US 7,069,089 B2Granted

Abdominal belt with adjustable electrodes

AssigneeBio-Medical Research Limited

InventorsMichael Conor Minogue, Michael Louis Crowe

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Abstract

A device for attaching at least three electrodes to a subject for stimulating abdominal muscles of the subject, comprising an attachment mechanism for extending around the torso of the subject and a main locating element provided on the attachment mechanism for locating a central electrode of the at least three electrodes adjacent the umbilicus of the subject. Two secondary locating elements are also provided on the attachment mechanism disposed on respective opposite sides of the main locating element for locating two corresponding side electrodes of the at least three electrodes spaced apart from the central electrode. Application of at least one pulsed signal to the subject through the respective central and side electrodes stimulates the abdominal muscles of the subject.

Claims72

Dependent claims

A method for stimulating abdominal muscles of a subject, comprising the steps of:

providing at least three electrodes, one of the at least three electrodes being a central electrode located in a position overlapping a midline of the subject, and the other at least two electrodes being side electrodes located on the subject spaced apart from the central electrode, a first of the side electrodes being located substantially about the left mid-axillary line and a second of the side electrodes being located substantially about the right mid-axillary line of the torso intermediate the rib cage and corresponding left and right iliac crests;
providing means electrically connecting said at least three electrodes and a signal generator, said means enclosed within a belt;
selectively defining electrodes to define electrode pairs from the at least three electrodes for selective stimulation of one or more of the abdominal muscles;
and
passing at least one pulsed signal subcutaneously through the subject between the selected electrodes pairs to stimulate a selected one or more of the abdominal muscles.

2 more elements

A device for attaching at least three electrodes to a subject for stimulating abdominal muscles of the subject, comprising:

a belt extending around the torso of the subject;
at least three electrodes attachable to said belt for placement on the subject and for applying at least one pulsed signal to the subject for stimulating the muscles;
a signal generating means for generating the at least one pulsed signal;
and
a selecting means for selectively defining electrodes and electrode pairs from the at least three electrodes, and for selectively applying the at least one pulsed signal to the selected electrode pairs for selective stimulation of one or more of the abdominal muscles;
a main locating means provided on the belt for locating a central electrode of the at least three electrodes in a position overlapping a midline of the subject;
and
two secondary locating means provided on the belt disposed on respective opposite sides of the main locating means for locating two corresponding side electrodes of the at least three electrodes, a first of the two side electrodes spaced apart from the central electrode in a general direction towards the left mid-axillary line of the subject and a second of the two side electrodes spaced apart from the central electrode in a general direction towards the right mid-axillary line of the subject.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.