Piezoelectrically stimulated article

• US 20060224214A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Levente Lajos Koller, Thomas Bradley Borne
• Original Assignee: Levente Lajos Koller, Thomas Bradley Borne
• Inventors: Borne, Thomas Bradley, Koller, Levente Lajos
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/418 by electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/04 Condoms, sheaths or the like , e.g. combined with devices protecting against contagion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/322 Electromedical brushes, combs, massage devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01

Abstract

Method and self-contained articles for applying to a surface of a human body an electrical potential generated by a piezoelectric element actuated by a motion of a human body.

Claims

1. A self-contained device for applying an electrical potential to a surface of a human body comprising:

a) a piezoelectric element capable of generating an electrical potential in response to a mechanical stress or strain of said piezoelectric element caused by a motion of a human body,

b) an electrical circuit connected to said piezoelectric element for collection, storage or modification of said electrical potential;

connected to

c) at least two spaced electrodes of opposite polarity for applying said electrical potential to a surface of a human body.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric element is comprised of at least one member of the group consisting of PZT (lead zirconium titanate), lead niobate (PBNbO₆), barium titanate (BaTiO₃), sodium bismuth titanate (pure or co-doped), lead based ceramics doped with lanthanum, tin or niobium, quartz (SiO₂), lithium niobate (LiNbO₃), lithium tantalate (LiTaO₃), polyvinylidene fluoride, polytrifluoroethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene cyanide, and polyvinyl acetate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric element is a composite comprised of one or more planar layers of parallel aligned piezoelectric fibers embedded in a matrix.

4. The device of claim 3, herein the piezoelectric fibers are selected from the group consisting of PZT (lead zirconium titanate), lead niobate (PBNbO₆), barium titanate (BaTiO₃), sodium bismuth titanate (pure or co-doped).

5. The device of claim 3, wherein said matrix is a rigid polymeric material having a modulus of elasticity as measured by ASTM D638 greater than about 200,000 psi (1,380 MPa).

6. The device of claim 3, wherein said matrix is a polymeric material having a modulus of elasticity as measured by ASTM D638 less than about 6,000 psi (41.4 MPa).

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical potential across said electrodes generated by a random motion of a human body has a full wave rectified waveform of random frequency and amplitude.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical potential across said electrodes generated by a random motion of a human body has a pulsed waveform of random frequency.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the electrical energy per pulse is from about 1 to about 750 microJoules.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the electrical energy per pulse is from about 1 to about 100 microJoules.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical potential across said electrodes generated by a random motion of a human body has a pulsed waveform of random frequency and essentially constant pulse amplitude.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said electrical circuit comprises one illustrated in any of FIGS. 2 to 3.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the maximum electrical potential generated by said piezoelectric element is from about 1 to about 500 volts.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the maximum electrical potential across said electrodes is from about 10 volts to about 40 volts.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical power capable of being delivered to a human body is from about 0.05 milliwatts to about 250 milliwatts.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical power capable of being delivered to a human body is from about 0.05 milliwatts to about 100 milliwatts.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the distance between electrodes of opposite polarity is from about 0.125 inch (0.317 cm) to about 10 inches (25.4 cm).

20. The device of claim 1 where the total area of electrodes of a given polarity, measured in square centimeters, is at least 1.9 times the electrical power capability of said device measured in watts.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is embedded in a condom.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is embedded in a glove.

23. An article capable of being worn on a part of a human body selected from the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, back, knee, ankle, chest, abdomen, leg and foot comprising the device of claim 1, the piezoelectric element of said device being capable of being mechanically stressed or strained by the motion of said part of the body, and the electrodes of said device capable of being in contact with a surface of a human body.

24. The article of claim 23 comprising a massage glove with said electrodes exposed on the outer surface of the palm of said glove.

25. The article of claim 23 wherein at least a part of the article is one of an elastic material or an elasticized fabric.

26. A method of applying an electrical potential to a surface of human body comprising the steps of:

a) embedding a device as described in claim 1 in an article capable of being worn in contact with a part of a human body selected from the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, back, knee, ankle, chest, abdomen, leg and foot; and

b) placing said article on the body part such that the piezoelectric array of said device is mechanically stressed or strained by the motion of the body part and the electrodes of said device are in electrical contact with a surface of a human body.

27. A method of applying an electrical potential to a surface of a human body comprising the steps of:

a) embedding a device as described in claim 1 in a condom having an inner and outer surface; and

b) placing said condom on a penis such that the piezoelectric array of said device is mechanically stressed or strained by the act of intercourse and at least two oppositely polarized electrodes of said device are on at least one of said inner or outer surface.

12. The device of claim 12, wherein the electrical energy per pulse is from about 1 to about 750 microJoules.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the electrical energy per pulse is from about 1 to about 100 microJoules.