Electronic stimulation equipment with wireless satellite units

• US 6,366,816 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fabio Paolo Marchesi
• Original Assignee: Fabio Paolo Marchesi
• Inventors: Marchesi, Fabio Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/468,299
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 607/41, 607/39, 607/61
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply

Abstract

Electronic equipment for the production of stimuli for treatment of the human body comprises a base unit (11) and at least one satellite unit (13). The satellite unit comprises in turn a power supply battery (23) and means (21, 22) powered by this battery for producing an electric signal and applying it to a stimulus emission member (17) in response to said signal. The base unit (11) comprises means (28) for generating at least one actuation and de-actuation command for production of the electrical signal of the satellite unit (13) with the base unit and satellite units being connected by a wireless transmission for transfer of said command from one to the other.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment for the production of stimuli for treatment of the human body comprising a base unit and at least one satellite unit with the satellite unit comprising a stimulous emission member, a rechargeable power supply battery, and means powered by the battery for producing an electric signal and applying the signal to said stimulus emission member, with the base unit comprising means of generating an actuation command and a de-actuation command signal for controlling production of the said electrical signal of the satellite unit, the base and satellite units being connected by wireless transmission means for transferring said command signals from said base unit to said satellite unit, the base unit further comprises at least one seat for reception of the satellite unit with the seat comprising a plurality of electrical contacts, and the satellite unit having thereon a like plurality of contacts for connection with the corresponding electrical contacts in the base unit to exchange electrical signals between the base unit and the satellite unit.

2. Equipment in accordance with claim 1 wherein some of the exchanged signals comprise power supplied by the base unit for recharging of the battery in the satellite unit.

3. Equipment in accordance with claim 1, including means in the satellite unit responsive to certain of the exchange signals for programming the operation of the satellite unit.

4. Equipment in accordance with claim 3, including a control panel on the base unit, and said certain of the exchange signals are emitted by the base unit in response to selections set on the control panel of the base unit.

5. Equipment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the satellite unit includes means for controlling regulation of the stimulus emitted by said emission member.

6. Equipment in accordance with claim 1 wherein said satellite unit is one of numerous like such units, said seat in said base is one of numerous such seats in said base for accommodating said satellite units, and said control signals emitted by the base unit are coded to be performed by but one of the satellite units selected from among the plurality thereof.

7. Equipment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the satellite unit comprises a microprocessor with program memory in which settings are memorized before sending of the activation control signal.

8. Equipment in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wireless transmission means comprises a radio.

9. Equipment in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the base unit comprises ultraviolet lamps for radiant sterilization of the satellite unit when the latter is arranged in said seat.

10. Equipment in accordance with claim 1, wherein said satellite unit is one of numerous like such units, and said seat in said base is one of numerous such seats in said base for accommodating said satellite units.

12. Equipment in accordance with claim 1, wherein the satellite unit comprises two sub-units connected to each other by an electric wire, and each sub-unit having thereon one of said pair of conducting electrodes.

11. Electronic equipment for production of stimuli for treatment of the human body, comprising a base unit and at least one satellite unit, with the satellite unit comprising a stimulus emission member, a rechargeable power supply battery, and means powered by the battery for producing an electric signal and applying the signal to said stimulous emission member, with the base unit comprising means of generating, respectively, actuation and de-actuation command signals for controlling production of said electrical signal of the satellite unit, the base and satellite units being connected by wireless transmission means for transferring said command signals from said base unit to said satellite unit, and the stimulus emission member comprising a pair of conducting electrodes engageable each with a different part of a human body, and operable for effecting electrical muscle or nerve stimulation.