Quantitative acupressure device
First Claim
1. A quantitative accupressure device for non-invasively applying therapeutic pressure to tissue underlying the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
- (a) a sensor portion, said sensor portion comprising, in combination, a handheld force transducer and a blunt-tipped probe, the blunt-tipped probe being incapable of puncturing the skin of the patient when the device is used to apply therapeutic pressure of the tissue underlying the skin, means connecting said transducer and said probe so that when the tip of the probe is pressed against the skin said transducer yields an output signal quantitatively related to the applied pressure; and
(b) a readout device comprising means for converting said transducer output signal into a visual display of the magnitude of the applied pressure.
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Abstract
A device for applying therapeutic or analgesic pressure quantitatively which includes a sensor for continuously measuring the pressure on a patient'"'"'s skin and underlying tissue. The instrument includes a hand-held force sensitive transducer having a blunt tip extending therefrom. When the blunt tip of the device is pressed against the skin thereby compressing the underlying tissue, the transducer yields an electrical signal proportional to the applied pressure. This signal is then fed to a resettable digital display. When the pressure applied to the skin reaches a threshold value, an actuator switch is actuated starting a timer which measures the elapsed time period during which the skin and underlying tissue is exposed to the measured pressure. An optional alarm indicates when the combination of pressure and elapsed time has reached a previously determined level.
75 Citations
1 Claim
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1. A quantitative accupressure device for non-invasively applying therapeutic pressure to tissue underlying the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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(a) a sensor portion, said sensor portion comprising, in combination, a handheld force transducer and a blunt-tipped probe, the blunt-tipped probe being incapable of puncturing the skin of the patient when the device is used to apply therapeutic pressure of the tissue underlying the skin, means connecting said transducer and said probe so that when the tip of the probe is pressed against the skin said transducer yields an output signal quantitatively related to the applied pressure; and (b) a readout device comprising means for converting said transducer output signal into a visual display of the magnitude of the applied pressure.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeMichael A. Mocny
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Original AssigneeMichael A. Mocny
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InventorsMocny, Michael A.
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Primary Examiner(s)Burr, Edgar S.
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Assistant Examiner(s)MALVASO, LISA E
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Application NumberUS07/455,228Time in Patent Office1,292 DaysField of Search128/55, 128/54, 128/60, 128/61, 128/774, 128/744, 606/204, 73/81, 73/82US Class Current601/108CPC Class CodesA61H 39/04 Devices for pressing such p...
