Spinal and Upper Cervical Impulse Treatment and Device

• US 20080312724A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aslam Khan
• Original Assignee: Aslam Khan
• Inventors: Wishart, Peter, Khan, Aslam
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/008 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows almost perpendicular to the body or limb axis, e.g. chiropractic devices for repositioning vertebrae, correcting deformation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1669 moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled

Abstract

The current invention is a spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device and controller, which delivers multiple impulses of variable frequency and variable force in a linear direction, as well as rotational forces, for patient treatment. Known chiropractic impulse devices are all hand held devices. In contrast, the spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device is mounted on a fixed stand and armature, allowing reliable positioning and directional alignment in three dimensions. Fixed mounting also facilitates ease of use. A safety coupling is incorporated to avoid patient injury due to excessive force on the treatment site in the fixed mounting scenario Smooth sinusoidal waveforms are a preferred waveform for impulse delivery and sine waves are generated digitally in the apparatus. Data validation is used to ensure correct directional alignment prior to device activation Patient safety and consistency in treatment protocols are considered in the spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment design

Claims

1. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device, comprising:

(a) a stand having a vertically oriented arm an upper end of which is capable of being raised and lowered;

(b) a horizontally oriented arm coupled to said vertically oriented arm and moveable in an axial direction relative to said vertically oriented arm, rotatable about its own axis, and pivotal about, an axis of said vertically oriented arm; and

(c) an impulse treatment head coupled to a distal end of said horizontally extending arm and pivotal about an axis through its connection to said horizontally extending arm, said impulse treatment head having a stylus extending from a lower end thereof and said impulse treatment head driving said stylus in both a linear and rotational direction, and

(d) a display means for inputting stylus alignment information and for displaying when the stylus is aligned with a patient.

2. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said stylus is collapsible upon meeting resistance of a predetermined force value.

3. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment, device according to claim 2, wherein said stylus has an inner sleeve slidable within an outer sleeve, said inner sleeve held in an extended position relative to said outer sleeve by biased friction couplings releasable upon application of a threshold force on said inner sleeve relative to said outer sleeve.

4. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 3, wherein said biased friction couplings include a plurality of ball bearings biased against indents in the wall of said stylus tube.

5. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment, device according to claim 1, wherein said display is a touchscreen mounted on a top of said impulse treatment head.

6. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 1, including a microprocessor programmed to recognize correct alignment, and to permit operation to commence only when proper alignment is achieved.

7. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 1, including a linear voice coil actuator mounted to said stylus and operative to transmit sinusoidal impulse waveforms along the stylus linear axis.

8. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 1, including a second voice coil actuator mounted to said stylus and operative to transmit rotational sinusoidal impulse waveforms to said stylus.

9. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 1, including an external computer coupled to said impulse treatment device, said external computer for entering digitized data points relating to caliper measurements of aspects of the human body and transferring these data points from said external computer to said impulse treatment head.

10. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device, comprising:

(a) a stand having a vertically oriented arm an upper end of which is capable of being raised and lowered;

(b) a horizontally oriented arm coupled to said vertically oriented arm and moveable in an axial direction relative to said vertically oriented arm, rotatable about its own axis, and pivotal about an axis of said vertically oriented arm; and

(c) an impulse treatment head and controller coupled to a distal end of said horizontally extending arm and pivotal about, an axis through its connection to said horizontally extending arm, said impulse treatment head having a stylus extending from a lower end thereof and said impulse treatment head operative to drive said stylus in both a linear and rotational direction, a display means for inputting stylus alignment information and for displaying when the stylus is aligned with a patient.

11. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 10, wherein said stylus is collapsible upon meeting resistance of a predetermined force value.

12. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment, device according to claim 10, wherein said stylus has an inner tube and an outer sleeve, said outer sleeve having a plurality of ball bearings biased against indents in the wall of said inner tube.

13. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 10, wherein said display means is a touchscreen mounted on a top of said impulse treatment head.

14. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 10, including a microprocessor programmed to recognize correct alignment, and to permit operation to commence only when proper alignment, is achieved.

15. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 10, including a linear voice coil actuator mounted to said stylus and operative to transmitting sinusoidal impulse waveforms along the stylus linear axis.

16. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 10, including a second voice coil actuator mounted to said stylus and operative to transmit rotational sinusoidal impulse waveforms to said stylus.

17. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 10, including an external computer coupled to said spinal an upper cervical impulse treatment device, said external computer for entering digitized data points relating to caliper measurements of aspects of the human body and transferring these data points from said external computer to said impulse treatment head.

18. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device, comprising:

(a) an impulse treatment head having a stylus extending out therefrom, said stylus operative to receive signals from a controller, mounted on said impulse treatment head,

when said stylus is in alignment, with a patient causing said stylus to move both axially and rotationally, and a display on an exterior surface of said treatment device operative to receive signals from said controller and to display alignment, a transducer coupled to said stylus operative to impart linear and rotational movement to said stylus; and

(b) a stand supportable from a support surface and having a coupling end couplable to said impulse controller and display device with multiple degrees of freedom, enabling said impulse controller and display device to move in multiple directions so as to align said stylus with a patient, on a bed proximate said impulse controller and display device.

19. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device, comprising:

(a) a moveable base positioned on a fixed support, said moveable baser having a horizontally disposed arm moveable up and down vertically, outwardly and inwardly along an axis of said arm and rotationally perpendicular to an axis of said arm, and

(b) an impulse treatment head coupled to said moveable base, said impulse treatment head having a stylus positionable by said moveable base adjacent a desired treatment, location, said impulse treatment head driving said stylus in both a linear and rotational direction.

20. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 19, wherein said display is coupled to said impulse treatment head device and displays stylus alignment information.

21. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 19, wherein said stylus is collapsible upon meeting resistance of a predetermined force value.

22. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 19, wherein said stylus has an inner sleeve slidable within an outer sleeve, said inner sleeve held in an extended position relative to said outer sleeve by biased friction couplings releasable upon application of a threshold force on said inner sleeve relative to said outer sleeve.

23. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 22, wherein said biased friction couplings include a plurality of ball bearings biased against indents in the wall of said stylus tube.

24. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment, device according to claim 19, wherein said display is a touchscreen mounted on a top of said spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment headdevice.

25. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device according to claim 19, including a microprocessor programmed to recognize correct, alignment and to permit, operation to commence only when proper alignment is achieved.

26. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment, device according to claim 19, including a linear voice coil actuator

26-1. mounted to said stylus and operative to transmit, sinusoidal impulse waveforms along the stylus linear axis.

27. A spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device, comprising:

(a) a base supported on a fixed support and having a holding element, positionable at any point within a working space, and

(b) an impulse treatment head coupled to and supported by said holding element, said impulse treatment head positionable adjacent, a desired treatment location, said impulse treatment head transferring energy at a desired location to a body of a patient, with said transferred energy having both a linear and rotational direction.

28. The spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment, device of claim 27, wherein said impulse treatment head has a stylus which is positionable adjacent to the desired treatment location.

29. The spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device of claim 28, wherein the energy transferred is mechanical energy transferred through vibration of said stylus against the desired treatment location.

30. The spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device of claim 29, wherein said base is a stand supported on a floor, said base having a vertically oriented arm which is capable of being raised and lowered.

31. The spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device of claim 30, wherein said holding element is a horizontally extending arm coupled to said vertically oriented arm, said horizontally extending arm rotatable about its own axis, and pivotal about an axis of said vertically oriented arm.

32. The spinal and upper cervical impulse treatment device of claim 31, including a display coupled to said impulse treatment head for displaying when the stylus is in alignment with a patient in a treatment position.