Process for Establishing an Electrostimulation Protocol, and Respective Electrostimulation Portable Equipment Using Said Protocol

Abstract

Process and electrostimulation equipment employed in controlling pains of various etiologies, the process predicting the development of an electrostimulation protocol in which the variation of electrical pulses intensity is performed in a random fashion, respecting the limits of stimulation efficiency, in order to reduce the physiological phenomenon of nerve fiber accommodation to the stimuli, the electrostimulation portable equipment, having of a bandage, and having a central electronic module and two lateral flaps, which contain the respective electrodes covered by gel layers removable protective sheets. The module houses the internal components and the electric circuit equipment, power battery, which is a coin-shaped lithium-ion battery. The equipment includes power source, step-up regulator, micro controller, power supply seal, boost source, H-bridge, and electrode output, and switch off module.

Claims

1. A process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, characterized in that it provides a random intensity variation of the electrical pulses, respecting the stimulation effectiveness limits, said random variation being comprised, at each chosen intensity level, within a variation range of 10 V (with 500Ω, charge), wherein said electrical pulses exhibit the shape of a square wave, are monopolar, and have a width (or duration) ranging between 60 μs and 100 μs, and frequency between 40 Hz and 70 Hz.

2. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that said random intensity variation of the electrical pulses is preferably comprised in the range of 5 V (with 500 Ωcharge).

3. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that said width (or duration) of the electrical pulses is preferably 80 μs.

4. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that said frequency of the electrical pulses is preferably 55 Hz.

5. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that it provides two electrostimulation modes, namely, continuous mode and intermittent mode.

6. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that, pulse bursts are continuously applied, in a continuous mode, with duration from 500 milliseconds to 2 seconds, and with sequentially inverted polarity.

7. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 6, characterized in that said pulse bursts exhibit preferably a duration of 1 second.

8. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that pulse bursts lasting 2-4 seconds and with sequentially inverted polarity, with a time intervals between the pulse bursts, are applied in an intermittent fashion, wherein said interval lasts 2-4 seconds.

9. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 8, characterized in that said pulse bursts exhibit preferably a duration of 3 second.

10. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 8, characterized in that said time interval between the pulse bursts exhibits preferably a duration of 3 second.

11. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that it optionally discloses the simultaneous use of other strategies both to avoid the nerve fiber accommodation and to reduce current consumption, used together with the random variation of the pulse intensity.

12. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that one of said strategy is the use of monopolar pulse bursts.

13. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that the other of said strategies is pulse burst polarity inversion.

14. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that one of said strategy is the addition of intermittent stimulation modes.

15. The process for establishing an electrostimulation protocol, according to claim 1, characterized in that said strategies comprise the selection of different electrostimulation ranges, wherein all of them include a random variation range.

16. Electrostimulation protocol equipment using said protocol, of the type consisting of a bandage comprising a central electronic module and two side flaps, which house the respective electrodes, suitably covered by the respective gel layers, protected by the respective removable protective sheets, said central electronic module housing the internal components and the electrical circuit of the equipment, as well as its power supply, wherein, in addition to an on-off button and a led, signalizing that the equipment is working, one or more control buttons can be externally provided, characterized in that said battery is a non-rechargeable disposable power battery, preferably a CR20XX coin-shaped ion-lithium battery, and in that it houses the following internal components: Power source module, step-up regulator module, micro controller module, power supply seal module, boost source module, H-bridge module, electrode output module, and module for switching off when there is no charge.

17. The electrostimulation protocol equipment, according to claim 16, characterized in that said battery is preferably a 3V one.

18. The electrostimulation protocol equipment, according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises the electrical scheme shown in FIG. 6.

19. The electrostimulation protocol equipment, according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises the flowchart shown in FIG. 7.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] To complement the present description, to better understand the characteristics of the subject matter of the patent, a set of drawings accompanies this specification, in which, in an exemplified and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

[0040] FIG. 1 is a graphical representation showing the usual strategy for avoiding the nerve fiber accommodation used in the known electrostimulation protocols, that is, the use of intensity (amplitude) variation of the electrical pulses, variation that, to this day, is done regularly over time;

[0041] FIG. 2 is another graphical representation, now illustrating the novel strategy to avoid nerve fiber accommodation, provided by this innovative electrostimulation protocol, that is, the use of a random variation of electrical pulse intensity (amplitude), during the application of pulse bursts;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows, also by means of a graphical representation, one of the embodiment of this innovative electrostimulation protocol, where pulse bursts with a determined duration and with sequentially inverted polarity are continuously applied;

[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates, similarly by means of a graphical representation, other embodiments of this innovative electrostimulation protocol, that is, the intermittent mode, according to which pulse bursts are applied with a determined duration, and with sequentially inverted polarity, although providing a time interval between said pulse bursts, with a determined duration.

[0044] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electrostimulation equipment, in which this innovative stimulation protocol is applied, wherein said equipment may exhibit any external configuration, among them, the shape of a band, such as illustrated, as an example, in said figure;

[0045] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of this innovative portable electrostimulation equipment where said electrostimulation protocol is used, where said block diagram further includes the electrical scheme of the equipment;

[0046] Finally, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the software, specifically developed for this innovative electrostimulation protocol.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] The present application for patent of invention relates to a “PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING AN ELECTROSTIMULATION PROTOCOL, AND RESPECTIVE ELECTROSTIMULATION PORTABLE EQUIPMENT USING SAID PROTOCOL”, said electrostimulation process and equipment being used to control pain in different etiologies, more in particular, painful disorders of the locomotor and nervous system (among them arthritis, muscle inflammation, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, etc.), and in cases of chronic and recurrent pain (among them the ones caused by dysmenorrhea and the ones of oncological origin).

[0048] Initially, with references to the “PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING AN ELECTROSTIMULATION PROTOCOL”, said process provides the development of an electrostimulation protocol in which intensity variation of the electrical pulses is performed in a random manner, respecting the limits of stimulation efficacy, to reduce the physiological phenomenon of nervous fiber accommodation upon receiving stimuli.

[0049] More specifically, according to the present process, the electrical pulses exhibit the shape of a square wave, are monopolar and have a width (or duration) between 60 μs and 100 μs, preferably 80 μs, frequency between 40 Hz and 70 Hz, preferably 55 Hz, and, for each intensity level chosen by the user, there is a random variation occurring from the selected limit to a lower one, in the range of 10 V, preferably 5 V (with a 500 □ charge), as shown in attached FIG. 2.

[0050] Furthermore, the present process discloses two embodiments for this innovative electrostimulation protocol, namely, continuous mode and intermittent mode.

[0051] In the continuous mode, shown in the graphical representation of FIG. 3, burst trains lasting 500 milliseconds to 2 seconds, preferably 1 second, and with sequentially inverted polarity are continuously applied.

[0052] In the intermittent mode, shown in the graphical representation of FIG. 4, pulse bursts lasting from 2 to 4 seconds, preferably 3 seconds, and with sequentially inverted polarity are applied, however there is a time interval from 2 to 4 seconds, preferably 3 seconds.

[0053] In optional embodiments, this innovative protocol discloses the simultaneous use of other strategies used together with the random intensity pulse variation, as a complementary way to further reduce nerve fiber accommodation, as well as to make current consumption even smaller.

[0054] Among the strategies simultaneously employed with the aleatory (or random) variation of the pulse intensity, let us cite the following ones: [0055] the use of monopolar pulse bursts, which allow saving battery charge; [0056] polarity inversion of the pulse bursts, avoiding muscular fiber accommodation effect; [0057] inclusion of intermittent modes of stimulation for the maintenance of analgesia, once the desired effect has been achieved; [0058] selection of different bands of electrostimulation, all of them including the range of random variation.

[0059] By means of this new protocol, in which the intensity of the electric pulses has begun to vary in a random way, it was possible to sensibly reduce nerve fiber accommodation, increasing the effectiveness of the electrostimulation and, thus, of the analgesic effect.

[0060] Concurrently, this random variation of electric pulse intensity further allowed a substantial reduction in current consumption in the operations of the electrostimulation equipment, allowing the use of standard coin-shaped lithium ion batteries, model CR20XX, which are smaller, cheaper and of lower load capacity, but sufficient to meet the current lower current consumption due to random intensity variations, incorporated by this innovative electric stimulation protocol. Hence, battery replacement becomes unnecessary.

[0061] Thus, since it is now possible to use such common ion-lithium batteries, it has been possible to substantially reduce the dimensions of the equipment, which are greater because they are determined by higher capacity batteries until then necessary to provide electrostimulation operations of the apparatus.

[0062] With references to the novel “ELECTROSTIMULATION PORTABLE EQUIPMENT USING SAID PROTOCOL”, said equipment can exhibit any type of external configuration, among them, the one illustrated, as an example, in FIG. 5, according to which the equipment usually consists of a bandage (1) comprising a central electronic module (2) and two side flaps (3), which contain, at the lower part, respective electrodes (not shown), suitably covered by the respective gel layers, that are, in turn, protected by the respective removable protective sheets (also not shown). The central electronic module (2) houses the internal components and the electrical circuit of the equipment, as well as its power supply battery, and an external power button (4), a led (5) indicating the functioning of the apparatus and one or more control buttons (6).

[0063] Thanks to the previously described innovative electrostimulation protocol, the power supply battery of this innovative equipment could now be a disposable coin-shaped lithium-ion battery, model CR20XX.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 6, this innovative equipment shows the following modules of internal components: Power source module (7), step-up regulator module (8), micro controller module (9), power supply seal module (10), boost source module (11), H-bridge module (12), electrode output module (13), and module for switching off when there is no charge (14).

[0065] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the software, specifically developed for this innovative electrostimulation protocol.

[0066] As previously mentioned, by the novel protocol developed by the Inventor in addition to reducing significantly nerve fiber accommodation, it was possible to reduce the current consumption in operations carried out by the electrostimulation equipment, allowing the use of ordinary disposable coin-shaped lithium ion batteries, model CR20XX, which have smaller sizes, lower cost and lower capacity in mA/h, but which are sufficient to meet the current lower consumption required during random intensity variations, determined by the innovative electric stimulation protocol.