Electronic acupuncture point finder

• US 4,016,870 A
• Filed: 10/14/1975
• Issued: 04/12/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chuck Lock
• Original Assignee: Chuck Lock
• Inventors: Lock, Chuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/622,050
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.1 C, 128/2.1 R, 128/2.1 Z
• US Class Current: 600/548
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0532 specially adapted for acupuncture or moxibustion
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/02 Devices for locating such points
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/907 Acupuncture

Abstract

An electronic acupuncture point finder comprised of a point finder electrode for passing over a patient'"'"'s skin, a grabber electrode formed to be secured to or held by the patient, and a balancing and sensitivity adjustment circuit electrically connected to said point finder and grabber electrodes so as to produce an imbalance signal when the point finder electrode passes over an acupuncture point. An amplifier circuit is provided in connection with the balancing and sensitivity adjustment circuits such that the amplifier is only turned on when the body impedance is below a preselected level whereupon the amplifier circuit generates an amplified signal for driving audio and visual indicating circuits. A single d.c. voltage supply is provided for powering all circuits

Claims

1. In an electronic acupuncture point finder having a point finder probe, a grabber electrode, means, such as an audio or visual means, for indicating to an operator a change in body impedance as the point finder probe is passed over the patient'"'"'s skin, and a voltage supply means, the improvement comprising

a balancing network including at least two pairs of fixed impedance elements connected across said voltage supply means for effecting a voltage division between each of said pair of impedance elements,

a selective amplifier circuit connected across said balancing network between each pair of fixed impedance elements thereof, said selective amplifier circuit having at least two inputs and means for comparing the electrical signals to said two inputs and selectively producing an amplifier signal only when the difference between said inputs are of a preselected value, and

a sensitivity adjustment circuit electrically interconnecting said point finder probe and grabber electrode to one input of said selective amplifier circuit, said sensitivity adjustment circuit having circuit means for adjusting the voltage level to the input of said amplifier circuit to which said sensitivity adjustment circuit is connected for any given body impedance presented between said point finder probe and grabber electrode whereby said amplifier circuit is only turned on for producing an amplified signal when said body impedance is below a preselected value,

said means for indicating an impedance change to an operator being driven by the amplified signal from said selective amplifier circuit.

2. The electronic acupuncture point finder of claim 1 wherein said amplifier circuit includes a linear operational amplifier.

3. The electronic acupuncture point finder of claim 1 wherein said circuit means for adjusting voltage level to the input of said amplifier circuit includes a two pot resistor in electrical connection with said voltage supply means and disposed to selectively step down the voltage therefrom and to add said stepped down voltage to a voltage of opposite polarity produced across said body impedance whereby the summation of said stepped down voltage and body impedance voltage is fed to said amplifier circuit input connected to said sensitivity adjustment circuit.

4. The electronic acupuncture point finder of claim 1 wherein said voltage supply means includes a d.c. voltage.