TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTROSTIMULATOR AND METHODS FOR ELECTRIC STIMULATION

• US 20170087364A1
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuvana LLC
• Original Assignee: Nervana, LLC
• Inventors: Cartledge, Richard, Cartledge, Daniel, Brannon, Ami, Falk, Kermit, Mayback, Gregory L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,130,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/00 Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor A61N2/00 takes precedence; irradiation apparatus A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/04 Electrodes electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14
• 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 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/18 Applying electric currents by contact electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3603 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36036 of the outer, middle or inner ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• 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

An electrostimulation device includes a computer generating an electrostimulation generator control signal and outputting a music signal, a transcutaneous electrostimulation generator, an electronic signal conduit, and an electrode coupler. The generator receives the generator control signal and the music signal, generates a nerve electrostimulation signal dependent upon the generator control signal, and outputs the nerve electrostimulation signal at the stimulation output and the music signal at an audio output. The coupler fits in an ear canal, has a speaker connected to the audio output to output the music signal into the ear canal when worn, and has electrostimulation electrodes conductively connected to the stimulation output through the electronic signal conduit to receive the nerve electrostimulation signal and positioned to contact tissue within the canal to transcutaneously apply the nerve electrostimulation signal thereto. The coupler supplies the nerve electrostimulation signal while music outputs from the speaker.

Claims

1. An electrostimulation device, comprising:

a computer generating an electrostimulation generator control signal and outputting a music signal;

a transcutaneous electrostimulation generator having a stimulation output and an audio output and;

receiving the electrostimulation generator control signal and the music signal;

generating a nerve electrostimulation signal dependent upon the electrostimulation generator control signal and outputting the nerve electrostimulation signal at the stimulation output; and

outputting the music signal at an audio output;

an electronic signal conduit conductively connected to the stimulation output and to the audio output; 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 output and outputting the music signal into the ear canal when worn;

having at least one electrostimulation electrode;

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

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

supplying the nerve electrostimulation signal while the music signal is output from the at least one audio speaker.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the computer modulates the nerve electrostimulation signal based upon the music signal.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the nerve electrostimulation signal is at least one of a vagus nerve electrostimulation signal and a trigeminal nerve electrostimulation signal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the computer is one of a smartphone, a tablet, and a personal computer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the computer transmits the electrostimulation generator control signal and the music signal to the electrostimulation generator through at least one wire.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the computer transmits the electrostimulation generator control signal and the music signal to the electrostimulation generator wirelessly.

7. 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.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein:

the at least one audio speaker is within the earbud;

the audio output of the electrostimulation generator is a standard audio output port; 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 the audio output to receive therefrom the music signal; and

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

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the electrostimulation generator transmits:

the nerve electrostimulation signal to the conductive surface through the electrostimulation conduit and the at least one electrostimulation electrode; and

the music signal to the at least one audio speaker through the speaker conduit.