Patent ID: 6505079
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
Apparatus for applying electrical current to an animal having spaced apart skin surface regions spanning a tissue volume exhibiting biologically-based electrical impedances, comprising:an application assembly having a first electrode assembly of first designated polarity positionable for electrical communication at a first region of said skin and a second electrode assembly of second designated polarity positionable for electrical communication at a second region of said skin remote from said first region; said application assembly first electrode assembly including a first channel electrode locatable at a first channel position of said first region of said skin, and a second channel electrode locatable at a second channel position of said first region of said skin spaced from said first channel position; electrical generation apparatus including first and second terminals electrically coupled with respective said first and second electrode assemblies and actuable in response to a start input to generate electrical excitation outputs across said first and second terminals exhibiting select frequencies and waveshapes having given electrical characteristics, further responsive at the commencement of said start input to generate said electrical outputs at progressively increasing values of voltage and current and thereafter responsive to a ramp target signal to generate predetermined values of said voltage and current with corresponding said waveshapes, and responsive to a stop input to terminate said electrical outputs; said electrical generation apparatus electrical excitation outputs including a first channel output coupled in electrical communication through said first terminal output to said first channel electrode and a second channel output coupled in electrical communication through said first terminal output to said second channel electrode; a current sensor assembly responsive to said electrical excitation outputs for providing a monitored current value output; said current sensor assembly including a first channel current sensor responsive to said first channel output for providing said monitored current value output as a first channel monitored current value output, and a second channel current sensor responsive to said second channel output for providing said monitored current value output as a second channel monitored current value output; a voltage sensor assembly responsive to said electrical excitation outputs for providing a monitored voltage value output; said voltage sensor assembly including a first channel voltage sensor responsive to said first channel output for providing said monitored voltage value output as a first channel monitored voltage value output, and a second channel voltage sensor responsive to said second channel output for providing said monitored voltage value output as a second channel monitored voltage value output; a control assembly including a control input for receiving a time interval of application input and start and stop actuations, said control assembly being responsive to a said start actuation to derive said start input and to said stop actuation to derive said stop input, responsive to said monitored current value output, to said monitored voltage value output, and to a predetermined load impedance value for deriving an impedance fault signal when said monitored current value output and said monitored voltage value output represent an impedance not corresponding with said predetermined load impedance value, responsive to at least one said monitored current value output and monitored voltage value output and to a predetermined electrical ramp parameter target value to derive said ramp target signal, responsive to said monitored current value output and to a predetermined overcurrent threshold value to derive a said stop input when said monitored current value output exceeds said predetermined overcurrent threshold value, responsive to said monitored voltage value output and to a predetermined overvoltage value to derive a said stop signal when said monitored voltage value input exceeds said predetermined overvoltage value, and responsive to said start input, said ramp threshold signal and to said time interval of application input for deriving said stop input at the termination of said time interval of application; said control assembly being responsive to said first channel monitored current value output, said first channel monitored voltage value output and to said predetermined load impedance value for deriving a first channel designated fault signal when said first channel monitored current value output and said first channel monitored voltage output represents a said impedance not corresponding with said predetermined load impedance, said control assembly being responsive to said second channel monitored current value output and said second channel monitored voltage value output and to said predetermined load impedance value for deriving a second channel designated fault signal when said second channel monitored current value output and said second channel monitored voltage output represents a said impedance not corresponding with said predetermined load impedance; said control assembly further comprising a display assembly providing third perceptible indicia in the presence of a balance fault signal; said control assembly being responsive to said electrical generation apparatus waveshapes present at said first channel output and said second channel output and is being further responsive to compare predetermined ones of said given electrical characteristics of said waveshapes at said first and second channel outputs to derive a balance value; and said control assembly being responsive to compare said balance value with a predetermined balance limit value, and being further responsive to derive a said balance fault signal when said balance value exceeds said predetermined balance limit value.