Electro therapy method and apparatus

• US 20030181960A1
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biowave Corporation
• Original Assignee: Biowave Corporation
• Inventors: Carter, John, Siff, Bradford
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/326 for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain

Abstract

An electro-therapy apparatus and method for providing therapeutic electric current to a treatment site of a patient, having means for providing 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 and method 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.

Claims

1. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutic signal is a linear combination of said first and second signals.

8. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the therapeutic signal is a sum of said first and second signals.

9. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first and second signals have a frequency difference of about 122 Hz.

12. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the frequency of the first signal is fixed.

13. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the frequency of second signal is variable.

14. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, configured to be carried by the patient.

15. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, configured to be worn or strapped to the patient.

16. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal generator comprises a microprocessor-controlled frequency control system.

17. (Original) 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. (Original) 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;

at least one 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) 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. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the therapeutic signal is a linear combination of said first and second signals.

30. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the therapeutic signal is a sum of said first and second signals.

31. (Original) 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. (Original) The electro-therapy apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the signal generator comprises a microprocessor-controlled frequency control system.

33. (Original) 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.