Urinary incontinence stimulator system

• US 4,153,059 A
• Filed: 10/25/1977
• Issued: 05/08/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Fravel, Ralph P., Godec, Ciril J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/844,966
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 128/421, 128/422, 128/404, 128/407, 128/408, 128/410, 128/411, 128/419 R, 128/420 R, 128/423
• US Class Current: 607/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

A urinary incontinence stimulator system using an intra-anal electrode which provides a recurring series of pulses of varying duration and frequency to the electrode with each of such series of pulses spaced from the succeeding series by a rest period when no pulses are provided to the electrode.

Claims

1. A urinary incontinence stimulator system having an intra-anal electrode including:

a generator means for providing a series of pulses of a duration and frequency which vary in a psuedo-random fashion;

4. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein the time duration between successive enabling signals is of about the same time duration as one of said enabling signals.

5. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein the time duration between successive enabling signals is less than about two seconds.

6. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein the duration of the pulses in said series of pulses provided by said generator means varies between about 0.5 millisecond and 1.5 milliseconds.

7. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein the frequency of the pulses in said series of pulses provided by said generator means varies from about 10 Hertz to 55 Hertz.

8. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein said output circuit means includes a user adjustable means for varying the amplitude of said pulses to the intra-anal electrode.

9. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein said generator means includes a comparator;

a capacitor connected to said comparator for controlling the output of said comparator;

a charging circuit connected between said capacitor and the output of said comparator for charging said capacitor when the output of said comparator provides a high signal;

a discharging circuit connected between said capacitor and said comparator for discharging said capacitor when the output of said comparator provides a low signal;

said charging circuit including means responsive to pulse inputs for changing the charging rate provided by said charging circuit; and

said discharging circuit including means responsive to pulse inputs for changing the discharging rate provided by said discharging circuit.

10. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 1 wherein said output circuit means includes a first transistor;

a second transistor;

a capacitor;

said first transistor connected in series with said capacitor across the intra-anal electrode, said second transistor connected in series with said capacitor and the intra-anal electrode for providing a charging circuit for said capacitor when said second transistor conducts;

said first transistor conducting only when said enabling signal is provided and a pulse in said series of pulses provided by aid generator means is present and said second transistor conducting when said first transistor is not conducting.

11. A urinary incontinence stimulator system according to claim 8 wherein said output circuit means includes a user adjustable means connected to said second transistor for varying the level to which said capacitor can be charged.

2. an enabling means for providing a recurring enabling signal;

and

3. an output circuit means connected to receive said pulses from said generator means and said enabling signal from said enabling means for enabling said output circuit for a time determined by said enabling signal for providing a series of pulses to the intra-anal electrode of the system in response to said pulses received from said generating means during said time.