Electroacoustic stimulation device and method
View Patent ↗The device for electroacoustic stimulation and the method for using the same. The device is an electro-vibrational device operating in one of six acoustic frequency bands. It may be applied to muscles, tendons, and joints to achieve muscle relaxation and alleviation of pain. The device may also be used to induce psycho-physical effects, such as general relaxation of the body and psyche and inducing a state of spiritual calm, resembling results of meditation process. To maximize an effect, a vibratory stimulation is applied not only to the pain afflicted area, but also to symmetrical areas on the contralateral side of the body and similar zones according to the anterior-posterior symmetry. To enhance the electroacoustic stimulation effect, the vibrational signal is supplied either in a form of continuous wave, series of the same frequency trains, separated by pauses, or series of trains of different frequencies also separated by pauses.
1 . An electroacoustic stimulation device comprising:
a vibrating enclosure,
a piezoelectric element, an electronic driver circuit, and a signal adjustment circuit,
a conductive plate located in the vicinity of and in parallel with a metal plate of the piezoelectric element; the conductive plate is capacitively coupled with the metal plate of the piezoelectric element,
and the piezoelectric element is electrically connected to the electronic driver circuit via the signal adjustment circuit,
the piezoelectric element is driven by the electronic driver circuit and oscillates at predetermined frequency selected from an acoustic frequency range, and the piezoelectric element generates an acoustic wave and an external, fringe electric field wherein the acoustic wave and the fringe electric field are configured to be applied to preselected spots on a skin tissue of a patient via the vibrating enclosure and an acoustic hole,
wherein the signal adjustment circuit consists of a voltage multiplier consisting of a plurality of cascaded two-port circuits, wherein each two-port circuit consists of a series connected capacitor-diode circuit, each two-port circuit receives an input signal between two external terminals of the series connected capacitor-diode circuit and provides an output signal across its diode terminals,
a first two-port circuit receives the input signal from an output of the signal enhancement circuit, an input of a second two-port circuit is coupled to an output of the first two-port circuit, and
the piezoelectric element is directly coupled to an output of the second two-port circuit.
2 . The electroacoustic stimulation device, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said frequency range comprises frequencies between 250 and 400 Hz, wherein the frequency of oscillation periodically changes with a time according to a sinusoidal form.
3 . The electroacoustic stimulation device, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein selection of predetermined signal frequencies, control of predetermined signal frequencies durations, and timing of signals onset and cessation are implemented by a microcontroller.
4 . The electroacoustic stimulation device, as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said piezoelectric element oscillates with a frequency, which periodically changes with a time according to a sinusoidal form.
5 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein said the electroacoustic stimulation device generates acoustic signals in form of packets of the same frequency, and
wherein the packets are separated by audio pauses.
6 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electroacoustic stimulation device generates acoustic signals in form of packets of different frequencies, and
wherein said packets of different frequencies are separated by audio pauses.
7 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of switches located on a top of the vibrating enclosure which when activated control a microcontroller, which is provided with a software for performing the following functions:
setting a predetermined acoustic frequency, activation of the device,
generation of an output signal with predetermined acoustic frequency, counting a predetermined time of the signal generation, stopping generation of an output signal, holding the device in a pause, restarting generation of the signal with the same or different frequency, and
generation of a visual and/or acoustic indication of the device status.
8 . Electroacoustic stimulation device comprising:
a vibrating enclosure,
a piezoelectric element, an electronic driver circuit, and a signal adjustment circuit,
and the piezoelectric element is electrically connected to the electronic driver circuit via the signal adjustment circuit,
the piezoelectric element is driven by the electronic driver circuit and oscillates at predetermined frequency selected from an acoustic frequency range, and the piezoelectric element generates an acoustic wave and an external fringe electric field configured to be applied to predetermined spots on a skin tissue of a patient via the vibrating enclosure and an acoustic hole,
wherein the signal adjustment circuit is a voltage multiplier consisting of several cascaded two-port circuits, wherein each two-port circuit consists of a series connected capacitor-diode circuit, wherein an input signal is applied between two external terminals of the capacitor-diode circuit, and an output signal is produced across its diode terminals,
the first two-port circuit receives an input signal from an output of the signal shaping circuit, an input of the second two-terminal circuit is coupled to an output of the first two-terminal circuit, and
the piezoelectric element is directly coupled to an output of a second two-port circuit.
9 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 8 , wherein
the predetermined spots on the skin tissue of the patient intended for treatment of muscle spasm or pain in limbs and comprise:
a group of spots including: (i) an afflicted area, and (ii) a group of spots on the side of the limb opposite the afflicted area according to a medial-lateral symmetry.
10 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the predetermined spots on the skin tissue of the patient comprise:
a group of spots including: (i) an afflicted area, and (ii) general functional centers of the body.
11 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 10 ,
wherein said general functional centers of the body include the Solar Plexus, and its contralateral spot on the back, the Umbilicus, and its contralateral spot on the back.
12 . The electroacoustic stimulation device, as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said piezoelectric element oscillates with a frequency, which periodically changes with a time according to a sinusoidal form.
13 . The electroacoustic stimulation device, as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said acoustic frequency range comprises frequencies between 250 and 400 Hz, and wherein the oscillating frequency periodically changes with a time according to sinusoidal form.
14 . The electroacoustic stimulation device, as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the conductive place and a metal plate of the piezoelectric element are capacitively coupled by a capacitor part.
15 . The electroacoustic stimulation device according to claim 8 , wherein
the predetermined spots on the skin tissue of the patient are intended for treatment of muscle spasm or pain in chest and comprise
a combination of the following spots: (i) an afflicted area of the chest, and
(ii) a spot on a contralateral with respect to the afflicted area side of the chest, according to the sagittal symmetry, and
(iii) a spot on the opposite side of the body, according to the anterior-posterior symmetry.