Nausea control device

• US 4,981,146 A
• Filed: 02/06/1990
• Issued: 01/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reliefband Medical Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Maven Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Bertolucci, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy J.
• Application Number:
  US07/475,985
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 128/783, 128/796, 128/802, 128/419 S, 128/421, 128/387, 128/907, 128/82.1, 128/791, 128/794, 128/795, 128/419 C, 600/26, 604/20
• US Class Current: 607/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/002 Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/907 Acupuncture

Abstract

A nausea control device is provided in the form of a watch-like housing and related attachment band for mounting onto the human wrist, wherein the device includes electronic circuitry for imparting electrical impulses via positive and negative electrodes to the percardium six (P6) acupuncture point for alleviating nausea. Batteries within the housing power the electric circuitry, and a manually operable switch on the housing controls on/off and pulse amplitude.

Claims

1. A nausea control device for suppressing nausea by electrical stimulation of the pericardium six (P6) acupuncture point at a human wrist, said device comprising:

a wristwatch-like housing having a size and shape adapted to be worn on the human wrist;

a pair of electrodes carried by said housing in spaced relation to each other;

circuit means mounted within said housing and electrically coupled to said electrodes, said circuit means having means for delivering a pulsed electrical stimulation signal of selected amplitude and cycle rate to said electrodes; and

wristband means connected to said housing and adapted to be fastened about the human wrist to orient said housing and said electrodes in a position generally closely overlying the P6 acupuncture point, such that said stimulation signal delivered to said electrodes stimulates the wrist generally at the P6 acupuncture point to suppress nausea.

2. The nausea control device of claim 1 wherein said electrodes are carried by said housing in a spaced side-by-side orientation for contacting a common side of the wrist when the housing is worn on the wrist.

3. The nausea control device of claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes a battery power source.

4. The nausea control device of claim 3 wherein said housing defines an accessible battery compartment, said battery power source being removably received into said compartment.

5. The nausea control device of claim 3 wherein said circuit means further includes an on/off switch.

6. The nausea control device of claim 3 wherein said circuit means includes means for variably adjusting the amplitude of said stimulation signal.

7. The nausea control device of claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes means for delivering said stimulation signal at a cycle rate of about seventy pulses per second.

8. The nausea control device of claim 7 wherein said circuit means includes means for delivering said stimulation signal at a pulse width of about eighty microseconds.

9. The nausea control device of claim 1 wherein said stimulation signal is a pulsed direct current signal.

10. A nausea control device for suppressing nausea by electrical stimulation of the pericardium six (P6) acupuncture point at the human wrist, said device comprising:

a wristwatch-like housing having a battery compartment formed therein;

a pair of electrodes carried by said housing in spaced relation to each other;

wristband means connected to said housing and adapted to be fastened about the human wrist to orient said housing in a position with said electrodes contacting the wrist and generally closely overlying the P6 acupuncture point;

at least one battery removably mounted within said battery compartment; and

circuit means within said housing and powered by said at least one battery, said circuit means including means for generating a pulsed direct current stimulation signal at a selected cycle rate, pulse width, and amplitude, said circuit means delivering said stimulation signal to said electrodes to stimulate the wrist generally at the P6 acupuncture point to suppress nausea.

11. The nausea control device of claim 10 wherein said selected cycle rate is about seventy pulses per second, and wherein said pulse width is about eighty microseconds.

12. The nausea control device of claim 11 further including means for adjusting the amplitude of said stimulation signal.

13. A method of controlling nausea, comprising the steps of:

mounting a pair of electrodes onto the human wrist at a position generally closely overlying the pericardium six (P6) acupuncture point;

generating a pulsed stimulation signal of selected amplitude, pulse width and cycle rate; and

delivering the stimulation signal to the electrodes to stimulate the wrist generally at the P6 acupuncture point to suppress nausea.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said mounting step includes mounting a wristwatch-like housing carrying the electrodes onto the wrist with a wristband adapted to be fastened about the wrist, with the housing having circuit means including a portable power supply encased therein for generating the stimulation signal.

15. The method of claim 13 further including the step of adjustably varying the amplitude of the stimulation signal.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said mounting step includes mounting the electrodes in spaced side-by-side relation onto the wrist.