Method and apparatus for muscle stimulation

• US 4,724,842 A
• Filed: 06/06/1984
• Issued: 02/16/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas H. Charters
• Original Assignee: Thomas H. Charters
• Inventors: Charters, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US06/617,158
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 128/363, 128/364, 128/423 W, 128/782, 128/802, 128/806, 128/24.1, 128/25, 128/25 R, 272/116, 272/129, 272/125, 272/DIG. 6, 73/379, 73/826, 73/862, 73/51
• US Class Current: 607/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance

Abstract

An exercise machine or dynamometer is provided with control apparatus for ascertaining the physical position of a patient during an exercise. The patient is then electrically stimulated over selected ranges of motion in order to aid in the exercise.

Claims

1. The method of providing stimulation to promote muscle exercise in a human patient, comprising:

moving of a human patient'"'"'s body portion in conjunction with a dynamometer arm to which said body portion is attached for providing isokinetic exercise as the human patient exerts against the dynamometer arm,

detecting an interval of substantially continuous movement of said body portion corresponding to the condition of bodily motion between when movement of the body portion is started and when movement of said body portion is concluded regardless of the specific positions involved,

and in response to said detection electrically stimulating said body portion over said interval.

2. Apparatus for stimulating muscle exercise comprising:

a rotatable member having a predetermined axis of rotation and including means for attaching said rotatable member to a selected portion of the human body for simultaneous rotational movement,

angular position detecting means coupled to said rotatable member for indicating the angular position of said rotatable member about said axis of rotation,

an electrical stimulator adapted to provide electrical output signals, said electrical stimulator having electrodes energized therefrom for placement in contact with the human body proximate said selected portion for transmitting said electrical signals to said selected body portion,

and control means responsive to said angular position detecting means for actuating said electrical stimulator to provide said electrical output signals over a selected range of angular positions of said rotatable member between a selected first angular position and a selected second angular position different from said first angular position, whereby to stimulate contraction of muscles in said body portion and assist the angular movement of said body portion between said angular positions,

wherein said first angular position selectively corresponds to a detected beginning-of-motion angular position for said rotatable member and said second angular position selectively corresponds to a detected end-of-motion angular position for said rotatable member,

and wherein said angular position detecting means provides an electrical output indication substantially proportional to angular movement and said control means comprises differentiating means and level detecting means driven by said differentiating means for responding to the excursion direction of said electrical output indication for starting and stopping said electrical stimulator.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said differentiating means comprises a differentiating amplifier and said level detecting means comprises at least one comparator circuit having a comparison level different from the normal operating level of said differentiating amplifier.

4. Apparatus for stimulating exercise comprising:

a rotatable member having a predetermined axis of rotation and including means for attaching said rotatable member to a selected portion of the human body for simultaneous rotational movement,

angular position detecting means coupled to said rotatable member for indicating the angular position of said rotatable member about said axis of rotation,

an electrical stimulator adapted to provide electrical output signals, said electrical stimulator having electrodes energized therefrom for placement in contact with the human body proximate said selected portion for transmitting said electrical signals to said selected body portion,

and control means responsive to said angular position detecting means for actuating said electrical stimulator to provide said electrical output signals over a selected range of angular positions of said rotatable member between a selected first angular position and a selected second angular position different from said first angular position, whereby to stimulate contraction of muscles in said body portion and assist the angular movement of said body portion between said angular positions,

wherein said angular position detecting means provides an electrical output indication substantially proportional to angular movement and said control means comprises first and second comparator circuits for respectively responding to first and second selectable levels of said electrical output indication for detecting said first and second angular positions for respectively providing outputs suitable for starting and stopping said electrical stimulator,

said control means further comprising differentiating means driving first and second level detecting means for responding to first and second excursion directions of said electrical output indication for providing outputs suitable for starting and stopping said electrical stimulator,

and switching means receiving said respective outputs for selectively starting and/or stopping said electrical stimulator in response to said comparator circuits or said level detecting means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said detecting means provides separate outputs according to the rotational direction of the rotatable member, said apparatus further including switching means for selecting between the polarities of outputs generated by said control means for selecting the dirction of the rotatable member for which said starting and stopping of said stimulator is accomplished.

6. Apparatus for stimulating muscle exercise comprising:

a rotatable member having a predetermined axis of rotation and including means for attaching said rotatable member to a selected portion of the human body for simultaneous rotational movement,

angular position detecting means coupled to said rotatable member for responding to the angular position of said rotatable member about said axis of rotation,

an electrical stimulator adapted to provide electrical outpout signals, said electrical stimulator having electrodes energized therefrom for placement in contact with the human body proximate said selected portion for transmitting said electrical signals to said selected body portion,

and control means responsive to said position detecting means for detecting a change in the status of said position detecting means between detection of a condition of motion and detection of a condition of non-motion, regardless of the specific angular position at which the change occurs, and in response thereto changing the operational status of said electrical stimulator between one of providing electrical stimulation and one of providing no electrical stimulation.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said rotatable member comprises part of an exercise device against which an individual exerts force to produce said rotational movement, said rotatable member resisting angular movement in exercising said portion of the body.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said control means is responsive to said position detecting means for detecting when motion starts and detecting when motion stops, for causing said electrical stimulator to provide said electrical output signals as long as motion continues, and for causing said electrical stimulator to discontinue said electrical output signals when said motion stops.

9. Apparatus for stimulating muscle exercise comprising:

a rotatable member having a predetermined axis of rotation and including means for attaching said rotatable member to a selected portion of the human body for simultaneous rotational movement,

an electrical stimulator adapted to provide electrical output signals, said electrical stimulator having electrodes energized therefrom for placement in contact with the human body proximate said selected portion for transmitting said electrical signals to said selected body portion,

and control means including means responsive to rotation of said rotatable member and for detecting velocity of said rotatable member for changing the operational status of said electrical stimulator between one of providing no electrical stimulation and one of providing electrical stimulation in response to the velocity of said rotatable member exceeding a predetermined threshold value.