EP0000477A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mandible stimulator
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-06-27
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 1998-06-27
Abstract
Abstract A mandible stimulator for causing involuntary mandibu- larclosure operating in either a "test" mode for measuring the conductivities in a pair of electrode circuits or a "pulse" mode for generating adjustable amplitude constant current pulses in the electrode circuits. In the "test" mode a constant voltage is applied to left and right electrode circuits. A first comparator circuit flashes respective "open" circuit warning lamps (30) if the current through either of the electrodes is less than a preset value, and it flashes a "good" connection indicator lamp (32) if the current through both electrodes is greaterthan the preset value. A second comparator circuit detects a current unbalance between the electrode circuits and flashes respective "low" current warning lamps (34) in response thereto. In the "pulse" mode an oscillator repetatively charges a capacitor to a high voltage through a pulse transformer, and the high voltage is then gated to a control circuit which generates a current pulse having an adjustable amplitude through the electrode circuits. The amplitude of the current through one electrode circuit with respect to the cur- rentthrough the other electrode circuit may be adjusted with a balance control (26).
Inventors
- 👤 Bernard Jankelson
- 👤 John C. Radke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 01:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/36003; A61N1/36014; A61N1/3603; A61N1/36034
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
A mandible stimulator for providing controlled electrical stimulation of the multiplicity of muscles innervated by the fifth and seventh cranial nerves, comprising: a power source; output means having right, left and common outputs, said output means including a right electrode connected to said right output, a left electrode conected to said left output and a dispersal electrode connected to said common output, said output means being adapted to form a right electrode circuit through the body of a patient between the right side of said patient's face and said dispersal electrode and a left electrode circuit through the body of said patient between the left side of said patient's face and said dispersal electrode; amplitude control means for selecting the intensity of said electrical stimulation; and. signal.generating means characterized by constant current pulsing means connected to said power. source for periodically generating, a right stimulus pulse between said right and common outputs, and a left stimulus pulse between said left and common outputs, said right and left stimulus pulses producing currents in said right and left electrode circuits, respectively, which are a constant value corresponding to the intensity selected by said amplitude control means such that the elec-. trical stimulation of said muscles is unaffected by variations in electrode circuit resistance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
A mandible stimulator for providing controlled electrical stimulation of the multiplicity of muscles innervated by the fifth and seventh cranial nerves, comprising: a power source; output means having right, left and common outputs, said output means including a right electrode connected to said right output, a left electrode conected to said left output and a dispersal electrode connected to said common output, said output means being adapted to form a right electrode circuit through the body of a patient between the right side of said patient's face and said dispersal electrode and a left electrode circuit through the body of said patient between the left side of said patient's face and said dispersal electrode; amplitude control means for selecting the intensity of said electrical stimulation; and. signal.generating means characterized by constant current pulsing means connected to said power. source for periodically generating, a right stimulus pulse between said right and common outputs, and a left stimulus pulse between said left and common outputs, said right and left stimulus pulses producing currents in said right and left electrode circuits, respectively, which are a constant value corresponding to the intensity selected by said amplitude control means such that the elec-. trical stimulation of said muscles is unaffected by variations in electrode circuit resistance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The mandible stimulator of claim 1 wherein the duration of said stimulus pulses is approximately 0.5 milliseconds such that involuntary mandibular closure is achieved without causing muscle fatigue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
184 words
The mandible stimulator of claim 1 further including electrode circuit testing means for measuring the conductance of said electrode circuits and providing a visual indication of the condition thereof, said test- ing means comprising right and left circuit conductance sensing means for generating right and left conductance signals indicative of the conductance in said right and left electrode circuits, respectively; first comparator means receiving said right and left conductance signals for illuminating right and left open circuit indicating lamps responsive to the conductance in said right and left electrode circuits, respectively, being less than a first predetermined value; and second comparator means receiving said right and left conductance signals for illuminating a right circuit low conductance indicating lamp responsive to the conductance of said right electrode circuit being less than the conductance of said left electrode circuit by a second predetermined value, and for illuminating a left circuit low conductance indicating lamp responsive to the conductance of said left electrode circuit being less than the conductance of said right electrode circuit by said second predetermined value thereby providing a visual indication of circuit unbalance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The mandible stimulator of claim 3 further .including low conductance indicating lamp inhibit means for preventing said low conductance indicating lamps from illuminating when the respective open circuit indicating lamp is illuminated such that a visual indication of electrode circuit low conductance is not produced when said electrode circuit is open.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The mandible stimulator of claim 3 further including indicator means receiving said right and left conductance signals for illuminating a good circuit condition indicating lamp responsive to the conductance of said right electrode circuit and the conductance of said left electrode circuit exceeding said first predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
The mandible stimulator of claim 1 wherein said amplitude control means comprise: potentiometer means having a linear resistance winding and potentiometer wiper adjustably contacting said resistance winding; control circuit means connected to said potentiometer means, said control circuit means having a non-linear transfer function such that the intensity of said electrical stimulation is a non-linear function of the position of said potentiometer wiper; and compensating means connected to said potentiometer means and said control circuit means for counteracting the non-linear characteristic of said control circuit means such that the intensity of said electrical stimulation is a linear function of the position of said potentiometer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3602215A
Cited
FR2052534A5
Cited
US3593422A
Cited
US3797500A
Cited
US3732859A
Cited
FR2160568A1
Cited
FR2188436A5
Cited
FR2194455A1
Cited
US3897787A
Cited
FR2340743A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.