VIBROTACTILE STIMULATION DEVICE

• US 20170326025A1
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inserm (institut national de la sant et de la recherche mdicale, Universite De Rennes I
• Original Assignee: Inserm (institut national de la sant et de la recherche mdicale, Universite De Rennes I
• Inventors: HERNANDEZ, Alfredo
• Application Number:
  US15/529,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68335 including release sheets or liners
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0188 Illumination related features
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1619 Thorax
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/045 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/405 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric

Abstract

A vibrotactile stimulation device intended to be applied against a body medium (MC) to be stimulated, produced in the form of a functional unit, comprising a vibrating effector suitable for applying, to said medium, pulses of mechanical vibrational energy, and a controller for controlling the effector according to stimulation rules. The functional unit further houses a first electrode suitable for cooperating with at least one second electrode separated from the first electrode in order to supply signals representative of a cardiac activity and a muscular activity on the medium to be stimulated, said controller being sensitive to cardiac activity and muscular activity signals in order to influence the stimulation. The stimulation device may be used for body stimulation in combating sleep apnea, with improved detection.

Claims

1. A vibrotactile stimulation device, especially to effect a bodily stimulation in the fight against sleep apnea, designed to be applied against a body medium being stimulated, realized in the form of a functional unit comprising:

a vibrating effector able to apply to said medium pulses of mechanical vibrational energy,

a controller for controlling the effector depending on the rules of stimulation, and

a first electrode able to cooperate with at least one second electrode at a distance from the first electrode to furnish signals representative of a cardiac activity and a muscular activity on the medium being stimulated, said controller being sensitive to the cardiac activity signals on the one hand and the muscular activity signals on the other hand to influence the stimulation.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first unit housing said vibrating effector and the first electrode, and a second unit housing the at least one second electrode.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first unit or the second unit houses a third electrode forming a reference electrode.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two units are joined together by a bundle of conductors.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a nasal cannula for the detection of a respiratory air flow, and wherein the bundle of conductors is associated with the nasal cannula.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a processing circuit able to derive from the signals furnished by the electrodes at least information on cardiac activity or information on muscular activity in the region of the electrodes, such as the mastoid region.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing circuit is able to make a separation between electrocardiogram signals and electromyogram signals.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control means are able to control the effector as a function of the information on activity delivered by the processing circuit.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each unit comprises a plate carrying its various elements, and a disposable flexible casing able to receive the plate in removable manner.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the collection of elements carried by each plate are encapsulated.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each flexible casing comprises features able to receive and hold elastically at least part of the edge of the associated unit.

12. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each casing has a peripheral edge provided with an adhesive.