Tactile stimulation using musical tonal frequencies

• US 8,761,417 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Therabody, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SO Sound Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Oser, Richard Barry, Long, Suzannah
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Application Number:
  US13/316,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 381/326, 381/380, 381/396, 381/401, 381/402, 381/412, 381/420, 297/217.3, 601/47, 601/57
• US Class Current: 381/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

Transducers and resonators are embedded in body support structures in contact with a user to for the purpose of conveying musical sound energy to a user'"'"'s body at selected frequencies and in selected patterns. Body support structures comprise beds, pillows, chairs, and other structures typically used to support people. The sound may be audio tones and/or music. The transducers and resonators may be incorporated into a foam component or in a coil spring component of the body support structure. Latex-type foams and beds made with springs are candidate body support structures for receiving transducer'"'"'s and resonators. Electro-active polymers are also used as transducers. Floor systems are activated by both mechanical transducers and electro-active polymers.

Claims

1. A method of inducing tactile stimulation of musical tonal frequencies in a transducer interface comprising:

providing a transducer that generates vibrations in response to an electrical signal that is encoded with said musical tonal frequencies, such that said vibrations have a frequency that corresponds to said musical tonal frequencies;

providing a first diaphragm disposed on a first side of said transducer that is mechanically coupled to said transducer so that said vibrations are transferred from said transducer to said diaphragm;

providing a first interface layer that is capable of transmitting said vibrations having frequencies corresponding to said musical tonal frequencies;

placing said first diaphragm in contact with said first interface layer to transfer said vibrations from said diaphragm to said first transducer layer that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing said transducer in an opening in a second interface layer that allows a body portion of said transducer to move vertically in said opening in said second interface layer;

placing said first diaphragm in contact with said first interface layer so that movement of said body portion of said transducer induces said vibrations in said first interface layer.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing a second diaphragm that is mechanically coupled to said transducer on a second side of said transducer, which is opposite to said first side;

placing said second diaphragm in contact with said second interface layer so that said second diaphragm supports said transducer and effectively transfers said vibrations to said first interface layer and said second interface layer.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing a heat sensitive switch that is connected to said transducer that shuts off said transducer when said transducer reaches a predetermined temperature.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing a first diaphragm comprises:

providing a first diaphragm that is constructed of a composite material.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said transducer interface is a mattress.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said transducer interface is a box spring.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said transducer interface is an insert between a mattress and a box spring.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said transducer interface is a bedding foundation.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said transducer interface is a pad.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said first interface layer is a foam layer and said second interface layer is a foam layer.

12. A transducer interface for generating vibrations corresponding to musical tonal frequencies in a user comprising:

a transducer that generates vibrations in response to an electrical signal that is encoded with musical tonal frequencies such that said vibrations generated by said transducer correspond to said musical tonal frequencies;

a first diaphragm disposed on a first side of said transducer that is mechanically coupled to said transducer so that said vibrations are transferred from said transducer to said first diaphragm;

a first interface layer that is mechanically coupled to said first diaphragm so that said vibrations, that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies, are transferred from said first diaphragm to said first interface layer.

13. The transducer interface of claim 12 further comprising:

a second interface layer having an opening in which said transducer is disposed, said opening having a size that is sufficient to allow a main body portion of said transducer to move in said opening and induce said vibrations in said first interface layer.

14. The transducer interface of claim 12 further comprising:

a second diaphragm that is mechanically coupled to said transducer on a second side of said transducer which is opposite to said first side;

a second interface layer that is mechanically coupled to said second diaphragm so that said vibrations, that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies, are transferred from said second diaphragm to said second interface layer.

15. The transducer of claim 12 wherein said first interface layer comprises a layer of a mattress.

16. The transducer interface of claim 12 wherein said first interface layer comprises a layer of a box spring.

17. The transducer interface of claim 12 wherein said first interface layer comprises an insert between a mattress and a box spring.

18. The transducer interface of claim 12 wherein said first interface layer comprises a bedding foundation.

19. The transducer interface of claim 12 wherein said first interface layer comprises a pad.

20. A method of inducing tactile stimulation of musical tonal frequencies in a coil spring of a cushioned transducer interface comprising:

providing at least one transducer that generates vibrations in response to an electrical signal that is encoded with said musical tonal frequencies;

providing a diaphragm that is mechanically coupled to said transducer so that said vibrations are transferred from said transducer to said diaphragm;

placing said transducer in an interior portion of said coil spring;

coupling said diaphragm to said coil spring to transfer said vibrations from said diaphragm to said coil spring, said vibrations having a frequency that corresponds to said musical tonal frequencies.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a mattress.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a box spring.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises an insert between a mattress and a box spring.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a bedding foundation.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a pad.

26. A transducer interface for generating vibrations corresponding to musical tonal frequencies comprising:

a coil spring disposed in, and mechanically coupled to, said transducer interface;

a transducer disposed in an interior portion of said coil spring that generates said vibrations, corresponding to said musical tonal frequencies, in response to an electrical signal that is encoded with said musical tonal frequencies;

a diaphragm that is mechanically coupled to said transducer and said coil spring to transfer said vibrations, corresponding to said musical tonal frequencies, from said transducer to said coil spring and said transducer interface.

27. The transducer interface of claim 26 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a mattress.

28. The transducer interface of claim 26 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a box spring.

29. The transducer interface of claim 26 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises an insert between a mattress and a box spring.

30. The transducer interface of claim 26 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a bedding foundation.

31. The transducer interface of claim 26 wherein said cushioned transducer interface comprises a pad.

32. A combined spring and electro-active polymer transducer comprising:

a coil spring having a first end support and a second end support;

at least one central support connected to said first end support and said second end support, said central support having an integrally formed electro-active polymer structure that forms a portion of said central support, and that expands and contracts in response to a tonal frequency signal applied to said electro-active polymer structure, causing said coil spring to expand and contract in response to said tonal frequency signal.

33. A transducer interface for generating vibrations corresponding to musical tonal frequencies comprising:

a coil spring disposed in, and mechanically coupled to, said transducer interface, said coil spring having a first end support and a second end support;

a central support connected to said first end support and said second end support, said central support having an integrally formed electro-active polymer structure that forms a portion of said central support, and that expands and contracts in response to a musical tonal frequency signal applied to said electro-active polymer structure, causing said spring to expand and contract in response to said musical tonal frequency signal to generate vibrations that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies in said transducer interface.

34. The transducer interface of claim 33 wherein said transducer interface comprises a mattress.

35. The transducer interface of claim 33 wherein said transducer interface comprises a box spring.

36. The transducer interface of claim 33 wherein said transducer interface comprises an insert between a box spring and a mattress.

37. The transducer interface of claim 33 wherein said transducer interface comprises a bedding foundation.

38. The transducer interface of claim 33 wherein said transducer interface comprises a pad.

39. A combined spring and electro-active polymer transducer comprising:

a coil spring having an end support;

an electro-active polymer transducer connected to said end support that expands and contracts in response to a musical tonal frequency signal.

40. A transducer interface for providing a surface that vibrates in response to a musical tonal frequency signal comprising:

a coil spring disposed in, and mechanically coupled to, said transducer interface, said coil spring having an end support;

an electro-active polymer transducer connected to said end support that expands and contracts in response to said musical tonal frequency signal that is applied to said electro-active polymer transducer to expand and contract to generate vibrations on said surface of said transducer interface that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies.

41. The transducer interface of claim 40 wherein said transducer interface comprises a mattress.

42. The transducer interface of claim 40 wherein said transducer interface comprises a box spring.

43. The transducer interface of claim 40 wherein said transducer interface comprises an insert between a mattress and a box spring.

44. The transducer interface of claim 40 wherein said transducer interface comprises a bedding foundation.

45. The transducer interface of claim 40 wherein said transducer interface comprises a pad.

46. A floor system that creates vibrations in response to musical tonal frequencies comprising:

a floor deck made from a material that is capable of transmitting said vibrations;

isolators attached to said floor deck that isolate said floor deck from a floor base;

a mechanical transducer that generates said vibrations in response to said musical tonal frequencies;

a vibrational plate attached to said mechanical transducer and said floor deck that transfers said vibrations generated by said transducer, that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies, to said floor deck.

47. A floor system that creates vibrations in response to musical tonal frequencies comprising:

a floor deck that is made of a material that is capable of transmitting said vibrations;

isolators attached to said floor deck that isolate said floor deck from a floor base;

an electro-active polymer transducer attached to said floor deck between said floor deck and said floor base that generates said vibrations in response to a musical tonal frequency signal, that are transferred to said floor deck to create said vibrations in said floor deck that correspond to said musical tonal frequencies.

48. A method of inducing tactile stimulation in a user using mechanical transducers that are driven by musical tonal frequency signal comprising:

providing a support structure;

coupling a cushioning layer to said support structure;

coupling a diaphragm to said cushioning layer;

applying a musical tonal frequency signal to said transducer;

generating musical tonal vibrations in said mechanical transducers, in response to said musical tonal frequency signal, that is transmitted to said cushioning layer to induce tactile stimulation in said user.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising:

providing a source of audible tones corresponding to said musical tonal frequency signals.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein said process of providing a support structure comprises providing a mattress support structure.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein said process of providing a support structure comprises providing a box spring support structure.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein said process of providing a support structure comprises providing an insert support structure.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein said process of providing a support structure comprises providing a bedding foundation support structure.

54. The method of claim 48 wherein said process of providing a support structure comprises providing a pad support structure.