Power muscle stimulator

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, each of the first and second electrical stimuli having a characteristic waveshape, the characteristic waveshapes of the first and second stimuli being substantially identical.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, the electrical stimuli each including a continuous biphasic segment which, during a fundamental period thereof, is camel-back having two portions having respective maximum amplitudes of a first polarity relative a reference separated by an intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude of a second polarity relative the reference.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising: generating an electrical signal having selected characteristics; amplifying in a first channel the electrical signal to generate the first electrical stimulus for application to the agonist muscle; and amplifying in a second channel the electrical signal to generate the second electrical stimulus for application to the antagonist muscle.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 further comprising: selecting at least some of the characteristics of the electrical signal.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4, generating the electrical signal including: generating a selected, periodically repeating waveform signal; generating a selected, periodically repeating profile signal; and combining the waveform signal and the profile signal.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4, generating the electrical signal including generating a waveform signal including a stim segment and a variable length rest segment, the method further comprising selecting the length of the rest segment.

Claim 9

The method of claim 4, generating the electrical signal including generating a waveform signal including one of a plurality of selectable stim segments, the method further comprising selecting one of said stim segments.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8, at least some of the stim segments being continuous and biphasic.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9, at least one of the stim segments being continuous and biphasic, and, during a fundamental period thereof, camel-back having two portions having respective maximum amplitudes of a first polarity relative a reference separated by an intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude of a second polarity relative the reference.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10, the two portions having substantially identical durations and maximum amplitudes, the intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude equal, but of opposite polarity, to the maximum amplitude of either of the two portions, and a duration twice the duration of either of the two portions.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12, the two portions having substantially identical durations and maximum amplitudes, the intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude equal, but of opposite polarity, to the maximum amplitude of either of the two portions, and a duration twice the duration of either of the two portions.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12, the stim signal having characteristics as follows: ##STR1## wherein R is a reference, t 4 is the fundamental period of the stim signal, t 1 is the duration of a first portion of the stim signal having a first polarity relative R and a maximum amplitude of Max A1, t 2 is the period of a second portion of the stim signal having a second polarity relative R and a maximum amplitude of Max A2, t 3 is the period of a third portion of the stim signal having the first polarity and a maximum amplitude of Max A1, and wherein t 1 +t 2 +t 3 =t 4 and t 1 +t 3 =t 2 .

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein t 1 =t 3 .

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 wherein the energy contained in the first portion plus the energy contained in the third portion is equal in magnitude to the energy contained in the second portion.

Claim 19

Apparatus for isometrically stimulating muscles associated with a limb adapted to rotate at a joint, comprising: stimulator means for generating first and second electrical stimulus signals having respective characteristics; channel means coupled to the stimulator means for substantially simultaneously applying the first and second electrical stimulus signals to respective agonist and antagonist muscles associated with the limb, the first electrical stimulus signal being effective to contract the agonist muscle whereby to tend to rotate the limb in one direction, the second electrical stimulus signal being effective to contract the antagonist muscle whereby to tend to rotate the limb in another, opposite direction, the first and second electrical stimulus signals being effective to cause contraction of the respective muscles in an amount such that tendency of the limb to rotate in one direction is offset by a substantially equal tendency to rotate in the opposite direction whereby to isometrically stimulate the muscles substantially without creation of a net torque at the joint.

Claim 20

Apparatus for isometrically stimulating muscles associated with a limb adapted to rotate at a joint, comprising: stimulator means for generating first and second electrical stimulus signals having respective characteristics; channel means coupled to the stimulator means for substantially simultaneously applying the first and second electrical stimulus signals to respective agonist and antagonist muscles associated with the limb, the first electrical stimulus signal being effective to contract the agonist muscle whereby to tend to rotate the limb in one direction, the second electrical stimulus signal being effective to contract the antagonist muscle whereby to tend to rotate the limb in another, opposite direction, the first and second electrical stimulus signals being effective to cause contraction of the respective muscles in an amount such that tendency of the limb to rotate in one direction is offset by a substantially equal tendency to rotate in the opposite direction whereby to isometrically stimulate the muscles substantially without creation of a net torque at the joint.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17, each of the first and second electrical stimulus signals having a characteristic waveshape, the characteristic waveshapes of the first and second electrical stimulus signals being substantially identical.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17, the stimulator means including: generator means for generating an electrical signal having selected characteristics; first amplifier means coupled to the generator means for generating the first electrical stimulus signal and coupling same to the channel means for application to the agonist muscle; and second amplifier means coupled to the generator means for generating the second electrical stimulus signals and coupling same to the channel means for application to the antagonist muscle.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19, the channel means including: first isolation means coupled to the first amplifier means for applying the first electrical stimulus signal to the agonist muscle; and second isolation means coupled to the second amplifier means for applying the second electric stimulus signal to the antagonist muscle.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 19, the stimulator means further including: means for selecting at least some of the characteristics of the electrical signal.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 19, the generator means including: waveform generator means for generating a selected, periodically repeating waveform signal; profile generator means for generating a selected, periodically repeating profile signal; and means for combining the waveform signal and the profile signal whereby to generate the electrical signal.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 19, the generator means including: means for generating a stim segment; means for generating a variable length rest segment; and means for selecting the length of the rest segment.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 19, the generator means including: means for generating a plurality of stim segments; and means for selecting one of the stim segments to be generated.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 19, the generator means including: means for generating a stim segment, the stim segment being continuous and biphasic, and, during a fundamental period thereof, camel-back having two portions having respective maximum amplitudes of a first polarity relative a reference, separated by an intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude of a second polarity relative the reference.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 25, the two portions having substantially identical durations and maximum amplitudes, the intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude equal, but of opposite polarity, to the maximum amplitude of either of the two portions, and a duration twice the duration of either of the two portions.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 27, the two portions having substantially identical durations and maximum amplitudes, the intermediate portion having a maximum amplitude equal, but of opposite polarity, to the maximum amplitude of either of the two portions, and a duration twice the duration of either of the two portions.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 27, the stim signal having characteristics as follows: ##STR2## wherein R is a reference, t 4 is the fundamental period of the stim signal, t 1 is the duration of a first portion of the stim signal having a first polarity relative R and a maximum amplitude of Max A1, t 2 is the period of a second portion of the stim signal having a second polarity relative R and a maximum amplitude of Max A2, t 3 is the period of a third portion of the stim signal having the first polarity and a maximum amplitude of Max A1, and wherein t 1 +t 2 +t 3 =t 4 and t 1 +t 3 =t 2 .

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein t 1 =t 3 .

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the energy contained in the first portion plus the energy contained in the third portion is equal in magnitude to the energy contained in the second portion.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 27, the means for generating including: first means for digitally generating a plurality of multi-bit outputs representing the stim signal; second means coupled to the first means for producing an analog signal corresponding to the multi-bit outputs, the analog signal being proportional to the stim signal; and amplifier means coupling the analog signal from the converter means to the means for applying whereby to amplify the analog signal to provide the stim signal.