Slimming device

• US 6,645,229 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toshihide Yoshida
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toshihide Yoshida
• Inventors: Sato, Yasuhiro, Yoshida, Toshihide, Iwata, Hideo, Matsumura, Yuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US09/739,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 607/1, 607/3, 607/96, 607/19, 607/77, 607/100, 607/108, 607/90, 607/88, 607/97, 607/98
• US Class Current: 607/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric

Abstract

Slimming device capable of effectively activating an uncoupling protein to provide a good slimming action. The slimming device physically stimulates an uncoupling protein that is responsible for thermogenesis to activate the uncoupling protein, thereby generating heat. An uncoupling protein can be effectively activated by the physical stimulation.

Claims

1. A slimming device comprising means for physical stimulation wherein the means physically stimulate an uncoupling protein that is responsible for thermogenesis to activate the uncoupling protein, thereby generating heat.

2. The slimming device of claim 1, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises at least one of a thermal stimulator, an electrical stimulator, and a mechanical stimulator capable of being applied to a part to be stimulated.

3. The slimming device of claim 1, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises stimulating an uncoupling protein in at least one of a brown adipocyte, a white adipocyte, and a skeletal muscle.

4. The slimming device of claim 3, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises exclusively stimulating an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte located at the interscapular region, the axilla, or the nape of the neck.

5. The slimming device of claim 3, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises exclusively stimulating an uncoupling protein in a white adipocyte or a skeletal muscle located at a part to be slimmed.

6. The slimming device of claim 3, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises stimulating an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte located at the interscapular region, the axilla, or the nape of the neck, as well as an uncoupling protein in a white adipocyte or a skeletal muscle located at a part to be slimmed.

7. The slimming device of claim 6, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises simultaneously stimulating an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte and an uncoupling protein at a part to be slimmed.

8. The slimming device of claim 6, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises stimulating firstly an uncoupling protein at a part to be slimmed, and subsequently stimulating an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte within a defined period of time after the first stimulation, or vice versa.

9. The slimming device of claim 1, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises stimulating a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

10. The slimming device of claim 9, wherein the means for physical stimulation comprises ultrasonic stimulation, in which the ultrasonic stimulation not only secretes a catecholamine from the terminus of a sympathetic nerve and the adrenal medulla to induce lipolysis of a white adipose, but also activates an uncoupling protein in a white adipose or a skeletal muscle to locally decay free fatty acids released by lipolysis with energy dissipation in a form of heat.

11. A slimming device comprising a physical stimulation arrangement, said physical stimulation arrangement being structured to physically stimulate an uncoupling protein that is responsible for thermogenesis to activate the uncoupling protein, thereby generating heat.

12. The slimming device of claim 11 .wherein the physical stimulation arrangement comprises at least one of a thermal stimulator, an electrical stimulator, and a mechanical stimulator capable of being applied to apart to be stimulated.

13. The slimming device of claim 12, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

14. The slimming device of claim 11, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate an uncoupling protein in at least one of a brown adipocyte, a white adipocyte, and a skeletal muscle.

15. The slimming device of claim 14, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to exclusively stimulate an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte located at the interscapular region, the axilla, or the nape of the neck.

16. The slimming device of claim 14, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to exclusively stimulate an uncoupling protein in a white adipocyte or a skeletal muscle located at a part to be slimmed.

17. The slimming device of claim 16, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

18. The slimming device of claim 14, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte located at the interscapular region, the axilla, or the nape of the neck, as well as an uncoupling protein in a white adipocyte or a skeletal muscle located at a part to be slimmed.

19. The slimming device of claim 18, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to simultaneously stimulate an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte and an uncoupling protein at a part to be slimmed.

20. The slimming device of claim 19, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

21. The slimming device of claim 18, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to firstly stimulate an uncoupling protein at a part to be slimmed, and to subsequently stimulate an uncoupling protein in a brown adipocyte within a defined period of time after the first stimulation, or vice versa.

22. The slimming device of claim 21, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

23. The slimming device of claim 18, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

24. The slimming device of claim 14, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

25. The slimming device of claim 11, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement is structured to stimulate a sympathetic nerve to secret a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the physical stimulation arrangement comprises ultrasonic stimulation, in which the ultrasonic stimulation not only secretes a catecholamine from the terminus of a sympathetic nerve and the adrenal medulla to induce lipolysis of a white adipose, but also activates an uncoupling protein in a white adipose or a skeletal muscle to decay locally free fatty acids released by lipolysis with energy dissipation in a form of heat.

27. A method for slimming down or reducing weight, comprising physically stimulating an uncoupling protein that is responsible for thermogenesis to activate the uncoupling protein, thereby generating heat.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises at least one of thermal stimulation, electrical stimulation, and mechanical stimulation.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises stimulating at least one of a brown adipocyte, a white adipocyte, and a skeletal muscle.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises exclusively stimulating a brown adipocyte located at the interscapular region, the axilla, or the nape of the neck.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises exclusively stimulating a white adipocyte or a skeletal muscle located at a part to be slimmed.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises stimulating a brown adipocyte located at the interscapular region, the axilla, or the nape of the neck, as well as a white adipocyte or a skeletal muscle located at a part to be slimmed.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises simultaneously stimulating a brown adipocyte and a part to be slimmed.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises stimulating firstly a part to be slimmed, and subsequently stimulating a brown adipocyte within a defined period of time after the first stimulation, or vice versa.

35. The method of claims 27 wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises stimulating a sympathetic nerve to secrete a catecholamine at a part to be slimmed.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the physical stimulation of the uncoupling protein comprises an ultrasonic stimulation, in which the ultrasonic stimulation not only secretes a catecholamine from the terminus of a sympathetic nerve and the adrenal medulla to induce lipolysis of a white adipose, but also activates an uncoupling protein in a white adipose or a skeletal muscle to locally decay free fatty acids released by lipolysis with energy dissipation in the form of heat.