Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device
First Claim
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1. A microcurrent transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator comprising:
- (a) a pair of electrode means for making surface contact and supplying electrical current to mammalian tissue; and
(b) an electrical circuit means for supplying to said pair of electrode means from about 25 microamps up to about 900 microamps of a monophasic sequence of bursts of a D.C. carrier signal selected from the frequency range of at least 10,000 Hz to about 19,000 Hz which is modulated on and off in time at a frequency selected from the range of about 0.3 Hz up to 10,000 Hz and said bursts are characterized as having a periodicity greater in duration than that associated with the modulation frequency.
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Abstract
An improved transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) involving a microcurrent (typically 25 to 900 microamps) monophase D.C. carrier signal (typically 10,000 to 19,000 Hz, preferably 15,000 Hz) that is modulated on and off in time (typically at 0.3 Hz up to 10,000 Hz, preferably 9.125 Hz followed by 292 Hz) and further inverted about every second by reversing the polarity of the signal at the electrodes. Such a device has been found to be useful in alleviating pain very rapidly.
337 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A microcurrent transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator comprising:
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(a) a pair of electrode means for making surface contact and supplying electrical current to mammalian tissue; and (b) an electrical circuit means for supplying to said pair of electrode means from about 25 microamps up to about 900 microamps of a monophasic sequence of bursts of a D.C. carrier signal selected from the frequency range of at least 10,000 Hz to about 19,000 Hz which is modulated on and off in time at a frequency selected from the range of about 0.3 Hz up to 10,000 Hz and said bursts are characterized as having a periodicity greater in duration than that associated with the modulation frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13)
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7. A therapeutic electronic apparatus comprising:
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(a) a pair of electrodes; (b) an electrical circuit attached to said pair of electrodes further comprising; (i) a battery; (ii) means for producing a monophasic carrier signal selected from the frequency range of at least 10,000 Hz to 19,000 Hz, (iii) means for modulating the monophasic carrier signal on and off in time at a frequency selected from the range of about 0.3 Hz up to 10,000 Hz, and (iv) means for adjusting the current of said modulated monophasic carrier signal from about 25 microamps up to about 900 microamps; and (c) an electronic circuit with means for inverting said modulated monophasic carrier signal by reversing electrode polarity with a periodicity greater in duration than that associated with the modulation frequency. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of alleviating pain comprising the steps of:
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(a) attaching a pair of electrodes to tissue in the proximity of the pain; and (b) supplying across said pair of electrodes from about 25 microamps up to about 900 microamps of a monophasic sequence of bursts of a D.C. carrier signal selected from the frequency range of a least 10,000 Hz to about 19,000 Hz wherein said D.C. carrier signal is modulated on and off in time at a frequency selected from the range of about 0.3 Hz up to 10,000 Hz and wherein the polarity of the D.C. carrier signal is reversed at the electrodes between bursts with a periodicity greater in duration than that associated with the modulation frequency. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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14. A therapeutic electronic apparatus comprising:
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(a) a pair of electrodes; (b) an electrical circuit attached to said pair of electrodes further comprising; (i) a battery; (ii) means for producing a monophasic carrier signal selected from the frequency range of at least 10,000 Hz to 19,000 Hz, (iii) means for modulating the monophasic carrier signal on and off in time at a frequency selected from the range of about 0.3 Hz up to 10,000 Hz, and (iv) means for adjusting the current of said modulated monophasic carrier signal from about 25 microamps up to about 900 microamps; and wherein at least one of said pair of electrodes further comprises at least one LED light source also attached to said electrical circuit wherein said electrical circuit means further comprises circuit means for supplying electrical current to said LED light source such as to provide light synchronously with the electrical signal supplied to said pair of electrical current electrode means.
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15. An improved transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation electrode system comprising:
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(a) a pair of electrode means wherein each of said electrode means are for making separate surface contact with mammalian tissue and for supplying a therapeutically stimulating electrical current to said mammalian tissue; and (b) at least one LED light source means for making surface contact and for supplying light to mammalian tissue at the location of and synchronously with at least one of said pair of electrical current electrode means.
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Specification