ELECTRONIC MUSCLE STIMULATOR

• US 3,589,370 A
• Filed: 06/06/1968
• Issued: 06/29/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Slendertone Limited
• Original Assignee: Michael Mcdonald
• Inventors: Mcdonald, Michael
• Application Number:
  US04/734,975
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• US Class Current: 607/70
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/64 Generators producing trains of pulses, i.e. finite sequences of pulses

Abstract

An electric circuit arrangement for an electric muscle stimulator comprising a surging waveform generator, a pulse generator of higher frequency than the surging waveform generator, and a gating circuit connected to the surging waveform generator and the pulse generator and from which bursts of unidirectional pulses are obtained, the repetition frequency of the bursts being that of the surging waveform generator. A transformer has at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding, the latter being connected to an electric muscle stimulator, and each burst of pulses is applied to the primary winding so that each successive pulse in each burst is an antiphase to its immediately preceding pulse thereby producing bursts of bidirectional pulses in the secondary winding.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement for an electric muscle stimulator including:

a. a surging waveform generator, an output to the surging waveform generator;

b. a pulse generator of higher repetition frequency than said surging waveform generator, and output to the pulse generator;

c. a bistable circuit connecting said pulse generator output, and first and second outputs to said bistable circuit;

d. means for producing burst of unidirectional pulse generator pulses, said means comprising first and second transistors;

base and collector electrodes to each transistor, the base electrode of said first transistor connected to both said first bistable circuit output and said pulse generator output, the base electrode of said second transistor connected to both said second bistable circuit output and said pulse generator output, said surging waveform generator output connected to both said collector electrodes;

e. a pair of muscle-stimulating electrodes; and

f. a transformer having a primary winding in the form of first and second parts connected in antiphase and a secondary winding connected to said pair of electrodes, said first part connected to said collector electrode of said first transistor, said second part connected to said collector electrode of said second transistor, whereby the output across said secondary winding comprises a train of pulse generator pulses of alternate polarity whose amplitude is controlled by the instantaneous amplitude of the output of the surging waveform generator.

2. A circuit arrangement for an electric muscle stimulator, including:

a. a surging waveform generator;

b. an output to said surging waveform generator;

c. a pulse generator;

d. first and second outputs to said pulse generator;

e. means connected to said surging waveform generator output and to said first output for producing bursts of unidirectional pulse generator pulses, the repetition frequency of the bursts being that of the waveform generator;

f. a pair of muscle-stimulating electrodes;

g. an output transformer;

h. a primary winding and a secondary winding to the transformer, said secondary winding being connected to said muscle-stimulating electrodes; and

i. means for applying the pulses of each burst in antiphase to each other to said primary winding comprising a double-pole, double-throw switch, moving contacts of said switch connected to said primary winding, fixed contacts of said switch connected to said means for producing bursts of unidirectional pulses; and

a delay and switch control circuit connected to said second output of the pulse generator, said delay and switch control circuit controlling the actuation of said moving contacts in accordance with the pulse generator output;

whereby the output across said secondary winding comprises a train of pulse generator pulses of alternate polarity whose amplitude is controlled by the instantaneous amplitude of the output of the surging waveform generator.

3. A circuit arrangement for an electric muscle stimulator, including:

a. a surging waveform generator;

b. an output to said surging waveform generator;

c. a pulse generator;

d. first and second outputs to pulse generator;

e. means connected to said surging waveform generator output and to said first output for producing bursts of unidirectional pulse generator pulses, the repetition frequency of the bursts being that of the waveform generator;

f. a pair of muscle-stimulating electrodes;

g. an output of transformer;

h. a primary winding comprising two parts connected in antiphase and a secondary winding to the transformer;

said secondary winding connected to said muscle-stimulating electrodes;

i. means for applying the pulses on each burst in antiphase to each other and to said primary winding comprising a delay circuit connected to said second output of the pulse generator, a switch connected to said means for producing said bursts of unidirectional pulses and to said delay circuit, and first and second outputs of said switch connected to respective parts of said primary winding;

whereby the output across said secondary winding comprises a train of pulse generator pulses of alternate polarity whose amplitude is controlled by the instantaneous amplitude of the output of the surging waveform generator.

4. An electric circuit arrangement for developing signals for use with an electric muscle stimulator, comprising, in combination:

a. a surging waveform generator;

b. an output to said surging waveform generator;

c. a pulse generator for producing unidirectional pulses;

d. a first output to said pulse generator;

e. means connected to said surging waveform generator output and to said first output for producing bursts of unidirectional pulse generator pulses, the repetition frequency of the bursts being that of the surging waveform generator;

f. a pair of muscle-stimulating electrodes;

g. an output transformer;

h. at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding to the transformer, said secondary winding connected to said muscle-stimulating electrodes; and

i. means for applying each burst of pulses to said primary winding so that each successive pulse in each burst is in antiphase to its immediately preceding pulse thereby producing burst of bidirectional pulses in said secondary winding.

5. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a second output to said pulse generator, and a bistable circuit connected to said second output of the pulse generator and to said means for producing bursts of unidirectional pulses.

6. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 5, in which said means for producing bursts of unidirectional pulses comprises a gating circuit having two outputs, and in which the primary winding comprises two parts connected in antiphase to the outputs of the gating circuit.