Photoprobe assembly

• US 5,024,236 A
• Filed: 10/05/1988
• Issued: 06/18/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Willow Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Integrated Medical Technologies Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Shapiro, Ronald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANLEY, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US07/253,488
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 128/735, 128/395, 128/907
• US Class Current: 600/548
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0619 Acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/907 Acupuncture

Abstract

A relatively compact easily portable photoprobe assembly is disclosed which includes an electric probe for locating acupuncture points and a light emitting diode to stimulate acupuncture points as well as injury sites. The probe and light emitting diode are controlled by an internal circuit which operates to provide a visual indication of the precise location of the desired treatment area via an impedance variation procedure as well as to pulse the light emitting diode at the desired frequency. A power supply is also contained within the assembly to render it completely portable.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting acupuncture points on the skin of a living subject by detecting an area of reduced skin impedance and for stimulating acupuncture points on the skin of a living subject by pulsed light radiation, comprising:

a housing;

a light emitting diode within said housing;

a probe provided on one end of said housing;

a source of electric current disposed within said housing;

first circuit means disposed within said housing for providing said light emitting diode with a pulsed current from said source of electric current; and

second circuit means disposed within said housing and connected with said probe,

said second circuit means including means for measuring an initial reference impedance for said living subject when said probe is placed in contact with said skin of said living subject at a first location and thereafter being operative to provide a signal indicative of an impedance less than said initial reference impedance of said subject when said probe is moved to another location on said skin of said living subject, said signal being indicative of an acupuncture point to be stimulated by said light emitting diode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode has a wave length of approximately 660 nanometers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode is pulsed at a frequency of approximately 292 hertz.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing is sized so as to be able to be hand held.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrical current source comprises a battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second circuit means includes a second light emitting diode arranged to provide said signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first circuit means includes an integrated circuit means to produce a square wave duty cycle to provide the pulsed current to said light emitting diode.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second circuit includes a ground plate mounted on said housing, said probe and said ground plate being adapted to be engageable with spaced portions of the skin of said living subject whereby said reference impedance may be measured.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said second circuit means further includes a switch means, said switch means being operable to a first position whereby a first portion of said second circuit means is actuated for measuring said reference impedance and a second position whereby said first portion is deactuated and said impedance less than said reference may be sensed.