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US3716046A
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Apparatus and method for rotationally inducing and measuring nystagmus
Assignee: TRACOUSTICS Inc
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Filing: 1971-04-27
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Granted: 1973-02-13
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Expires: 1991-04-27
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for rotationally inducing nystagmus in the horizontal plane, the apparatus including a chair pivotal about an upward directed axis and biased to an at-rest position, tensioning of the biasing means and adjustable lateral weights providing means for damping the periodicity of the sinusoidal chair movement.
Inventors
- 👤 C Janeke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 23:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/48; A61B5/4863
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for being freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, and biasing means affixed to said seat for urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for being freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, and biasing means affixed to said seat for urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for being freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, and biasing means affixed to said seat for urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for being freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, and biasing means affixed to said seat for urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein one of said seat and support means includes a shaft and the other of said seat and support means includes an anti-friction thrust bearing for receiving said shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein said thrust bearing has substantially the same functional coefficient of friction for a wide range of thrust forces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said support means includes floor contacts for stabilizing said apparatus on uneven floor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus for including nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, an arm connected to said seat and projecting transversely to said axis, and a spring connected to said arm and said support means for biasing said seat to an at-rest position with respect to said support means whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus for including nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, an arm connected to said seat and projecting transversely to said axis, and a spring connected to said arm and said support means for biasing said seat to an at-rest position with respect to said support means whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said spring is connected to said support means at a greater radial distance from said axis than the connection of said spring to said arm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, biasing means urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom, and means for damping the time of oscillation when said seat is moved from the at-rest position and allowed to oscillatorily freely pivot.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, biasing means urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom, and means for damping the time of oscillation when said seat is moved from the at-rest position and allowed to oscillatorily freely pivot.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said damping means includes at least two arms extending transversely to said axis having weights adjustably positional therealong for modifying the radius of gyration of said pivoted seat.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein said two arms extend from said axis 180* from each other.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said biasing means includes an arm connected to said seat and projecting transversely to said axis, and a spring connected to said arm and to said support means, and said damping means includes a plurality of connections on said support means for connecting said springs at various radial distances from said axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said biasing means includes a leaf spring connected to one of said seat and said support means, the other of said seat and said support means including stops for receiving the free end of said leaf spring therebetween to permit flexing of said leaf spring without disgorging.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein the point of connection for said leaf spring and said stops are located at the same radial distance from said axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, biasing means urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom, and an electrical sensing means connected to said support means and said seat for sensing the relative positions thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for inducing nystagmus in a human subject, comprising: support means, a seat including means for freely pivotally mounting said seat for oscillatory movement on said support means about an upwardly directed axis, biasing means urging said seat to an at-rest position whenever said seat is pivoted in either direction therefrom, and an electrical sensing means connected to said support means and said seat for sensing the relative positions thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein said electrical sensing means includes a potentiometer, the arm of which is fixedly positioned with respect to one of said support means and said seat and the resistor element along which said arm travels is fixedly positioned with respect to the other of said support means and said seat.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
82 words
The method for inducing and measuring nystagmus in a human subject, which comprises: positioning said subject in a pivotal chair biased to an at-rest position, said chair being freely pivotally mounted for oscillatory movement upon a support, said chair being fixedly secured from lateral swinging, pivoting said chair from the at-rest position to produce alternating angular acceleration in the plane of the horizontal semicircular canals, and measuring the amount of eye movement of the subject caused by pivotal movement of said chair.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
82 words
The method for inducing and measuring nystagmus in a human subject, which comprises: positioning said subject in a pivotal chair biased to an at-rest position, said chair being freely pivotally mounted for oscillatory movement upon a support, said chair being fixedly secured from lateral swinging, pivoting said chair from the at-rest position to produce alternating angular acceleration in the plane of the horizontal semicircular canals, and measuring the amount of eye movement of the subject caused by pivotal movement of said chair.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as described in claim 15, and including the step of recording the movement of the chair through potentiometric connections, said recording being concurrent with said measurement.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as described in claim 15, And including the steps of modifying the mass of said chair, thereby changing the radius of gyration, and pivoting said chair from the at-rest position to again produce alternating angular acceleration in the plane of the horizontal canals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as described in claim 15, and including the step of blindfolding the subject to exclude optokinetic stimulation.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
189 words
The method for inducing and measuring nystagmus in a human subject, which comprises: positioning the subject with his head bent forward approximately 30* in a pivotal chair biased to an at-rest position, said chair being freely pivotally mounted for oscillatory movement upon a support, said chair being fixedly secured from lateral swinging, connecting sensors to the subject for nystagmographically measuring the response of the subject, rotationally deviating the chair from its at-rest position in a first direction, releasing the chair for damped sinusoidal harmonic type movement, counting the number of beats of nystagmus movements while the chair is rotating in said second direction for a fixed number of rotations interspersed with rotations in said first direction, counting the number of beats of nystagmus movements while the chair is rotating in said first direction for the same number of rotations as for said second direction, subtracting the smaller number of beats counted for one of said directions from the larger number of beats counted for the other of said directions, and dividing the difference in the beats by the total number thereof, a percentage of over 20 percent evidencing pathology.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
189 words
The method for inducing and measuring nystagmus in a human subject, which comprises: positioning the subject with his head bent forward approximately 30* in a pivotal chair biased to an at-rest position, said chair being freely pivotally mounted for oscillatory movement upon a support, said chair being fixedly secured from lateral swinging, connecting sensors to the subject for nystagmographically measuring the response of the subject, rotationally deviating the chair from its at-rest position in a first direction, releasing the chair for damped sinusoidal harmonic type movement, counting the number of beats of nystagmus movements while the chair is rotating in said second direction for a fixed number of rotations interspersed with rotations in said first direction, counting the number of beats of nystagmus movements while the chair is rotating in said first direction for the same number of rotations as for said second direction, subtracting the smaller number of beats counted for one of said directions from the larger number of beats counted for the other of said directions, and dividing the difference in the beats by the total number thereof, a percentage of over 20 percent evidencing pathology.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method as described in claim 19, the results thereof being characterized as the rotational test results, and including the step of introducing a fluid into the outer ear of the subject, and measuring differences of nystagmus movement caused by said introduction of said fluid, wherein a normal rotational test result and a disrhythmic caloric test result evidences a disturbance in the fast threshold phase mechanism of the brain stem of the subject.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3258008A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-13 | 1976-08-14 | 1977-02-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-13 | 1980-08-14 | 1981-02-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-13 | 1984-08-14 | 1985-02-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |