HOLDER FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING A GEL PACK AND A TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE/MUSCLE STIMULATOR

• US 20100211122A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anthony Scott Bardin
• Original Assignee: Anthony Scott Bardin
• Inventors: Hensley, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/665,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211122A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/023 with pockets for receiving packs or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0452 Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain

Abstract

A device for application to a body part for the treatment of symptoms of injury or pain, comprising a holder for simultaneously applying (1) a thermal device capable of retaining hot or cold, and (2) a transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator, whereby to allow the simultaneous application to a body part of transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulation and either hot or cold therapy. The holder can have a pocket for receiving the thermal device and a front surface bearing the nerve/muscle stimulator, for example, by hook and loop material, or adhesive, enabling the activatable surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator to be applied to the body part simultaneously with the hot or cold therapy of the gel pack in the pocket.

Claims

1. A device for application to a body part for the treatment of symptoms of injury or pain, comprising a holder for simultaneously applying (1) a thermal device capable of applying cold or a choice of cold or heat, and (2) a transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator, whereby to allow the simultaneous application to a body part of transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulation and either hot or cold therapy.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the thermal device is a gel pack capable of retaining heat or cold.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the holder has a pocket for receiving the gel pack, the pocket having a front surface formed to be in contact with a body part.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said nerve/muscle stimulator has a front, activatable nerve/muscle stimulating surface and an opposite rear surface, and including means for securing the rear surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator to said pocket front surface whereby to enable the activatable surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator to be applied to the body part simultaneously with the hot or cold therapy of the gel pack in the pocket.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the front surface of the holder and the rear surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator are of such respective sizes as to facilitate placement of the nerve/muscle stimulator at various places on the body part.

6. The device of claim 4 in which the rear surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator and the front surface of the gel pack pocket are joinable by complementary hook and loop material on said surfaces.

7. The device of claim 6 in which the loop material is on the front side of the gel pack pocket and the hook material is on the rear side of the nerve/muscle stimulator.

8. The device of claim 4 in which the rear surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator and the front surface of the gel pack pocket are joinable by adhesive.

9. The device of claim 8 in which the adhesive is carried by the rear surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator prior to being secured to the front surface of the gel pack pocket.

10. The device of claim 1 in which the holder is a brace.

11. The device of claim 10 in which the brace is elongate and formed with means at opposite ends for permitting the brace to be affixed around a body part.

12. The device of claim 10 in which the brace is of a size and shaped to fit around one or more of the following body parts:

(a) arm;

(b) elbow;

(c) wrist;

(d) palm;

(e) finger;

(f) thigh;

(g) knee;

(h) lower leg;

(i) ankle;

(m) heel;

(n) foot arch;

or

(o) toe.

13. The device of claim 1 including a gel pack.

14. The device of claim 13 including a gel pack of a size to fit the pocket of the holder.

15. The device of claim 1 in which the nerve/muscle stimulator is of substantially smaller size than the holder.

16. The device of claim 1 in which the holder is formed of cloth.

17. The device of claim 1 including an additional pocket on the holder, the additional pocket being formed to contain a controller for controlling the electrical frequency of the transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator.

18. The device of claim 17 including a flap on the holder behind which can be placed electrical wire or wires from the controller for the transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator.

19. An elongate brace for wrapping around a body part for the treatment of symptoms of injury or pain, comprising:

a thermal device capable of retaining heat or cold to apply hot or cold therapy to a body part;

one or more transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulators having a front, activatable nerve/muscle stimulating surface and an opposite rear surface;

a controller for controlling the electrical frequency of the transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator;

one or more electrical wires connecting the controller to the transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator;

a pocket in the holder for containing the thermal device and having a front surface formed to be in contact with a body part;

means for securing the rear surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator to the pocket front surface whereby to enable the activated surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator to be applied to the body part simultaneously with the hot or cold therapy of the gel pack in the pocket;

an additional pocket in the holder for containing the controller;

a flap on the holder behind which can be placed the one or more electrical wires from the controller to the transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator; and

respective loop and hook material on the opposite ends of the brace for permitting the brace to be affixed around a body part.

20. The brace of claim 19 wherein the securing means is selected from adhesive and complementary hooks and loops.