Transcutaneous Electrostimulator and Methods for Electric Stimulation

• US 20150360030A1
• Filed: 06/12/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuvana LLC
• Original Assignee: Nervana, LLC
• Inventors: Cartledge, Richard, Mayback, Gregory L., Cartledge, Daniel, Brannon, Ami, Falk, Kermit
• Granted Patent: US 9,782,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/027 Ears
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/002 Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3603 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36036 of the outer, middle or inner ear
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type

Abstract

A transcutaneous electrostimulation device includes an electrostimulation generator providing at an output a nerve electro stimulation signal, an electronic signal conduit conductively connected to the output of the generator, and an electrode coupler shaped to form fit an ear canal of a human ear and having at least one electrostimulation electrode. The electrode is conductively connected to the electronic signal conduit to receive the nerve electrostimulation signal and is positioned at the electrode coupler to contact tissue within an ear canal and apply the nerve electrostimulation signal to the tissue transcutaneously. An audio source outputs audio signals. The electrode coupler has a speaker receiving the audio signals for output into the ear canal when the electrode coupler is worn. The generator sends the nerve electrostimulation signal to the electrode coupler while the audio signals are output. The generator modulates the nerve electrostimulation signal based upon the audio signals.

Claims

1. A transcutaneous electrostimulation device, comprising:

an electrostimulation generator providing at an output a nerve electrostimulation signal;

an electronic signal conduit conductively connected to the output of the electrostimulation generator; and

an electrode coupler shaped to form fit an ear canal of a human ear and having at least one electrostimulation electrode;

conductively connected to the electronic signal conduit to receive the nerve electrostimulation signal; and

positioned at the at least one electrostimulation electrode coupler to contact tissue within an ear canal and apply the nerve electrostimulation signal to the tissue transcutaneously.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the nerve electrostimulation signal is a vagus nerve electrostimulation signal.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the nerve electrostimulation signal is a trigeminal nerve electrostimulation signal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrode coupler comprises an earbud having an exterior surface; and

the at least one electrostimulation electrode comprises a conductive surface on a portion of the exterior surface such that, when the earbud is inserted within the ear canal, the at least one electrostimulation electrode contacts tissue within the ear canal.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the earbud has a speaker assembly; and

the electronic signal conduit comprises;

a speaker conduit conductively connected to the speaker assembly and having a standard audio jack shaped to be inserted into a standard audio output to receive therefrom audio signals; and

an electrostimulation conduit conductively connecting the nerve electrostimulation signal to the conductive surface.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic signal conduit is a wireless connection;

the electrostimulation generator wirelessly transmits the nerve electrostimulation signal; and

the electrode coupler has a receiver;

receiving the nerve electrostimulation signal;

conductively connected to the at least one electrostimulation electrode; and

providing the nerve electrostimulation signal to the at least one electrostimulation electrode.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an audio source outputting audio signals, the electrode coupler comprising at least one audio speaker connected to the audio source and receiving the audio signals for output into the ear canal when the electrode coupler is worn, and the electrostimulation generator sending the nerve electrostimulation signal to the electrode coupler while the audio signals are output.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the electrostimulation generator modulates the nerve electrostimulation signal based upon the audio signals.

9. A transcutaneous electrostimulation device, comprising:

an electrostimulation generator providing at an output a nerve electrostimulation signal;

an electronic signal conduit conductively connected to the output of the electrostimulation generator;

an audio source outputting audio signals; and

an electrode coupler shaped to form fit an ear canal of a human ear and;

having at least one audio speaker connected to the audio source and receiving the audio signals for output into the ear canal when worn;

having at least one electrostimulation electrode;

conductively connected to the electronic signal conduit to receive the nerve electrostimulation signal; and

positioned to contact tissue within an ear canal and apply the nerve electrostimulation signal to the tissue transcutaneously; and

supplying the nerve electrostimulation signal while the audio signals are output.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the electrostimulation generator modulates the nerve electrostimulation signal based upon the audio signals.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the nerve electrostimulation signal is a vagus nerve electrostimulation signal.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the nerve electrostimulation signal is a trigeminal nerve electrostimulation signal.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein:

the electrode coupler comprises an earbud having an exterior surface; and

the at least one electrostimulation electrode comprises a conductive surface on a portion of the exterior surface such that, when the earbud is inserted within the ear canal, the at least one electrostimulation electrode contacts tissue within the ear canal.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein:

the at least one audio speaker is within the earbud; and

the electronic signal conduit comprises;

a speaker conduit conductively connected to the at least one audio speaker and having a standard audio jack shaped to be inserted into a standard audio output to receive therefrom audio signals; and

an electrostimulation conduit conductively connecting the nerve electrostimulation signal to the conductive surface.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein:

the electronic signal conduit is a wireless connection;

the electrostimulation generator wirelessly transmits the nerve electrostimulation signal; and

the electrode coupler has a receiver;

receiving the nerve electrostimulation signal;

conductively connected to the at least one electrostimulation electrode; and

providing the nerve electrostimulation signal to the at least one electrostimulation electrode.

16. A transcutaneous electrostimulation device, comprising:

an audio source outputting audio signals;

an electrostimulation generator providing at an output a nerve electrostimulation signal;

an electronic signal conduit conductively connected to the output of the electrostimulation generator;

an electrode coupler shaped to form fit an ear canal of a human ear and;

having at least one audio speaker connected to the audio source and receiving the audio signals for output into the ear canal when worn;

having at least one electrostimulation electrode;

conductively connected to the electronic signal conduit to receive the nerve electrostimulation signal; and

positioned to contact tissue within an ear canal and apply the nerve electrostimulation signal to the tissue transcutaneously; and

supplying the nerve electrostimulation signal while the audio signals are output; and

the electrostimulation generator modulating the nerve electrostimulation signal based upon the audio signals.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the electrostimulation generator receives the audio signals from the audio source and modulates the nerve electrostimulation signal based upon the audio signals.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one audio speaker is one of:

wirelessly connected to the audio source; and

directly connected to the audio source.