# US 9,517,356 B2 · Optical therapeutic apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,356 B2 - Document ID: US9517356B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/622,800 - Filed: 2012-09-19 - Published: 2013-12-12 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-19 - Applicants: Craig Nabat; Chung-Yang Mike Chen - Inventors: Craig Nabat; Chung-Yang Mike Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517356B2 ## CPC - A61N 5/0619: {Acupuncture} - A61M 21/02: for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia (for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021) - A61M 2021/0027: {by the hearing sense} - A61N 2005/0605: {Ear} - A61N 2005/0647: {the applicator adapted to be worn on the head} - A61N 2005/0652: {Arrays of diodes} - A61N 2005/0659: {infrared} - A61N 2005/0662: {Visible light} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract An optical therapeutic apparatus includes an ear shield for covering a wearer's ear, which has a plurality of acupuncture points; a hanging member including a connection portion connected to the ear shield; and a plurality of light emitters disposed within an interior portion of the ear shield in array manner to face the plurality of acupuncture points respectively. The plurality of light emitters includes a plurality of acupoint-stimulation elements, each corresponding to a respective one of the acupuncture points, at least two sets of the acupoint-stimulation elements are capable of emitting stimulation light beams at different time intervals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical therapeutic apparatus, comprising: a pair of ear shields for covering a wearer's ears, which ears are disposed with a respective plurality of auricular acupuncture points; a hanging member including a connection portion connected to each ear shield, and wherein the hanging member is fitted as a headset, the hanging member further including a display screen for displaying a radiating time and a function selection interface, and a regulator knob operable to alter the radiating time and to operate the function selection interface; an array of light emitters disposed in the ear shields in juxtaposed opposition to the plurality of auricular acupuncture points respectively, the array of light emitters including a plurality of acupoint-stimulation elements, each element corresponding to a respective one of the auricular acupuncture points, at least two acupoint-stimulation elements emitting at least two respective stimulation light beams at different respective time intervals; a pair of loud speakers disposed in the ear shields directed to emit therapeutic sound or music into ears of the wearer; a control module operably coupled to the regulator knob, the display screen, the pair of loudspeakers, and the array of light emitters; and a detection unit electrically coupled to the control module, the detection unit transmitting a signal to the control module to activate the array of light emitters when presence of the wearer's ear is detected and deactivate the array of light emitters when absence of the wearer's ear is detected; wherein at least one of the acupoint-stimulation elements emits a first stimulation light beam to the auricular acupuncture point of Shenmen, wherein at least one of the acupoint-stimulation elements emits a second stimulation light beam to another auricular acupuncture point, wherein the acupoint-stimulation elements emit an infrared stimulation light beam or a visible stimulation light beam, wherein the therapeutic sound or music, in conjunction with the stimulation light beams, induces a state of wakeful relaxation in the wearer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of acupoint-stimulation elements emit stimulation light beams with varying frequencies. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of each of said plurality of stimulation light beams ranges from about 450 nm to about 1000 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation light beams emitted from the at least two acupoint-stimulation elements respectively have frequencies that are different from one another. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array of light emitters further includes a plurality of auxiliary-stimulation elements facing toward the wearer's ear are capable of emitting a constant plurality of auxiliary stimulation light beams in order to stimulate other points of the wearer's ear juxtaposed to the acupuncture points respectively. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of auxiliary stimulation light beams ranges from about 450 nm to about 1000 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the stimulation light beams and the auxiliary stimulation light beams respectively have frequencies that are different from each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said array of light emitters consists of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or laser modules. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the array of light emitters emits light at constant energy. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of ear shields is provided with a circular soft cushion at an exterior portion thereof for tightly abutting against the wearer's ear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein ones of the array of light emitters emit light at varying energy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein ones of the array of light emitters emit light at a constant frequency. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hanging member is provided with a transmission cable for capturing a frequency signal from a sound producing device and transferring the frequency signal to each of the pair of loud speakers for broadcasting the therapeutic sound or music. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transmission cable is coupled electrically to a power source in order to obtain an electrical power for illuminating the array of light emitters. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hanging member is in the form of an adjustable curve structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hanging member is provided with an activation switch coupled electrically to the array of light emitters for switching-on and switching-off of the array of light emitters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hanging member further includes a buzzer for generating a reminding alarm at a pre-set time interval. ### Claim 18 An optical therapeutic apparatus, comprising: an array of light emitters adapted to each of a wearer's ears in juxtaposed opposition to a plurality of auricular acupuncture points respectively, wherein the array of light emitters includes a plurality of acupoint-stimulation elements corresponding to an auricular acupuncture point of Shenmen and at least one of the other auricular acupuncture point, at least two acupoint-stimulation elements emitting a respective stimulation light beams at different respective time intervals, wherein at least one time interval overlaps with another, and wherein wave lengths of the stimulation light beams ranges from about 450 nm to about 1000 nm; an ear shield for covering each of the wearer's ears, and wherein each of the ear shields is provided a loud speaker for broadcasting one of sound or music; and a hanging member including a connection portion connects both ear shields, the hanging member further including a display screen for displaying a radiating time and a function selection interface, a regulator knob operable to alter the radiating time and to operate the function selection interface, and a control module coupled to the array of light emitters, both loud speakers, the display screen, and the regulator knob; and a detection unit electrically coupled to the control module, the detection unit transmitting a signal to the control module to activate the array of light emitters when presence of the wearer's ear is detected and deactivate the array of light emitters when absence of the wearer's ear is detected. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The optical therapeutic apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of stimulation light beams emitted from the at least two auricular acupoint-stimulation elements respectively have frequencies that are different from another, and the plurality of stimulation light beams are emitted with varying intensity.