FR2538255A1

FR2538255A1 - Muscular excitomotor device

Info

Publication number: FR2538255A1
Application number: FR8221578A
Authority: FR
Inventors: Serge Garrigou; Marie-Pierre Olivier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-12-22
Filing date: 1982-12-22
Publication date: 1984-06-29

Abstract

Apparatus producing electrical signals intended for muscular excitation. The generator allows separate excitation of a number of muscles. The signals are applied with the aid of conducting electrodes 16, 17, 18, 19, 115, 116, 117, 118 and the power is adjustable independently on each channel with the aid of adjustment potentiometers 11, 12, 13, 14 in the case of a four-channel apparatus. This device allows the muscles to be made to work, in physical training and functional rehabilitation. It comprises a casing 10, in which the control electronics and its supply are contained, and the signal injection electrodes 16 to 19 and 115 to 118, as well as the securing straps. The apparatus presented here is a four-channel apparatus. A time switch which is incorporated allows the length of the session to be chosen, 15. Luminous lights 110, 111, 112, 113 allow the supervision on each channel simultaneously of the correct operation of the whole and galvanometer allows monitoring of the total current 114. The number of channels is from two to eight according to the use envisaged (physical training for immobilised subjects, physical training for the individual, re-education, treatment of several subjects at once).

Description

La présente invention concerne un dispositif générateur de courants excito-moteurs. The present invention relates to a device for generating excito-motor currents.

Les problèmes rencontrés en ce domaine sont généralement dus à un manque de souplesse dans les réglages ainsi qu'à une certainne accoutu-. The problems encountered in this area are generally due to a lack of flexibility in the settings as well as a certain custom.

mance qui oblige à modifier le courant plusieurs fois au cours d'une meme scéance.mance which forces the current to be changed several times during the same session.

La présente invention sera mieux comprise en se référant aux figures 1,2 et 3,représentant respectivement;
Figure 1- Appareil complet avec son coffret (10,figure 1) et ses élec trodes (g-8- 4eigure 1)-16.1} 19 t6
Figure 2 - Forme des signaux excito-moteurs.The present invention will be better understood by referring to Figures 1,2 and 3, showing respectively;
Figure 1- Complete device with its box (10, figure 1) and its electrodes (g-8- 4eigure 1) -16.1} 19 t6
Figure 2 - Form of excito-motor signals.

Figure 3 - Synoptique général du générateur. Figure 3 - General block diagram of the generator.

Pour remédier aux défauts présentés par laplupart des systèmes existant, l'appareil comporte;
1- Une minuterie électronique (41,figure 4 et 15,figure 1).Cette minuterie réduit progressivement le courant sur les sorties à la fin de l'exercice de façon à provoquer une décontraction musculaire.To remedy the faults presented by most existing systems, the device comprises;
1- An electronic timer (41, figure 4 and 15, figure 1). This timer gradually reduces the current on the outputs at the end of the exercise so as to cause muscle relaxation.

2- Sur chaque voie,un amplificateur de courant indépendant (38-39-310311,figure 4) réglé par un potentiometre indépendant (312-313-314-315, figure 3 et t1-12-13-14,figure 7).Ces amplificateurs sont dits"à courant constant" afin de fournir le meme courant quelque soit l'impédance de la peau.Celle-çi peut en effet varier au cours de la scéance,soit à cause de la sudation, soit à cause d'une variation de l'humidité des électrodes. 2- On each channel, an independent current amplifier (38-39-310311, figure 4) adjusted by an independent potentiometer (312-313-314-315, figure 3 and t1-12-13-14, figure 7). These amplifiers are called "constant current" in order to provide the same current whatever the impedance of the skin. It can indeed vary during the session, either because of sweating or because of a variation in the humidity of the electrodes.

3- Sur chaque voie,un indicateur lumineux (316-317-318-319,figure 4)per- met de régler le courant avec une tres grande souplesse car son seuil d'illumination est inférieur au seuil de perception de l'excitation mus- culaire.La luminosité de ces voyants est proportionnelle au courant d'excitation. 3- On each channel, a light indicator (316-317-318-319, Figure 4) allows you to adjust the current with great flexibility because its illumination threshold is lower than the threshold for perceiving the excitation mus - Cular.The brightness of these indicators is proportional to the excitation current.

4- Un générateur de signaux de forme complexe (2figure 2)et (31-3233-34-35-36-37,figure 4),qui fournit un signal excito-moteur dont le temps de montée et de descente sont exponentiels et dont la fréquence de découpage est modulée par une dent de scie synchrone (21,figure 2 et 22 fig.2). 4- A signal generator of complex shape (2figure 2) and (31-3233-34-35-36-37, figure 4), which provides an excito-motor signal whose rise and fall times are exponential and whose the cutting frequency is modulated by a synchronous sawtooth (21, figure 2 and 22 fig.2).

Cet appareil fonctionne de la façon suivante; -Un oscillateur (31,figure i) fournit des impulsions de déclenchement dont la fréquence fixe la cadence des excitations.La fréquence de ce signal est réglable à l'intérieur de l'appareil par potentiomètre ajustable. This device operates as follows; -An oscillator (31, Figure i) provides trigger pulses whose frequency sets the rate of excitations. The frequency of this signal is adjustable inside the device by adjustable potentiometer.

Un monovibrateur (32,figure 3)fournit,à partir du signal de déclenchement,un créneau d'une durée correspondant à la durée de la dent de scie (33,figure# #.Le signal du monovibrateur (32,figure 4)sert à produire la dent de scie (33,figure 2 qui module en fréquence l'oscillateur de découpage (34,figure #. A monovibrator (32, figure 3) provides, from the trigger signal, a time slot corresponding to the duration of the sawtooth (33, figure # #. The signal from the monovibrator (32, figure 4) serves to produce the sawtooth (33, figure 2 which frequency modulates the cutting oscillator (34, figure #.

Simultanément,un second monovibrateur (25,figure 4),d'une durée légerement inférieure au premier,détermine la durée de l'excitation. Simultaneously, a second monovibrator (25, FIG. 4), of a duration slightly shorter than the first, determines the duration of the excitation.

Un intégrateur de mise en forme (36,figure 4) définit le temps de montée et le temps de descente du signal.La durée totale,y compris le temps de descente,correspont à la durée de la dent de scie. A shaping integrator (36, Figure 4) defines the rise time and fall time of the signal. The total time, including the fall time, corresponds to the length of the sawtooth.

Un étage modulateur effectue le découpage du signal de sortie de l'intégrateur (36,figure 4) par les signaux modulés en fréquence de l'oscillateur (37,figure 4).Le signal à la sortie du modulateur (37,ìgure 4) est celui de la figure 1 (21,figure t). A modulator stage cuts the output signal of the integrator (36, figure 4) by the frequency modulated signals of the oscillator (37, figure 4). The signal at the output of the modulator (37, figure 4) is that of Figure 1 (21, Figure t).

Des amplificateurs de courant (38-39-310-311 ,figure 4) réalisent la fonction conversion tension constante-courant constant nécessaire à l'excitation musculaire. Current amplifiers (38-39-310-311, Figure 4) perform the constant voltage-constant current conversion function necessary for muscle excitement.

En série avec chaque sortie,on a placé une diode électroluminescente destinée à visualiser le courant de sortie (316-317-318-319,figure 4). In series with each output, a light emitting diode was placed to display the output current (316-317-318-319, Figure 4).

Les potentiometres (11-12-13-14,fîgure 1),permettent de régler le courant dans chaque sortie. The potentiometers (11-12-13-14, figure 1), allow to adjust the current in each output.

L'alimentation se fait soit sur piles,soit sur secteur 220 volts et comporte;
a) L'alimentation de la logique qui se fait sous 6 volts
b) L'alimentation des amplificateurs de sortie, qui se fait à l'aide d'un convertisseur commandé par la minuterie (41,figure 2 .La capacité de sortie de ce convertisseur est telle que lorsque celui-ci s'arrete, 12 tension d'alimentation décroit progressivement,provoquant ainsi l'affaiblissement progressif du signal de sortie.The power supply is done either on batteries, or on 220 volts sector and includes;
a) The power supply of the logic which is done under 6 volts
b) The supply of the output amplifiers, which is done using a converter controlled by the timer (41, figure 2. The output capacity of this converter is such that when it stops, 12 supply voltage gradually decreases, causing the output signal to gradually weaken.

Fonctionnement de l'alimentation amplificateurs de courant. Current amplifier power supply operation.

A la mise sous tension, le monovibrateur (41,figure @) fournit un signal d'une durée correspondant à la durée de la scéance.Cette durée est réglable à l'aide du potentiometre (45,figure @). When the power is turned on, the monovibrator (41, figure @) provides a signal with a duration corresponding to the duration of the session. This duration can be adjusted using the potentiometer (45, figure @).

Ce monovibrateur provoque l'oscillation du multivibrateur (42,Bigu- re
Le signal issu de l'oscillateur est appliqué à un étage amplificateur, (43,figure @) suivi d'un transformateur,et d'un groupe redressement filtrage régulation (44,figure$) et de la capacité reservoir (46,fîgure@). This monovibrator causes the multivibrator (42, Biguere) to oscillate.
The signal from the oscillator is applied to an amplifier stage, (43, figure @) followed by a transformer, and a regulation filtering rectification group (44, figure $) and the tank capacity (46, figure @ ).

Claims

1) Device supplying excito-motor current pulses,

characterized in that it comprises a box containing the electronics and its power supply as well as the necessary electrodes and their fixing system on the subject, allowing one to four simultaneous and independent current excitations.

2) Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the channels (11-12-13-14, figure 1) are powered by amplifiers (3839-310-311, figure ~ 6) adjustable and independent, with independent adjustment ( 312 312-313-314-315, figure @

3) Device according to claims let 2 characterized in that the current of each channel (30-31-32-33, figure t) is displayed from an independent monitor by an indicator light in each channel (316-317-318319 , Figure 4) whose sensitivity is such that it lights up before the threshold of perception of excitation.

4) Device according to any ~ onque of the above claims characterized in that the excito-motor signal is frequency modulated by a sawtooth (33, figure $ whose duration is equal to the duration of the excitation which causes synchronous frequency modulation #.

5) Device according to any one of the above claims, characterized in that the supply (Figure @) is controlled by a timer (41, figure #) whose stopping causes a progressive weakening of the signal before automatic haunch .