Electrode vest for electrical stimulation of the abdomen and back

• US 7,072,721 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cecilio Trent
• Original Assignee: Cecilio Trent
• Inventors: Trent, Cecilio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oropeza, Frances P.
• Application Number:
  US10/285,420
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 607/149, 600/382, 600/384, 600/386, 600/388, 600/389, 600/393
• US Class Current: 607/149
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/24 with built-in power source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/321 Electromedical belts
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A vest for providing electrical stimulation is disclosed. The vest includes front and rear sections and a controller. Left front and right front electrodes are provided on interior surfaces of the front section, and left rear and right rear electrodes are provided on interior surfaces of the rear section. The controller is provided on an exterior surface of the front section and provides selectively adjustable electrical pulse signals to the electrodes via wires routed over the exterior surface of the front and rear sections to the electrodes through respective openings provided in the front and rear sections. The electrodes and the front and rear sections include means for positional adjustment of the electrodes on the interior surfaces of the front and rear sections. The vest can be used for electrical stimulation of muscles or nerves of the abdomen and back for users having varying body types and sizes.

Claims

1. A vest for providing electrical stimulation, comprising:

a front section including a plurality of left front electrodes and a plurality of right front electrodes provided on an interior left surface and an interior right surface of the front section, respectively;

a rear section including a plurality of left rear electrodes and a plurality of right rear electrodes provided on an interior left surface and an interior right surface of the rear section; and

a controller provided on an exterior surface of the front section for providing respective selectively adjustable electrical pulse signals to the electrodes via respective wires routed over the exterior surface of the front section and an exterior surface of the rear section to the electrodes through respective openings provided in the front and rear sections,

wherein the electrodes and the front and rear sections include means for positional adjustment of the electrodes on the interior surfaces of the front and rear sections, and

the controller includes a plurality switches for providing selectively adjustable electrical pulse frequency and amplitude signals to the electrodes wherein the switches include digital dual position rotary switches with positions corresponding to the pulse frequency and the pulse amplitude, respectively, and with clockwise and counter clockwise rotations corresponding to electrical values for the pulse frequency and the pulse amplitude signals.

2. The vest of claim 1, wherein the means for positional adjustment include hook and loop fasteners respectively provided on the electrodes and on the interior surfaces of the front and rear sections.

3. The vest of claim 1, wherein the means for positional adjustment includes an array of ball and socket fasteners respectively provided on the electrodes and on the interior surfaces of the front and rear sections.

4. The vest of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source for providing electrical power to the controller.

5. The vest of claim 4, wherein the power source includes a rechargeable battery.

6. The vest of claim 5, wherein the rechargeable battery includes a rechargeable battery pack that is worn by a user of the vest.

7. The vest of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are adapted to correspond to muscles or nerves of the abdomen or back of a user of the vest.