 Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user, e.g. Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0254 with rotary motor

Abstract

A muscle fiber excitation system (MFES) to execute multiple displacements in each of a vertical, a medial-lateral, and an anterior-posterior direction. The device may be step-on or wearable. In use, the device stimulates muscles to ameliorate the risk of blood clots and muscular-skeletal decline.

Claims

1. A muscle fiber excitation system (WES) for use in stimulating circulation to ameliorate formation of a blood clot and to prevent muscular-skeletal decline in a patient, the system comprising:

a) an enclosure comprising a base and two pillar blocks, wherein the pillar blocks each comprise a first and a second channel, the first and the second channel comprising bearings, the pillar blocks being parallel to each other such that the first channel on the first pillar block is aligned with the first channel on the second parallel pillar block and the second channel on the first pillar block is aligned with the second channel on the second parallel pillar block;

b) a first and a second shaft, each shaft affixed with two cams, wherein the first shaft is mounted in the first channels of the first and second pillar block and the second shaft is mounted in the second channels of the first and second pillar block, the first and second shafts being rotatably mounted off the enclosure base in the bearings in the channels of the pillar blocks;

c) a direct current motor mounted within the enclosure, the direct current motor being operably linked to a power source, and being configured to drive at least one timing belt, wherein the at least one timing belt is coupled to the first and the second shaft such that operation of the direct current motor drives the timing belt and thereby rotates the first and the second shafts;

d) four plungers, each plunger being positioned at a corner of the enclosure; and

e) a telescoping platform configured to be mounted on the enclosure, the telescoping platform having a patient contact surface, a cam contact surface, and four telescoping plunger channels, each channel being configured to receive one of the four plungers, wherein the cam contact surface comprises one or more cam contact areas aligned with one or more of the cams within the enclosure;

wherein operation of the direct current motor rotates the shafts and each cam affixed thereto, causing rotation of the cams and subsequent contacting of the respective cam contact areas of the telescoping platform,

wherein each of the two cams affixed to each shaft is unique and comprises peaks of varying heights and ascend gradients, and troughs of varying depths and descend gradients,

wherein each cam is assembled to be out of phase with the other cams, and

wherein the system is configured to execute multiple displacements of equal magnitude in each of a vertical, a medial-lateral, and an anterior-posterior direction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cam contact surface of the telescoping platform further comprises a fast-recovery foam in combination with a stiffener.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient contact surface comprises a compliant composite material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each cam has a different ascend and a different descend gradient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each cam is affixed to have peak heights out of phase with equivalent peak heights of the other cams, thereby preventing coincident contact of the cam profiles of equivalent ascend and descend gradients.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the out of phase peak heights of the cams causes asynchronous pseudo random quantum contact of the cam profiles with the telescoping platform.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the asynchronous pseudo random quantum contact yields a non-deterministic stress profile of the telescoping platform.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the stress profile of the telescoping platform creates an operating frequency band of about 2 Hz to about 250 Hz.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the stress profile results in cyclic muscle contraction and release.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the displacements are limited to about 1 mm to about 4 mm within a cycle, a cycle being one revolution of a cam.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is implemented as part of a bed, a chair, or a standing unit.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one handrail.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one wheel.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is 40.64 cm by 40.64 cm by 13.97 cm.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is implemented to be wearable.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wearable system is an adjustable belt.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein operation of the direct current motor causes asynchronous pseudo random contact of the cams with the telescoping platform to yield a non-deterministic stress profile frequency of 2 Hz to 130 Hz.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is 6 cm by 6 cm by 2.5 cm.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple displacements are fixed.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is handheld.