# US 12,090,110 B2 · Stimulation device having an appendage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,090,110 B2 - Document ID: US12090110B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/888,568 - Filed: 2018-02-05 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2024-09-17 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-13 - Assignees: NOVOLUTO GmbH - Applicants: Novoluto GmbH - Inventors: Michael Lenke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12090110B2 ## CPC - A61H 19/34: {For clitoral stimulation} - A61H 9/005: {Pneumatic massage} - A61H 9/0057: {Suction (suction kneading A61H7/008)} - A61H 19/30: {Devices for external stimulation of the genitals} - A61H 19/40: {Devices insertable in the genitals} - A61H 19/44: {Having substantially cylindrical shape, e.g. dildos} - A61H 23/02: with electric or magnetic drive - A61H 23/0263: {using rotating unbalanced masses} - A61H 2009/0042: {with water recirculation} - A61H 2201/0107: modular - A61H 2201/0111: watertight - A61H 2201/0115: used in water - A61H 2201/0153: hand-held - A61H 2201/0188: Illumination related features - A61H 2201/0192: Specific means for adjusting dimensions - A61H 2201/1238: with hydraulic or pneumatic drive - A61H 2201/1246: by piston-cylinder systems - A61H 2201/1685: interchangeable - A61H 2201/5043: Displays - A61H 2201/5097: wireless - A61H 2205/087: Genitals - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) ## Abstract A stimulation device is provided in accordance with one embodiment. The stimulation device includes a chamber which has a flexible wall portion. A drive unit of the stimulation device is in physical communication with the flexible wall portion so as to cause deflections of the flexible wall portion in opposing directions, thereby resulting in a changing volume of the chamber. The changing volume of the chamber results in modulated positive and negative pressures with respect to a reference pressure. An opening of the stimulation device is for applying the modulated positive and negative pressures to a body part. An appendage of the stimulation device may be used as a handle to allow a user to position the stimulation device over the body part. The stimulation device includes a control device for controlling the drive unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stimulation device, comprising: a chamber having a flexible wall; a drive unit in physical communication with the flexible wall to cause at least a portion of the flexible wall to deflect in opposing directions, thereby resulting in a changing volume of the chamber, the at least the portion of the flexible wall to deflect in a first direction to generate a first pressure in the chamber below an ambient pressure and to deflect in a second direction opposite the first direction to generate a second pressure in the chamber above the ambient pressure; an opening for applying the first and second pressures to a portion of a body of a user; a control device for controlling the drive unit; and a housing including an appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of the body of the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the appendage defines a handle of the stimulation device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the opening is configured to be placed over the portion of the body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the body includes a clitoris. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a silicone coating. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The stimulation device of claim 5, wherein the appendage includes the silicone coating. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the appendage is configured to be inserted into a human mouth. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the chamber is valveless. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the appendage is configured to vibrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a water resistant material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein a medium of the first and second pressures is water. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the opening is defined by a portion of the housing, and wherein an angle of the appendage relative to the portion of the housing including the opening is adjustable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The stimulation device of claim 12, further including a joint to enable the angle of the appendage to be adjusted. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, wherein the control device is to cause the appendage to vibrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The stimulation device of claim 1, further including a flexible material, wherein the opening is formed in the flexible material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The stimulation device of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the flexible material protrudes from the housing. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: activating, in response to a user input received by a stimulation device, a drive unit of the stimulation device, the drive unit disposed in a housing of the stimulation device, the housing including an appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a user; and applying, via the drive unit, a force to cause at least a portion of a flexible wall of a chamber of the stimulation device to deflect in opposing directions, thereby resulting in a changing volume of the chamber, the changing volume of the chamber resulting in modulated positive and negative pressures with respect to an external reference pressure, the modulated positive and negative pressures to be applied to a portion of the body of the user via an opening of the stimulation device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the appendage defines a handle of the stimulation device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the portion of the body includes a clitoris and the opening is configured to be placed over the clitoris. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the housing includes a silicone coating. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further including causing the appendage to vibrate. ### Claim 22 A stimulation device, comprising: a pressure field generator having a flexible wall; a drive unit in physical communication with the flexible wall to cause at least a portion of the flexible wall to deflect in opposing directions, thereby resulting in a changing volume of the pressure field generator, the changing volume of the pressure field generator resulting in modulated positive and negative pressures with respect to an external reference pressure; an opening for applying the modulated positive and negative pressures to a portion of a body of a user; a control device for controlling the drive unit; and a housing including an appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of the body of the user. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the appendage defines a handle of the stimulation device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the portion of the body includes a clitoris and the opening is configured to be placed over the clitoris. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the housing includes a silicone coating. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, further including a chamber including the flexible wall, wherein the chamber is valveless. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the appendage is configured to vibrate. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the housing includes a water resistant material. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein a medium of the modulated positive and negative pressures is water. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the opening is defined by a portion of the housing, and wherein an angle of the appendage relative to the portion of the housing including the opening is adjustable. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The stimulation device of claim 30, further including a joint to enable the angle of the appendage to be adjusted. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, wherein the control device is to cause the appendage to vibrate. ### Claim 33 (depends on 22) The stimulation device of claim 22, further including a flexible material, wherein the opening is formed in the flexible material. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The stimulation device of claim 33, wherein at least a portion of the flexible material protrudes from the housing. ### Claim 35 A method comprising: activating, in response to a user input received by a stimulation device, a drive unit of the stimulation device, the drive unit disposed in a housing of the stimulation device, the housing including an appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a user; and applying, via the drive unit, a force to cause at least a portion of a flexible wall of a pressure field generator of the stimulation device to deflect in opposing directions, thereby resulting in a changing volume of the pressure field generator, the changing volume of the pressure field generator resulting in modulated positive and negative pressures with respect to an external reference pressure, the modulated positive and negative pressures to be applied to a portion of the body of the user via an opening of the stimulation device. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the appendage defines a handle of the stimulation device. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the portion of the body includes a clitoris and the opening is configured to be placed over the clitoris. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the housing includes a silicone coating. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, further including causing the appendage to vibrate. ### Claim 40 A handheld stimulation device comprising: a housing; an appendage associated with the housing, the appendage defining a handle of the handheld stimulation device, the appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a user; a wall disposed in the housing, the wall defining at least a portion of a chamber, and the housing including an opening to the chamber; a drive unit in communication with the wall, the drive unit to cause at least a portion of the wall to move to cause a volume of the chamber to alternate between a first volume, the first volume associated with positive pressures in the chamber relative to an ambient pressure, and a second volume, the second volume associated with negative pressures in the chamber relative to the ambient pressure, the positive pressures and the negative pressures to be applied to a portion of the body of the user via the opening; and a controller to control the drive unit. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The handheld stimulation device of claim 40, wherein a shape of the wall is to change in response to a force generated by the drive unit. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The handheld stimulation device of claim 41, wherein a cross-sectional profile of the chamber having the first volume is different than a cross-sectional profile of the chamber having the second volume. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The handheld stimulation device of claim 40, wherein the drive unit is to cause the at least the portion of the wall to move toward a portion of the housing defining the opening and away from the portion of the housing defining the opening. ### Claim 44 (depends on 40) The handheld stimulation device of claim 40, wherein the appendage is moveable. ### Claim 45 (depends on 40) The handheld stimulation device of claim 40, further including a flexible material supported by the housing, the flexible material disposed about the opening. ### Claim 46 (depends on 40) The handheld stimulation device of claim 40, wherein the appendage is moveably coupled to the housing. ### Claim 47 (depends on 40) The handheld stimulation device of claim 40, wherein the housing includes the appendage. ### Claim 48 A stimulation device comprising: a housing including an appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a user; a chamber disposed in the housing, the housing defining an opening to the chamber; a drive unit disposed in the housing, the drive unit to cause at least a portion of the chamber to move between (a) an expanded position to cause negative pressures relative to an ambient pressure to be generated in the chamber and (b) a compressed position to cause positive pressures relative to the ambient pressure to be generated in the chamber, the positive pressures and the negative pressures to be applied to a portion of the body of the user via the opening; and a controller to actuate the drive unit. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The stimulation device of claim 48, wherein the chamber has a first shape in the compressed position and a second shape in the expanded position, the first shape different than the second shape. ### Claim 50 (depends on 48) The stimulation device of claim 48, wherein the housing includes an edge defining the opening and wherein at least a portion of the chamber is defined by a flexible material, a portion of the flexible material disposed a first distance from the edge when the chamber is in the compressed position and a second distance from the edge when the chamber is in the expanded position, the second distance greater than the first distance. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The stimulation device of claim 50, wherein the flexible material includes silicone. ### Claim 52 (depends on 48) The stimulation device of claim 48, further including a flexible material, wherein the opening is defined by an edge of the housing, and the flexible material is at the edge of the housing. ### Claim 53 A stimulation device comprising: a housing including: a chamber; and a wall at least partially disposed in the chamber; an opening to the chamber; an appendage configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a user; a drive unit disposed in the housing, the drive unit to apply a force to the wall to cause a volume of the chamber to alternate between a first volume and a second volume, pressure in the chamber to modulate between positive pressures relative to an ambient pressure and negative pressures relative to the ambient pressure in response to the alternating volume of the chamber, the positive pressures and the negative pressures to be applied to a portion of the body of the user via the opening; and a controller to actuate the drive unit. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, wherein the housing includes an edge defining the opening, the drive unit to alternatingly push at least a portion of the wall toward the edge and draw the at least the portion of the wall away from the edge via the application of the force to the wall. ### Claim 55 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, wherein a configuration of the wall relative to the housing is to change in response to the application of the force to the wall. ### Claim 56 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, wherein the wall is deformable. ### Claim 57 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, further including a flexible material, the opening extending through the flexible material. ### Claim 58 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, wherein the wall is a portion of a piston. ### Claim 59 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, wherein the appendage is moveable relative to the housing. ### Claim 60 (depends on 53) The stimulation device of claim 53, wherein the housing includes the appendage.