Garment for applying controlled electrical stimulation to restore motor function
First Claim
1. An electrical stimulation garment for use by a user having muscles of reduced motor ability comprising:
- said garment being a non-invasive self-contained functional electrical stimulation garment which may be donned in one piece by said user, said garment being adapted to fit over a joint and said muscles of said user;
said garment including an electronic controller-stimulator for stimulating said muscles of said user;
said garment including a sensor to sense movement of said joint and which is cooperatively interconnected with said electronic controller-stimulator, said electronic controller-stimulator converting sensed movement of said joint into a control signal for functional electrical stimulation of said muscles; and
said garment being adapted, when the garment is worn by said user, to pass said functional electrical stimulation from said stimulator through electrical contacts internal to said garment to self-adhesive skin electrodes pre-positioned on said user, to stimulate said muscles of reduced motor ability.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-invasive self-contained functional electrical stimulation garment is disclosed. The garment, which is preferably in the form of a glove, may be donned in one piece by a user of reduced motor ability e.g. a person exhibiting hand tremors or who is a quadriplegic, paraplegic or hemiplegic. The garment is preferably made of a perforated elastic material and being adapted to fit over a part of said user'"'"'s body. The garment has electrical connections internal to the garment that are adapted to make electrical contact with self-adhesive skin electrodes on the user. A joint movement sensor and a battery-driven electronic controller-stimulator located on the garment, with the electrical connections, sensor and controller-stimulator being electrically and cooperatively interconnected. In the form of a glove, the garment can permit a user of reduced motor ability to grip objects.
308 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An electrical stimulation garment for use by a user having muscles of reduced motor ability comprising:
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said garment being a non-invasive self-contained functional electrical stimulation garment which may be donned in one piece by said user, said garment being adapted to fit over a joint and said muscles of said user; said garment including an electronic controller-stimulator for stimulating said muscles of said user; said garment including a sensor to sense movement of said joint and which is cooperatively interconnected with said electronic controller-stimulator, said electronic controller-stimulator converting sensed movement of said joint into a control signal for functional electrical stimulation of said muscles; and said garment being adapted, when the garment is worn by said user, to pass said functional electrical stimulation from said stimulator through electrical contacts internal to said garment to self-adhesive skin electrodes pre-positioned on said user, to stimulate said muscles of reduced motor ability. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-invasive self-contained functional electrical stimulation hand glove which may be donned in one piece by a user of reduced motor ability, comprising:
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said glove being made of an elastic material and being adapted to fit over a wrist on said user; a wrist movement sensor; and a functional electrical controller-stimulator, said sensor and said controller-stimulator being electrically and cooperatively interconnected. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-invasive self-contained functional electrical stimulation hand glove which may be donned in one piece by a user of reduced motor ability, comprising:
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a wrist movement sensor; a functional electrical controller-stimulator; opening and closing with the hand being controlled by the controller-stimulator by movement of the wrist beyond threshold limits of flexion and extension thereof, with an intermediate zone between such threshold limits in which there is no stimulation to open or close.
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27. A non-invasive self-contained functional electrical stimulation garment which may be donned in one piece by a user of reduced motor ability, comprising in combination:
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said garment being made of an elastic material and being adapted to fit over a joint on said user; metallic mesh patches internal to said garment adapted to make electrical contact with self-adhesive skin electrodes adapted to be on said user when garment is tightened by the user; said self-adhesive skin electrodes including a stud oriented away from the skin of the user, said stud connecting to the metal mesh by a contact pressure.
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28. A method of effecting muscle stimulation of a user of reduced motor ability, comprising:
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determining selected muscle stimulation sites on the user; applying self-adhesive skin electrodes at the sites; and applying a garment, wherein the garment is made of a perforated material and is adapted to fit over a part of the user'"'"'s body and wherein the garment has electrically and cooperatively interconnected components comprising electrical connections adapted to make contact with the self-adhesive skin electrodes, a joint movement sensor, and a controller-stimulator, for effecting muscle stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification