System for imparting sensory effects across a mother's abdomen to a fetus and monitoring effects on the fetus

• US 5,913,834 A
• Filed: 06/09/1998
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caramia Francais
• Original Assignee: Caramia Francais
• Inventors: Francais, Caramia
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US09/094,369
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 600/551, 600/587, 600/591, 600/595, 600/310, 600/476, 381/24, 381/90
• US Class Current: 600/591
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/083 Abdomen
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

A system for generating and delivering various types of sensory effects to a fetus or so-called "fetal child" through a mother'"'"'s abdomen and simultaneously allowing for the monitoring of the effects on the fetus. In a preferred embodiment, the system relies upon the generation of light of various intensities, wavelengths or color to provide certain types of stimulation to the fetus. Vibrations or magnetic effects can also be transmitted across the abdomen wall of the mother to the fetus. The system utilizes a belt which is worn about the abdomen of the mother and includes transducers located in the region of the fetal child for imparting the desired sensory effect. A stethoscope or like device can be mounted in and carried by the belt and is designed for juxtaposition to the abdomen and in proximity to the fetus. The stethoscope head piece can be worn by the mother to determine the effects of the stimulus on the fetus.

Claims

1. A system for the imparting of sensory excitations to a fetus cross the abdomen wall of the mother for stimulation of the fetus, said system comprising:

a) a belt sized to be worn about the waist region of a mother; and

b) at least one light transmitting member mounted in and carried by said belt and being located in proximity to the abdomen and in proximity to that fetus for imparting light energy to the fetus across the wall of the abdomen; and

c) light generating means carried by said belt and generating light of frequency and intensity so that the effects of the light can be imparted to said fetus and having an output connected to said light transmitting member to deliver the effects of the light to the fetus.

2. The system for imparting sensory excitation to a fetus of claim 1 further characterized in that said system comprises at least one other sensory excitation generating member carried by said belt and located in contact with the abdomen wall of the mother in proximity to the region of the fetus and generating excitations other than light in which the effects thereof are transmittable across the abdomen wall of the mother to thereby deliver such excitations to the fetus for purposes of stimulating the fetus, whereby the fetus receives the effects of at least light imparted across the abdomen and another sensory excitation across the abdomen.

3. The system of claim 1 further characterized in that a battery source of power is carried by or on said belt for energizing the light generating means.

4. The system of claim 2 further characterized in that a control means is associated with the light generating means to control same.

5. The system of claim 2 further characterized in that at least one other sensory excitation generating member is a sound generating transducer, a signal generating device is mounted on said belt, and electrical circuitry extending through said belt connects the transducer to the signal generating device.

6. The system of claim 5 further characterized in that a transducer of said light generating means is carried by said belt and is operatively located in proximity with the abdomen wall of the mother in proximity to the region of the fetus and is located in a pocket in said belt, and said light generating means is connected to a battery on said belt by conductors forming part of electrical circuitry extending through said belt.

7. A system for generating and imparting a sensory excitation to a fetal child through a mother'"'"'s abdomen and which allows for monitoring effects on the fetal child, said system comprising:

a) a belt sized for wearing about the waist of a woman user and having a frontal portion which extends over a surface area of the lower abdomen of the woman user along with a back portion and connecting side portions;

b) at least one light generating transducer mounted on and carried by said belt and being located in juxtaposition to the abdomen in proximity to that fetal child for imparting effects of certain generated light to the fetal child across the wall of the abdomen;

c) at least one first pocket formed in said belt;

d) means associated with the light generating transducer and carried by said first pocket and generating light to be imparted to said fetal child;

e) a second pocket formed in said belt; and

f) a stethoscope sensor fixedly and generally permanently mounted in and carried by said second pocket in said belt and also being located in juxtaposition to the abdomen in proximity to the fetal child to enable listening to sounds generated by the fetal child in the abdomen so that a user of the system can monitor the effects on the fetal child of the sensory excitations and which thereby enables the mother to control the sensory excitation until a desired response of the fetal child is detected.

8. The system of claim 7 further characterized in that a conductor extends from said stethoscope sensor internally through said belt and has a connector external to the belt in close proximity to the belt and is adapted to receive a second mating connector on the end of an earpiece conductor for coupling to said stethoscope sensor.

9. The system of claim 7 further characterized in that battery means is carried on said belt and an electrical conductor extending through said belt operates to connect the transducer to the battery means.

10. The system of claim 7 further characterized in that the belt has an enlarged frontal portion and an enlarged back portion relative to a side portion thereof, and where the frontal portion extends over a substantial surface area of the lower abdomen of the woman user.

11. The system for generating and imparting sensory excitations of claim 8 further characterized in that said system comprises a stethoscope headset comprising an earpiece for use by the woman user.

12. The system for generating and imparting sensory excitations of claim 11 further characterized in that the connector and the mating connector are adapted for quick release plug-in type connection.

13. The system of claim 12 further characterized in that the conductor extending from a connector to the earpiece is an electrical conductor and said earpiece comprises a speaker for reconverting an electrical signal into equivalent sensory excitations representing responses generated by the fetal child.

14. The system of claim 7 further characterized in that the generated light is light visible or non-visible to human beings and the transducer is a light source.

15. A method for generating and imparting various light energy sensory excitations to a fetal child in a pregnant woman'"'"'s abdomen and which allows for monitoring effects on the fetal child, said method comprising:

a) extending a belt about the waist region of the pregnant woman;

b) locating a light generating transducer mounted on the belt in juxtaposition to the abdomen and in proximity to the fetal child;

c) generating effects of light as sensory excitations of a type to be imparted to the fetal child and imparting said excitations across the abdomen to the fetal child;

d) locating a stethoscope sensor within said belt in juxtaposition to the abdomen and in proximity to the fetal child;

e) locating an earpiece connected to said stethoscope sensor so that one can monitor the effects of the sensory excitations on the fetal child and listening to the sounds generated by the fetal child as a result of the application of the sensory excitations; and

f) adjusting the sensory excitations to the fetal child in response to the monitoring of the effects on the fetal child to thereby provide sensory effects which are more comfortable to the fetal child.

16. The method of claim 15 in that said method comprises adjusting a control on a means for providing the sensory excitations to regulate same.

17. A system for employing light excitation to a fetus across the abdomen wall of the mother for stimulation of the fetus, said system comprising:

a) the belt sized to be worn about the waist region of a mother;

b) a laser light generating device mounted on said belt;

c) a gas supply also mounted on said belt and being connected across said laser light generating device;

d) pump means on said belt for pumping a gas supply in said laser light generating device; and

e) means for redirecting the laser light through an opening in said belt and in contact with the abdomen wall of the mother for generating excitations across the abdomen wall of the mother to the fetus for purposes of stimulating the fetus.

18. The system of claim 17 further characterized in that a battery source of power is carried by said belt for energizing the laser light generating device.

19. The system of claim 17 further characterized in that said laser light generating member comprises an outer housing with baffles in said housing for forming a folded path of the laser light which is generated to thereby shorten the overall length of the housing.

20. The system of claim 18 further characterized in that conductors are carried through said belt from said battery source of power to said laser light generating member.